Forty years ago the radical Islamic cleric Ayatolla Khomeini deposed the Shah of Iran, sent his minions to seize control of the U.S. Embassy, and proclaimed America "The Great Satan." Diplomats were blindfolded and paraded before the world's press, threatened with death, held captive for 444 days.

A military effort to rescue them left several soldiers dead in a helicopter crash. America was in a state of humiliation. "America held hostage, day ___ " flashed nightly across TV screens.

How does a nation bounce back? How do we bounce back when we're laid low by life?

Listen to my latest podcast for an inspiring answer.

Anchor.fm/rebeccapricejanney

Black Tuesday. The two-word name brings to mind compelling images; men in panic mode as they watch their life savings pour out like so much breakfast syrup. Men in soup lines. Men jumping from buildings.

The Stock Market Crash of 1929 ushered in the worst economic depression in U.S. history, and a decade of relentless challenges, including a "Dust Bowl" which drove thousands of farmers from the mid-and southwest to California.

Here is the story of one man, crushed by the crash, but not driven to despair. His journey continues to impart hope to us today, when we face tough times.

Click on the podcast icon or go to Anchor.fm/rebeccapricejanney

Brutal describes the voyage of three ships from England to America in 1607, as well as the conditions

they faced in Jamestown when they settled there. The men wrestled with nature, and each other, as they forged through their time of "seasoning." The Rev. Robert Hunt, himself tried and tested to the extreme, provided the guidance and hope they craved.

To hear his story, click on the Podcast icon, or go to Anchor.fm/rebeccapricejanney

Sometimes people ask me who my personal muse is as a writer. Actually, the answer will change according to the season I happen to be in. As a budding writer in my teens and early twenties, the answer was unquestionably Catherine Marshall. She became one of the women I profiled in my 1996 book, GREAT WOMEN IN AMERICAN HISTORY.

To learn more about the bestselling, beloved American author, listen to my latest podest at Anchor.fm/rebeccapricejanney - or click on the podcast icon.

What writer inspires you the most?

For thirteen day in October 1962, the world stood on the brink of a nuclear war. This was the event humans had been dreading since the dropping of the first atomic bombs in 1945, the stuff of 1950s sci-fi movies.

How did we get that close to such a nightmare? What pulled us back from the brink? I tell the story on my podcast, which you can access by clicking on the Anchor.fm icon on this web page or by going to Anchor.fm/rebeccapricejanney. The podcast is also available across many different platforms, including Sticher, Google, and Apple Podcasts.