Notorious Narratives

Most of us have seen the beautiful pink facades of the city of Petra. One of the new seven wonders of the world the ancient city of Petra is Jordans most popular tourist destinations but few know the true story of it's past, present and future. In this episode, Robin takes us through the winding canyons of this mysterious ancient location.

You may not know who the most kissed woman in history is, and it may surprise you to hear that she is a corpse. In this special Valentine's Day episode Jen will change the way you think about what it means to be kissed.

Frankenstein, the amazing novel by Mary Shelley was published over 200 years ago and it changed the world. But many of the ideas in her novel were inspired by real science, and her novel also managed to inspire scientific experimentation for years to come. In this episode, Jen explains the scientific experimentation that can be linked directly to Frankenstein.

We can learn a lot about how a civilization lived by how they treat their dead. From pyramids, to sky burials to being buried in a ship, there are so many different ways we can leave this Earth. In this episode, Robin digs her way through centuries of tales of how the Viking civilization buried their dead.

What do masturbation and enemas have to do with Corn Flakes? Well, in this episode Jen will tell you about the health craze that inspired the sanitarium system and the fight that started in Battle Creek and ended on your breakfast table. 

For most of us the thought of human sacrifice does one of two things, either you cringe or you think of Indiana Jones. We clearly think about Indiana Jones. In this episode, Robin explores the reasons, process and necessity of human sacrifice in the Maya culture. 

Of all the things to fear in this world you may have overlooked the diabolical villain that sits quietly upon your pantry shelf: molasses. Well the people of Boston will never forget. On this day exactly one hundred years ago a sticky wall of molasses travelled at speeds of up to 35 mph, killing 21 and injuring 150. In this episode, Robin tells the legendary tale of this sticky situation.

Taphophobia is the fear of being buried alive, which to be honest seems like a pretty reasonable fear. But during the Victorian era a mix of sketchy science and sensationalist media led to the creation of an entire industry surrounding the fear of being buried alive. From safety coffins to smoke enemas, Jen will explain the Victorian Era's legendary buried alive tales and the most bizarre methods of ensuring that only the dead were buried.

Off the coast of the Bronx lies a small strip of land with a big story to tell. Throughout the past two centuries this small swath of land has seen tragedy, hardship and gore. Strap in as Robin tells you the past, present and future of this unassuming landmark.

Christmas is celebrated in a myriad of different ways, and some of them are quite bizarre. And by bizarre we mean strange, and here at Notorious Narratives, we love strange. From Krampus to mummies to pooping logs, Robin takes you on a yuletide sleigh ride through the oddest holiday traditions around the world.

As winter sinks its teeth in, we harken back to warmer days and summer breezes. Many of us respond to warm weather by heeding the sweet siren call of the beach, but in the summer of 1916, the carefree summer would turn deadly. In this episode, Jen sinks her teeth into the story of a series of shark attacks at the Jersey Shore that inspired one of the greatest films in history.

The Voodoo Queen of New Orleans, Marie Laveau was beautiful, charismatic; but most importantly quite powerful. At a time in history where women were not typically in positions of control, Marie held sway over the New Orleans elite. But was it magic, voodoo or something far more sinister? In this episode, Jen introduces you to one of the most legendary characters in the bayou. 

If you are anything like us, you have always been fascinated by the unknown and unsolved mysteries. One of our favorites are the moai of Easter Island. So in this episode, Robin gets down to business and does her homework all while proving to Jen that there were no aliens involved. After this episode you will be ready for trivia night.

The idea of leprosy may evoke feelings of fear in many of us; fear of contagion, fear of outbreak. Though for most of us this idea is far removed - the stuff of history. But on the beautiful windswept shores of the island of Molokai, this history is alive and well. It was here in this paradise that nearly 8,000 men, women and children were exiled and quarantined beginning in the 1860s. In this episode, Jen will explain the history and treatment of leprosy as well as the quarantine at Kalaupapa.

In this special turkey day episode, Jen and Robin talk about the REAL and bloody history of the American holiday of Thanksgiving. Also, Robin shares some of her favorite fun facts about the holiday and the foods that are traditionally eaten.