September 7, 2022 • 28 mins
This episode is LITERALly amazing! Our super smart contestants try to battle it out to find out who knows more about "nevermore" writer Edgar Allen Poe and pioneering environmentalist writer Rachel Carson. Poe stops by to give Elliott and Bea some notes.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Whoa bee? What's going on in here? Oh? Hi Elliott.
Today we're talking about naturalist writer Rachel Carson, and my
love of the sea was reawakened, so I decided to
get a pet octopus. Her name is eight Winslet. I
love a good pun name, but I don't know if
she really likes you. Eight Winslet never hugs me like that.
(00:22):
I'm flatter? Could you asgar to stop? Okay? E Elliott
doesn't like long hugs. It's time to let him go,
she says, nevermore like the other person we're talking about today,
blew me poet Eggar Allan Poe. Nothing like a well
(00:43):
read cephalopod. Eric. Please play the theme song here? What
do you think you know about the rates from this story?
The game is on to get some mena Jane buckle
up your side to play podcast because it's standard Live
(01:08):
from Tom Bland or so called so Cow, Los Angeles.
Welcome to who was the history question that gives contestants
the chance to win mega prizes and podcast glory. I'm
be the world's best announcer according to this mug. And
now here's your host, the man who wears a life
jacket when he watches Titanic. It's Elliott Kalin. Thank you
(01:31):
be you can't be too careful even when you're watching
a movie. And welcome everyone to the Who Was Podcast.
This show it's like Jeopardy, only with surprise guests, silly games,
and our own Catapult release the melons. Our contestants were
sent Who Was books about two great figures from history.
Now they're here to show off their knowledge and the
(01:53):
hopes of winning fantastic prizes. Prizes. Today we're discussing two
writers whose hearts told tails, Rachel Carson and Edgar Allan Poe.
But before we get to know them, let's get to
know our contestants, all right, First up, we have Gus. Gus,
will you please introduce yourself? Okay, let's see here. My
(02:13):
name is Gus, as he just said, and the factor
around me is that I'm a complete Star Wars nerd.
I am also a complete Star Wars nerd. I really
like Star Wars. It's something very special in my life.
What is your what's your favorite thing about Star Do
you have a favorite character or a favorite movie in
the series, or a favorite droid or a favorite spaceship
(02:37):
or favorite alien. What do you like in Star Wars.
What's your favorites thing? Okay, well, my favorite character is
Dark Leader Hu. That's my favorite character too. He's a
great character. He's like an evil space samurai. This is
a history podcast, and Star Wars is technically history. It
happened a long time ago in the galaxy far far away,
So you know what, Let's not talk about April and
Poel and Richard Carson. Let's talk about great Star Wars
(02:58):
characters like Job of the hu Ya. Let's do that. Yes,
so that right? Okay, all right, I'm I'm taking over
this podcast. Okay, thank you so much, guys. And up
next we also have Jeremy with us today. Jeremy, please
introduce yourself, Yames, Jeremy and I'd like raman sushi in
May and other Jeff News things and and the listeners
(03:21):
at home can't see this, but Gus's hands literally just
went to his face. I think he was gasping because
he also loves those foods except for except for I
don't like nime, but I like all those other things. Okay, yeah, okay,
what's your favorite kind of ramen to have? I just
like the original playing. Yeah, you can't beat it. Thank
(03:41):
you both for joining us today and for telling us
about yourselves. And thank you to Eric, our musician providing
that lovely meet the contestants music as well as all
the music you'll here on the show today. So that's
who is. Now let's find out who was Rachel Carson
with four fast facts. Rachel Carr Sin was born in
nineteen o seven and died in nineteen sixty four. Rachel
(04:04):
was a marine biologist, a writer, and a conservationist. Rachel
received her master's degree from the prestigious John's Hopkins University,
and she won the National Book Award for Nonfiction for
The Sea Around Us in nineteen fifty two. Pets, alright,
very important question for both of you. What is your
(04:25):
favorite see animal? See cucumbers? See they're not? I think,
dang it. I think I think you can. But I
don't think you could just pick them up and take
a bite out of them like you would out of
at regular cucumber. I don't think they're crunchy. I don't
think they'll crunch if you take it by them. I
think they might be a little mushy, and Google you
(04:46):
can find out. I swim to the bomb to see
m if anyone's curious, I'll be back in five minutes timing. Yeah,
but you'll find out. Uh gus, what about you which
also see cucumbers or or a different marine animal? It's
as easy a shark next. Wow, Okay, well, what is it?
I guess sharks are kind of the Darth Vader of
(05:07):
the ocean. But is that why the sharks are scary
and kind of tough and they have a lot of teeth. Yeah,
but they're all the Great white sharks natural predator. They
only has one to kill a row, and that's only
in a pod. I think sharks are the animal I'm
most frightened of. I think the animal I'm most frightened
of is probably like a monkey with a hammer in
(05:28):
its hands. Yeah, like a regular monkey, not that afraid,
but a monkey with a hammer, he could break your stuff.
You don't want that to happen. Who gave that hammer
to a monkey? Get that hammer out of that monkey's hand.
That's what I said. I'm not afraid to take a
stand about it. Okay, we've made some very good points
here about sharks, monkeys with hammers, and sea cucumbers. Let's
get right to it with our first game. It's called
(05:49):
true or false? Is it false? Or is a true?
It's a true? It is false? It was true? Or true?
True or false? In this game, be will read a
statement about Rachel Carson and you'll tell us if it's
true or faul false. And since it's our first game,
(06:11):
each question is worth one point. Gus, you're up first.
True or false. As a child, Rachel got her brother
to stop hunting the rabbits on the Carson family property
because they reminded her of the Easter bunny. False. Yeah,
there you go. False. Rachel did convince her brother Robert
to stop hunting the rabbits, but it was because they
reminded her of the characters in the Beatrix Potter books
(06:33):
that her mother read to her. Rachel loved animals and
spoke out for them at a very early age. Jeremy,
this next question is for you. True or false. Rachel
started college studying English, but decided to change her focus
to science. True. That's right, it's true. While being someone
who loved nature, Rachel didn't have much interest in taking
(06:54):
science classes earlier in college due to feeling that her
high school science classes were boring. However, like any of us,
one good teacher turned all that around, and she decided
to study science as a career. Though, as we know now,
she eventually combines her love of English and science. I
call it anscience. The next question goes to Gus. True
(07:14):
or false. Rachel had no trouble getting a job as
a biologist. That's true, that it's false. I was about
to say true, but you were right. That's true, that
it's false. Rachel's classmates thought she was making a big mistake,
but she decided to be a scientist. In the nineteen twenties,
a young woman could find a job as a writer
much much easier than job as a scientist. In fact,
when Rachel went to the United States Bureau of Fisheries
(07:37):
to find out what she should study to get a
job as a biologist, the acting director told her they
had never hired a woman science there. Luckily, Rachel did
not let discrimination stop her from following her dream, and Jeremy,
you get the final question of the round. True or false.
Rachel's famous book, Silent Spring is about the time she
went a whole spring without talking, whistling, or burping. False.
(08:02):
I think you're saying that that wasn't what it was about. Yes,
exactly what they said was false. In Silent Spring, Rachel
explained how the chemical pesticides used to keep bugs and
rodents away from farms were actually so poisonous they were
killing birds and making people sick. She imagined a silent
spring in which no birds could be heard singing because
(08:22):
they've all been poisoned. Readers were so shocked they demanded
the government pass laws restricting the use of pesticides, helping
to start the modern environmental production movement. So think about
Rachel Carson the next time you breathe clean air, drink
clean water, or eat a snack that doesn't poison you.
I could really go for a non poison snack right now,
Ben good news, because that was the last question in
(08:43):
true or false true true, true, true or false. Now,
before we go to a break, let's spring over to
someone who's never silent producer Jane with our first round scores.
Thank you, Elliott. Although that was a little rude, I
want to tell you, but you both have we have
us in Jeremy, both two boys. Thank you, Jane. A
(09:05):
tie game. I can't wait to see what happens next.
We'll be back with our next game after this short break. Eric,
could you please play us out with some fish hatching music? Hey,
I found nemo. Welcome back to the Who Was Podcast.
(09:27):
Today we're learning who was Rachel Carson and who was
Edgar Allan Poe? And now back to your host, Elliott Galin.
Thanks be once upon a game show, Dreary. It's time
to get to know Edgar Allan Poe with four fast facts.
Ed Gar Allan Poe was born in eighteen o nine
and died in eighteen forty nine. Poe had to pay
(09:50):
himself to have his first book of poems, Tamerlane and
Other Poems published. It was credited to a Bostonian. Poe
is not only a writer, but also a literary editor
and critic. He was best known for his spooky Gothic
writing in stories like The Pit and the Pendulum, The
Tell Tale Heart, and The Mask of the Red Death.
(10:13):
Now let's get into our skin game. It's called Elliott.
I can't believe you have your phone on during the show.
How unprofessional. That's not my ring tone, b My ring
tone is that Lizzo song all the kids love, but
don't ask me to tell you the name of it.
I heard it in the grocery store He's correct, dea b.
That was no mere novelty time. It was, in fact
(10:34):
importance of something most ghastly, namely me in the rutting
flesh thanks to the who was that? Who was that?
You wandered me some one in the best? Oh you
need honestly, Edgar, your skin is actually quite nice. Flaw
(11:00):
as I'd say, I'm attempting at theta of the mind
thing here. Oh we're sorry, Sorry, no need for pologies.
In fact, that's why I'm here to give you notes,
the thing all comedy writers fear most. All Right, we'll
make the Elliott character more likable. Okay, maybe we should
hear him out Elliott, after all, he was a literary
(11:20):
critics for part of his life. That's right, Okay, what
notes do you have for the show? A lease? Call
me Mr Allen Poe. And my biggest note is you're
creating an audio experience here? Where were all the scary
sound effects? Hey? Yeah? Where are all the scary sound effects? Elliott?
When I wrote my poems, I always paid close attention
(11:42):
to the sounds of the words themselves and the effect
on the listener. Sure, but I don't know that we
really need to have have you tried them? Well, no,
but still then how would we know exactly? Very good
be Elliott? Would you say something you often say on
a show? Oh? Sure, okay, let's go to producer Jane
(12:05):
with the scores. That laugh really makes things, Edgar, doesn't it? Wow?
It does, believe me, Mr Pope, I love scary sounds,
but I really feel that isn't the show that we're making.
You see, the wolf got my attention back? Who's that
(12:27):
supposed to mean? You can kind of dry sometimes, Elliott?
B whoa? What was that? Is there a ghost in
the studio? Now? Wait a minute, Okay, come on, that
one was just a dolphin. Oh sure, and dolphins aren't scary?
Just mean? Okay, Well either way, Well I think that's
(12:51):
a great note, and I'm excited to circle back to
me bit a minute. That's what I always say about
your notes. Yes, and you always no, I never owned.
I knew if you removed your ego from the situation. Yeah, Elliott,
you'd see how helpful I was being. Well, I must
be going now I have a spooky lunch with Shakespeare. Okay,
(13:14):
I'll bite. What are you having for lunch? Chicken fingers?
What could be more terrifying than consuming the fingers of chickens.
Let us ride into the darkness. Who was up and
see what frightful platures await us? But you both jumped.
I saw it. I'm still the game po out who
(13:41):
I love someone with a passion for their work, and
I love Our second game, Backpack from the Past, Back
from the Best. We have a backpack that contains some
of Edgar Allan Poe's personal objects. We'll describe those objects
for our contestants and the listeners at home. Contestants, you
(14:02):
will choose which multiple choice answer best describes its importance
to the life of Edgar Allan Poe. Since this is
our second game, each question is worth two points. Jeremy,
your first this time around. Let's see here. Oh, it's
a loaf of bread, specifically a baguette. Wow, a really
long baguette. I hope our insurance covers bread. Jeremy, Why
(14:24):
would Edgar Allan pose backpack contain a baguette? Is it
a because he liked to be able to make big
sandwiches for anyone at any time? Or be he spoke French?
He spoke French. That's right. The answer is b. When
Edgar was just six, his family left the United States
for England. Young Edgar went to a boarding school outside
of London and got to study things many of us
(14:46):
don't until we're much older. Among there were history, literature,
and of course the French language. Okay, Gus, this next
object is for you. Let's see what we've got here.
What have we here? It looks like a bugle. Yep,
definitely a bugle. So gus, why would Edgar allan pose
backpack contain a bugle? Is it because A Edgar was
(15:08):
in the military or b because Edgar was in what
US old folks call a ska band. Because he was
in a military That's right, A. He was in the military.
Edgar needed a way to make ends meet, so he
enlisted in the army. He rose quickly in the ranks,
becoming a sergeant major after only nineteen months. He went
to school to become an officer, but left because writing
(15:29):
was his true passion. Jeremy, let's see what the backpack
reveals next for you. Oh it's a cute little raven. Okay,
all right. I wouldn't want to be cooked up into
backpack either, but a please would have been nice anyway.
Jeremy Why in the world would Edgar Allan Poe have
(15:49):
a Raven in his backpack? Is it because A The
Raven is his most famous work, or B he needed
someone to help him eat that big baguette. A. That's right.
The answer is A. Edgar's Home The Raven was published
in the New York Evening Mirror in eight Very nice,
that's what the Ravens says. Edgar was already pretty well known,
(16:13):
but The Ravens success turned him into a full fledged celebrity.
He was invited to important parties I want asked to
give poetry readings and lectures. To this day, The Raven
is the work Edgar Allan Poe is most associated with,
and the football team of Edgar's beloved city, Baltimore, is
named the Ravens the Baltimore Ravens in honor of him.
So I think he's the only American poet to have
a football team named in his honor, except I guess
(16:37):
for the New York Football Leaves of Grass were named
after Walt Writins workings. They sing the body electric, yes
they do, and they played the body football like Gus.
You have the final object. This was pretty far in
the back backpack let me see a bike and reach
got it? Oh, it's a magnifying glass. Now tell me, Gus.
(16:59):
Why would glam Poe have a magnifying glass in his backpack?
Is it because A he created the detective story or
b he couldn't afford glasses because he created the detective story. Yes,
the answer is a. Edgar wrote The Murders in the
Room Morgue for Graham's magazine in eighty one. The lead
character is a detective name c Auguste Dufin who uses
(17:22):
both logic and imagination to solve a series of murders.
That's pretty common now, but at the time there had
never been a mystery about a hero's deductive reasoning. Mysteries
had always been about action. But people loved the story,
and the detective story was born in fact. Room Morgue
inspired the creations of famous detective characters like Sherlock Holmes
(17:44):
and Encyclopedia Brown. And now as the solution to the
mystery of is this the end of the game. Yes,
it is the end of the game. From the baby
wait to use your powers of deductive reasoning. We're going
to take a quick break now before our final game
(18:06):
of the show, and let producer Jane calculate the scores. Eric,
would you play us some detective music please? Hey, I
figured it out, Sally, Who was there? Marie Curie? You
(18:28):
may remember me from winning multiple Nobel Prizes, or perhaps
from my episode of the Who wast Podcast where I
played myself. I wanted to take a moment to read
one of my favorite reviews about the Who Was podcast.
This is from Shake and Bay and it reads loved
this Me and my little sister love this show more. Please.
(18:51):
Our faith is Ariet Toman. If you want to hear
your review right on the air, make sure to subscribe,
like and review to Who Was Podcasts in the I
had to ride you up or wherever you get your
podcasts or should I stay abio? Welcome back to the
(19:15):
Who Was? Podcast. Today we're learning who was Rachel Carson
and who was a girl and co? And now back
to your host, Elliot Kalen. Thanks me and now without
further ado, let's go to producer Jane for the solution
of the mystery of what are the school words? Elliott
and b I don't want to scare you of The
scores are six for Jeremy, six for Gusts. Oh my, tie. Oh,
(19:43):
it's a spine tingling tie. So far, Well, we should
just get to the final game. Converge of greatness. What
was that? That was the sound of greatness converging? Very inspiring,
(20:03):
isn't it. Well, I'm sorry to hear that. Because in
this multiple choice game B, we'll read questions where our
two historical figures overlap or converge, And because this is
our third game, each correct answer is worth three points.
Picked the best option as your answer for gus, the
first question is for you be Let's roll. Both Rachel
and Edgar wrote debut books that didn't do very well well.
(20:25):
Edgar didn't write another novel again. Rachel's second book was
a bestseller. What was Rachel's second book, called A the
C and Me be the Despicable Sea, or see the
Sea around us to see your on us? That's right,
The answer is C the CEA around Us was published
in nineteen fifty one, and then it Rachel wrote about
(20:47):
how the oceans affect all of us. The book was
so popular that during the holiday season of ninety one,
wore a thousand copies were sold a day. Stayed on
the New York Times Best Sellers for eighty six weeks
and was translated into twenty eight, which is I didn't
even know there were that many languages, Jeremy. The next
question is for you. Both Edgar and Rachel excelled at
(21:07):
the jobs they worked at before they reached fame. Rachel
impressed everyone with her scripts for the Bureau of Fisheries,
and Edgar was an editor and literary critic at this magazine.
Was it a never More Monthly, b sad Hunks Quarterly
or ce Southern Literary Messenger? See, I think you're right.
(21:32):
The answer is c. Edgar became editor of a magazine
called The Southern Literary Messenger. He was there for seventeen
months as editor and literary critic. While it wasn't Edgar's
dream job, he was very good at it. The magazine
subscriptions increased from seven hundred to fifty five hundred during
Edgar's tenure there. Gus, The next question is for you.
(21:53):
I didn't even know there were that many people that
read magazines. Okay, Both Rachel and Edgar were serious about school. Unfortunately,
Edgar had to drop out of the University of Virginia
when his father wouldn't help cover his financial debts and
Rachel would not have been able to graduate school at
Johns Hopkins University without this A A scholarship be a
(22:15):
blessing for Mr. Johns Hopkins himself. Or see a secret
password which was just disappointingly password one two five A yes,
the answer is A. After college, Rachel wanted to continue
studying science as a graduate student and applied to Johns Hopkins,
one of the best universities for the scientists. Not only
(22:36):
was she accepted, but due to her excellent grades, Rachel
was awarded a scholarship. Her family was not rich, so
the fact that Rachel wouldn't have to figure out how
to pay for school was a huge relief and meant
that she could go Jeremy, here is the last question,
and it's for you. Both Edgar and Rachel started writing
early in life. Rachel's first story was published in St.
(22:57):
Nicholas Magazine when she was just ten years old. Edgar
wrote his earliest known poem when he was just a
just a little baby B sixteen years old or see
in kindergarten see I think in kind I'm so sorry
The answer is B. When he was sixteen years old.
(23:17):
Edgar's earliest known poem was titled O Tempora O Morris.
The title is in Latin and it translates to oh
the Times, oh the customs. It was about a story
clerk and it made fun of the business world and
his foster father, John Allen, who was a businessman who
owned a store. So I think we can guess where
Edgar's inspiration came from. But I doubt John was very flattered.
And that brings us to the end of Converge of Greatness.
(23:50):
That spooky sound means right at the end of the
game and the end of the show, while we wait
for producer James Tally the points I'd love to hear
from the contestants. What is something that you were so
prize to learn about? Either Rachel Carson or a Grollan
pope gus. Well, see, it has a little short story
to it. Okay, okay, yeah, tell us to us, tell
it to us. So when I was like little than
(24:12):
I am right now, I my mom used to be
with this this book called this picture book called Edgar
Goes to Bed m HM, and it's about a raven
and his mom is always telling him go to bed
and a lot of stuff and he always says, never
wore and I'm like, what the heck? And and then
(24:34):
when I when I saw this book, I'm like, wait,
this is reminding me of something. And then my Mom's
like it's because of it's that book is based on it,
and I'm like, oh, yeah, that's great. So the Who
Was podcast has helped you to solve a mystery of
your own life. Ed Grallan Poe would be very happy
(24:56):
about that. Jeremy, what about you? What what was surprising
to learn about either Edgar Allan Poe or Rachel Carson.
I didn't know. There's actually a visa in behind why
all of the books? Why all of his stories had
something to do with death. He had a lot of
tragedy in his life, and a number of members of
his family died at different points. So yeah, you think
(25:16):
he was he was haunted by death, and so he
kind of processed it by writing stories and poems about it.
I think I think like six people who we really
loved died at an early age. In the book, they
said something about him losing with five different women he
cared about, Yeah, and a lot of it was from tuberculosis.
It's a great thing that that doesn't really happen anymore. Yes, Yeah,
(25:39):
it's wonderful to know that it's something that we don't
have to really worry about so much anymore. And it's
wonderful that Ed Graham Poe was able to take that
and use it to create literature that we still read
and enjoy to this day. Those are both great stories.
Thank you both for sharing them. And now it's time
for the big moment. Jane Fleets announced our winner, hell
yott B. I find counting numbers to be a natural mystery,
(26:03):
but I was great that Jeremy had come points and
the Gusts ran ahead with twelve. He is our an
amazing win, very close until the very end. Jeremy, you
played a great game, and Gus, congratulations you played a
great game too. As our winner of Gusts. You have
ten seconds for shoutouts. Who would you like to thank
(26:23):
for taking you all the way to the top today? Okay,
let's just say my my family, and I hope that
my friends will listen to this US too. I'll make
sure your friends listen to it. Just have your friends
call me and I'll say, hey, listen to the show.
It'll be really good. Our winner and their Library of choice,
where we receiving a selection of Who Was books, and
I'm going to give a shout out in turns act Jane, Eric,
(26:45):
Bryan Darbon for being our ed Grillan Poe and to be,
and a big thank you to both of our contestants,
Jeremy and Gus for playing an amazing game. And especially
thanks most of all to you the listener for listening.
Until next time. This is Elliott, Baltimore, Rave and Calin
saying were History. Goodbye everybody. Thank you got a question,
(27:06):
frendy of our famous figures, Send us a voice memo
at the Who Was Podcast at gmail dot com. It
might just end up on the show. The Who Was
Podcast is produced by Radio Point, I Heart Media and
Penguin Workshop and is based on the best selling who
h Q series published by Penguin. Hosted by Elliott Calin,
this show was co hosted by Megan O'Neill as b
(27:26):
and it also starred Jane Baker as Producer, Jane, Eric
Shackney as Eric, and Ryan Darwin as Edgar allen O.
Our executive producers are Richard Corson, Alex Bach, Elliott Calin,
Megan O'Neil, Daniel Powell and Houston Snyder. Our executive producer
for Penguin Workshop is Francesco Sedita, and our executive producer
fia Haart Media is Lindsay Hoffman. This episode was written
(27:47):
by Devin Coleman, Elliott Klin and Megan O'Neil, who was
produced by Bernie Kaminsky and Taylor Kowalski. Our talent producer
is Jane Baker. Our theme song and music are composed
and performed by Eric Shackney, and of course it was
all edited and mixed by Kate Molten Howard. Recorded by
Joanna Samuel's Special thanks to Zach Timpson, Charlotte Danda and
Michael Lewis Howard. Sound services provided by Great City host
(28:11):
Podcast because it's standard playbook
Whoa bee? What's going on in here? Oh? Hi Elliott.
Today we're talking about naturalist writer Rachel Carson, and my
love of the sea was reawakened, so I decided to
get a pet octopus. Her name is eight Winslet. I
love a good pun name, but I don't know if
she really likes you. Eight Winslet never hugs me like that.
(00:22):
I'm flatter? Could you asgar to stop? Okay? E Elliott
doesn't like long hugs. It's time to let him go,
she says, nevermore like the other person we're talking about today,
blew me poet Eggar Allan Poe. Nothing like a well
(00:43):
read cephalopod. Eric. Please play the theme song here? What
do you think you know about the rates from this story?
The game is on to get some mena Jane buckle
up your side to play podcast because it's standard Live
(01:08):
from Tom Bland or so called so Cow, Los Angeles.
Welcome to who was the history question that gives contestants
the chance to win mega prizes and podcast glory. I'm
be the world's best announcer according to this mug. And
now here's your host, the man who wears a life
jacket when he watches Titanic. It's Elliott Kalin. Thank you
(01:31):
be you can't be too careful even when you're watching
a movie. And welcome everyone to the Who Was Podcast.
This show it's like Jeopardy, only with surprise guests, silly games,
and our own Catapult release the melons. Our contestants were
sent Who Was books about two great figures from history.
Now they're here to show off their knowledge and the
(01:53):
hopes of winning fantastic prizes. Prizes. Today we're discussing two
writers whose hearts told tails, Rachel Carson and Edgar Allan Poe.
But before we get to know them, let's get to
know our contestants, all right, First up, we have Gus. Gus,
will you please introduce yourself? Okay, let's see here. My
(02:13):
name is Gus, as he just said, and the factor
around me is that I'm a complete Star Wars nerd.
I am also a complete Star Wars nerd. I really
like Star Wars. It's something very special in my life.
What is your what's your favorite thing about Star Do
you have a favorite character or a favorite movie in
the series, or a favorite droid or a favorite spaceship
(02:37):
or favorite alien. What do you like in Star Wars.
What's your favorites thing? Okay, well, my favorite character is
Dark Leader Hu. That's my favorite character too. He's a
great character. He's like an evil space samurai. This is
a history podcast, and Star Wars is technically history. It
happened a long time ago in the galaxy far far away,
So you know what, Let's not talk about April and
Poel and Richard Carson. Let's talk about great Star Wars
(02:58):
characters like Job of the hu Ya. Let's do that. Yes,
so that right? Okay, all right, I'm I'm taking over
this podcast. Okay, thank you so much, guys. And up
next we also have Jeremy with us today. Jeremy, please
introduce yourself, Yames, Jeremy and I'd like raman sushi in
May and other Jeff News things and and the listeners
(03:21):
at home can't see this, but Gus's hands literally just
went to his face. I think he was gasping because
he also loves those foods except for except for I
don't like nime, but I like all those other things. Okay, yeah, okay,
what's your favorite kind of ramen to have? I just
like the original playing. Yeah, you can't beat it. Thank
(03:41):
you both for joining us today and for telling us
about yourselves. And thank you to Eric, our musician providing
that lovely meet the contestants music as well as all
the music you'll here on the show today. So that's
who is. Now let's find out who was Rachel Carson
with four fast facts. Rachel Carr Sin was born in
nineteen o seven and died in nineteen sixty four. Rachel
(04:04):
was a marine biologist, a writer, and a conservationist. Rachel
received her master's degree from the prestigious John's Hopkins University,
and she won the National Book Award for Nonfiction for
The Sea Around Us in nineteen fifty two. Pets, alright,
very important question for both of you. What is your
(04:25):
favorite see animal? See cucumbers? See they're not? I think,
dang it. I think I think you can. But I
don't think you could just pick them up and take
a bite out of them like you would out of
at regular cucumber. I don't think they're crunchy. I don't
think they'll crunch if you take it by them. I
think they might be a little mushy, and Google you
(04:46):
can find out. I swim to the bomb to see
m if anyone's curious, I'll be back in five minutes timing. Yeah,
but you'll find out. Uh gus, what about you which
also see cucumbers or or a different marine animal? It's
as easy a shark next. Wow, Okay, well, what is it?
I guess sharks are kind of the Darth Vader of
(05:07):
the ocean. But is that why the sharks are scary
and kind of tough and they have a lot of teeth. Yeah,
but they're all the Great white sharks natural predator. They
only has one to kill a row, and that's only
in a pod. I think sharks are the animal I'm
most frightened of. I think the animal I'm most frightened
of is probably like a monkey with a hammer in
(05:28):
its hands. Yeah, like a regular monkey, not that afraid,
but a monkey with a hammer, he could break your stuff.
You don't want that to happen. Who gave that hammer
to a monkey? Get that hammer out of that monkey's hand.
That's what I said. I'm not afraid to take a
stand about it. Okay, we've made some very good points
here about sharks, monkeys with hammers, and sea cucumbers. Let's
get right to it with our first game. It's called
(05:49):
true or false? Is it false? Or is a true?
It's a true? It is false? It was true? Or true?
True or false? In this game, be will read a
statement about Rachel Carson and you'll tell us if it's
true or faul false. And since it's our first game,
(06:11):
each question is worth one point. Gus, you're up first.
True or false. As a child, Rachel got her brother
to stop hunting the rabbits on the Carson family property
because they reminded her of the Easter bunny. False. Yeah,
there you go. False. Rachel did convince her brother Robert
to stop hunting the rabbits, but it was because they
reminded her of the characters in the Beatrix Potter books
(06:33):
that her mother read to her. Rachel loved animals and
spoke out for them at a very early age. Jeremy,
this next question is for you. True or false. Rachel
started college studying English, but decided to change her focus
to science. True. That's right, it's true. While being someone
who loved nature, Rachel didn't have much interest in taking
(06:54):
science classes earlier in college due to feeling that her
high school science classes were boring. However, like any of us,
one good teacher turned all that around, and she decided
to study science as a career. Though, as we know now,
she eventually combines her love of English and science. I
call it anscience. The next question goes to Gus. True
(07:14):
or false. Rachel had no trouble getting a job as
a biologist. That's true, that it's false. I was about
to say true, but you were right. That's true, that
it's false. Rachel's classmates thought she was making a big mistake,
but she decided to be a scientist. In the nineteen twenties,
a young woman could find a job as a writer
much much easier than job as a scientist. In fact,
when Rachel went to the United States Bureau of Fisheries
(07:37):
to find out what she should study to get a
job as a biologist, the acting director told her they
had never hired a woman science there. Luckily, Rachel did
not let discrimination stop her from following her dream, and Jeremy,
you get the final question of the round. True or false.
Rachel's famous book, Silent Spring is about the time she
went a whole spring without talking, whistling, or burping. False.
(08:02):
I think you're saying that that wasn't what it was about. Yes,
exactly what they said was false. In Silent Spring, Rachel
explained how the chemical pesticides used to keep bugs and
rodents away from farms were actually so poisonous they were
killing birds and making people sick. She imagined a silent
spring in which no birds could be heard singing because
(08:22):
they've all been poisoned. Readers were so shocked they demanded
the government pass laws restricting the use of pesticides, helping
to start the modern environmental production movement. So think about
Rachel Carson the next time you breathe clean air, drink
clean water, or eat a snack that doesn't poison you.
I could really go for a non poison snack right now,
Ben good news, because that was the last question in
(08:43):
true or false true true, true, true or false. Now,
before we go to a break, let's spring over to
someone who's never silent producer Jane with our first round scores.
Thank you, Elliott. Although that was a little rude, I
want to tell you, but you both have we have
us in Jeremy, both two boys. Thank you, Jane. A
(09:05):
tie game. I can't wait to see what happens next.
We'll be back with our next game after this short break. Eric,
could you please play us out with some fish hatching music? Hey,
I found nemo. Welcome back to the Who Was Podcast.
(09:27):
Today we're learning who was Rachel Carson and who was
Edgar Allan Poe? And now back to your host, Elliott Galin.
Thanks be once upon a game show, Dreary. It's time
to get to know Edgar Allan Poe with four fast facts.
Ed Gar Allan Poe was born in eighteen o nine
and died in eighteen forty nine. Poe had to pay
(09:50):
himself to have his first book of poems, Tamerlane and
Other Poems published. It was credited to a Bostonian. Poe
is not only a writer, but also a literary editor
and critic. He was best known for his spooky Gothic
writing in stories like The Pit and the Pendulum, The
Tell Tale Heart, and The Mask of the Red Death.
(10:13):
Now let's get into our skin game. It's called Elliott.
I can't believe you have your phone on during the show.
How unprofessional. That's not my ring tone, b My ring
tone is that Lizzo song all the kids love, but
don't ask me to tell you the name of it.
I heard it in the grocery store He's correct, dea b.
That was no mere novelty time. It was, in fact
(10:34):
importance of something most ghastly, namely me in the rutting
flesh thanks to the who was that? Who was that?
You wandered me some one in the best? Oh you
need honestly, Edgar, your skin is actually quite nice. Flaw
(11:00):
as I'd say, I'm attempting at theta of the mind
thing here. Oh we're sorry, Sorry, no need for pologies.
In fact, that's why I'm here to give you notes,
the thing all comedy writers fear most. All Right, we'll
make the Elliott character more likable. Okay, maybe we should
hear him out Elliott, after all, he was a literary
(11:20):
critics for part of his life. That's right, Okay, what
notes do you have for the show? A lease? Call
me Mr Allen Poe. And my biggest note is you're
creating an audio experience here? Where were all the scary
sound effects? Hey? Yeah? Where are all the scary sound effects? Elliott?
When I wrote my poems, I always paid close attention
(11:42):
to the sounds of the words themselves and the effect
on the listener. Sure, but I don't know that we
really need to have have you tried them? Well, no,
but still then how would we know exactly? Very good
be Elliott? Would you say something you often say on
a show? Oh? Sure, okay, let's go to producer Jane
(12:05):
with the scores. That laugh really makes things, Edgar, doesn't it? Wow?
It does, believe me, Mr Pope, I love scary sounds,
but I really feel that isn't the show that we're making.
You see, the wolf got my attention back? Who's that
(12:27):
supposed to mean? You can kind of dry sometimes, Elliott?
B whoa? What was that? Is there a ghost in
the studio? Now? Wait a minute, Okay, come on, that
one was just a dolphin. Oh sure, and dolphins aren't scary?
Just mean? Okay, Well either way, Well I think that's
(12:51):
a great note, and I'm excited to circle back to
me bit a minute. That's what I always say about
your notes. Yes, and you always no, I never owned.
I knew if you removed your ego from the situation. Yeah, Elliott,
you'd see how helpful I was being. Well, I must
be going now I have a spooky lunch with Shakespeare. Okay,
(13:14):
I'll bite. What are you having for lunch? Chicken fingers?
What could be more terrifying than consuming the fingers of chickens.
Let us ride into the darkness. Who was up and
see what frightful platures await us? But you both jumped.
I saw it. I'm still the game po out who
(13:41):
I love someone with a passion for their work, and
I love Our second game, Backpack from the Past, Back
from the Best. We have a backpack that contains some
of Edgar Allan Poe's personal objects. We'll describe those objects
for our contestants and the listeners at home. Contestants, you
(14:02):
will choose which multiple choice answer best describes its importance
to the life of Edgar Allan Poe. Since this is
our second game, each question is worth two points. Jeremy,
your first this time around. Let's see here. Oh, it's
a loaf of bread, specifically a baguette. Wow, a really
long baguette. I hope our insurance covers bread. Jeremy, Why
(14:24):
would Edgar Allan pose backpack contain a baguette? Is it
a because he liked to be able to make big
sandwiches for anyone at any time? Or be he spoke French?
He spoke French. That's right. The answer is b. When
Edgar was just six, his family left the United States
for England. Young Edgar went to a boarding school outside
of London and got to study things many of us
(14:46):
don't until we're much older. Among there were history, literature,
and of course the French language. Okay, Gus, this next
object is for you. Let's see what we've got here.
What have we here? It looks like a bugle. Yep,
definitely a bugle. So gus, why would Edgar allan pose
backpack contain a bugle? Is it because A Edgar was
(15:08):
in the military or b because Edgar was in what
US old folks call a ska band. Because he was
in a military That's right, A. He was in the military.
Edgar needed a way to make ends meet, so he
enlisted in the army. He rose quickly in the ranks,
becoming a sergeant major after only nineteen months. He went
to school to become an officer, but left because writing
(15:29):
was his true passion. Jeremy, let's see what the backpack
reveals next for you. Oh it's a cute little raven. Okay,
all right. I wouldn't want to be cooked up into
backpack either, but a please would have been nice anyway.
Jeremy Why in the world would Edgar Allan Poe have
(15:49):
a Raven in his backpack? Is it because A The
Raven is his most famous work, or B he needed
someone to help him eat that big baguette. A. That's right.
The answer is A. Edgar's Home The Raven was published
in the New York Evening Mirror in eight Very nice,
that's what the Ravens says. Edgar was already pretty well known,
(16:13):
but The Ravens success turned him into a full fledged celebrity.
He was invited to important parties I want asked to
give poetry readings and lectures. To this day, The Raven
is the work Edgar Allan Poe is most associated with,
and the football team of Edgar's beloved city, Baltimore, is
named the Ravens the Baltimore Ravens in honor of him.
So I think he's the only American poet to have
a football team named in his honor, except I guess
(16:37):
for the New York Football Leaves of Grass were named
after Walt Writins workings. They sing the body electric, yes
they do, and they played the body football like Gus.
You have the final object. This was pretty far in
the back backpack let me see a bike and reach
got it? Oh, it's a magnifying glass. Now tell me, Gus.
(16:59):
Why would glam Poe have a magnifying glass in his backpack?
Is it because A he created the detective story or
b he couldn't afford glasses because he created the detective story. Yes,
the answer is a. Edgar wrote The Murders in the
Room Morgue for Graham's magazine in eighty one. The lead
character is a detective name c Auguste Dufin who uses
(17:22):
both logic and imagination to solve a series of murders.
That's pretty common now, but at the time there had
never been a mystery about a hero's deductive reasoning. Mysteries
had always been about action. But people loved the story,
and the detective story was born in fact. Room Morgue
inspired the creations of famous detective characters like Sherlock Holmes
(17:44):
and Encyclopedia Brown. And now as the solution to the
mystery of is this the end of the game. Yes,
it is the end of the game. From the baby
wait to use your powers of deductive reasoning. We're going
to take a quick break now before our final game
(18:06):
of the show, and let producer Jane calculate the scores. Eric,
would you play us some detective music please? Hey, I
figured it out, Sally, Who was there? Marie Curie? You
(18:28):
may remember me from winning multiple Nobel Prizes, or perhaps
from my episode of the Who wast Podcast where I
played myself. I wanted to take a moment to read
one of my favorite reviews about the Who Was podcast.
This is from Shake and Bay and it reads loved
this Me and my little sister love this show more. Please.
(18:51):
Our faith is Ariet Toman. If you want to hear
your review right on the air, make sure to subscribe,
like and review to Who Was Podcasts in the I
had to ride you up or wherever you get your
podcasts or should I stay abio? Welcome back to the
(19:15):
Who Was? Podcast. Today we're learning who was Rachel Carson
and who was a girl and co? And now back
to your host, Elliot Kalen. Thanks me and now without
further ado, let's go to producer Jane for the solution
of the mystery of what are the school words? Elliott
and b I don't want to scare you of The
scores are six for Jeremy, six for Gusts. Oh my, tie. Oh,
(19:43):
it's a spine tingling tie. So far, Well, we should
just get to the final game. Converge of greatness. What
was that? That was the sound of greatness converging? Very inspiring,
(20:03):
isn't it. Well, I'm sorry to hear that. Because in
this multiple choice game B, we'll read questions where our
two historical figures overlap or converge, And because this is
our third game, each correct answer is worth three points.
Picked the best option as your answer for gus, the
first question is for you be Let's roll. Both Rachel
and Edgar wrote debut books that didn't do very well well.
(20:25):
Edgar didn't write another novel again. Rachel's second book was
a bestseller. What was Rachel's second book, called A the
C and Me be the Despicable Sea, or see the
Sea around us to see your on us? That's right,
The answer is C the CEA around Us was published
in nineteen fifty one, and then it Rachel wrote about
(20:47):
how the oceans affect all of us. The book was
so popular that during the holiday season of ninety one,
wore a thousand copies were sold a day. Stayed on
the New York Times Best Sellers for eighty six weeks
and was translated into twenty eight, which is I didn't
even know there were that many languages, Jeremy. The next
question is for you. Both Edgar and Rachel excelled at
(21:07):
the jobs they worked at before they reached fame. Rachel
impressed everyone with her scripts for the Bureau of Fisheries,
and Edgar was an editor and literary critic at this magazine.
Was it a never More Monthly, b sad Hunks Quarterly
or ce Southern Literary Messenger? See, I think you're right.
(21:32):
The answer is c. Edgar became editor of a magazine
called The Southern Literary Messenger. He was there for seventeen
months as editor and literary critic. While it wasn't Edgar's
dream job, he was very good at it. The magazine
subscriptions increased from seven hundred to fifty five hundred during
Edgar's tenure there. Gus, The next question is for you.
(21:53):
I didn't even know there were that many people that
read magazines. Okay, Both Rachel and Edgar were serious about school. Unfortunately,
Edgar had to drop out of the University of Virginia
when his father wouldn't help cover his financial debts and
Rachel would not have been able to graduate school at
Johns Hopkins University without this A A scholarship be a
(22:15):
blessing for Mr. Johns Hopkins himself. Or see a secret
password which was just disappointingly password one two five A yes,
the answer is A. After college, Rachel wanted to continue
studying science as a graduate student and applied to Johns Hopkins,
one of the best universities for the scientists. Not only
(22:36):
was she accepted, but due to her excellent grades, Rachel
was awarded a scholarship. Her family was not rich, so
the fact that Rachel wouldn't have to figure out how
to pay for school was a huge relief and meant
that she could go Jeremy, here is the last question,
and it's for you. Both Edgar and Rachel started writing
early in life. Rachel's first story was published in St.
(22:57):
Nicholas Magazine when she was just ten years old. Edgar
wrote his earliest known poem when he was just a
just a little baby B sixteen years old or see
in kindergarten see I think in kind I'm so sorry
The answer is B. When he was sixteen years old.
(23:17):
Edgar's earliest known poem was titled O Tempora O Morris.
The title is in Latin and it translates to oh
the Times, oh the customs. It was about a story
clerk and it made fun of the business world and
his foster father, John Allen, who was a businessman who
owned a store. So I think we can guess where
Edgar's inspiration came from. But I doubt John was very flattered.
And that brings us to the end of Converge of Greatness.
(23:50):
That spooky sound means right at the end of the
game and the end of the show, while we wait
for producer James Tally the points I'd love to hear
from the contestants. What is something that you were so
prize to learn about? Either Rachel Carson or a Grollan
pope gus. Well, see, it has a little short story
to it. Okay, okay, yeah, tell us to us, tell
it to us. So when I was like little than
(24:12):
I am right now, I my mom used to be
with this this book called this picture book called Edgar
Goes to Bed m HM, and it's about a raven
and his mom is always telling him go to bed
and a lot of stuff and he always says, never
wore and I'm like, what the heck? And and then
(24:34):
when I when I saw this book, I'm like, wait,
this is reminding me of something. And then my Mom's
like it's because of it's that book is based on it,
and I'm like, oh, yeah, that's great. So the Who
Was podcast has helped you to solve a mystery of
your own life. Ed Grallan Poe would be very happy
(24:56):
about that. Jeremy, what about you? What what was surprising
to learn about either Edgar Allan Poe or Rachel Carson.
I didn't know. There's actually a visa in behind why
all of the books? Why all of his stories had
something to do with death. He had a lot of
tragedy in his life, and a number of members of
his family died at different points. So yeah, you think
(25:16):
he was he was haunted by death, and so he
kind of processed it by writing stories and poems about it.
I think I think like six people who we really
loved died at an early age. In the book, they
said something about him losing with five different women he
cared about, Yeah, and a lot of it was from tuberculosis.
It's a great thing that that doesn't really happen anymore. Yes, Yeah,
(25:39):
it's wonderful to know that it's something that we don't
have to really worry about so much anymore. And it's
wonderful that Ed Graham Poe was able to take that
and use it to create literature that we still read
and enjoy to this day. Those are both great stories.
Thank you both for sharing them. And now it's time
for the big moment. Jane Fleets announced our winner, hell
yott B. I find counting numbers to be a natural mystery,
(26:03):
but I was great that Jeremy had come points and
the Gusts ran ahead with twelve. He is our an
amazing win, very close until the very end. Jeremy, you
played a great game, and Gus, congratulations you played a
great game too. As our winner of Gusts. You have
ten seconds for shoutouts. Who would you like to thank
(26:23):
for taking you all the way to the top today? Okay,
let's just say my my family, and I hope that
my friends will listen to this US too. I'll make
sure your friends listen to it. Just have your friends
call me and I'll say, hey, listen to the show.
It'll be really good. Our winner and their Library of choice,
where we receiving a selection of Who Was books, and
I'm going to give a shout out in turns act Jane, Eric,
(26:45):
Bryan Darbon for being our ed Grillan Poe and to be,
and a big thank you to both of our contestants,
Jeremy and Gus for playing an amazing game. And especially
thanks most of all to you the listener for listening.
Until next time. This is Elliott, Baltimore, Rave and Calin
saying were History. Goodbye everybody. Thank you got a question,
(27:06):
frendy of our famous figures, Send us a voice memo
at the Who Was Podcast at gmail dot com. It
might just end up on the show. The Who Was
Podcast is produced by Radio Point, I Heart Media and
Penguin Workshop and is based on the best selling who
h Q series published by Penguin. Hosted by Elliott Calin,
this show was co hosted by Megan O'Neill as b
(27:26):
and it also starred Jane Baker as Producer, Jane, Eric
Shackney as Eric, and Ryan Darwin as Edgar allen O.
Our executive producers are Richard Corson, Alex Bach, Elliott Calin,
Megan O'Neil, Daniel Powell and Houston Snyder. Our executive producer
for Penguin Workshop is Francesco Sedita, and our executive producer
fia Haart Media is Lindsay Hoffman. This episode was written
(27:47):
by Devin Coleman, Elliott Klin and Megan O'Neil, who was
produced by Bernie Kaminsky and Taylor Kowalski. Our talent producer
is Jane Baker. Our theme song and music are composed
and performed by Eric Shackney, and of course it was
all edited and mixed by Kate Molten Howard. Recorded by
Joanna Samuel's Special thanks to Zach Timpson, Charlotte Danda and
Michael Lewis Howard. Sound services provided by Great City host
(28:11):
Podcast because it's standard playbook
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