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Textory - The Podcast

Textory - The Podcast

Who doesn’t like petty texts, celebrity gossip, dating advice, spicy song lyrics, or controversial opinions? Now imagine all that... but it’s historical. In this podcast we’ll be reading some juicy historical letters, diaries, articles and other piping hot tea. So get yourself something to drink and let’s jump into TEXTORY.

Hosted by Karolina Żebrowska

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  • 24 episodes
  • fortnightly
  • Avg 31 min
  • English

Episodes 24

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  • S3 · E16
    Thursday · 26 min

    S3 Ep16: Victorian Psychic Mediums Debunked by... a Victorian Psychic Medium

    Levitating tables, ghostly plasma sightings, mysterious voices - every turn-of-the-century seance enjoyer was hoping for some unforgettable spirit manifestations. But one medium has had enough, and she ruthlessly spilled the tea on all the tricks of the trade. Today we're reading "Mediums Unmasked" from 1892, where the authoress is debunking and exposing all of the "mysterious" happenings linked with psychic mediums like herself. _______________ check out my Patreon! https://patreon.com/textory

  • S3 · E15
    September 17 · 24 min

    S3 Ep15: How To Study in 1917

    Blind obedience, an open mind, critical thinking skills – what was expected of early 20th century students and what tips were considered useful to students? Find in today's episode, where we're reading a "How To Study" manual from 1917. ____________ Check out my Patreon! https://patreon.com/textory

  • S3 · E14
    September 3 · 25 min

    S3 Ep14: "I Felt Awkward At Court" - 11th Century Japanese Diary

    Today we're reading possibly the oldest text in - wait for it, it's a mouthful - Textory's history! The Sarashina Diary (AD 1009-1059) was written by a Japanese lady who spent much of her life at royal court. ________ Check out my Patreon! https://patreon.com/textory

  • S3 · E13
    August 20 · 23 min

    S3 Ep13: Manly Women, Womanly Men

    Nothing scared 17th century folks more than witches, but women dressing in masculine styles was a close second. In today's texts - "Hic Mulier" and "Haec Vir" pamphlets from the 17th century, we're examining what exactly was considered so unforgivable that had to be put to print. _________________ Check out my Patreon! https://patreon.com/textory

  • S3 · E12
    August 6 · 33 min

    S3 Ep12: Random Dating and Pinning In The 1950s

    What was random dating and how did it affect 1950s love lives? What was the pinning ritual all about and why was it perfect for predatory young men? All this and more in today's episode about the "Modern Courtship and Marriage" book from 1957.

  • S3 · E11
    July 23 · 27 min

    S3 Ep11: Tips For Edwardian Female Students

    How much studying is too much? What should a female student wear? What should her dorm look like? If you were a female student in the Edwardian era, you would have loved "Girl Student Days and After" from 1911 - our today's text! _________________ Check out my Patreon! https://patreon.com/textory

  • S3 · E10
    July 9 · 29 min

    S3 Ep10: Gentle Parenting or Crying it Out? Raising Children in 1920s

    Over a hundred years ago parents were also looking to parenting books for advice. What does this one, "The Best Method for Raising Children" from 1924, has to say about caring for newborns, corporal punishment or regulating your emotions? You'll be surprised.

  • S3 · E9
    June 25 · 37 min

    S3 Ep9: Monsters, Amber and Elks

    Located at the edge of the Baltic sea, 17th century Gdańsk was a multicultural merchant city. Peter Mundy, a British traveller, lived there for around a decade, and left a fascinating memoir of his time in the town located in modern-day northern Poland that we're reading in this episode. _________________ Check out my Patreon! https://patreon.com/textory

  • S3 · E8
    June 11 · 32 min

    S3 Ep8: “Slept All Day”. A Victorian Teacher’s Diaries

    What was a typical day like for a teacher in a small town in 1890s Illinois? Today we’re reading diaries of Emma Wormwood and reflecting on the lifestyle, duties and leisure a woman faced in a 19th century rural setting. _________________ Check out my Patreon! https://patreon.com/textory

  • S3 · E7
    May 28 · 28 min

    S3 Ep7: The 17th Century Relationship Advice Column

    What if I told you first popular advice column was published in the 1690s? “The Athenian Mercury” followed a Q&A format, which dealt with issues from the fields of philosophy, physics, religion, and interpersonal relationships, which are the focus of today’s episode. _________________ Check out my Patreon! https://patreon.com/textory

  • S3 · E6
    May 14 · 33 min

    S3 Ep6: How To Woo: Courting in The 1920s

    Should a potential 1920s candidate for a wife be "untouched”? Not at all, let her use life! At least that was the opinion of Clement Wood, the author of today’s text - “The Art of Courtship” from 1926. Surprisingly bold for the era, Wood’s tips and tricks on “wooing” the opposite sex are the focus of today’s episode. Enjoy! _________________ Check out my Patreon! https://patreon.com/textory

  • S3 · E5
    April 30 · 28 min

    S3 Ep5: Strawberries, Mermaids and Revenge

    Are women good at poetry? Can they even write it? These were probably serious questions people in the past were asking. In today’s episode we have an answer that is a loud and clear “YES”, as we read works of female English, Scotch and Irish women throughout 17th-19th centuries. _________________ Check out my Patreon! https://patreon.com/textory

  • S3 · E4
    April 16 · 28 min

    S3 Ep4: Filthy Matters. A Renaissance Guide to Good Manners

    We might imagine Renaissance Italy as a place of innovation and art, but the day to day reality was plagued by disgusting behaviors. Today we're reading a surprisingly foul 16th century manual on being a well-behaved person. _________________ Check out my Patreon! https://patreon.com/textory

  • S3 · E3
    April 2 · 33 min

    S3 Ep3: Jane Austen's Situationship

    Tom Lefroy is often pictured as Jane Austen’s true love that forever ruined her views on marriage. But do her own writings suggest it was mostly... well, a situationship? Find out in today’s episode! _________________ Check out my Patreon! https://patreon.com/textory

  • S3 · E2
    March 19 · 26 min

    S3 Ep2: Eaten Away - Observations on The Venereal Disease, 1686

    Rotting flesh, deformed bones, disappearing noses... Old medicine didn’t have much to offer for those suffering from the most horrific diseases - like syphilis - but some attempted ailing the sick. In today’s episode we’re reading “Observations on the Venereal Disease” from 1686. _________________ Check out my Patreon! https://patreon.com/textory

  • S3 · E1
    March 6 · 36 min

    S3 Ep1: How To Be a Victorian Servant

    From never-ending list of tasks and duties to possibly being mistreated, domestic service in the Victorian era sounds like absolute hell. And yet, for many women, it was a dream job. Today we’re reading “Instructions in household matters: or, The young girl's guide to domestic service” from 1845, which details how to best prepare for that sort of work. Also, welcome to season 3 of Textory The Podcast! Announcement time – future episodes of the podcast will be uploaded on a separate Youtube channel rather than on my channel, so if you’ve been following the podcast there, make sure to subscribe the new channel to stay up to date with new episodes! You’ll find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@TextoryThePodcast _________________ Check out my Patreon! https://patreon.com/textory

  • S2 · E20
    Dec 11, 2025 · 25 min

    S2 Ep20: Women War Workers

    Working nights? Working from home? Lunch breaks? These were some of the very modern-sounding questions working women were asking during WW1. In today's episode we're talking women's labour and reading "The Garment Worker" magazine from April 1918. _______ Check out my Patreon! https://patreon.com/textory

  • S2 · E19
    Nov 27, 2025 · 25 min

    S2 Ep19: Victorian Ballroom Etiquette

    Gloves or no gloves? How did you get introduced to eligible gentleman? Could he buy you a drink? Today we're reading “Routledge’s Ballroom Companion” from 1866. ________________ If you enjoy the podcast and want to support what I’m doing, check out my Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/textory

  • S2 · E18
    Nov 13, 2025 · 31 min

    S2 Ep18: How To Avoid Consumption

    It's winter season in 1839 and you're trying to survive. What would be your reading of choice? Probably "How To Prevent Consumption", with bleakly useless advice and wild theories.

  • S2 · E17
    Oct 23, 2025 · 35 min

    S2 Ep17: Buster Keaton, The Exclusive Property of MGM

    Famous for his dead-pan comedy style, Buster Keaton was one the kings of slapstick comedy. But behind his success hid battles with production studios, his wife, and his addiction. In today’s episode, we’re reading Keaton’s memoir “My Wonderful World of Slapstick”. ________________ If you enjoy the podcast and want to support what I’m doing, check out my Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/textory

Showing 1–20 of 24 episodes