[Kenneth C. Davis, practical matters]: How to make history come alive + an incredible pick-up line (that worked!) Ep 1155

Finding the Throughline with Kate Hanley

Today my guest is historian Kenneth C. Davis, New York Times bestselling author of “America’s Hidden History,” “Don’t Know Much About History,” and a whole series of “Don’t Know Much About” books, proving that Americans don’t hate history — they just hate the dull version they slept through in class.

As part of his mission to get more people to read more books, Kenneth has just published THE WORLD IN BOOKS: 52 Works of Great Short Nonfiction – a curated journey through fifty-two of the most significant short nonfiction works ever penned, from ancient times to the present day.

We covered:

- A quick history of the paperback–how did I not know this??

- The amazing line a bookstore co-worker told him that changed his life

- The family roadtrips to historical places he took as a kid that made history come alive for him, and how he strives to do the same thing for others in her books

- Great, succinct reason why books matter

- The morning routine that launches him into writing each day

- A peek at what it’s like for a writer to be married to an editor

Connect with Ken at https://dontknowmuch.com/.

For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com.

Thank you for listening!

And thanks to this week’s sponsor, Air Doctor Pro. Visit airdoctorpro.com and use code KATE to save 30% off an amazing indoor air filter *and* receive a free three-year warranty (an $84 value).

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