Episode 70 - Wendy Pojmann
In the world of higher education, Wendy Pojmann holds a doctorate in modern European history with an emphasis on contemporary Italy. As Pojmann explains to host Mark Long on this episode of the “Driven to Ride” podcast, however, she prefers to describe herself more simply as, “the history professor who rides a motorcycle through campus.”
In addition to her extensive classroom experience, Pojmann has written several books, including “Espresso: The Art & Soul of Italy.” That, in turn, led to the exploration of the differences between American and Italian motorcycle culture. In 2025, Pojmann published “Connected by the Street: The Myths and Realities of Motorcyclists in the USA and Italy.”
Long and Pojmann dig into the history of motorcycling, including often-forgotten roles played by women. Pojmann also addresses the mental health of American soldiers returning from serving in World War II, many of whom were looking for an outlet. “A lot of veterans,” she observed, “just knew they felt better when they hopped on a motorcycle.” Hear, hear.