In this episode of The Compendium, we uncover the real story behind Guy Fawkes, the man, the myth, and the match that nearly blew up Parliament. But Guy Fawkes really the mastermind or the scapegoat. Today we go from Robert Catesby’s radical vision to King James I’s brutal retribution, and how his failed act of treason became Bonfire Night — and why Britain still chants “Remember, Remember the Fifth of November.”

We give you just the Compendium, but if you want more, here are our resources:

• The Gunpowder Plot - Wikipedia
• The Gunpowder Plot: Terror and Faith in 1605 – by Antonia Fraser
• Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot – Tower of London
• Guy Fawkes night - Wikipedia

• Hosts: Kyle Risi & Adam Cox
• Suggested by:
• Intro Music: Alice in dark Wonderland by Aleksey Chistilin
• Trailer Music: Stealy Move by Soundroll

Community & Calls to Action

• Review & follow on: Spotify & Apple Podcasts
• Follow us on Instagram: @theCompendiumPodcast
• Visit us at: TheCompendiumPodcast.com
• ️ Early access episodes: Patreon

Share this episode with a friend! If you enjoyed it, tag us on social media and let us know your favorite takeaway.

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A young artist survives unimaginable pain and transforms it into paintings so bold and intimate they redefine what art can be.

This episode explores Frida Kahlo’s turbulent life, from the accident that reshaped her body to the politics, passion, and creative defiance that fuelled her work. We trace her self-portraits, her fractured relationship with Diego Rivera, and the way she turned personal suffering into a visual language that made her an icon of rebellion and self-expression.

Topics include

• Frida Kahlo’s life-changing accident
• Her most influential self-portraits
• Politics, identity, and artistic rebellion
• The complexities of her relationship with Diego Rivera
• Her legacy from La Casa Azul to global recognition

Resources and Further Reading

• Frida (2002) – Directed by Julie Taymor
• Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo – by Hayden Herrera
• Complete Works – Frida Kahlo – Frida Kahlo Foundation
• Frida: The Making of an Icon – Exhibition at Tate Modern

Host & Show Info

• Hosts: Kyle Risi & Adam Cox
• Topic Suggested by: Samantha Bingley
• Intro Music: Alice in dark Wonderland by Aleksey Chistilin
• Trailer Music: Stealy Move by Soundroll

Community & Calls to Action

• Review & follow on: Spotify & Apple Podcasts
• Follow us on Instagram: @theCompendiumPodcast
• Visit us at: TheCompendiumPodcast.com
• ️ Early access episodes: Patreon

Share this episode with a friend! If you enjoyed it, tag us on social media and let us know your favorite takeaway.

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In this episode of The Compendium, we dive into the chaotic story of Fyre Festival, the so-called “greatest party that never happened.” What began as Billy McFarland’s glossy vision of a luxury music festival in the Bahamas quickly unraveled into a full-scale disaster involving Ja Rule, celebrity influencers, and one infamous cheese sandwich. We explore how this viral catastrophe became a modern parable of greed, Ponzi schemes, and social media delusion, and what happened to Billy McFarland after the fallout.

We give you just the Compendium, but if you want more, here are our resources:

• Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened (2019) – by Chris Smith
• Fyre Festival – Wikipedia
• Hype: Inside the Fyre Festival and the Golden Age of Grift – by Gabrielle Bluestone
• Billy McFarland – Wikipedia

Host & Show Info

• Hosts: Kyle Risi & Adam Cox
• About: Kyle and Adam are more than just your hosts, they’re your close friends sharing intriguing stories from tales from the darker corners of true crime, the annals of your forgotten history books, and the who's who of incredible people.
• Intro Music: Alice in dark Wonderland by Aleksey Chistilin
• Trailer Music: Stealy Move by Soundroll

• Review & follow on: Spotify & Apple Podcasts
• Follow us on Instagram: @theCompendiumPodcast
• Visit us at: TheCompendiumPodcast.com
• ️ Early access episodes: Patreon

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In this episode of The Compendium, we hand over the mic to our friends at Horrifying History for a crossover episode. Its a tale so bizarre, it sounds made up, but absolutely isn’t.

In 1876, a woman in rural Kentucky stepped outside to find chunks of raw meat falling from the sky. Yes, actual meat! What followed was a media frenzy, scientific confusion, and some truly stomach-churning theories — including one involving vulture vomit.

Horrifying History explores this forgotten slice of weird America and why it’s exactly the kind of story we love: unsettling, unexplained, and just plausible enough to make you question everything.
We give you just The Compendium, but if you want more, here are our resources:

And find more episodes of Horrifying History wherever you get your podcasts.

Host & Show Info

• Host: Brenda Ganske
• Listen on: Spotify
• Listen on: Apple
• Visit at: https://bleav.com/shows/horrifying-history

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In this episode of The Compendium, we explore the Mushroom Murders the shocking case of Erin Patterson and the deadly family lunch poisoned with death cap mushrooms. Three relatives died, one barely survived, and the trial revealed her deep web of lies. This episode has it all, deception, courtroom drama and of course that imfamous poisoned Beef Wellington. Join us as we uncover how this bizarre story became Australia’s most infamous mushroom murder trial.

We give you just the Compendium, but if you want more, here are our resources:

• Inside the Family Lunch That Killed Three (2025) — Youtube
• Leongatha Mushroom Murders — Wikipedia
• Key Facts in Australia’s Mushroom Murder Trial — Reuters

• Hosts: Kyle Risi & Adam Cox
• About: Kyle and Adam are more than just your hosts, they’re your close friends sharing intriguing stories from tales from the darker corners of true crime, the annals of your forgotten history books, and the who's who of incredible people.
• Intro Music: Alice in dark Wonderland by Aleksey Chistilin
• Trailer Music: Stealy Move by Soundroll

• Review & follow on: Spotify & Apple Podcasts
• Follow us on Instagram: @theCompendiumPodcast
• Visit us at: TheCompendiumPodcast.com
• ️ Early access episodes: Patreon

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In this episode of The Compendium, we revisit Space Cadets: How A British Reality Show Convinced Contestants They Were In Space. In 2005, Channel 4 and Endemol staged the most ambitious TV hoax in British history, tricking contestants into believing they had been launched into orbit. Hosted by Johnny Vaughan, the show combined fake cosmonaut training, a shuttle simulator, and an elaborate Ipswich “Russian base” to sell the illusion. Nearly twenty years later, we unpack how Space Cadets blurred entertainment and deception, why it remains reality TV’s strangest moment, and how contestants truly believed they were in space.

We give you just the Compendium, but if you want more, here are our resources:

• Space Cadets (2005) – Wikipedia
• Space Cadets TV Series - Youtube
• Ipswich, we have a problem - The Guardian
• Capricorn One (1978) – by Peter Hyams

Host & Show Info

• Hosts: Kyle Risi & Adam Cox
• About: Kyle and Adam are more than just your hosts, they’re your close friends sharing intriguing stories from tales from the darker corners of true crime, the annals of your forgotten history books, and the who's who of incredible people.
• Intro Music: Alice in dark Wonderland by Aleksey Chistilin
• Trailer Music: Stealy Move by Soundroll

• Review & follow on: Spotify & Apple Podcasts
• Follow us on Instagram: @theCompendiumPodcast
• Visit us at: TheCompendiumPodcast.com
• ️ Early access episodes: Patreon

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of The Compendium, Adam walks us through the tragic and terrifying story of Aileen Wuornos. Aileen was the Florida sex worker whose life of abuse, rage, and survival turned her into one of America’s most infamous female serial killers. We’ll tell you about her violent childhood to the murders that inspired Monster, we explore the woman behind the headlines, her fractured mind, and the haunting question at the heart of her story: was Aileen a monster, or a victim who never stood a chance?

We give you just The Compendium, but if you want more, here are our resources:

• Aileen Wuornos – Wikipedia
• Monster (2003) – directed by Patty Jenkins
• Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer (2003) – directed by Nick Broomfield & Joan Churchill
• Monster: My True Story - by Aileen Wuornos & Christopher Berry-Dee

Host & Show Info

• Hosts: Kyle Risi & Adam Cox
• Suggested by:  Shannon Pearce
• Intro Music: Alice in dark Wonderland by Aleksey Chistilin
• Trailer Music: Stealy Move by Soundroll

Community & Calls to Action

• Review & follow on: Spotify & Apple Podcasts
• Follow us on Instagram: @theCompendiumPodcast
• Visit us at: TheCompendiumPodcast.com
• ️ Early access episodes: Patreon

Share this episode with a friend! If you enjoyed it, tag us on social media and let us know your favorite takeaway.

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In this episode of The Compendium, we revisit the tragic story of Reeva Steenkamp and the night she was killed by Oscar Pistorius. From the rise of the Blade Runner to the shocking Valentine’s Day shooting in Pretoria, we examine the trial, the verdict, and the controversy that followed. Exploring themes of manslaughter, parole, and South Africa’s crime culture, this episode asks: who was Reeva, and what does her story reveal about justice and violence?

We give you just the Compendium, but if you want more, here are our resources:

• Oscar Pistorius: Behind the Door – by Mandy Wiener
• One Tragic Night: The Shooting of Reeva Steenkamp – by Barry Bateman & Mandy Wiener
• Oscar Pistorius: The Trial of the Blade Runner (2018) – by BBC

Host & Show Info

• Hosts: Kyle Risi & Adam Cox
• About: Kyle and Adam are more than just your hosts, they’re your close friends sharing intriguing stories from tales from the darker corners of true crime, the annals of your forgotten history books, and the who's who of incredible people.
• Intro Music: Alice in dark Wonderland by Aleksey Chistilin
• Trailer Music: Stealy Move by Soundroll

• ⭐ Review & follow on: Spotify & Apple Podcasts
• 📸 Follow us on Instagram: @theCompendiumPodcast
• 🌐 Visit us at: TheCompendiumPodcast.com
• ❤️ Early access episodes: Patreon

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