Americans tend to see the Declaration of Independence and the Revolutionary War as milestones in world history that inaugurated the era of modern democracy. But the British, unsurprisingly, see these events quite differently. David Remnick talks with the historians who host the popular podcast “The Rest Is History,” Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Holland. Growing up in Britain, Sandbrook explains, the Revolution seemed like “a parade of quite boring men talking very earnestly about liberty, [with] battles that involved twenty people in a field somewhere. . . . It’s not Waterloo!” The King was “annoyed” to lose the thirteen colonies to the new nation, but, for his government, “it could have been a lot worse.” Sandbrook and Holland discuss historical events that overshadow the American Revolution in the British mind; the 1619 Project and the subject of slavery; the “colossally consequential” Presidency of Donald Trump; and the fate of the British monarchy. 
Further reading and listening:  
<ul>
 <li>“<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/05/11/republic-and-empire-trevor-burnard-andrew-jackson-oshaughnessy-book-review-freedom-round-the-globe-sarah-pearsall" rel="noopener noreferrer">The American Revolution Wasn’t the Main Event</a>,” by Daniel Immerwahr</li>
 <li><a href="https://www.newyorker.com/america-at-250" rel="noopener noreferrer">America at 250</a>, a special issue of The New Yorker</li>
 <li>“<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/05/11/why-the-declaration-of-independence-went-through-seventeen-drafts" rel="noopener noreferrer">Was the Declaration of Independence Better Before the Edits?</a>,” by Jill Lepore</li>
 <li>“<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/03/09/scandal-protest-goofiness-and-grandeur-at-the-us-bicentennial" rel="noopener noreferrer">Scandal, Protest, Goofiness, and Grandeur at the U.S. Bicentennial</a>,” by Jill Lepore</li>
 <li>“<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/05/15/we-could-have-been-canada" rel="noopener noreferrer">We Could Have Been Canada</a>,” by Adam Gopnik </li>
</ul>
 
New episodes of The New Yorker Radio Hour drop every Tuesday and Friday. Join host David Remnick as he discusses the latest in politics, news, and current events in conversation with political leaders, newsmakers, innovators, New Yorker staff writers, authors, actors, and musicians. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

<description>&lt;p&gt;Americans tend to see the Declaration of Independence and the Revolutionary War as milestones in world history that inaugurated the era of modern democracy. But the British, unsurprisingly, see these events quite differently. David Remnick talks with the historians who host the popular podcast “The Rest Is History,” Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Holland. Growing up in Britain, Sandbrook explains, the Revolution seemed like “a parade of quite boring men talking very earnestly about liberty, [with] battles that involved twenty people in a field somewhere. . . . It’s not Waterloo!” The King was “annoyed” to lose the thirteen colonies to the new nation, but, for his government, “it could have been a lot worse.” Sandbrook and Holland discuss historical events that overshadow the American Revolution in the British mind; the 1619 Project and the subject of slavery; the “colossally consequential” Presidency of Donald Trump; and the fate of the British monarchy. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Further reading and listening:  &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;“&lt;a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/05/11/republic-and-empire-trevor-burnard-andrew-jackson-oshaughnessy-book-review-freedom-round-the-globe-sarah-pearsall" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;The American Revolution Wasn’t the Main Event&lt;/a&gt;,” by Daniel Immerwahr&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.newyorker.com/america-at-250" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;America at 250&lt;/a&gt;, a special issue of &lt;i&gt;The New Yorker&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;“&lt;a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/05/11/why-the-declaration-of-independence-went-through-seventeen-drafts" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Was the Declaration of Independence Better Before the Edits?&lt;/a&gt;,” by Jill Lepore&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;“&lt;a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/03/09/scandal-protest-goofiness-and-grandeur-at-the-us-bicentennial" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Scandal, Protest, Goofiness, and Grandeur at the U.S. Bicentennial&lt;/a&gt;,” by Jill Lepore&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;“&lt;a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/05/15/we-could-have-been-canada" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;We Could Have Been Canada&lt;/a&gt;,” by Adam Gopnik &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;New episodes of The New Yorker Radio Hour drop every Tuesday and Friday. Join host David Remnick as he discusses the latest in politics, news, and current events in conversation with political leaders, newsmakers, innovators, &lt;i&gt;New Yorker&lt;/i&gt; staff writers, authors, actors, and musicians.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt; &lt;p&gt;Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See &lt;a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com"&gt;pcm.adswizz.com&lt;/a&gt; for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

The historian-podcasters Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Holland explain why losing the thirteen colonies “annoyed” the British, but “it could have been a lot worse.”

The New Yorker Radio Hour

America at 250: A View from Britain, with “The Rest Is History”

When “Jaws” hit theatres in 1975, no one—neither the studio executives involved nor the film’s twenty-six-year-old director, Steven Spielberg—was betting on its success. But it dominated at the box office and promptly revolutionized the way movies were promoted, distributed, and merchandised. On this episode of Critics at Large, Vinson Cunningham, Naomi Fry, and Alexandra Schwartz trace how Spielberg inaugurated a new phenomenon in Hollywood: the blockbuster. He would tap his own playbook again and again with such hits as “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “E.T.,” and “Jurassic Park,” all of which drew impressive audiences and profits. The hosts talk through his filmography, culminating in his new release, “Disclosure Day,” which both replicates and iterates on themes and techniques found in his earlier work. Though other directors may share his capacity for spectacle and action-packed set pieces, much of his appeal lies in his profound earnestness. “What Spielberg is so good at is bringing the human to the fore in these extreme, sci-fi circumstances,” Schwartz says. “And that’s what makes a great blockbuster.”
 
New episodes of The New Yorker Radio Hour drop every Tuesday and Friday. Join host David Remnick as he discusses the latest in politics, news, and current events in conversation with political leaders, newsmakers, innovators, New Yorker staff writers, authors, actors, and musicians. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

<description>&lt;p&gt;When “Jaws” hit theatres in 1975, no one—neither the studio executives involved nor the film’s twenty-six-year-old director, Steven Spielberg—was betting on its success. But it dominated at the box office and promptly revolutionized the way movies were promoted, distributed, and merchandised. On this episode of Critics at Large, Vinson Cunningham, Naomi Fry, and Alexandra Schwartz trace how Spielberg inaugurated a new phenomenon in Hollywood: the blockbuster. He would tap his own playbook again and again with such hits as “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “E.T.,” and “Jurassic Park,” all of which drew impressive audiences and profits. The hosts talk through his filmography, culminating in his new release, “Disclosure Day,” which both replicates and iterates on themes and techniques found in his earlier work. Though other directors may share his capacity for spectacle and action-packed set pieces, much of his appeal lies in his profound earnestness. “What Spielberg is so good at is bringing the human to the fore in these extreme, sci-fi circumstances,” Schwartz says. “And &lt;i&gt;that’s&lt;/i&gt; what makes a great blockbuster.”&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;New episodes of The New Yorker Radio Hour drop every Tuesday and Friday. Join host David Remnick as he discusses the latest in politics, news, and current events in conversation with political leaders, newsmakers, innovators, &lt;i&gt;New Yorker&lt;/i&gt; staff writers, authors, actors, and musicians.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt; &lt;p&gt;Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See &lt;a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com"&gt;pcm.adswizz.com&lt;/a&gt; for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Half a century ago, the “Jaws” director created the blueprint for the modern blockbuster. With “Disclosure Day,” he returns to the form he helped invent.

From Critics at Large: Steve Spielberg's Blockbusters

The former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sat down with David Remnick at the 92nd Street Y, in New York, on Monday evening, after the Trump Administration announced a memorandum of understanding to end its war in Iran. Remnick asked whether the United States lost this war. “Yes,” Clinton replied. “The United States has come out weaker. Iran has come out stronger.” According to Clinton, Israel repeatedly tried to pressure the Obama Administration into backing a similar action in Iran, but she didn’t take the bait. “They would say things like ‘Our planes are on the tarmac,’ ” Clinton recalled. “And I’d say, ‘Well, good luck. Great. Why are you doing this?’ ” They also discuss Joe Biden’s decision to run for a second term, and its fateful consequences. “He made a terrible mistake,” she said. Had Biden stayed with his plan of serving for one term, “I believe whoever emerged . . . would have beaten Donald Trump.”
 
Further reading and listening: 
<ul>
 <li>“<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/podcast/political-scene/hillary-clinton-on-the-psychology-of-autocrats" rel="noopener noreferrer">Hillary Clinton on the Psychology of Autocrats</a>,” an episode of The Political Scene </li>
 <li>“<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/podcast/the-new-yorker-radio-hour/hillary-clinton-explains-what-happened" rel="noopener noreferrer">Hillary Clinton Explains What Happened</a>,” an episode of The New Yorker Radio Hour</li>
 <li>“<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/the-broadway-life-of-hillary-clinton" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Broadway Life of Hillary Clinton</a>,” by Michael Schulman</li>
 <li>“<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/curtis-sittenfelds-rodham-offers-the-catharsis-of-uncomplicated-regret" rel="noopener noreferrer">Curtis Sittenfeld’s ‘Rodham’ Offers the Catharsis of Uncomplicated Regret</a>,” by Nora Caplan-Bricker</li>
</ul>
 
New episodes of The New Yorker Radio Hour drop every Tuesday and Friday. Join host David Remnick as he discusses the latest in politics, news, and current events in conversation with political leaders, newsmakers, innovators, New Yorker staff writers, authors, actors, and musicians. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

<description>&lt;p&gt;The former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sat down with David Remnick at the 92nd Street Y, in New York, on Monday evening, after the Trump Administration announced a memorandum of understanding to end its war in Iran. Remnick asked whether the United States lost this war. “Yes,” Clinton replied. “The United States has come out weaker. Iran has come out stronger.” According to Clinton, Israel repeatedly tried to pressure the Obama Administration into backing a similar action in Iran, but she didn’t take the bait. “They would say things like ‘Our planes are on the tarmac,’ ” Clinton recalled. “And I’d say, ‘Well, good luck. Great. Why are you doing this?’ ” They also discuss Joe Biden’s decision to run for a second term, and its fateful consequences. “He made a terrible mistake,” she said. Had Biden stayed with his plan of serving for one term, “I believe whoever emerged . . . would have beaten Donald Trump.”&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Further reading and listening: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;“&lt;a href="https://www.newyorker.com/podcast/political-scene/hillary-clinton-on-the-psychology-of-autocrats" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Hillary Clinton on the Psychology of Autocrats&lt;/a&gt;,” an episode of The Political Scene &lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;“&lt;a href="https://www.newyorker.com/podcast/the-new-yorker-radio-hour/hillary-clinton-explains-what-happened" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Hillary Clinton Explains What Happened&lt;/a&gt;,” an episode of The New Yorker Radio Hour&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;“&lt;a href="https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/the-broadway-life-of-hillary-clinton" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;The Broadway Life of Hillary Clinton&lt;/a&gt;,” by Michael Schulman&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;“&lt;a href="https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/curtis-sittenfelds-rodham-offers-the-catharsis-of-uncomplicated-regret" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Curtis Sittenfeld’s ‘Rodham’ Offers the Catharsis of Uncomplicated Regret&lt;/a&gt;,” by Nora Caplan-Bricker&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;New episodes of The New Yorker Radio Hour drop every Tuesday and Friday. Join host David Remnick as he discusses the latest in politics, news, and current events in conversation with political leaders, newsmakers, innovators, &lt;i&gt;New Yorker&lt;/i&gt; staff writers, authors, actors, and musicians.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt; &lt;p&gt;Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See &lt;a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com"&gt;pcm.adswizz.com&lt;/a&gt; for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

The former Secretary of State says that Benjamin Netanyahu and others tried to get her on board with an Iran attack. It was Trump who finally took the bait. 

Hillary Clinton on How Donald Trump Lost the Iran War

The sports journalist Pablo Torre recently won the 2026 Pulitzer Prize for audio reporting for an investigation on his podcast, “Pablo Torre Finds Out.” Torre talks with David Remnick about the challenge of investigative reporting in professional sports—where leagues, owners, players, and sometimes even fans don’t welcome hard questions. “As much as I am doing that and urging people to join me in the pool,” he says, “it kind of feels like I’m the guy who is the proverbial turd” in that pool. But as private equity invests massive sums in teams, he says, the work is even more necessary—and that fans do care when misdeeds are revealed.
Further reading: 
<ul>
 <li>“<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-lede/lessons-in-fanhood-from-the-knicks" rel="noopener noreferrer">Lessons in Fanhood from the Knicks</a>,” by Vinson Cunnigham</li>
 <li>“<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/06/08/the-knicks-and-the-greatest-night-in-new-york-sports" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Knicks: The Only Game in Town</a>,” by David Remnick</li>
</ul>
 
New episodes of The New Yorker Radio Hour drop every Tuesday and Friday. Join host David Remnick as he discusses the latest in politics, news, and current events in conversation with political leaders, newsmakers, innovators, New Yorker staff writers, authors, actors, and musicians. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

<description>&lt;p&gt;The sports journalist Pablo Torre recently won the 2026 Pulitzer Prize for audio reporting for an investigation on his podcast, “Pablo Torre Finds Out.” Torre talks with David Remnick about the challenge of investigative reporting in professional sports—where leagues, owners, players, and sometimes even fans don’t welcome hard questions. “As much as I am doing that and urging people to join me in the pool,” he says, “it kind of feels like I’m the guy who is the proverbial turd” in that pool. But as private equity invests massive sums in teams, he says, the work is even more necessary—and that fans do care when misdeeds are revealed.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Further reading: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;“&lt;a href="https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-lede/lessons-in-fanhood-from-the-knicks" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Lessons in Fanhood from the Knicks&lt;/a&gt;,” by Vinson Cunnigham&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;“&lt;a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/06/08/the-knicks-and-the-greatest-night-in-new-york-sports" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;The Knicks: The Only Game in Town&lt;/a&gt;,” by David Remnick&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;New episodes of The New Yorker Radio Hour drop every Tuesday and Friday. Join host David Remnick as he discusses the latest in politics, news, and current events in conversation with political leaders, newsmakers, innovators, &lt;i&gt;New Yorker&lt;/i&gt; staff writers, authors, actors, and musicians.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt; &lt;p&gt;Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See &lt;a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com"&gt;pcm.adswizz.com&lt;/a&gt; for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

The podcaster discusses why investigative reporting in sports is still rare and whether fans even want it, and the problem with private equity investing in professional teams.

The Sports Journalist Pablo Torre Has a Pulitzer, but Still Feels Like the “Turd” in the Pool

When Rachel Goldberg-Polin’s son, Hersh, was taken hostage by Hamas on October 7, 2023, she became a prominent spokesperson for the families of Israeli hostages. Throughout Hersh’s captivity, and then after his murder, Goldberg-Polin, who was born in Chicago and emigrated to Israel in 2008, argued that Israel’s priority should be to bring the hostages home, and that the killing of all innocents, Israeli and Palestinian, must stop. She advocated with Israeli politicians, Pope Francis, and other leaders, and she addressed the Democratic National Convention in 2024. She recently spoke with David Remnick about her new book, “<a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/824238/when-we-see-you-again-by-rachel-goldberg-polin/" rel="noopener noreferrer">When We See You Again</a>,” and how she has continued her work as a public figure despite unending grief. “People are desperate for us to be angry . . . to feel things that I think that they assume they would feel if they were in the position that we are in. But the truth is, I’m open to feeling anything,” she reflects. “I put Hersh in the ground on September 2, 2024. After that, I’m in a completely different universe.” 
Further reading: 
<ul>
 <li>“<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/essay/gazas-broken-politics" rel="noopener noreferrer">Gaza’s Broken Politics</a>,” by Mohammed R. Mhawish</li>
 <li>“<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-lede/the-end-of-israels-hostage-ordeal" rel="noopener noreferrer">The End of Israel’s Hostage Ordeal</a>,” by Ruth Margalit</li>
 <li>“<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a/why-hamas-agreed-to-release-the-hostages" rel="noopener noreferrer">Why Hamas Agreed to Release the Hostages</a>,” by Isaac Chotiner</li>
 <li>“<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-lede/hope-and-grief-in-israel-after-the-gaza-ceasefire-deal" rel="noopener noreferrer">Hope and Grief in Israel After the Gaza Ceasefire Deal</a>,” by Ruth Margalit</li>
</ul>
 
New episodes of The New Yorker Radio Hour drop every Tuesday and Friday. Join host David Remnick as he discusses the latest in politics, news, and current events in conversation with political leaders, newsmakers, innovators, New Yorker staff writers, authors, actors, and musicians. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

<description>&lt;p&gt;When Rachel Goldberg-Polin’s son, Hersh, was taken hostage by Hamas on October 7, 2023, she became a prominent spokesperson for the families of Israeli hostages. Throughout Hersh’s captivity, and then after his murder, Goldberg-Polin, who was born in Chicago and emigrated to Israel in 2008, argued that Israel’s priority should be to bring the hostages home, and that the killing of all innocents, Israeli and Palestinian, must stop. She advocated with Israeli politicians, Pope Francis, and other leaders, and she addressed the Democratic National Convention in 2024. She recently spoke with David Remnick about her new book, “&lt;a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/824238/when-we-see-you-again-by-rachel-goldberg-polin/" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;When We See You Again&lt;/a&gt;,” and how she has continued her work as a public figure despite unending grief. “People are desperate for us to be angry . . . to feel things that I think that they assume they would feel if they were in the position that we are in. But the truth is, I’m open to feeling anything,” she reflects. “I put Hersh in the ground on September 2, 2024. After that, I’m in a completely different universe.” &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Further reading: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;“&lt;a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/essay/gazas-broken-politics" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Gaza’s Broken Politics&lt;/a&gt;,” by Mohammed R. Mhawish&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;“&lt;a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-lede/the-end-of-israels-hostage-ordeal" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;The End of Israel’s Hostage Ordeal&lt;/a&gt;,” by Ruth Margalit&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;“&lt;a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a/why-hamas-agreed-to-release-the-hostages" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Why Hamas Agreed to Release the Hostages&lt;/a&gt;,” by Isaac Chotiner&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;“&lt;a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-lede/hope-and-grief-in-israel-after-the-gaza-ceasefire-deal" rel="noopener noreferrer"&gt;Hope and Grief in Israel After the Gaza Ceasefire Deal&lt;/a&gt;,” by Ruth Margalit&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;New episodes of The New Yorker Radio Hour drop every Tuesday and Friday. Join host David Remnick as he discusses the latest in politics, news, and current events in conversation with political leaders, newsmakers, innovators, &lt;i&gt;New Yorker&lt;/i&gt; staff writers, authors, actors, and musicians.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br/&gt; &lt;p&gt;Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See &lt;a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com"&gt;pcm.adswizz.com&lt;/a&gt; for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

The most visible spokesperson for the families of Israeli hostages in Gaza discusses her memoir, “When We See You Again,” and the unending pain of her son’s captivity and murder.

Rachel Goldberg-Polin on Losing a Son in Gaza

Profiles, storytelling and insightful conversations, hosted by David Remnick.

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