Ben Thompson

I'm not sure how many of my fans are in Curitiba, Brazil, but I'll be doing a talk here next week!

Happy new year fellow Badasses! Be sure to check out the latest episode of Badass of the Week where cover the smoothest criminal in the West: Butch Cassidy, w/ special guest Todd Weiser co-host of the Heist Club

Check it out now wherever you get your podcasts!

Butch Cassidy: The West’s Smoothest Criminal Podcast Episode · Badass of the Week · 01/14/2026 · 1h

The Trưng Sisters: When Sisters Ruled an Empire History doesn’t usually begin with two sisters on war elephants — but this one does. In 40 AD, the Trưng Sisters ignited a violent break from Han Dynasty rule, led armies commanded by women, seized more than sixty citadels, and ruled Vietnam as queens for three hard-fought years. In today's epi...

The Taiping Rebellion: The Cult Leader Who Nearly Toppled an Empire A failed civil-service exam. A month-long fever dream. And a man who woke up convinced he was Jesus Christ’s Chinese younger brother... This week, Ben teams up with historian and History on Fire host Daniele Bolelli to tell one of the wildest, bloodiest, most unbelievable stories in human history:...

Pearl Harbor wasn’t just tragedy — it was chaos, bravery, and some of the wildest heroes you’ve never heard of. From a ship’s cook with a .50-cal to two hungover pilots in tuxedo jackets, this story goes HARD.

Listen to the latest episode of Badass of the Week now! And don't forget to subscribe and follow for more!

Pearl Harbor: The Cook, the Drunks, and the Battleship That Wouldn’t Die Podcast Episode · Badass of the Week · 12/03/2025 · 53m

Check out the latest episode of my podcast Badass of the Week! We talk about war hero and take-no-guff-astronaut first American in space Alan Shepard. You think you know his story... but you don't!

Alan Shepard: The Original Space Cowboy Podcast Episode · Badass of the Week · 11/26/2025 · 55m

Check out the latest episode of the Badass of the Week podcast now!

🚩 History remembers the fall of Rome as inevitable... but buried in the chaos is one man who almost flipped the script. In today's episode, Ben is joined by Matthew and Matteo of the Lost Roman Heroes Podcast to talk about Majorian. He wasn’t a pampered emperor; he was a frontline warrior who carved his way through enemies and politics alike, determined to rebuild an empire everyone else had already written off. He reformed corrupt systems, rallied shattered armies, and launched one of the boldest comeback attempts in Roman history. And just when it looked like he might actually pull it off… well, that’s where things get wild. This is the story of the last emperor who truly tried to save Rome - and the brutal twist that changed everything. 🚩

Majorian: The Roman Emperor Who Said “Not on My Watch” Podcast Episode · Badass of the Week · 11/19/2025 · 1h 10m

Hello fellow Badasses! We've got new art (Check it out!), a new partner, just a random dude named Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, and we've got loads of new badass history storytelling for you guys to jump into. Over 130 episodes to be exact!

Click here to checkout the podcast now! And be sure to rate and review! It's going to help us do the work to continue bringing you more Badass stories.

Badass of the Week

This week I had the opportunity to interview Mark Kerr, the Smashing Machine. If you haven't listened to the show yet, this is a great place to start.

Mark Kerr: The Smashing Machine Podcast Episode · Badass of the Week · 10/07/2025 · 52m

My new book releases today! It's a history behind why the Ukraine War is happening. I'll be doing a signing at Third Place Books in Ravenna (Seattle) on Thursday 8/21 at 6pm. I hope you'll come check it out!

https://www.amazon.com/Putin-vs-Zelensky-Russo-Ukrainian-Happening/dp/1250339561

My new book is coming out! I'll be doing a reading at the Third Place Books in Seattle on August 21st, if you're in the area and would like to check it out. Details are here! https://www.thirdplacebooks.com/event/ben-thompson-putin-vs-zelensky

I have a new book coming out! Putin vs. Zelensky chronicles the history of Ukraine and the events that set in motion the Russian invasion and ongoing, present-day war, as told through the stories and heritage of the conflict's two key players: Volodomyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin.

It's available for pre-order now at Barnes & Noble:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/putin-vs-zelensky-ben-thompson/1146253470?ean=9781250339560

If you order today or tomorrow, wou can get 25% off the hardcover, audiobook, and eBook version by using pre-order code PREORDER25

If you're interested, the deal is good through Friday 7/11.

I hope you'll check it out!