GD Madsen

Joined August 2022

16 stories

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A historian by education, a former journalist by profession, now living in the French countryside writing books and articles.

Stories (16)

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She Broke the Most Sacred Rule of the Seas to Travel the World
An orphan of illiterate parents, Jeanne Barret (also spelled Baret) set out to live an extraordinary and adventurous life. Not only did she become the first woman to set foot on a French ship, but also the first to circumnavigate the entire world.
By GD Madsen7 months ago in History
Mysterious Cave Lady — Britain’s Nostradamus or the Spawn of Satan
Was Ursula Sontheil indeed able to predict the future, cast spells, and turn men’s hats into night potty stuff, or was she just a lonely, misunderstood, and mocked woman living in a world too cruel to accept her disfigured form?
By GD Madsen9 months ago in History
"Pretty, Witty Nelly" - The Illiterate Royal Mistress Like No Other
From pouring "strong water" for her mother's clients to becoming one of the first female theater actors, Nell Gwyn not only enchanted King Charles II but also the entire country with her cheerful personality and blunt honesty.
By GD Madsenabout a year ago in History
The Church Above a Dragon's Lair and the Mysterious Rib It Holds
Saint George is probably the most famous dragon slayer, but he was not the only one. And unlike in his case, the other two slayings come with "proof".
By GD Madsen2 years ago in FYI
Ten Eery Islands With Plenty of Ghosts If You Believe in Them
From pirate havens to abandoned asylums - these ten islands have long, complex, and often sad stories to tell. They are more than eerie, uninhabited lands, decaying buildings, or thriving tourist attractions. These places give us a peek into the lives of people who lived or died there.
By GD Madsen2 years ago in History
Not So "Happily Ever After" for the Beauty and the Beast
They were called "freaks", "monkeys", and "wild people" for centuries... They were not considered fully human, they were abused in circuses and displayed as curiosities. And the first known person through this was Petrus Gonsalvus - "The Canarian Werewolf" in the Court of Henry II of France.
By GD Madsen2 years ago in FYI
10 Remarkable Female Artists You Probably Never Heard Of
The art history seems to have always favored men. After all, we know Picasso, Da Vinci, Rafaelo, Monet, Van Gogh... And the list goes on. But when it comes to female artists, we know Frida Kalo and... Frida Kalo?
By GD Madsen2 years ago in Art
She Sparked a Civil War and Inspired Alexandre Dumas
The arch-nemesis of the three musketeers is by far one of the most remarkable villains ever written. Milady de Winter used beauty and intelligence to manipulate, deceive, and lure men into her skillfully crafted traps. And her real-life inspiration was no less remarkable.
By GD Madsen3 years ago in FYI
The Mysterious Beast that Terrorized French Farmers and Royalty
The Beast of Gévaudan claimed nearly one hundred lives, but to this day, the creature that inspired folk tales and modern fiction remains an enigma. Which is a mystery on its own, as the animal had been caught and killed not once but twice.
By GD Madsen3 years ago in FYI
The most Controversial Doll of All Times: From Men’s toy to an Ultimate Feminist Role Model
No other doll has been so thoroughly dissected both in the media and in science labs over the years as Barbie has been. She was both praised and shamed. She was called an inspiration and an abomination. But to this day, the 64 year-old Barbie remains the most famous doll in the world.
By GD Madsen3 years ago in FYI
The Flower With The Price of A Mansion
From sailors, jailed for eating bulbs...To mansions, exchanged for a plant... There is probably no other flower in the world with tales and rumors as wild as those of the tulip's journey to fame.
By GD Madsen3 years ago in FYI
The Deadly Romantic with the Taste for Judges and Wife Killing
Once upon a time, there was a girl enchanted with romance and love. But after failing to find her true love, she turned to her “truest friend” arsenic instead.
By GD Madsen3 years ago in FYI

GD Madsen

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Stories .css-1svwz57-Text{display:inline-block;color:var(--text-default-mute);}(16)

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She Broke the Most Sacred Rule of the Seas to Travel the World

Mysterious Cave Lady — Britain’s Nostradamus or the Spawn of Satan

"Pretty, Witty Nelly" - The Illiterate Royal Mistress Like No Other

The Church Above a Dragon's Lair and the Mysterious Rib It Holds

Ten Eery Islands With Plenty of Ghosts If You Believe in Them

Not So "Happily Ever After" for the Beauty and the Beast

10 Remarkable Female Artists You Probably Never Heard Of

She Sparked a Civil War and Inspired Alexandre Dumas

The Mysterious Beast that Terrorized French Farmers and Royalty

The most Controversial Doll of All Times: From Men’s toy to an Ultimate Feminist Role Model

The Flower With The Price of A Mansion

The Deadly Romantic with the Taste for Judges and Wife Killing

Stories (16)