Five women you’ve never heard of: unsung heroines
History has its share of amazing women whose contributions to the world have been overshadowed by more recognized names. Although people like Marie Curie, Rosa Parks, and Frida Kahlo are…
If Virginia had lived
One of the world’s all-time great writers stuffed rocks into her overcoat pockets and walked into the River Ouse, never to be seen alive again, on March 28, 1941. An…
The famous women who apologised or didn’t
Apologies are potent. They can repair relations, reinstate dignity, and recognise past injustices. But they can also be weaponised, demanded in disproportionate measure by specific groups—particularly women, who are often socialised…
The price of a visionary woman’s dream
She pleaded with them not to haul that giant wooden horse into Troy. Casandra knew it would be a disaster — and told anyone who would listen that it was the…
Marie Stopes: propagandist and cultural force
When Marie Stopes died in 1958, archivists were confronted with an extraordinary task: collecting and cataloguing the sheer amount of material she had produced in her lifetime. A ten-ton truck was…
Women and the art of reinvention
THREE STORIES OF TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE Women have been radically reinventing themselves throughout history, emerging from one life into another with courage, resilience and vision. Reinvention is rarely easy — often, it involves…
What’s being said between these two women?
In my book Conversations with Remarkable Women, I have conversations with twenty extraordinary women who are no longer living. Yet time has no power over my imagination, and the Conversations…
Why catherine the great never did the dishes
Some people insist that dishes should be washed immediately—because of hygiene, aesthetics, or a misplaced sense of urgency. Others advocate for the lazy luxury of letting them stew in the…
Rejecting the roles society gives them
For centuries, women have been conditioned to be muses, not makers, supporters, not leaders. History is replete with women who have refused to get in line, often to their own detriment.…
What if eleanor roosevelt had instagram? – andrew-leigh
Imagine opening Instagram and seeing a post from @EleanorSpeaks: a black-and-white photo of Eleanor Roosevelt at her typewriter, captioned: “Do one thing every day that scares you. Today, I’m posting…
Strange Fruit
The spotlight burned hot, the crowd hushed, and Billie Holiday stood at the microphone, her face solemn. The first mournful notes played, and she sang: “Southern trees bear a strange…
Owain Phyfe: conversation with the time travelling troubador by Andrew Leigh
Our meeting place is a curious mixture of a low-class fast-food outlet and a medieval knocking shop. Blowsy maids serve large glasses of beer, and when I say I prefer…
Nobody does it better than Marco
ANDREW HAS AN EXCLUSIVE CONVERSATIONWITH MARCO POLO, ONE OF THE WORLD’S GREATEST TRAVELLERS In the fine silks gifted by the Khan himself, Italian Marco Polo reclines on a low seat,…
Great mistakes: magnificent missteps through history
We love our heroes polished and triumphant—but what if their mistakes were the best part? Some famous people made major misjudgements, missed chances, bad calls, or sheer human folly. Some…
The Impossible Magician
ANDREW MEETS MAX MALINISetting: A velvet-curtained parlor suite in the Waldorf Astoria, New York City. The year is 1933. The magician Max Malini is in his element—aging, flamboyant, unpredictable—and the…
First Lady of Scandal & Stage
Andrew Meets Aphra Behn It’s 1687, two years before her death, and Aphra Behn is at the height of her powers. Her play The Lucky Chance has just premiered at…
Andrew meets the legendary diva on her last night
It’s midnight in London, July 5, 1965. The Royal Opera House at Covent Garden has fallen silent. Maria Callas has just stepped off the stage after singing Tosca for the…
What Defines an Extraordinary Woman?
What makes a remarkable woman? It’s a question that’s haunted me for months. I agonised at the whole idea of just women, why not just a remarkable person? As I…
UNSUNG HEROINES—five women you’ve never heard of
UNSUNG HEROINES—five women you’ve never heard of History has its share of amazing people. These days, there’s rather more attention on women than used to happen. The facts speak for…
Why I Enjoy Talking To Dead People By Andrew Leigh
Conversing with deceased historical figures is not quite as bizarre as it sounds. For example, when developing his theories, Albert Einstein visualised conversations with past science talents such as Isaac…
Venice on fire! Vivaldi the red priest
Step into Venice in 1725. The air is thick with candle wax, salt from the lagoon, and music spilling from hidden chambers. Inside the Ospedale della Pietà, Antonio Vivaldi—composer, violinist,…
Qianlong Emperor: The Ruler Who Quit But Still Commanded
In 1796, after sixty years on the throne, the Qianlong Emperor formally abdicates. At eighty-five years old, he bows to ritual, declaring his son Jiaqing the new ruler of China.…
So you want to be famous!
There’s a play waiting to be written in which the Devil appears and offers a writer or an artist huge and permanent fame. The only drawback, says the devil, is…
Freaking out? Congrats, you might be brilliant
It’s hardly a secret: those who change the world are often nervous wrecks. This blog is a taste of what’s coming in my book on Visionaries. They’re the ones with…
Chase The Result, Not The Reward
Prizes are shiny. Medals sparkle. Certificates look nice framed on the wall. But here’s the truth: the people who really change the world rarely do it for trophies. They chase…
Marilyn Monroe with Kayleigh Roberts
Waldorf-Astoria, New York City, 1955 The Waldorf-Astoria hums with quiet luxury — soft lamps, thick carpets, the faint echo of the city below. Marilyn Monroe, barefoot in a silk robe,…
When Ideas Terrify Even Their Creators
Innovation is meant to be glorious—cue applause! Maybe even a standing ovation and a TED Talk. But history has a dodgy sense of humour: the brightest ideas often leave their…
Muse or Monster?
The People Who Make (And Break) Your Creativity Got a friend who makes you feel like you could do anything — until suddenly you can’t do anything right? That’s when…