Ishmael Beah was 12 when the army of Sierra Leone gave him an AK-47 and a lot of drugs and turned him into a killing machine. Beah's been rehabilitated and lives in the USA.
Intelligent. Optimistic. Curious.
Audio
James McManus writes for Harpers. With an advance from the magazine, he entered the world series of poker.
It's not just writers that are struggling to make a living these days. Artists and other creative types are also feeling the pinch, especially as more and more businesses that support them disappear — think indie record stores or bookstores. Scott Timberg is a writer who believes the arts economy is collapsing. He tells Sara Nics that if the trend continues, the only artists who'll surive are those at the very top.
Mike Sargent is a filmmaker and a co-founder of the Black Film Critics Circle. He spoke with Anne Strainchamps about the #OscarSoWhite campaign, and racial diversity in Hollywood.
Jade Simmons is a classical pianist who's equally happy to play music by Samuel Barber or hip hop master DBR.
In "Humans, Aliens and Autism" Ian Hacking analyzes the use of the alien metaphor as applied to people with autism.
Remember Stewart Band? Back in the 60s he launched the Whole Earth Catalog and then became an environmental icon. And now? He says we need nuclear power and geoengineering to reduce carbon emissions.
James Kellaris is especially interested in finding out what makes some songs get stuck in listeners’ heads. He talks about this universal annoyance with Jim Fleming.
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