Two leaders. Thousands of nuclear weapons. One meeting that changed everything.

In this episode, Michael Russell Gunn, director of Brink of War, explores the extraordinary Reykjavík Summit between Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev—a meeting many believe paved the way for the end of the Cold War. We discuss Reagan's strategy of pursuing a nuclear-free world while preserving America's leverage, the remarkable relationship between the two leaders, and the making of the film starring Jeff Daniels, J.K. Simmons, and Jared Harris.

THE BRINK OF WAR

https://www.angel.com/movies/brink-of-war?

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CREDITS
Host: Richard Lim
Producer: Michael Neal
Cover Art: Nip Rogers, www.NipRogers.com

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As America prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday, #1 New York Times bestselling author Eric Metaxas—author of Bonhoeffer, Martin Luther, and Amazing Grace—joins us to discuss his new book, Revolution: The Birth of the Greatest Nation in the History of the World. Together, we revisit the famous—and often forgotten—heroes of the American Revolution and explore why Metaxas believes the indispensable role of Judeo-Christian ideas in America's founding has too often been overlooked.

REVOLUTION: THE BIRTH OF THE GREATEST NATION IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD

https://www.amazon.com/Revolution-Birth-Greatest-Nation-History/dp/1631440888/

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CREDITS
Host: Richard Lim
Producer: Michael Neal
Cover Art: Nip Rogers, www.NipRogers.com

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As America approaches its 250th birthday, bestselling author and historian Jane Hampton Cook joins us for a conversation about the people, moments, and ideas that make the American story so remarkable. We discuss why America remains a nation worth celebrating, the most underrated Americans in our history, the historical events we'd most like to witness firsthand, and the era that best represents America's peak. Along the way, we explore what makes America unique and why, nearly 250 years after its founding, its story continues to captivate us.

A GREAT AND GRATEFUL NATION: FROM GRIEVANCE TO GRATITUDE

https://www.amazon.com/Great-Grateful-Nation-Grievance-Gratitude/dp/1617156787/

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CREDITS
Host: Richard Lim
Producer: Michael Neal
Cover Art: Nip Rogers, www.NipRogers.com

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We live in an era defined by distrust of institutions, political outsiders, and anti-establishment movements. What can the life of perhaps the ultimate establishment president tell us about America today?

In this episode, I speak with historian Laurence Jurdem about his new book, 41: George H.W. Bush and the End of the American Establishment. We discuss Bush’s rise through the political, diplomatic, and intelligence institutions of his era, why voters eventually turned against the world he represented, and how his presidency—and legacy—look in an age increasingly defined by populism and skepticism toward the establishment.

41: George H. W. Bush and the End of the American Establishment

https://www.amazon.com/41-George-Bush-American-Establishment/dp/B0FXV7V2FP/

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CREDITS
Host: Richard Lim
Producer: Michael Neal
Cover Art: Nip Rogers, www.NipRogers.com

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Did you know that a young Princess Elizabeth once spent time with a twenty-something John F. Kennedy? Or that Richard Nixon hoped to marry one of his daughters into the British royal family?

In this episode, I speak with bestselling author Susan Page about her new book, The Queen and Her Presidents: The Hidden Hand That Shaped History. We explore Queen Elizabeth II’s remarkable relationships with American presidents from Truman to Biden, her quiet influence on world affairs, and some of the most fascinating stories to emerge from the royal archives—including whether the rumored rivalry between the Queen and Jacqueline Kennedy, famously depicted in The Crown, was actually real.

The Queen and Her Presidents: The Hidden Hand That Shaped History

https://www.amazon.com/Queen-Her-Presidents-Hidden-History/dp/0063397390

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CREDITS
Host: Richard Lim
Producer: Michael Neal
Cover Art: Nip Rogers, www.NipRogers.com

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Before he became the indispensable man of the American founding, George Washington was a young officer fighting for survival in the wilderness, battling the French, navigating deadly frontier politics, and learning the hard lessons that would forge his character.

In this episode, I speak with Benton Crane, co-founder of Angel Studios, about Young Washington, a major new film focused on George Washington’s early exploits before the Revolution and presidency. We discuss why this story is arriving at the perfect moment ahead of America 250, and how Young Washington could mark the beginning of an ambitious new era of cinematic storytelling about the Founding generation.

YOUNG WASHINGTON

https://www.angel.com/movies/young-washington

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CREDITS
Host: Richard Lim
Producer: Michael Neal
Cover Art: Nip Rogers, www.NipRogers.com

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How should Americans evaluate presidential candidates when it comes to nuclear weapons?

In this episode, Dr. Anthony Eames, Director of Scholarly Initiatives at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute, returns to the show to examine how presidents from Ronald Reagan to Donald Trump have approached nuclear weapons, deterrence, and arms control. We discuss the end of the Cold War, the challenge of rogue states, and why some presidents—including George W. Bush in Iraq and Donald Trump in Iran—have ultimately chosen military action to stop nuclear threats.

What separates a reckless nuclear policy from a prudent one? And what qualities should Americans look for in a commander-in-chief entrusted with the world’s deadliest weapons?

A Voice in Their Own Destiny: Reagan, Thatcher, and Public Diplomacy in the Nuclear 1980s

https://www.amazon.com/Voice-Their-Own-Destiny-Diplomacy/dp/1625347103/

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CREDITS
Host: Richard Lim
Producer: Michael Neal
Cover Art: Nip Rogers, www.NipRogers.com

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What does the First Lady actually do—and how did the role become so influential?

Our host Richard Lim sits down with Anita McBride—former Chief of Staff to Laura Bush, Executive-in-Residence at American University’s School of Public Affairs, and Director of the First Ladies Initiative—to break down the evolution of one of the most visible roles in American life. From Dolley Madison to Eleanor Roosevelt to today, how have First Ladies shaped the presidency from behind the scenes—and sometimes far beyond it? And looking ahead: they discuss what happens if there’s ever a First Gentleman?

This episode is a sharp, inside look at power, politics, and the changing role of America’s “unofficial” partner in the presidency.

Remember the First Ladies: The Legacies of America's History-Making Women

https://www.amazon.com/Remember-First-Ladies-Legacies-History-Making/dp/B0CMZM1KHF

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CREDITS
Host: Richard Lim
Producer: Michael Neal
Cover Art: Nip Rogers, www.NipRogers.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.