Classic Hollywood Films Explained: Why They Still Matter Today with Simone O. Elias

The Making of Modern Publishing: Bennett Cerf, Random House, and the Rise of a Literary Empire with Gayle Feldman

Author Gayle Feldman joins Holley to discuss Nothing Random: Bennett Cerf and the Publishing House He Built and the life of the Random House cofounder who helped shape twentieth century American culture. Together, they explore Cerf’s rise in publishing, his relationships with writers including Truman Capote, Gertrude Stein, Ayn Rand, and Dr. Seuss, and his role in the landmark Ulysses censorship case that expanded free expression in America. The conversation also looks at Cerf’s friendships with cultural figures like Frank Sinatra and the broader world of books, Broadway, Hollywood, television, and politics that he moved through during the height of the American Century. Gayle Feldman Biography Gayle Feldman has written for Publishers Weekly for over forty years. Since 1999, she has served as the U.S. correspondent for The Bookseller, where she analyzes the American book industry for U.K. readers. Her work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Times of London, The Nation, and other publications. She is the author of the memoir You Don’t Have to Be Your Mother (W.W. Norton) and Best and Worst of Times: The Changing Business of Trade Books, developed through a Columbia Journalism School fellowship. Her latest work, Nothing Random: Bennett Cerf and the Publishing House He Built, was supported by a National Endowment for the Humanities Public Scholar award and represents more than twenty-three years of research. Feldman lives in New York City. About Nothing Random: Bennett Cerf and the Publishing House He Built This is the story of legendary publisher Bennett Cerf and the Random House he created: an epic cast of characters, a lasting cultural legacy, and a seemingly charmed life at the height of the American Century. By midcentury, everyone knew Bennett Cerf as the witty and beloved panelist on What’s My Line?, a television presence welcomed into homes across the country each week. What they did not see was the ambitious, driven young man of the 1920s who had vowed to become a great publisher and, within a decade, had done just that. By then, he had signed Eugene O’Neill, Gertrude Stein, and William Faulkner, and had fought the landmark censorship case that secured Americans the freedom to read James Joyce’s Ulysses. With his best friend and lifelong business partner Donald Klopfer, along with fellow Jewish publishing pioneers such as the Knopfs and Simon and Schuster, Cerf helped remake the book business—reshaping both what was published and how it reached readers. In 1925, he and Klopfer acquired the Modern Library and transformed it into a cornerstone of American literary culture before founding Random House, which would go on to publish Truman Capote, Ralph Ellison, Ayn Rand, Dr. Seuss, Toni Morrison, and many more. Even before television, Cerf was a bestselling author and columnist as well as a publisher; television only amplified his reach. A gifted networker long before the term existed, he moved fluidly across books, Broadway, Hollywood, television, and politics. A committed democratizer of culture, he published widely—across “high” and “low”—and from the 1920s through the 1960s built an extraordinary circle of friends and collaborators along the way. For four decades, Gayle Feldman has reported on publishing for Publishers Weekly, The New York Times, The Bookseller, and others. Drawing on more than 200 interviews and extensive archival research, she brings Bennett Cerf vividly back to life, immersing readers in his world and offering a long-overdue portrait of a true American original. Connect with Gayle: Website [http://www.gaylefeldman.com/] Nothing Random: Hardcover [https://bookshop.org/a/117961/9781400060276] | Ebook [https://bookshop.org/a/117961/9780593978375] | Penguin Random House [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/48744/nothing-random-by-gayle-feldman/] Connect with Holley: Buy Me A Coffee [https://buymeacoffee.com/sayitwithhistory] | Website [https://www.holleysnaith.com] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/holleysnaith/] Newsletter: Stay Connected with Holley [https://holley-snaith.kit.com/e81ae1b230]

The Forgotten World War: The Global Story of the American Revolution with Derek Baxter

Writer Derek Baxter joins Holley to explore the global story behind the American Revolution through his book The Forgotten World War: The American Revolution as a Global Conflict. Together, they discuss how the Revolutionary War extended far beyond the Thirteen Colonies, involving battles, alliances, and political struggles across Europe, the Caribbean, India, and beyond. The conversation highlights the crucial role of foreign allies such as France and Spain, the overlooked contributions of Cuba in supporting the victory at Yorktown, and the ways later histories narrowed what contemporaries understood to be a worldwide conflict. Derek also shares insights from his travels to historic sites connected to the war, offering a broader perspective on America’s founding and the international forces that helped shape it. Derek Baxter Biography Derek Baxter is the author of In Pursuit of Jefferson: Traveling through Europe with the Most Perplexing Founding Father, in which he recounts his journeys through six countries, armed with a guide written by Jefferson in 1788. This is his second book. He lives with his family in northern Virginia. About The Forgotten World War: Exploring the Secret History of the American Revolution, from Spain to India and Back Again The Revolutionary War wasn’t just fought in the Thirteen Colonies—it was a world war, spanning four continents. To discover more, Baxter embarks on an adventure-filled quest across the globe. He finds the human stories behind this long-ago conflict, expanding the universe of those who contributed to the cause, including the French, Spanish, Dutch, Oneida Indians, and Mysore Kingdom of India. And he delivers a powerful message: The United States only exists because peoples of different races, languages, and religions learned how to fight together, writing an unexpected story of independence that continues to resonate and inspire today. Connect with Derek: Website [https://www.jeffersontravels.com/] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/derekjbaxter/] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/jeffersontravels/] The Forgotten World War: Hardcover [https://bookshop.org/a/117961/9781464238925] | Ebook [https://bookshop.org/a/117961/9781464238932] | Amazon [https://www.amazon.com/Forgotten-World-War-Exploring-Revolution/dp/1464238928/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0] Connect with Holley: Buy Me A Coffee [https://buymeacoffee.com/sayitwithhistory] | Website [https://www.holleysnaith.com] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/holleysnaith/] Newsletter: Stay Connected with Holley [https://holley-snaith.kit.com/e81ae1b230]

Minnie Pearl and the Hidden History of Nashville: Country Music, Culture, and Legacy with Mary Ellen Pethel

For the final episode of Season 3 of Say It With History, author, historian, and educator Mary Ellen Pethel joins Holley to explore the life and legacy of Minnie Pearl and the woman behind the beloved persona, Sarah Cannon. Together, they discuss Mary Ellen’s book Howdy! The Minnie Pearl Story, Minnie’s rise from small-town performer to Grand Ole Opry icon, the misconceptions surrounding her career, and the lasting impact she had on country music and Nashville’s cultural landscape. Mary Ellen also shares insights into her work with Nashville Sites and reflects on the power of public history to preserve overlooked stories and connect communities to the past. Mary Ellen Pethel Biography Mary Ellen Pethel is an author, historian, and educator at Belmont University, where she directs the Global Honors Program and leads initiatives connecting academic research with public engagement. An award-winning author of six books, her work focuses on women’s leadership, education, and social change. Her latest book, Howdy! The Minnie Pearl Story, co-authored with Don Cusic, is the definitive biography of Sarah Cannon. She is also the executive director of Nashville Sites, a nationally recognized digital public history platform bringing Nashville’s stories to life through interactive tours. Howdy! The Minnie Pearl Story Throughout her career, Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon skillfully balanced her dual roles as Minnie and Sarah. Whether at the Opry, on the road, or on Hee Haw, Minnie remained a trusted friend and consummate professional. As k.d. lang noted, “Minnie understood where country music needed to go and who it needed to embrace. She was a visionary.” Rich with 155 historic photographs, this definitive biography covers the many chapters of Sarah Cannon’s life. Drawing from archives and interviews with those who knew her, Howdy! The Minnie Pearl Story captures not only Cannon’s enduring humor and impact, but also the woman behind the laughter. Connect with Mary Ellen: Website [https://nashvillesites.org/] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/drpethel/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-ellen-pethel/] Howdy! The Minnie Pearl Story: The University of Tennessee Press [https://utpress.org/9798895270585/howdy/] | Hardcover [https://bookshop.org/a/117961/9798895270585] | Ebook [https://bookshop.org/a/117961/9798895270592] Connect with Holley: Buy Me A Coffee [https://buymeacoffee.com/sayitwithhistory] | Website [https://www.holleysnaith.com] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/holleysnaith/] Newsletter: Stay Connected with Holley [https://holley-snaith.kit.com/e81ae1b230]

Jo van Gogh and Vincent van Gogh: The Woman Who Built an Artist’s Legacy with Joan Fernandez

Historical fiction author and speaker Joan Fernandez joins Holley to explore the untold story of Jo van Gogh-Bonger and the making of Vincent van Gogh’s legacy. Together, they challenge the myth of the isolated “mad genius,” examining how Jo’s strategy, resilience, and belief in Vincent’s work transformed him into a global icon. They also discuss how modern concepts like branding, influence, and storytelling shaped his reputation, and what it means to write history with integrity. Joan reflects on her own path from corporate marketing to historical fiction and the importance of uncovering the overlooked figures who change the course of history. Joan Fernandez Biography Joan Fernandez leverages three decades in the corporate marketing trenches to reveal the untold story of the woman who built the Van Gogh legacy. The author of the award-winning Saving Vincent: A Novel of Jo van Gogh (2025), Joan is a leading authority on Jo van Gogh-Bonger, framing her not simply as a widow, but as a brilliant strategist who navigated the demands of single motherhood while disrupting the global art market. Beyond her work as a frequent speaker and founder of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association Historical Fiction affinity group, she explores the intersection of history, marketing, and resilience in her Substack, Digging In with Joan Fernandez. About Saving Vincent: A Novel of Jo van Gogh Based on a true story, in 1891, timid Jo van Gogh Bonger lives safely in the background of her art dealer husband Theo’s passionate work to sell unknown artists, especially his ill-fated dead brother Vincent. When Theo dies unexpectedly, Jo’s brief happiness is shattered. Her inheritance—hundreds of unsold paintings by Vincent—is worthless. Pressured to move to her parents’ home, Jo defies tradition, opening a boarding house to raise her infant son alone, and choosing to promote Vincent’s art herself. But her ingenuity and persistence draw the powerful opposition of a Parisian art dealer who vows to stop her once and for all, and so sink Vincent into obscurity. Connect with Joan: Website [https://www.joanfernandezauthor.com/] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/joanferndzauthor] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/joanfernandezauthor/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/joan-fernandez/] | Substack [https://joanfernandez.substack.com/] Saving Vincent: Paperback [https://bookshop.org/a/117961/9781647428709] | Ebook [https://bookshop.org/a/117961/9781647428716] | Simon & Schuster [https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Saving-Vincent/Joan-Fernandez/9781647428709] Books Mentioned: Heroines of Mercy Street by Pamela Toler Paperback [https://bookshop.org/a/117961/9780316392068] | Ebook [https://bookshop.org/a/117961/9780316392051] Connect with Holley: Buy Me A Coffee [https://buymeacoffee.com/sayitwithhistory] | Website [https://www.holleysnaith.com] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/holleysnaith/] Newsletter: Stay Connected with Holley [https://holley-snaith.kit.com/e81ae1b230]

Material Culture Explained: How Objects Tell Hidden Histories with Laura Smith

Historian Laura Smith joins Holley to explore the power of material culture and how objects help us better understand the past. Together, they discuss how everyday items can reveal complex and often overlooked histories, why physical artifacts create deeper human connection than written sources alone, and how museums use objects to spark conversation and reflection. Laura also shares insights from her work at Woodlawn & Pope-Leighey House and reflects on how learning to “read” objects can change the way we see history and the world around us. Laura Smith Biography Laura Smith is a public historian whose work is focused on material culture as a way to encourage observation, conversation, and connection. A Utah native now based in Northern Virginia, Laura serves as the Program and Collections Assistant at Woodlawn & Pope-Leighey House. Beyond her museum work, Laura dedicates her time as the Vice Chair of the Manassas Historic Resources Board and contributes to the field through independent writing.  Books Mentioned: History Through Material Culture by Leonie Hannan and Sarah Longair Paperback [https://bookshop.org/a/117961/9781784991265] Connect with Laura: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thecabinetofcuriosity1/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-e-smith1/] | Substack [https://lauraesmith2.substack.com/?utm_campaign=reader2&utm_medium=reader2&utm_source=%2Fsearch%2Fthecabinetofcuriosity] Woodlawn and Pope-Leighey House: Website [https://www.woodlawnpopeleighey.org/] Connect with Holley: Buy Me A Coffee [https://buymeacoffee.com/sayitwithhistory] | Website [https://www.holleysnaith.com/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/holleysnaith/]  Newsletter: Stay Connected with Holley [https://holley-snaith.kit.com/e81ae1b230]