James M. Bradley

It's flattering to see that the Sex and the City people think that middle-aged historians look like this shirtless:

#182: James Bradley - Podcast Episode · Axelbank Reports History and Today · 07/29/2025 · 49m

I really enjoyed being a guest on Evan Axelbank's excellent history podcast, though I revealed a few embarrassing childhood stories about presidential figurines and American Heritage books: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1... @evanaxelbank.bsky.social

And I was thrilled to be a guest!

I forgot to give my location: Chatham, NY!

Some placards from today’s protests #nokings

When the Left Was Laissez-Faire A primer on politics and organized labor in the 1830s

The only piece you'll ever read about unions, Martin Van Buren, Jerry Brown, Christopher Hitchens and Milton Friedman: jamesbradley.substack.com/p/when-the-l...

Sorry, different James Bradley!

The Wikipedia entry on the presidential election of 1796 refers to John Adams as "Lucifer" and his wife as "Lilith," the "first human woman in existence, and the Queen of Hell." Need a laugh? Read this ...

My World—and Welcome to It What Walter Mitty has taught me about work habits

On most days my role model is not another historian or writer but a fictional character. My new Substack post. jamesbradley.substack.com/p/my-worldan...

I only coveted one of those honors. Not saying which.

My Little Book Tour On being a "best-selling author" and a celebrity for a day (or two)

In my latest Substack I write about being a "best-selling author" and hitting the road to talk Van Buren: substack.com/inbox/post/1...

I’m very eager to read this. Congratulations.

Cynthia Van Buren Lecture Series YouTube video by CumberlandU

Self-promotion feels a bit unseemly these days, but we must get on with our lives, of course.

I'll be speaking at Cumberland tonight, on MVB's 1848 run for president on the Free Soil ticket. You can watch on YouTube, 7pm CST, 8pm, EST. www.youtube.com/live/7WGyzFp...

What neighborhood?

A new MVB biography was released a few weeks ago. The subtitle's illiterate and the text (from the sample I saw) isn't much better. The cover image looks nothing like him.

If this is what I suspect it is, I thought Amazon was cracking down on AI books?

and Charlie Haden!

Matt Chorley - Nick chat, Paddy facts, wash your pan at home? - BBC Sounds Nick Robinson joins Matt, plus Paddy O'Connell goes to PMQs.

Had a fun time chatting with Matt Chorley of the BBC this morning. He's the first interviewer to ask for my take on Trump and today's party system. Q&A is about 8 minutes. I come on at the 50:30 mark. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Radio 5 Live - Listen Live - BBC Sounds Listen live to BBC Radio 5 Live on BBC Sounds

Calling all Van Buren fans in the UK ... My book is now out in your country. MVB was a committed Anglophile, and I wrote a great deal about his time in London.

Also, I'll be interviewed on Matt Chorley's BBC show tomorrow morning, 9:30 EST. Here's the link: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

😍

Cynthia Van Buren Lecture Series YouTube video by CumberlandU

Tonight I'll be talking at Cumberland University about MVB's run for president with the Free Soil Party in 1848. Don't live in Nashville? Don't worry! You can catch it on YouTube. 7pm CT, so it's 8pm on the east coast. Hope you can watch ... www.youtube.com/live/lt8N1KH...

The movie kinda bombed when it came out, if I'm remembering correctly. Wow, talk about a second act.

Public Eye - 90.5 WICN Public Radio Don’t look now but we’ve got our eye on it…“The Public Eye,” that is! From controversy to culture, this half-hour talk show will inform, enlighten and hopefully entertain you. This is where history co...

If, for some reason, you were preoccupied last night and missed my interview with Al Vuona on WICN, Worcester Public Radio, I have good news. It will be rebroadcast this evening at 6:30. Here's the link: wicn.org/shows/public...

To all my fans in the Nashville area ...

James Alexander Hamilton: Son of the American Revolution James Alexander Hamilton: Son of the American Revolution [Wilcoxson, Samantha] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. James Alexander Hamilton: Son of the American Revolution

I see there's a new biography of James Alexander Hamilton coming out. This brave writer actually read his letters. She deserves special recognition for this. He had the worst handwriting—and my colleagues at @vanburenpapers.bsky.social will back me up on this. www.amazon.com/James-Alexan...

#397 - The Life and Presidency of Martin Van Buren: A Dialogue with James M. Bradley Podcast Episode · Converging Dialogues · 01/23/2025 · 1h 26m

I really enjoyed discussing my new book on Xavier Bonilla's terrific Converging Dialogues podcast. You can listen here: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/3...

One month you assigned me nothing but letters from Blair to MVB. I considered resigning! 😂

Party Animal | Washington Monthly Martin Van Buren, father of the Democrats, knew that the Founders were wrong about partisan politics.

The fine writer (and JQA biographer) James Traub gave my a book a nice write-up in the estimable Washington Monthly, a publication that comes out ... every two months. washingtonmonthly.com/2025/01/05/p...

RBmedia | Martin Van Buren Listen to the audiobook Martin Van Buren, written by James M. Bradley, narrated by Paul Woodson.

The audio version of my book is out, and @paulwoodson.bsky.social's golden, sonorous narration is a sheer delight! (I know, I'm not exactly impartial here.) Now I know "Southwick" is pronounced "suth-ick." The info is here: rbmediaglobal.com/audiobook/97...

Martin Van Buren: America’s First Politician w/ James M Bradley (#324) | The Road to Now James M Bradley joins us to discuss Martin Van Buren's role in founding the Democratic Party and why he might be America's first politician.

I had a blast talking about MVB and early US history with @bobcrawfordbass.bsky.social and @bensawyer.bsky.social on their excellent Road to Now podcast. You can listen here: theroadtonow.com/episodes/mar...

He joined the Yankees at the worst time—when the organization made bad trades and signings and George's megalomania reached psychotic levels. Glad he got a World Series ring with Blue Jays.