About Boris Karpa

I'm a recent PhD in military history (well, military history / history of ideas, depending on how you look at things!). I'm currently working on research about the public perception of privateering and piracy in early 19th century America.

NBN Episodes hosted by Boris:

J. Overton, "Seapower by Other Means: Naval Contributions to National Objectives Beyond Sea Control, Power Projection, and Traditional Service Missions" (Nomos, 2023)

January 31, 2024

Seapower by Other Means

J. Overton
Hosted by Boris Karpa

Naval forces exist to control the seas and project power, often through the use of violence. This does not, however, include everything they have done…

James C. Goodall, "Nautilus to Columbia: 70 Years of the US Navy's Nuclear Submarines" (Osprey, 2023)

January 16, 2024

Nautilus to Columbia

James C. Goodall
Hosted by Boris Karpa

In Nautilus to Columbia: 70 Years of the US Navy's Nuclear Submarines (Osprey, 2023), James C. Goodall covers the origins, design and development of t…

David T. Beito, "The New Deal's War on the Bill of Rights: The Untold Story of FDR's Concentration Camps, Censorship, and Mass Surveillance" (Independent Institute, 2023)

December 27, 2023

The New Deal's War on the Bill of Rights

David T. Beito
Hosted by Boris Karpa

The legacy of President Franklin D. Roosevelt enjoys regular acclaim from historians, politicians, and educators. Lauded for his New Deal policies, le…

John D. Hosler, "Seven Myths of Military History" (Hackett Publishing, 2022)

December 23, 2023

Seven Myths of Military History

John D. Hosler
Hosted by Boris Karpa

John D. Hosler's book Seven Myths of Military History (Hackett Publishing, 2022) "offers snapshots of seven pernicious myths in military history that …

Vladyslav Besedovskyy, "Uniforms and History of the Soviet Airborne in Afghanistan" (Safar, 2023)

December 17, 2023

Uniforms and History of the Soviet Airborne in Afghanistan

Vladyslav Besedovskyy
Hosted by Boris Karpa

The central focus of Vladyslav Besedovskyy's book Uniforms and History of the Soviet Airborne in Afghanistan (Safar, 2023) is a massive collection of …

Alexandra Kitty, "A Different Track: Hospital Trains of the Second World War" (Heritage House, 2023)

December 11, 2023

A Different Track

Alexandra Kitty
Hosted by Boris Karpa

Railroads played an integral role in the Second World War. Trains brought food, munitions, and essential supplies. They transported troops. They were …

Timothy G. Heck and Walker D. Mills, "Armies in Retreat: Chaos, Cohesion, and Consequences" (Army UP, 2023)

December 3, 2023

Armies in Retreat

Timothy G. Heck and Walker D. Mills
Hosted by Boris Karpa

Timothy G. Heck and Walker D. Mills edited volume Armies in Retreat: Chaos, Cohesion, and Consequences (Army UP, 2023) is an extensive collection of e…

Peter Samsonov, "IS-2: Development, Design, and Production of Stalin's Warhammer" (Military History Group, 2022)

November 26, 2023

IS-2

Peter Samsonov
Hosted by Boris Karpa

The IS-2 is the quintessential Soviet heavy tank from World War 2. Heavily armored and boasting a fearsome 122mm gun, this tank matched the German pan…

J. Michael Rifenburg, "Drilled to Write: Becoming a Cadet Writer at a Senior Military College" (Utah State UP, 2022)

July 27, 2023

Drilled to Write

J. Michael Rifenburg
Hosted by Boris Karpa
Listen:

Drilled to Write: Becoming a Cadet Writer at a Senior Military College (Utah State UP, 2022) offers a rich account of US Army cadets navigating the un…

Justin Jordan, "And Then I Cried: Stories of a Mortuary NCO" (Tactical 16, 2012)

July 8, 2023

And Then I Cried

Justin Jordan
Hosted by Boris Karpa
Listen:

In And Then I Cried: Stories of a Mortuary NCO (Tactical 16, 2012), Justin Jordan details life as an Air Force Mortuary Non Commissioned Officer. In h…

David E. Kelly, "First Fights in Fallujah: Marines During Operation Vigilant Resolve, in Iraq, April 2004" (Casemate, 2023)

June 28, 2023

First Fights in Fallujah

David E. Kelly
Hosted by Boris Karpa
Listen:

In March 2004, the unprovoked ambush killing and desecration of the bodies of American civilian security contractors in Fallujah, Iraq, caused the Nat…

Kenneth Mondschein, "On Time: A History of Western Timekeeping" (Johns Hopkins UP, 2020)

May 26, 2023

On Time

Kenneth Mondschein
Hosted by Boris Karpa

Western culture has been obsessed with regulating society by the precise, accurate measurement of time since the Middle Ages. In On Time: A History of…

Carlo Parisi, "Dagger Fencing: The Italian School" (Fallen Rook, 2016)

May 20, 2023

Dagger Fencing

Carlo Parisi
Hosted by Boris Karpa

Today, fighting with dagger versus dagger, or with knife versus knife, is not a common scenario that people might expect to face. However, it was more…

Bill Steigerwald, "30 Days a Black Man: The Forgotten Story That Exposed the Jim Crow South" (Lyons Press, 2017)

May 13, 2023

30 Days a Black Man

Bill Steigerwald
Hosted by Boris Karpa

The dangerous, trailblazing work of a white journalist and black leader who struck a shocking early blow against legal segregation In 1948, most white…

Timothy Sandefur, "Freedom's Furies: How Isabel Paterson, Rose Wilder Lane, and Ayn Rand Found Freedom in an Age of Darkness" (Cato Institute, 2022)

May 11, 2023

Freedom's Furies

Timothy Sandefur
Hosted by Boris Karpa

In 1943, three books appeared that changed American politics forever: Isabel Paterson's The God of the Machine, Rose Wilder Lane's The Discovery of Fr…

Robin Bartlett, "Vietnam Combat: Firefights and Writing History" (Casemate, 2023)

May 6, 2023

Vietnam Combat

Robin Bartlett
Hosted by Boris Karpa

Today I talked to Robin Bartlett about his new book Vietnam Combat: Firefights and Writing History (Casemate, 2023). The year 1968 was arguably the m…

Michael W. Hankins, "Flying Camelot: The F-15, the F-16, and the Weaponization of Fighter Pilot Nostalgia" (Cornell UP, 2021)

May 2, 2023

Flying Camelot

Michael W. Hankins
Hosted by Boris Karpa

Flying Camelot: The F-15, the F-16, and the Weaponization of Fighter Pilot Nostalgia (Cornell UP, 2021) brings us back to the post-Vietnam era, when t…

B. A. Friedman, "On Operations: Operational Art and Military Disciplines" (US Naval Institute Press, 2021)

April 28, 2023

On Operations

B. A. Friedman
Hosted by Boris Karpa

On Operations: Operational Art and Military Disciplines (US Naval Institute Press, 2021) traces the history of the development of military staffs and …

Tom Hutton, "Hitler's Maladies and Their Impact on World War II" (Texas Tech UP, 2023)

April 23, 2023

Hitler's Maladies and Their Impact on World War II

Tom Hutton
Hosted by Boris Karpa

Toward the end of World War II, Hitler's many health complications became even more pronounced, making an evil man yet more erratic and dangerous. Whi…

Arthur W. Gullachsen, "Bloody Verrières: the I. SS-Panzerkorps Defence of the Verrières-Bourguebus Ridges (Volume 2) (Casemate, 2023)

April 15, 2023

Bloody Verrières

Arthur W. Gullachsen
Hosted by Boris Karpa

South of the Norman city of Caen, Verrières Ridge was seen a key stepping-stone for the British Second Army if it was to break out of the Normandy bri…

Hans G. Myers, "The Lion of Round Top: The Life and Military Service of Brigadier General Strong Vincent in the American Civil War" (Casemate, 2022)

August 12, 2022

The Lion of Round Top

Hans G. Myers
Hosted by Boris Karpa

Hans G. Myers' book The Lion of Round Top: The Life and Military Service of Brigadier General Strong Vincent in the American Civil War (Casemate, 2022…

Robert K. Sutton, "Nazis on the Potomac: The Top-Secret Intelligence Operation that Helped Win World War II" (Casemate, 2022)

February 23, 2022

Nazis on the Potomac

Robert K. Sutton
Hosted by Boris Karpa

Robert K. Sutton's Nazis on the Potomac: The Top-Secret Intelligence Operation that Helped Win World War II (Casemate, 2022) is the first full account…

Arthur W. Gullachsen, "Bloody Verrieres: The I. SS-Panzerkorps Defence of the Verrieres-Bourguebus Ridges" (Casemate, 2021)

February 11, 2022

Bloody Verrieres

Arthur W. Gullachsen
Hosted by Boris Karpa

South of the Norman city of Caen, the twin features of the Verrières and Bourguebus ridges were key stepping stones for the British Second Army in lat…

Charles Melson, "Fighting for Time: Rhodesia's Military and Zimbabwe’s Independence" (Casemate Academic, 2021)

January 6, 2022

Fighting for Time

Charles Melson
Hosted by Boris Karpa

From the 1960s through 1970s there were a series of conflicts in Africa involving Rhodesia, South Africa, and Portugal in conflict with the so-called …