Stephen Greenblatt tells the remarkable story of how the discovery of an ancient poem helped launch the Scientific Revolution. Also, an excerpt from Lucretius' poem "On the Nature of Things."
Intelligent. Optimistic. Curious.
Audio
Before the Internet, a good memory wasn't just useful; it was prized as a sign of intelligence. And there were memory geniuses who developed mental tricks for storing information. Philosopher and novelist Simon Critchley delves into the fascinating history of the memory palace, which once promised almost God-like wisdom.
G. Willow Wilson just won the World Fantasy Award for her novel, “Alif the Unseen”. Also, Marvel Comics is launching a new Muslim girl super-hero and Willow will be the series’ writer.
Anne Strainchamps reports on the women of Gee’s Bend. These Black quilt-makers formed a collective which has parlayed their traditional work into a highly successful and fashionable business.
Timothy Ryback is a Holocaust scholar and tells Steve Paulson the shocking truth that the two books that most influenced Hitler's thinking were American.
William Ury tells Jim Fleming that simply being able to talk about past oppression is a powerful healing tool.
In a HBO's hit series "True Detective" is an uncanny blend of police procedural and metaphysical inquiry, set in the Louisiani bayous. Creator and writer Nic Pizzolatto gives Steve Paulson the backstory.
To see Pizzolatto's website, click here.
Writer Terry Tempest Williams recommends the novel "Tracks" by Louise Erdrich. Erdrich, one of the great writers of the Native American Renaissance, is a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians.
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