Utterly interesting

When Nick Cave, Mark E Smith and Shane MacGowan met for the 1989 NME Pop Summit, the pub table shook with insults, strange philosophy, unsolicited theology and genuine admiration. A wonderfully unfiltered moment between three artists who dragged rock away from the dying days of the eighties.

Adolphe Sax survived acid, explosions, falling out of windows and still went on to invent the saxophone. The strange and surprisingly funny life behind one of music’s most iconic instruments.

Victorian hair wreaths weren’t only mourning relics. Most were made from the hair of the living, celebrating family, friendship and creativity. Explore the real history of nineteenth century hairwork and the forgotten artistry behind these intricate floral sculptures.

The story of Dr Douglas Kelley, the Nuremberg psychiatrist who examined the Nazi leadership and uncovered unsettling truths that followed him for the rest of his life.

Explore the extraordinary life of Graciela Olmos, known as La Bandida, the revolutionary widow turned bootlegger, composer and creator of Mexico Citys most legendary nightlife establishment.

A calm factual long read on the Church of Scientology exploring secrecy retaliation disappearances and the human cost behind decades of allegations.

The remarkable true story of Katherine Slaughterback, known as Rattlesnake Kate, who fought off 140 rattlesnakes in 1925 and turned the skins into a legendary dress.

The tragic story of James Pratt and John Smith, the last men executed for sodomy in England in 1835. A detailed look at their arrest, trial, execution, and legacy, with surviving quotes and historical context.

Teenage emperor Elagabalus shocked Rome with a new sun cult, a Vestal Virgin marriage, rapid divorces, and rumours of lovers and excess. Ancient writers turned his brief reign into one of history’s most notorious scandals.

The Mirabal sisters stood up to Trujillo when doing so meant prison or death. Their assassination on 25 Nov 1960 shook the Dominican Republic and helped hasten the dictator’s fall. Dedé Mirabal spent her life making sure the world remembered why.

A detailed factual account of Michael Ryan’s life, the Hungerford shootings of 19 August 1987, the victims, the police response, and how the Hungerford Report led to the Firearms Amendment Act 1988.

Discover the overlooked life of inventor Mary Kenner, creator of the sanitary belt and holder of five US patents, whose work quietly transformed everyday life.

Eccentric millionaire Nubar Gulbenkian lived life like a performance. Gold plated taxis, daily orchids, outrageous lawsuits, MI9 spy work, and legendary dinner parties. A man who said, “I prefer everything” and meant it.

The making of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest was as dramatic as the film itself. Lost manuscripts, Cold War surveillance, casting battles, real psychiatric wards, and a director shaped by political repression all came together to create a classic that changed cinema.

She was once the most recognisable woman in America, posing for statues across New York and starring in early silent films. Audrey Munson lived to 104 yet died forgotten. Her story is a haunting mix of beauty, scandal and survival, and her face still lives on in stone.

In 1910, Dr Samuel Monell claimed high frequency electric currents could treat everything from acne to insomnia and even hysteria. His book became a curious milestone in the odd, inventive world of early electrotherapy. A fascinating glimpse into medicine’s electric age.

Meet George Burchett, the King of Tattooists. From Brighton to the Royal Navy to inking kings and circus stars, his life shaped modern tattoo culture. A relaxed deep dive into the man who turned tattooing into an art.

In 1951, a 66 year old Swede named Gustaf Håkansson unofficially entered a thousand mile race he had been deemed too old for. Five days later he crossed the finish a full day ahead of every official rider. This is the relaxed but remarkable story of Steel Grandpa.

A detailed journey through the story of the Communards from the streets of revolutionary Paris to the distant penal settlements of New Caledonia with rare insights into daily life, escape attempts and unexpected friendships.

On 13 November 1002, King Æthelred II ordered the slaughter of Danes in England. Mass graves in Oxford and Dorset reveal the horror of the St Brice’s Day Massacre, a desperate act that helped bring down Anglo-Saxon England.

Before headlines found him, Michael Dillon quietly changed medicine and himself. Oxford scholar, ship’s doctor, Buddhist monk — and the first known trans man to undergo phalloplasty. A life shaped by intellect, ethics, and quiet courage.

In the early 1900s, Austrian priest Martin Gusinde journeyed to Tierra del Fuego to live among the Selk’nam, Yamana, and Kawésqar peoples. His 1,200 photographs and sound recordings remain one of the last great records of a vanishing world.

In 1931, New Orleans threw a party for Satchmo. There was jazz, there was baseball, and there was a team in white uniforms called the Secret Nine. Discover the story of Louis Armstrong Day and his lifelong love of the game.

Before she was Marilyn, she was “Mona” — a nineteen year old model earning $10 an hour in Earl Moran’s studio. Those early photos, once just reference material, now reveal the quiet beginnings of Hollywood’s most enduring icon.