Physical chemistry, disney princesses, and a pink cocktail! Live from Oxford, this is a great addition to the UK edition of the Ivory Attic!

Star Wars, Video Games, History? What’s not to love! With the hilarious Chris Kempshall!

In this episode, we listen to Jocelyn Swigger play some beautiful piano, learn about a new (to us at least) wonderful female composer, and talk colorful fashion!

Bruce A. Larson about campaign finance, his winding path to academia (a route marked by romantic pursuits and rock bands), and we end with a special expensive cocktail.

Now with fewer hosts! In this episode, Ian switches sides of the Attic to talk with Kurt about his new book, The Battalion: Citizen Soldiers at War on the Western Front,. They kick off the new season by talking about how defeat can sometimes look a lot like victory, why writing about war during a global pandemic might not be the best way to pass the time in quarantine, and about Ian’s love of playing with toy soldiers.

From there, the conversation turns to military fashion, as Kurt tries his best to get Ian to name history’s best and worst uniforms. Finally, they raise a glass and chat about the late Queen Elizabeth II over a well-earned cocktail.

Give it a listen—we promise this won’t be an episode of attrition!

R.C. Miessler and I sample various healing draughts. If you want to learn a bit more about the water of life, this is the episode for you!

In this episode, we try to recover from some recent unpleasantness. We asked previous guests of the show to read inspirational passages, poems, speeches, make their own comments, and simply give whatever message they thought that we all needed right now. As usual, our guests did not disappoint. We hope you enjoy this collection of calls to action, thoughts on our current political situation, and reflections on how one moves forward in darker times. Perhaps these thoughtful words from amazing people can contribute a bit of brightness in a dark time.

In this episode, we speak with Amy Tooth Murphy, Senior Lecturer in Oral History at Royal Holloway, University of London. Amy talks to us about her oral history research on butch culture and why, despite the fact that most people can recognize someone who is butch, it still takes academics years to figure out what “butch” means. She also explains why listening is something that actually takes practice and is hard to do. (Don’t Ian and I know it!) We then quiz her in a new rapid-fire format and geek out with her about our shared love of tweed fashion. Finally, we give her one difficult to drink cocktail now and send her home with a recipe for an even harder-to-drink cocktail! And this is how we treat people we like! Well, hopefully it still makes for interesting listening!

In this episode, we speak with Professor Christopher Kauffman, Adams Professor in Theatre Arts at Gettysburg College. Chris talks about the serious side of clowning and why nobody should ever try to be funny. He also explains why having a mean French man call you a “double-zero” is a great way to be funnier and explains the new “Muppet-core” fashion movement. Finally, we make our noses red both figuratively and literally by sipping on a cocktail. We promise this will only be the third worst thing you have ever heard! Call us Natalie!

In this episode, we speak with Professor of Mathematics at Gettysburg College, Ben Kennedy. Ben talks about why anyone would want to do math, what is interesting about chaos, and why it doesn’t matter if the thing you are discovering is important. He then (for some reason) answers a truly awful set of quiz questions and talks about how he has stopped screaming at colleagues during meaningless basketball games. Finally, we share a whiskey together that was made by two very special people (at least partially).

It’s our special Graduation Episode! In this episode, we talk with special guest Juls Buehrer, Gettysburg College’s Costume Designer-in-Residence and Gettysburg College’s Costume Shop Manager and Gettysburg College’s Scenic Artist. Despite doing more work in a day than Ian and I do in a year, Juls managed to carve out a little time to tell us about the amazing history of Academic Regalia. She also explains her affinity for Fairy dress and Ian tells the sad story of his own college graduation outfit. Finally, to recover, we all drink a purple-hued cocktail to celebrate the graduation of the class of 2024. We hope you find a nice set of pomps and circumstances to listen to this great episode!

In this episode, we talk with Craig Lair, Chairperson and Associate Professor of Sociology at Gettysburg College. We learn how his joy of skateboarding led to his Ph.D. and why the three of us might have Ph.D.’s from Harvard University in the near future. We also consider writing letters to each other without any work and learn why chickens are great economic sociology teachers. Finally, an old guest quizzes Craig, we talk a little bit of fashion, and we drink to escape capitalism. We didn’t hold back in the beginning of the 2nd season and neither should you! Give a listen!

In this episode, we talk to Kerry Wallach, Chairperson and Associate Professor of German Studies at Gettysburg College. She talked to us about her new book, Traces of a Jewish Artist: The Lost Life and Work of Rahel Szalit, and what it is like to search for things that aren’t there. Kerry also talks about her shared love of tweed a la Walker Slater and makes a pitch for her a new movie based on her research. Finally, we all share a punch-related drink celebrating a lost work by artist Rahel Szalit. Why decide? 

In this run up to the New Year, Ian invites Kurt to talk about his cocktail book, Ten Cocktails Adults Should Know. We discuss all things cocktails, from which ones are easier, which ones are harder, and which ones you can set on fire. Finally, Kurt makes not one, but two cocktails for Ian to drink to ring in the New Year! So pour yourself something bubbly and join us in the Attic.

It is the holiday season! During this time, we think it is important to talk about what we are thankful for, so we gathered a bunch of our previous guests and asked them to share their thoughts. Strangely, only one of our guests mentioned this great podcast! To wrap it all up, Ian and Kurt talk holiday fashion and Kurt makes Ian try a cocktail that looks and tastes a little too much like gravy.

In this episode, we talk with the inaugural Kermit O. Paxton and Renee A. Paxton Endowed Teaching Chair at Gettysburg College, Dr. McKinley Melton. McKinley talks to us about his research in spirituality among enslaved Africans in America as well as his new project investigating contemporary spoken-word African-American poets. He also explains why Ian’s “flexibility” is a superpower and describes his large collection of fleeces. Finally, we all share a delicious fall drink while two of the three attic occupants mock one of the host’s inability to say a word that looks nothing like how it is pronounced. But it’s all in good fun, I think.

We’re back, baby! In this episode, we have a poolside chat with Vern Cisney, the Chair of Interdisciplinary Studies at Gettysburg College. This is a spicy one! We discuss why an Independent Major might actually get you a job; Ian and Vern fix the “crisis in the humanities”; Kurt waxes fondly on his love of creative writing; and we figure out which philosopher/natural philosopher is Ringo. Our guest even coins a hot new fashion phrase. Finally, we end things with a hedonistic cocktail and cigar.

In this episode, we start with a discussion about what professors actually do in the summer. This is followed by our first recurring segment, Notes from the Natural World, wherein naturalist Ian Clarke discusses the subtleties of birding without getting shot. Finally, we land an amazing interview with world-renowned Dean Chat who tells us that the academy is actually in pretty good shape after all! We definitely needed a drink after that!

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Joanne Myers, Associate Professor of English at Gettysburg College. We discuss 18th century British literature, the cultural history of miscarriage, and religious vocation. We also discuss which 18th century writer we would want to drink with and good thrift shops. Finally, we drink a milk punch which may have the largest difference between how delicious it tastes and how bad it looks when you are making it.