356 | Andrea Wulf on Enlightenment, Nature, Romanticism, and Modernity
In this episode, historian Andrea Wulf discusses her recent trilogy of books that trace the birth of modernity through the lives of Alexander von Humboldt, the Jena Circle of Romantic thinkers, and the traveler George Forster. She highlights how these figures pioneered the idea that nature is an interconnected living system and championed a humane view of diverse cultures, challenging the prevailing racial hierarchies of the 18th century. Wulf argues that ideas arise from the personal experiences and social networks of their creators, showing how Forster’s peripatetic upbringing fostered his radical egalitarianism. The conversation underscores the relevance of these Enlightenment and Romantic insights for today’s environmental and social challenges.
Ruta Sepetys on A FORTUNE OF SAND
In this episode of Poured Over, author Ruta Sepetys discusses her adult debut, *A Fortune of Sand*, a 1920s Detroit saga about the eccentric Lennox family, owners of a windshield dynasty, and the youngest daughter Marjorie who uncovers their web...
From the Archives : Richard Powers : The Overstory
In this intimate 2019 interview, Richard Powers discusses his Pulitzer‑winning novel *The Overstory*, exploring how he transformed trees from background material into central characters and structural metaphors. He explains the novel’s unconventional architecture—nine human protagonists paired with tree avatars, organized...
Author Interview Thomas Laqueur | The Dog's Gaze
In this episode, host Kyle Wood interviews author Thomas LaCur about his new book, *The Dog's Gaze of Visual History*, which explores why dogs appear so frequently in Western art and what their presence reveals about human‑animal relationships. LaCur explains...
May 31st Book Club: How Disney Killed the Movies with Vicky Osterweil
In this episode of the Radical Books Collective, host Sherry Zane talks with author Vicki Osterweil about her new book, *The Extended Universe: How Disney Killed the Movies and Took Over the World*. Osterweil explains how Disney’s aggressive lobbying extended...
Rebecca Solnit on THE BEGINNING COMES AFTER THE END
In this hour‑long conversation, acclaimed essayist Rebecca Solnit discusses her new book *The Beginning Comes After the End*, which weaves together feminism, climate change, indigenous rights, and broader social movements to illustrate how the past 70 years have reshaped our...
Sneak Preview: My First Public Conversation About My Forthcoming Book BACKSLIDE
In this live Substack conversation, host Joy and scholar Robert P. Jones discuss Jones's new book *Backslide: Reclaiming a Faith and a Nation After the Christian Turn Against Democracy*. The book examines how white Christian nationalism has hijacked both American...
Let's Talk About Writing Memoir....
In this episode, the host—an experienced memoir author and workshop leader— discusses the art and purpose of writing memoir, sharing insights from her own publishing journey and the challenges she faced when revealing a personal story that sparked public backlash....
Rick Perlstein on How America Got This Way
In this Memorial Day weekend interview, historian Rick Perlstein discusses his lifelong fascination with the political upheavals of the 1960s and how they birthed the modern American right. He explains his narrative approach—day‑by‑day, texture‑rich histories—as seen in his four‑book series from...
Facing Death (with Sebastian Junger)
In this episode, Russ Roberts talks with author and former war correspondent Sebastian Junger about his new memoir, *In My Time of Dying*, which recounts his near‑fatal pancreatic artery aneurysm and his lifelong encounters with death. Junger reflects on how...
Paper Airplane Poet by Sheri Singerling (Audio)
In this episode of ClarksWorld Magazine, host Kate Baker reads Sheri Singerling’s short story “Paper Airplane Poet,” a companion piece to Singerling’s novel *Blessed is the Rot* from the Bit Trilogy. The narrative follows Tilly, a young woman confronting a...
Paige Lewis on CANON
In this episode of Poured Over, bookseller Jen Nasiri chats with poet‑novelist Paige Lewis about Lewis’s debut novel *Canon*, a genre‑bending work that follows two parallel heroes—one sent by God, the other defying divine will—on a quest to kill the...
783: How to Take Back Your Evenings, with Guy Winch
In this episode, psychologist and author Guy Winch discusses how work can hijack our evenings through autopilot behavior and rumination, explaining why stress often resurfaces after hours. He outlines practical strategies to break the cycle, such as recognizing and labeling...
Jon Krakauer on INTO THIN AIR
In this episode of Poured Over, host Miwa Messer interviews author Jon Krakauer about his seminal book *Into Thin Air* and the broader arc of his career. Krakauer reflects on the 1996 Everest disaster, the rise of commercial expeditions, the...
Get Ready for a Reading Retreat
In this episode of What Should I Read Next?, host Anne Bogle and Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club community manager Ginger Horton unveil the 15th edition of their Summer Reading Guide, themed "Reading Retreat," which drops on May 14. They...