Tom Shippey, author of “Tolkien: Author of the Century,” talks with Steve Paulson about the great fantasy writer’s life, the origins of hobbits, and Tolkien’s motivation for writing fantasy.
Intelligent. Optimistic. Curious.
Audio
A big cat biologist goes on a blind date. It doesn't go well. Writer Ben Hoffman reads from a work in progress.
Operatic bass Samuel Ramey tells Anne Strainchamps about his various devil roles and why he likes singing them.
What would you do to make sure someone you love gets a quality education? Students become walking brands in this story by Kelsi Evans.
But how do to help people slow down and get to know their communities? Not just the people, the coffee shops and subway map.
How to get residents thinking about the natural systems and urban infrastructure that supports city life?
Artist Mary Miss has some ideas...
Biologist Steven Austad is so confident human beings will soon live to be 150 years old that he’s bet on it with a colleague: Jay Olshansky, who says we’re already living way past our expiration date!
Reinhold Messner is arguably the world’s greatest living mountaineer. He’s climbed 14 of the world’s tallest peaks, and if that isn’t impressive enough, he was the first to climb Mt. Everest alone and without supplemental oxygen. He recounts some of these adventures in a new book called “Reinhold Messner: My Life at the Limit.” Steve Paulson caught up with him and asked how he got hooked on climbing.
Icelandic novelist Sjon blends folk stories, surrealism and ancient myth. He also writes songs for his fellow Icelander, Bjork. In this EXTENDED interview, Sjon talks with Steve about fables, fairy tales and literature.
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