June 5, 2025

E302: Martin Dugard - Living the Story

Martin Dugard is a #1 New York Times bestselling author renowned for his compelling narrative books. Martin has co-authored the acclaimed "Killing" series, including titles like Killing Lincoln, Killing Kennedy, and Killing Jesus, which have captivated readers with their vivid storytelling. Beyond these, his solo works such as Into Africa and The Explorers showcase his talent for bringing historical adventures to life. With a background in endurance sports journalism and a passion for exploration, Martin offers unique insights into the human spirit and historical events. This episode delves into his journey, writing process, and how he got to Living the stories he writes!

Learn More about Martin at: https://www.martindugard.com/

Buy Martin's newly released book here: Taking Midway: Naval Warfare, Secret Codes, and the Battle that Turned the Tide of World War II: Dugard, Martin: 9780593473245: Amazon.com: Books

Show Notes with timestamps

๐Ÿ‘ฆ [02:37] Martin shares his early love for reading about explorers

๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ‘ฆ [03:40] Discussion about his mother's influence on his writing name

๐Ÿ™ƒ [04:19] Martin explains his career path from political science to writing

๐Ÿ˜ [06:55] Turning point in his career: the Madagascar trip

โœŒ๏ธ [08:03] How networking and writing side projects led to opportunities

๐Ÿ˜‡ [11:28] Rejection and persistence in writing: transition to narrative non-fiction

โœ๏ธ [15:18] Writing the "Killing" series: challenges of writing about Jesus

๐Ÿ“š [19:41] Introduction to his "Taking" series about World War II

๐Ÿ“œ [22:50] Martin's approach to exploring locations for his books

๐ŸŽฏ [26:28] What makes you tick: lifestyle design and career passion

๐Ÿค– [28:28] Martinโ€™s perspective on AIโ€s role in writing.

Please leave a review or send us a Voice note letting us know what you enjoyed at:

Back2Basics reconnecting to the essence of YOU (podpage.com)

Follow us on IG and FB @Back2BasicsPodcast

Martin Dugard Profile Photo

Martin Dugard is the New York Times bestselling author of several books of history, among them Taking London, Taking Paris, Taking Berlin, the Killing series, Into Africa, and The Explorers.