Hello and welcome!

As full-time history prof, I opted to podcast under the name Kenyon Payne to maintain some separation from my job and this show. Still, you can call me Kenyon, and it means quite a lot that you found this page! Thank you for taking the time to listen to this show.

The project itself is fairly self-indulgent, as I wanted to create an opportunity for myself to research topics that I otherwise might never have the chance to look into at this depth. Building courses and writing lectures is one of my favourite things to do, and this show is an extension of that interest.

For my Master’s and PhD, I specialized in the history of alcohol and drinking - hence the topic for season one. It made sense to go with something that felt familiar as I learned to navigate the recording and editing process. I am admittedly still figuring that out, but it has been a fun challenge.

While teaching, I often build off of the students’ energy and the questions they ask. This creates a fairly dynamic space for the exchange of information. With this podcast, that element has been stripped away, pushing me to find new ways to present these histories that is hopefully interesting and entertaining.