Thank you Wootton + Trump assassination attempt + history of fireworks podcast

Thank you, Wootton, near Woodstock for inviting me to talk about the history of assassination on Valentine's Day! I loved the Village Hall venue - looked like a full house, with chairs packed tightly together, delivering a great atmosphere. 

Good questions too. Did I think the Trump assassination attempt was faked? Though I consider Trump a thoroughly disgraceful character, I said I did not, because even if you could procure a sniper of Eddie Redmayne calibre, it would be too risky to fire a shot designed to graze or very narrowly miss Trump. The suggestion that Trump was injured by shrapnel from the teleprompter screen rather than by a bullet does not change my view. But maybe I'm missing something? It was certainly very convenient for him, but that does not mean it was fake.

Btw my podcast with Professor Suzannah Lipscomb on the history of fireworks from their mysterious origins to the present day (based on my book A History of Fireworks published by Reaktion) is available here - https://podcasts.apple.com/ai/podcast/fireworks-from-the-tudors-to-guy-fawkes/id1564113869?i=1000674896970

The history of assassination roadshow hits Wootton

Looking forward to delivering one of the famous Wootton Village Hall talks in Oxfordshire on Friday. Subject - the history of assassination. I'll be talking about the world's first assassination; asking whether London was the scene of the world's first assassination by firearm; examining the surprising carelessness of some victims - like Abraham Lincoln, who let his bodyguard go off for a drink; and telling the story of the weird ones - murder by booby-trapped statuette, poisoned umbrella and man disguised as bear. 

Drawing on my book Assassins' Deeds. A History of Assassination from Ancient Egypt to the Present Day (Reaktion Books), I'll also be detailing the most famous ones - such as Julius Caesar, the Archduke Franz Ferdinand, JFK, as well as the not very famous British prime minister who was the only one to be assassinated. 

And, of course, Friday being Valentine's Day, the talk will include a love story. All proceeds go to the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.

http://www.woottontalks.co.uk/

Stanmore: are you ready for fireworks?

Looking forward to talking about my new book 'A History of Fireworks' (Reaktion Books) at Stanmore & District u3a on Monday, 20 January. I'll be sharing secrets about the mysterious origins of fireworks, Britain's first major display, rowdy Bonfire Nights, firework disasters, famous firework makers, fireworks in art, music and literature and the challenges they now face because of fears about pollution and the effects they have on animals https://stanmore.u3asite.uk/u3a_events/monday-20th-january-john-withington/

Can fireworks change the weather? A new look at my new book

Can fireworks change the weather? When and where did they begin? When was Britain's first display? How did 5 November become a date that it was compulsory by law to celebrate but also a focus for anti-establishment disorder? What role has London played in the history of fireworks? How did an Islington fireworks disaster make history? These are some of the questions explored by Dan Carrier in his 'Islington Tribune' article on my new book 'A History of Fireworks from their Origins to the Present Day' (Reaktion Books)

https://www.islingtontribune.co.uk/article/rocket-man

How Warwickshire helped give Britain the fireworks bug

Great to be interviewed by Richard Williams of BBC CWR about my new book 'A History of Fireworks from their Origins to the Present Day' (Reaktion Books). We talked about Elizabeth I's love of fireworks, about two major displays she went to at Warwick (pictured) and Kenilworth Castles, how the Warwick one got out of hand and killed a couple of people in the town, about Britain's first firework display, about when fireworks first started to be used to celebrate 5 November and much more. The interview is in two parts. Part 1 is about 1 hr 18 mins in, and Part 2 about 2 hrs 19 mins in

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0jy2h4v

Somerset's role in the explosive history of fireworks

 Great to be interviewed by Simon Parkin of BBC Radio Somerset about my new book 'A History of Fireworks from their Origins to the Present Day' (Reaktion Books). We talked about fireworks' mysterious beginnings, their first appearance in England, how a court case about a firework thrown in Milborne Port market made legal history, why Bridgwater (pictured) became a hotbed of Bonfire Night celebrations, the Bath firework maker who kept losing wives in accidents and much more. You can catch the interview via this link at about 2 hr 19 mins in

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0jwm7gc

A History of Fireworks: my interview on New Books Network

Great fun to be interviewed on New Books Network by Miranda Melcher about MY new book 'A History of Fireworks from their Origins to the Present Day' (Reaktion Books). We talked about their mysterious origins, and how they might have been a by-product of the search for eternal life, how they came to England, how Bonfire Night became both compulsory to celebrate by law and a focus for political disorder and hooliganism, the dramatic breakthroughs that got us to the sophisticated displays of today, how fireworks have been portrayed in the arts, their practical uses, for example, in rescuing shipwrecked mariners or trying to change the weather, and the challenges they now face because of noise and pollution. You can hear it all here:

 newbooksnetwork.com/history-of-fireworks-from-their-origins-to-the-present-day