82ASK

A A Gill

Andrew Swanston read law at Cambridge, but was inspired to write by his lifelong interest in early modern history. His Thomas Hill novels – The King’s Spy, The King’s Exile and The King’s Return – are set against the backdrops of the English Civil War, Cromwell’s Commonwealth and the early Restoration respectively. He is also the author of Waterloo: The Bravest Man and Beautiful Star and Other Stories. His first historical thriller set during the reign of Elizabeth I – Incendium (published in paperback as The Incendium Plot) – introduced readers to the academic, lawyer and intelligencer Dr Christopher Radcliff, whose adventures continue in Chaos. Andrew Swanston lives in Surrey.

A D Swanston

A E Langsford

A G Hopkins

A. J. BAIME is the New York Times best-selling author of The Arsenal of Democracy: FDR, Detroit, and an Epic Quest to Arm an America at War and Go Like Hell: Ford, Ferrari, and Their Battle for Speed and Glory at Le Mans. Both books are in development for major motion pictures. Baime is a longtime regular contributor to the Wall Street Journal, and his articles have also appeared in the New York Times, Popular Science, and Men’s Journal. He lives in Granite Bay, California. Visit him at facebook.com/ajbaime and trumanbook.com.

A J Baime

A J Jacobs

A J P Taylor

Anthony James Pollard is a British medieval historian, specialising in the fifteenth century and in particular the Wars of the Roses. A leading authority in the field, he is profesor emeritus of Teesside University. His books include North-Eastern England during the Wars of the Roses, Richard III and the Princes in theTower, Imagining Robin Hood: the Late Medieval Stories in Historical Context and Warwick the kingmaker: Politics, Power and Fame.

A J Pollard

A J Rochester

A K Benjamin is a clinical neuropsychologist and the author of Let Me Not Be Mad: A Story of Unravelling Minds.

A K Benjamin

A. L. Berridge read English at Oxford, and taught for ten years before moving into television, where her production credits range from period drama and thrillers to long-running soaps. She has written two previous novels, Top Ten besteller Honour and the Sword and In the Name of the King. Into the Valley of Death is her third novel.

A L Berridge

Alison Gaylin's first job was as a reporter for a celebrity tabloid, which sparked a lifelong interest in writing about people committing despicable acts. More than a decade later, she wrote and published her Edgar-nominated first novel, HIDE YOUR EYES. 
 
She's since published nine more books, including the USA Today and international bestselling Brenna Spector suspense series, which has been nominated for the Edgar, Anthony and Thriller awards and won the Shamus award. 
 
She lives in upstate New York with her husband, daughter, cat and dog.

A L Gaylin

A Maxwell-Hyslop

A McArthur

A P Wavell

A.S. Webb is the Sunday Times bestselling author of Daughter of Chaos, the first instalment of The Dark Pantheon Trilogy. She is inspired by stories rooted in history and mythology, that push the boundaries of imagination and urge us to reflect on what it means to be human.

A S Webb

A. A. Dhand is the author of six previous novels, and has been shortlisted for the CWA Steel Dagger Award. His DI Harry Virdee novels are currently being adapted for TV by the BBC. He was raised in Bradford and spent his youth observing the city from behind the counter of a small convenience store. After qualifying as a pharmacist, he worked in London and travelled extensively before returning to Bradford to start his own business and begin writing. The history, diversity and darkness of the city have inspired all his novels. For more information about A. A. Dhand and his books, follow him on X @aadhand, and on Instagram @aa_dhand.

A. A. Dhand

A. A. Gill

A. A. Milne

A. Anatoli

A. B. Poranek grew up sharing her time between Ontario, Canada and rural Poland, and eventually completed a veterinary degree at the Warsaw University of Life Sciences. A lover of mythology and history, she enjoys exploring both in her writing. Her debut novel, Where the Dark Stands Still, an instant New York Times bestseller, is an ode to Poland's folktales, while A Treachery of Swans transports readers to a world inspired by 17th century France.

A. B. Poranek

A. Bradley

Professor A. C. Grayling is Principal of the New College of the Humanities at Northeastern University, London, and a Supernumerary Fellow of St Anne's College, Oxford. He has written and edited over thirty books on philosophy, history, science and current affairs. For several years he wrote columns for the Guardian newspaper and The Times and was the chairman of the 2014 Man Booker Prize.

A. C. Grayling

A.D. Miller is the author of Snowdrops, The Earl of Petticoat Lane and The Faithful Couple. Snowdrops was a bestseller and was shortlisted for many prizes including the Man Booker and the CWA Gold Dagger. It was translated into 25 languages. As Moscow Correspondent of The Economist A.D. Miller has travelled across the former Soviet Union and covered the Orange Revolution in Ukraine; he is now the magazine’s Culture Editor based in London. 
 
admillerbooks.com

A. D. Miller

A. E. Ellis

A. E. W. Mason

A. Humphreys

A. Igoni Barrett was born in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, in 1979 and lives in Lagos. He is a winner of the 2005 BBC World Service short story competition, the recipient of a Chinua Achebe Center Fellowship, a Norman Mailer Center Fellowship, and a Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center Residency. His short story collection, Love is Power, or Something Like That, was published in 2013. In 2014 he was named on the Africa39 list of sub-Saharan African writers under 40. Blackass is his first novel.

A. Igoni Barrett

The short life of A.J.A. Symons (1900-41) was described by his biographer as an intricate and largely harmless confidence trick. His many interests included the collection of musical boxes and rare books as well as the study and practice of forgery; they left him time to edit an anthology of Edwardian verse and compose studies of H.M. Stanley and other notable figures. He is remembered for The Quest for Corvo, one of the most remarkable biographies ever written, and for co-founding the Wine and Food Society.

A. J. A. Symons

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Niccoli Machiavelli

The renowned masterpiece from one of the most influential writers in history, Machiavelli The Prince, written during the Italian Renaissance by author Niccolò Machiavelli, is an internationally renowned masterpiece about power, greed and strategy in government. Regarded by some as a manual for would-be tyrants on how they should seize and maintain power and by others as a simple reflection of political reality, listen now to this full-cast dramatisation and make up your own mind. In addition to this stunning, modern dramatisation of the classic novel, this download includes The Mandrake, Machiavelli’s comedy packed with intrigue, infidelity and fools and the documentary Machiavelli – Devil or Democrat from Jonathan Freedland, which re-assesses Machiavelli and explores whether his maligned reputation has overshadowed his other achievements…The Prince is the classic 16th-century treatise on the nature of power and statecraft. In this modern rendition, the author Machiavelli (Ciaran Hinds), often identified as Satan, uses his brilliance and cunning to explain how power can be created and sustained. This brilliant adaptation is performed for the first time as a monologue with dramatised illustrations from a full-cast, including Philip Voss, Stephen Critchlow and Christopher Godwin.The Mandrake is Machiavelli’s best-known comedy, taking place in a square in Florence in 1504.Callimaco, desires to sleep with Lucrezia, the young and beautiful wife of an elderly fool, Nicia. Nicia above all else desires a son and heir. Conspiring with a rascally marriage broker, and a corrupt priest, Callimaco masquerades as a doctor and tricks Nicia into letting his wife become his lover using the power of the mandrake plant. 
This double edition download comes with the added exclusive content, Machiavelli – Devil or Democrat. A fascinating documentary that explores the life and work of one of the most maligned authors in history. The impact of this writer has been felt across the centuries from the execution of King Charles I to the ‘Founding Fathers’ of the United States and journalist and writer Jonathan Freedland re-assesses the legacy of this incredible thinker and writer. This is a download not to missed, perfect for any fans of classical literature with a twist, packed with compelling intrigue, wit and fascinating revelations.Cast and creditsWritten by Niccolò MachiavelliThe PrinceNiccolo - Ciaran HindsThe Prince - Christopher GodwinLouis - Philip VossSeverus - Stephen CritchlowOliverotti - Scott HandyGiovanni - John RoweOther parts played by Chris Kelham, Tom George and Gavin MuirDramatised by Peter WolfDirected by Cherry CooksonFirst Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 21st January 2000The MandrakeCallimaco - John RyeSiro - Anthony JacksonMesser Nicia - Douglas WilmerLigurio - David MarchSostrata - Beity HardyFra Timoteo - Willoughby GoddardA young widow - Hilda SchroderLucrezia - Hilary HardimanSingers Robert Tear, Douglas Wilmer, Willoughby Goddard, John Rye and David MarchTranslated from the Italian by J. R. HaleProduced by Charles LefeauxSongs by Elizabeth PostonFirst Broadcast BBC Radio 3, 27th October 1967Machiavelli – Devil or Democrat Presented by Jonathan FreedlandProduced by Rob ShepherdFirst Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 18th November 2013©2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Prince and The Mandrake

Two Full Cast BBC Radio Dramatisations

Thomas More

Michael Symmons Roberts

Michael Symmons Roberts’ full-cast dramatisation of Thomas More’s classic work, plus an accompanying documentary exploring its legacy 
 
Thomas More's classic work of speculative fiction, Utopia, was published over 500 years ago, yet has entered the culture so deeply that the name of his fictional island is still how we refer to our hopes and dreams of a better society. This immersive dramatisation is adapted by the award-winning poet and author Michael Symmons Roberts, and is paired with a documentary programme that further explores More’s iconic book. 
 
In Utopia, a full cast brings to life More's strange and enchanting island. More travels to Antwerp, to sort out a dispute in the commercial wool trade. While he is there, he meets an old man who is clearly widely travelled. When More complains about the petty politics of the trade dispute, the stranger says he has seen another way of living. He introduces himself as the adventurer Raphael Hythloday, and describes a thrilling journey exploring an unmapped part of the ocean, discovering an island society unlike any seen before. The island is called ‘Utopia’... Starring Raad Rawi as Raphael Hythloday, Nacho Aldeguer as the young Raphael, and Michael Peavoy as Thomas More. 
 
In the accompanying documentary, Utopias, Michael Symmons Roberts examines the book’s intellectual legacy. It generated an idea that has been hotly contested throughout the hundreds of years since its release; a slippery tale that blurs fact and fiction and which has left readers trying to fathom whether More was presenting the island of Utopia as a model society or as a salutary tale. He also eavesdrops on figures from the BBC archives describing what their personal Utopias might look like – including Tony Benn, Jeanette Winterson, Aldous Huxley, Nawal El Saadawi and Iain Banks. 
 
Michael Symmons Roberts is an award-winning poet, author and dramatist. His poetry book Corpus won the 2004 Whitbread Poetry Award and was shortlisted for the T.S. Eliot Prize, the Forward Prize and the Griffin Poetry Prize. In 2007 he received the Arts Council Writers Award. He was elected a Fellow of the English Association in 2012 and in 2014 was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. He has worked with composer James MacMillan for the BBC Proms and won awards for his radio adaptations of His Fearful Symmetry and Soldiers in the Sun. 
 
Cast and credits 
 
Utopia 
Written by Thomas More 
Adapted by Michael Symmons Roberts 
Directed by Susan Roberts 
Raphael Hythloday - Raad Rawi 
Young Raphael - Nacho Aldeguer 
Thomas More / Achorian - Michael Peavoy 
Peter Giles - Cameron Blakeley 
Abraxa - Emily Pithon 
Barzanes - Jonathan Keeble 
Macaria - Fiona Clarke 
First Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 24 January 2016 
 
Utopias 
Presented by Michael Symmons Roberts 
Produced by Geoff Bird 
First Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 23 January 2016 
 
©2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Utopia

A Full-Cast BBC Radio Dramatisation & more

Matthew Syed

Matthew Syed examines our collective addiction to entertainment, asking if we’ve been oppressed by mindless content and how we might break freeForty years ago, Neil Postman’s landmark book Amusing Ourselves to Death compared two dystopian visions – those of George Orwell and Aldous Huxley – and concluded that the latter had proved most prescient. Rather than oppression by Big Brother, humanity was in danger of being overcome by our ‘appetite for distractions’: technologies that tap into our basest instincts, taking away our ability to think and destroying our critical faculties.Postman’s bestseller keyed into society’s fears in the age of cable TV – so how much worse have things got in the age of streaming, Twitter, TikTok and the Metaverse? In this series, broadcaster and award-winning author Matthew Syed explores how we’re now overwhelmed by content and information, and wonders if it is making us less educated and more stupid.Finding the earliest examples of a fear of distraction in ancient texts, historic treatises and archive sound, Matthew compares today’s predicament with solutions from the past, questioning whether our current era really does represent the culmination of Postman and Huxley’s prophecy. If ‘the medium is the message’, is the smartphone the most lethal medium we’ve had? He analyses how consumers, content creators and tech giants contribute to our information overload, and considers why it is in their interest to keep the tap turned on to full. Syed also looks at why our brains reach for escapist content and what’s happening to our bodies when we do so – and asks if it’s possible for us to consume less, but better.Blending provocative analysis with philosophy, storytelling and rigorous journalism, this fascinating series swaps doom-mongering for thoughtful solutions, contemplating the benefits and drawbacks of our technological enhancements and pointing towards a wiser future. 
 
Produced by Sam Peach 
 
©2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Appetite for Distraction

A BBC Radio 4 Series

Matthew Syed traces the origins and evolution of the word 'woke&rsquo; 
 
Once a watchword for African Americans in the early 1900s, 'woke' is now used as an insult across the political spectrum, and it has become synonymous with our era of angry debate. As the word has spread, what people mean by it has become less clear than ever. Award-winning journalist and author Matthew Syed is on a mission to uncover the roots of this social phenomenon and, in this series, he follows the evolution of 'woke' through five key stories. 
 
Beginning with the first ever use of 'woke', which appeared on a 1938 recording by the musician Lead Belly, Syed uncovers what the singer meant when he instructed people to &lsquo;stay woke, keep their eyes open&rsquo;. Matthew then explores one of the earliest uses of 'woke' in print, by young Black author William Melvin Kelley in 1962. He goes on to look at #StayWoke and how the use of 'woke' online exploded in 2014, following the shooting of black teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. 
 
Next, Matthew considers how the adoption of 'woke' at the 2017 Women's March aided the term's movement away from Black communities and into the mainstream. In the final episode, he examines the actions of Governor Ron DeSantis, tipped by some to be the next President of the United States. The politician has labelled his state of Florida as 'Where Woke Goes to Die', and introduced a 'Stop W.O.K.E.' bill aimed at reducing the spread of identity politics. 
 
Has the word become too politically charged? What relationship &ndash; if any &ndash; does the word &lsquo;woke&rsquo; have to its original sense? Syed considers its multiple meanings in this fascinating series that sheds new light on a word that is often used &ndash; and often misunderstood. 
 
Cast and credits 
Presented by Matthew Syed 
Produced by Sam Peach 
 
Episode 1 
Featuring Peggy Parks Miller and Kip Lornell 
 
Episode 2 
Featuring Jesi Kelley 
Readings by Tayla Kovacevic-Ebong 
Excerpts from &lsquo;If You're Woke You Dig It&rsquo; (New York Times, 1962) and &lsquo;Dunfords Travels Everywheres&rsquo; by William Melvin Kelley 
 
Episode 3 
Featuring Johnetta Elzie and Nicole Holliday 
 
Episode 4 
Featuring Prisca Kim and Aja Romano 
 
Episode 5 
Featuring Nicole Holliday, James O'Malley and Prof Matthew Goodwin 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 20-24 February 2023 
 
Copyright &copy; 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Woke: The Journey of a Word

Brian Cox

Robin Ince

Four fantastic series of the multi-award-winning science/comedy show 
 
Brian Cox and Robin Ince return to take a witty, irreverent and unashamedly rational look at the mysteries of the universe in these four series. Joining them for some hot science and flagrant comic nerdery are a panel of eggheads and entertainers, all eager to take a deep dive into topics ranging from cosmic dust to coincidence. 
 
Starting with two shows recorded in Sydney, Australia, exploring southern skies and scary spiders, they go on to invent Infinite Monkey Cluedo and plot the perfect crime; scrutinise the secret life of sharks; peer review Hollywood movies set in space and unwrap the science of Egyptian mummies. Also featured are two battles of the species, as the team ask which is better: bees or wasps, and claw through the evidence to find out if cats are superior to dogs. 
 
In addition, they discover the magical world of mushrooms; discuss the pros and cons of AI; attempt to explain quantum physics and visit CERN&rsquo;s Large Hadron Collider in Geneva in search of the Higgs Boson. And in an out-of-this-world mash-up show, they meet Dara O&rsquo;Briain and Sky at Night presenters Dr Maggie Aderin Pocock, Chris Lintott and Pete Lawrence for some backyard astronomy, as they give us their ultimate guide to studying the stars from the comfort of your own garden. 
 
Other special guests in this collection include Ross Noble, Prof Hannah Fry, Susan Calman, Prof Sue Black, Sally Gunnell, Ed Byrne, Dr Chris van Tulleken, Harry Hill, Steve Backshall, Alan Davies, Marcus du Sautoy, Dave Gorman, Tim Peake, Jo Brand, Russell Kane, Richard Wiseman, Deborah Meaden, David Baddiel and Ben Miller. 
 
Production credits 
Presented by Brian Cox and Robin Ince 
Producers: Caroline Steel, Adrian Washbourne and Melanie Brown 
Executive Producer: Alexandra Feachem 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 18 February-25 March 2023 (Series 26), 24 June-5 August 2023 (Series 27), 11 November-23 December 2023 (Series 28), 17 February-23 March 2024 (Series 29) 
 
&copy; 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Infinite Monkey Cage: Series 26-29

Justin Welby

Archbishop Justin Welby explores the inner lives of public figures in revealing conversations 
 
Listen now to fascinating and remarkable conversations between The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and leading men and women as they discuss big questions about humankind. This collection is a must-listen for anyone looking to explore life beyond the sensational headlines and glossy PR that dominate our world. The interviews delve into what it really means to be human, and each guest has an incredible story that is shared in a deeply personal way. Take a deep dive into these engaging discussions, which explore the moral touchstones, values and desires in our lives. 
 
Welby creates a space for frank, candid and startlingly honest dialogue exploring in depth such themes as love, loss, grief and power. The guests discuss their own personal faith, spirituality and beliefs and how these frameworks underpin the big decisions, important moments and meaningful experiences in their lives. This series of twelve thoughtful and unique interviews include Tony Blair discussing the decisions that took the UK to war, Nick Cave reflecting on the grief of losing his son and Zarifa Ghafari exploring how her faith has kept her campaigning for women&rsquo;s rights against all odds. These immersive, impactful conversations with the Archbishop are like no other interview. 
 
Elif Shafak: The British-Turkish novelist and political scientist discusses how she gives voice to uncomfortable subjects such as gender-based violence, child abuse and genocide. 
 
Susan Blackmore: The renowned psychologist and atheist explores consciousness and her own interpersonal habits and beliefs. 
 
Tony Blair: The former UK Prime Minster, who took the country to war, discusses the impact his faith had on the decisions he made when in office. 
 
Nick Carter: The retired head of the British Armed Forces General speaks about the intense conflict, suffering and bravery he has witnessed in his career. 
 
Clare Moriarty: The former civil servant discusses her role as &lsquo;faith and belief champion&rsquo; in the service where she said, &lsquo;of all the diversity characteristics, faith and belief is the one we talk about least&rsquo;. 
 
Stephen King: The bestselling novelist and household name has been called the &lsquo;King of Horror&rsquo; but where does that dark creativity come from. 
 
John Cleese: The comedy writer and actor talks about his long career and how his beliefs have shaped his values and actions in life. 
 
Shirine Khoury-Haq: The first female Chief Executive of the Co-Op in its 159-year history, Khoury-Haq reveals the impact of her inner faith on her life and success. 
 
Zarifa Ghafari: Survivor of three assassination attempts, the celebrated Afghan human rights campaigner and former mayor explores the importance of her faith and her own mortality. 
 
Nick Cave: The internationally acclaimed singer-songwriter talks frankly and openly about grief, loss, addiction and his complex relationship with the Bible. 
 
Gabriel Byrne: A childhood marked by sexual abuse at the hands of catholic priests, the actor and filmmaker discusses suffering, turmoil and hope in relationship to faith and the church. 
 
Cressida Dick: As the first female and openly lesbian Metropolitan Police Commissioner between 2017 and 2022, Dame Cressida Dick faces how she navigated her inner life alongside her public profile. 
 
Credits 
Produced by Dan Tierney 
 
First broadcast on Radio 4 
Elif Shafak 20 Feb 2022 
Susan Blackmore 27 Feb 2022 
Tony Blair 6 Mar 2022 
Nick Carter 13 Mar 2022 
Clare Moriarty 20 Mar 2022 
Stephen King 27 Mar 2022 
John Cleese 4 Jun 2023 
Shirine Khoury-Haq 11 Jun 2023 
Zarifa Ghafari 18 Jun 2023 
Nick Cave 25 Jun 2023 
Gabriel Byrne 2 Jul 2023 
Cressida Dick 9 Jul 2023 
 
&copy;2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Archbishop Interviews: Series 1 and 2

Presented by The Most Reverend Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury

Michael Portillo

Michael Portillo presents these specially selected shows exploring the history of democracy and the modern political system 
 
In a parliamentary career spanning over 20 years, Michael Portillo served as a Conservative MP and held numerous Cabinet posts. Few people are better placed to comment on politics than him, and in these thought-provoking programmes, he gives us his take on the development of democracy and contemporary political theory. 
 
In the three-part series Democracy on Trial, Portillo investigates the difficult and dangerous global journey taken by this fragile ideal over 2,500 years, and the surprisingly tenuous grip it holds upon the world today. From Athens in the fifth century BC to the present day, he examines the effectiveness of a form of government we take for granted, and analyses its rise, fall and future. 
 
For Whom the Division Bell Tolled sees him looking at the history and peculiarities of the back-bencher, asking historians whether these traits have been present since the very first Parliaments in the 1300s. Across three episodes, he traces the origins of the back-bench revolt, recalls the good and noble works of back-benchers from the past, and wonders whether those on the back bench have always been more interested in keeping their jobs than changing the world. 
 
In The Right Stuff, Portillo considers the lasting influence of the author and philosopher Ayn Rand, questioning whether her work remains a blueprint for those on the political right. Talking to contemporaries and critics, he probes the origins and impact of Rand's writings, and assesses how her controversial ideas relate to the current political landscape. 
 
Capitalism on Trial finds him pondering years of bailouts, stagnating growth and market instability, and asking whether free-market capitalism is looking a little tarnished. Over two programmes, he talks to leading thinkers including Amartya Sen, Will Hutton and Gillian Tett as he weighs up the costs and benefits of the economic system that governs our lives. 
 
Finally, in Things We Forgot to Remember: The 1945 Labour Government, Portillo looks back at Clement Attlee's postwar government, querying how radical their agenda really was and how much our collective memory of it is due to myth-making by subsequent Labour administrations. 
 
Production credits 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on the following dates: 
 
Democracy on Trial 
Episode 1 11 May 2010 
Episode 2 18 May 2010 
Episode 3 25 May 2010 
Produced by Philip Sellars and Julia Johnson 
 
For Whom the Division Bell Tolled 
Episode 1 14 May 2008 
Episode 2 21 May 2008 
Episode 3 28 May 2008 
Produced by Philip Sellars 
 
The Right Stuff 11 November 2008 
Produced by Owen McFadden 
 
Capitalism on Trial 
Episode 1 27 September 2011 
Episode 2 4 October 2011 
With Amartya Sen, Will Hutton, Ha-Joon Chang, Gillian Tett, Nigel Lawson and Hernando De Soto 
Produced by Julia Johnson 
 
Things We Forgot to Remember: The 1945 Labour Government 6 May 2007 
With Denis Healey, Peter Carrington and Tony Benn 
Produced by Julia Adamson 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Michael Portillo: On Politics

A BBC Radio Collection

Sandi Toksvig

Sandi Toksvig and her celebrity guests explore the Danish concept of 'hygge' 
 
One of the few Danish words that British people have become familiar with, 'hygge' is a specifically Scandinavian notion of snugness, comfort and contentment. It's all about enjoying the simple pleasures, like curling up with a book on a rainy afternoon or cradling a cup of hot cocoa while wearing a chunky sweater. 
 
In this convivial chat show, Danish comedian and author Sandi Toksvig takes a deep dive into both the concept and the Danish way of life. Broadcasting from her toasty log cabin deep in the heart of rural Denmark (complete with sauna, underground wine-cellar and three-tier bird bath that dispenses miniature hot towels), she invites her special guests to join her in front of an open fire and talk about what 'hygge' means to them. 
 
Grayson Perry explains how learning new things can bring deep joy; Bridget Christie describes her love of running; Clive Myrie relates his passion for opera and poetry, and Brian Cox tells us how he finds comfort in physics, piano playing and Sibelius' Fifth Symphony. Sandi also chats about Australian Christmasses with Krishnan Guru-Murthy, discusses hopeless DIY with Andy Hamilton, muses on the soothing magic of fragrance with Lyse Doucet and hears from David Blunkett about mishaps in Braille and guide dogs behaving badly... 
 
These funny, feelgood shows are full of cosy charm and congenial conversation, so join Sandi and friends as they talk 'hygge' and put the world to rights - all over a delectable mug of warm spiced wine. 
 
Production credits 
Hosted by Sandi Toksvig 
Produced by Julia McKenzie 
Additional material written by Simon Alcock, Charlie Dinkin, Rajiv Karia and Tasha Dhanraj 
Production Coordinators: Carina Andrews and Katie Baum 
Sound Recordist and Editor: Rich Evans 
A BBC Studios Production 
 
Series 1 featuring: Grayson Perry and Sindhu Vee, Bridget Christie and Clive Myrie, Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock and Rose & Rosie, Prof Brian Cox and Zoe Lyons, Alan Davies 
 
Series 2 featuring: Krishnan Guru-Murthy, Gina Miller, Andy Hamilton, Lyse Doucet, David Blunkett 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 2-31 December 2020 (Series 1), 27-31 December 2021 (Series 2) 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Sandi Toksvig’s Hygge

The BBC Radio 4 Comedy Chat Show

Melvyn Bragg

Melvyn Bragg and guests explore the history of the Islamic world through its religion, thinkers, poetry, empire and rulers 
 
'An ever-growing library of wisdom' The Economist 
 
Since 1998, In Our Time has been the go-to radio programme for knowledge seekers and inquiring minds. Tackling big topics with a light touch, it has introduced weekly audiences of over 2 million to subjects ranging from Romulus and Remus to the Renaissance. 
 
This special themed collection provides a focussed, wide-ranging introduction to 25 of the ideas and events that shaped the Islamic world, highlighting the numerous connections between Islamdom and the West throughout history. We learn the origins of Sharia law, and how prophets became important to Islam, Judaism and Christianity alike; discover how the Translation Movement introduced the Arabic world to Greek philosophy, medicine, engineering and maths; and find out how settlers and invaders from both East and West transformed and refashioned the civilisations they touched, from the Arab Conquest, Muslim Spain and the Volga Vikings to the Third Crusade and the Siege of Vienna. 
 
Here, too, are key scholars and writers, among them al-Kindi, the first significant thinker to reconcile philosophy and Islam; Averroes, who worked to integrate Islamic theology with the rationality of Aristotle; Maimonides, a titan of Jewish intellectual history who was much influenced by the Islamic world; and Rumi, the Persian poet and Sufi mystic whose work transcends borders of time, faith, language and geography. 
 
Hosted by Melvyn Bragg with a panel of experts including Mona Siddiqui, Jim Al-Khalili, Tariq Ali and Amira Bennison, these enlightening, accessible discussions will illuminate, inspire and surprise. 
 
Production credits 
Presented by Melvyn Bragg 
Produced by Thomas Morris, Simon Tillotson, Victoria Brignell 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on the following dates: 
 
Part I: Religion 
Islamic Law and its Origins 5 May 2011 
Sunni and Shia Islam 25 June 2009 
Prophecy 13 June 2013 
 
Part II: History of Ideas 
Maths in the Early Islamic World 16 February 2017 
The Translation Movement 2 October 2008 
Al-Kindi 28 June 2012 
al-Biruni 10 June 2010 
Avicenna 8 November 2007 
Al-Ghazali 19 March 2015 
Averroes 5 October 2006 
Maimonides 17 February 2011 
Ibn Khaldun 4 February 2010 
 
Part III: Literature 
Antarah ibn Shaddad 28 February 2019 
Rumi's Poetry 11 February 2016 
 
Part IV: Empire 
The Sassanid Empire 13 December 2007 
The Arab Conquests 26 June 2008 
Muslim Spain 21 November 2002 
The Battle of Tours 16 January 2014 
The Volga Vikings 11 November 2010 
The Almoravid Empire 3 May 2018 
Third Crusade 29 November 2001 
The Siege of Vienna 14 May 2009 
 
Part V: Rulers 
The Abbasid Caliphs 2 February 2006 
The Mamluks 26 September 2013 
The Safavid Dynasty 12 January 2012 
 
© 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

In Our Time: 25 Journeys Through the History of the Islamic World

A BBC Radio 4 Collection

Four more series of the multi-award-winning science/comedy show 
 
Celebrating the wonders of the universe since 2009, The Infinite Monkey Cage combines wit and wisdom to explore scientific concepts in an entertaining, accessible way. In these four series, physicist Brian Cox and comedian Robin Ince are back to 'put a smile on the face of science' (The Independent). They're joined by a wealth of boffins, brainiacs and celebrity science enthusiasts, all keen to share their hard facts, soft theories and bold comic deviations. 
 
Beginning with the end of the universe, they tackle topics including black holes, the human brain, Neanderthals and the science of cooking - and attempt to answer profound philosophical questions such as 'What is life, and how did it start?', 'Is time an illusion?' and ''What is reality?' There's also an astronaut's guide to isolation, featuring Helen Sharman, Chris Hadfield, Nicole Stott and Apollo 9's Rusty Schweickart; a look back at 60 years of chimpanzee research with Jane Goodall; and a history of rock (not in the Rolling Stones sense, but actual rolling stones). 
 
Plus, the duo play Animal Top Trumps to find out whether we should prefer beautiful bats to much-maligned flies; travel deep below the ocean waves to see what lies beneath; discover how trees communicate using the Wood Wide Web; and learn why two brains are definitely better than one... 
 
Among their special guests are Eric Idle, Steve Martin, Matt Lucas, Tim Minchin, Bill Bailey, Mark Gatiss, Steve Jones, Ross Noble, Sara Pascoe, Prof Alice Roberts, Carlo Rovelli, Harold McGee, Dr Janna Levin, Dave Gorman, Brendan Hunt and Katy Brand. 
 
Production credits 
Presented by Brian Cox and Robin Ince 
Producer: Alexandra Feachem 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Infinite Monkey Cage: Series 22-25

Melvyn Bragg and guests chart 500 years of Western philosophy through its most influential ideas and theorists 
 
'Listen to this and you'll never regret it' The Independent 
 
First aired in 1998, In Our Time has become one of Radio 4's most beloved and enduring shows, regularly attracting an audience of over 2 million. Each week, Melvyn Bragg and his panel of guest experts take part in an erudite, stimulating discussion on subjects ranging from the Peasants' Revolt to plate tectonics, taking the listener on a fascinating tour through a wonderland of ideas. 
 
Collected in this special thematic anthology are 25 episodes showcasing notable individuals from Renaissance times to the present day who have transformed the way we think about the world. Included are philosophers such as Descartes, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Wittgenstein and Karl Marx, authors Albert Camus, Iris Murdoch, Mary Wollstonecraft and Simone de Beauvoir, psychoanalyst Carl Jung and many other celebrated thinkers. Also featured are programmes on key philosophical themes, traditions and theories, among them existentialism, empiricism and feminism. 
 
Both an essential resource for philosophy students and a treasure trove for knowledge-seekers, this wonderfully curated collection of thought-provoking programmes will captivate longtime fans of the flagship BBC show, and surprise and delight those who are coming to it for the first time. 
 
Production credits 
Presented by Melvyn Bragg 
Produced by Natalia Fernandez, Thomas Morris, Simon Tillotson and Victoria Brignell 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on the following dates: 
 
Part I: Modern Philosophical Traditions 
 
The Continental-Analytic Split 10 November 2011 
 
Part II: Rationalism and Empiricism 
 
Consciousness 25 November 1999 
Empiricism 10 June 2004 
Cogito Ergo Sum 28 April 2011 
Spinoza 3 May 2007 
Bishop Berkeley 20 March 2014 
David Hume 6 October 2011 
 
Part III: Existentialism 
 
Existentialism 28 June 2001 
Schopenhauer 29 October 2009 
Kierkegaard 20 March 2008 
Nietzsche's Genealogy of Morality 12 January 2017 
Camus 3 January 2008 
 
Part IV: Logic, Language and Science 
 
Ordinary Language Philosophy 7 November 2013 
Jung 2 December 2004 
Bertrand Russell 6 December 2012 
Wittgenstein 4 December 2003 
Bergson and Time 9 May 2019 
Popper 8 February 2007 
 
Part V: Moral Philosophy 
 
Virtue 28 February 2002 
Kant's Categorical Imperative 21 September 2017 
Mill 18 May 2006 
Simone Weil 15 November 2012 
Iris Murdoch 21 October 2021 
 
Part VI: Political Philosophy 
 
The Social Contract 7 February 2008 
Machiavelli and the Italian City States 9 December 2004 
Hobbes 1 December 2005 
Rousseau on Education 10 October 2019 
Marx 14 July 2005 
Hannah Arendt 2 February 2017 
 
Part VII: Feminist Philosophy 
 
Feminism 7 January 1999 
Mary Astell 5 November 2020 
Mary Wollstonecraft 31 December 2009 
Simone de Beauvoir 22 October 2015 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

In Our Time: 25 Thinkers Who Shaped Modern Philosophy

Natalie Haynes

Four more series of Natalie Haynes' BBC Radio 4 show taking a comic look at the ancient world 
 
Author, broadcaster and 'rock star classicist' Natalie Haynes is a little bit obsessive about Ancient Greece and Rome. In these four series, she explores some of the most prominent historical and mythological figures from the classical world, telling their stories through a mix of stand-up comedy and conversation. 
 
Series 5 asks how much Aristotle knew about elephants' tongues and bivalves on Lesbos; introduces us to Claudia Severa and other Roman-British women;and investigates Suetonius - biographer of the Caesars - and why Augustus used hot nuts to soften the hair on his thighs. Natalie also recounts the original epic story of Homer's The Iliad from memory (complete with magic bra and a very sulky Achilles). 
 
In Series 6, Natalie stands up for Helen of Troy (expect new insights into feathery sex); Penthesilea, Amazon warrior queen, (with a natty line in ankle boots); Eurydice (chased by a sex pest and killed by a snake on her wedding day); and Penelope (lots of suitors, but fortunately an adept weaver). 
 
Natalie also discusses Medusa, beloved sister and mother (but a hairdresser's nightmare); gives us the lowdown on Pandora (she of the box, which turns out to be a jar);tells the story of Jocasta (still spellbindingly shocking today); and asks whether Clytemnestra was the worst wife in Greek mythology (she murdered her husband, but was a good mother). 
 
Guests include Dr Adam Rutherford, Professor Edith Hall, Professor Llewelyn Morgan, Dr Paul Roberts, Anita Anand, and Chris Riddell. 
 
Production credits 
Presented by Natalie Haynes 
Music by Sarah Gabriel and Sarah Angliss 
Produced by Mary Ward-Lowery 
 
Special guests: Dr Adam Rutherford, Professor Edith Hall, Professor Llewelyn Morgan, Dr Paul Roberts, Anita Anand, and Chris Riddell 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 23 December 2019-13 January 2020 (Series 5), 17 May-7 June 2020 (Series 6), 18 May-8 June 2021 (Series 7), 13 September-4 October 2022 (Series 8) 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Natalie Haynes Stands Up for the Classics: Series 5-8

More comical tales from Ancient Greece and Rome

Jonathan Sacks

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks speaks to the world's leading thinkers about morality today 
 
In this fascinating series Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks explores what morality means, speaking with globally renowned thinkers, as well as voices from the next generation. 
 
From Steven Pinker and Robert Putnam to Melinda Gates and Jordan Peterson, the guests discuss the free market and the financial crash, selfies and social media, individuals and tribalism, artificial intelligence, role models, and rediscovering politics of the common good. 
 
With each topic, Rabbi Sacks also talks with teenagers from Manchester, London and Hertfordshire about how they engage with moral questions, and what they see as the greatest moral struggles that Generation Z will face. 
 
Production credits 
Presented by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks 
 
Producer: Dan Tierney 
Series Editor: Christine Morgan 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 3-7 September 2018 
 
Episode 1: Responsibility 
How can we pursue our own interests without feeling vulnerable and isolated? With Jordan Peterson, Noreena Hertz, and Michael Sandel. 
 
Episode 2: Jordan Peterson 
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks speaks to Jordan Peterson, professor of Psychology at the University of Toronto, and discusses how moral codes are formed. 
 
Episode 3: Noreena Hertz 
Noreena Hertz, economist, author and broadcaster, gives her verdict on the current state of capitalism and explores the failure of markets to deliver moral outcomes. 
 
Episode 4: The Selfie Generation 
How does a culture of selfies impact the way we live our lives? With Jean Twenge, Professor of psychology at San Diego State University, and David Brooks, political and social commentator and author. 
 
Episode 5: Jean Twenge 
Rabbi Sacks meets with Jean Twenge to explore why children with higher internet usage seem to have the lowest outcomes for happiness, resilience and tolerance. 
 
Episode 6: David Brooks 
David Brooks, the New York Times columnist, shares with Rabbi Sacks his thoughts on how individualism has gone too far. 
 
Episode 7: Is Society a Myth? 
What happens when we move from "we're all in this together" to "I'm free to be myself"? With Jonathan Haidt, Professor of Ethical Leadership at New York University, and Robert Putnam, Professor of Public Policy at Harvard University. 
 
Episode 8: Jonathan Haidt 
Rabbi Sacks talks to Jonathan Haidt, who is concerned about the destructive forms of tribalism in society today. 
 
Episode 9: Robert Putnam 
Why have social bonds collapsed in America, and what does that mean for the rest of the world? Rabbi Sacks and Robert Putnam discuss the importance of social capital. 
 
Episode 10: Artificial Intelligence 
How can humans continue to choose our fate in a world of AI? With Mustafa Suleyman, Co-founder and Head of Applied AI at DeepMind, and Nick Bostrom, Philosophy Professor at the University of Oxford. 
 
Episode 11: Mustafa Suleyman 
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks speaks to Mustafa Suleyman at one of the world's leading innovators in Artificial Intelligence, and explores the biggest moral questions around AI. 
 
Episode 12: Nick Bostrom 
In a further examination of the moral challenges of AI, Rabbi Sacks talks again with Nick Bostrom, who was one of the first to warn of the dangers of 'superintelligence'. 
 
Episode 13: Moral Heroes 
Who are the role models of the next generation, and do they provide hope for a better, more ethical and more responsible world? With Steven Pinker, Melinda Gates, Michael Sandel, and Jordan Peterson. 
 
Episode 14: Steven Pinker and Melinda Gates 
Rabbi Sacks meets with Steven Pinker to hear his reasons for hope for a better world, and with Melinda Gates to explore the motivations for her philanthropy. 
 
Episode 15: Michael Sandel 
In the final episode, Rabbi Sacks and the world-renowned political philosopher Michael Sandel discuss how we can return to a politics of the common good. 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

Morality in the 21st Century

A BBC Radio 4 Philosophy and Ethics Series

Oliver Burkeman

Oliver Burkeman's guides to leading a better life in an age of confusion 
 
Journalist and author Oliver Burkeman is well-known for his long-running Guardian column, 'How to Change Your Life', and has written three bestselling books on happiness, productivity and time management. In this radio collection, he looks at four central ills of modernity - busyness, anger, the insistence on positivity and the decline of nuance. Talking to a range of experts, he discovers how these problems became so widespread, and how we can go about tackling them. 
 
In Addicted to Busy (first broadcast as Oliver Burkeman is Busy), Oliver explores why we all feel so busy nowadays, asking whether we've talked ourselves into feeling overwhelmed, and if our problem might not be lack of time, but lack of bandwidth. Could the solution lie not in working harder, but in indulging in a little idleness? 
 
The Power of Negative Thinking sees Oliver examining the virtues of negativity. Asking why 'thinking yourself happy' can so often have the opposite effect, he probes the ways in which negative visualisation can achieve positive results; considers the phenomenon of hedonic adaptation; ponders whether workplace fun is ever a good idea; and wonders whether confronting our own mortality could make us happier. And in a special one-off episode, The Impostor's Survival Guide, he inquires why so many of us spend our working lives feeling like a fraud. Where do these feelings come from, and what can be done about them? 
 
In Why Are We So Angry?, Oliver attempts to understand why we are frequently so full of fury. Explaining how anger gave humans an evolutionary edge, he divulges how companies today profit from our outrage; investigates how anger can be essential for social change; learns how to manage rage in a healthy way; and asks if the future will become ever more angry, or if there's a point where our anger will finally break. 
 
Finally, in The Death of Nuance, he looks at how nuance is vanishing from public discourse. He discovers that our brains are wired for snap decisions, and that language can limit our capacity for nuanced thought - depending on how we choose to use it. He also considers how to open minds through moderation; explores how society has become polarised across political divides and reveals how to restore nuance and evolve our thinking in a changing world. 
 
Production credits 
Presented by Oliver Burkeman 
Produced by Peter McManus 
 
Addicted to Busy: Why Life Has Got So Hectic first broadcast as Oliver Burkeman is Busy, BBC Radio 4, 12-16 September 2016 
With Maria Popova, Tony Crabbe, Jonathan Gershuny, Brigid Schulte, Stephanie Brown, Dan Ariely, David Drever and his team, Eldar Shafir, Mark Cropley, Andrew Smart, Tom Hodgkinson 
 
The Power of Negative Thinking first broadcast BBC Radio 4, 21-25 November 2016 
With Gabriele Oettingen, Russ Harris, Jim Trodden, Derrick Jensen, Peter Congdon, Carol Barraclough, Kelsang Zamling, Kiera Lawlor, Ian Bogost, Marcus Coates, Josefine Speyer, Rebecca Green 
 
Why Are We So Angry? first broadcast BBC Radio 4, 17 October-14 November 2018 
With Ryan Martin, Aaron Sell, Maya Tamir, Mark Vernon, Charlie Beckett, Molly Crockett, Tobias Rose-Stockwell, Martin Boyce, Brett Ford, Martha C. Nussbaum 
 
The Death of Nuance first broadcast BBC Radio 4, 28 December 2020-1 January 2021 
With Kevin Dutton, Susan Neiman, Tim Lomas, Naomi Baron, Damon Linker, Daniel Ravner, Robert B. Talisse, Poppy Noor, Richard Holloway 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Oliver Burkeman: Epidemics of Modern Life

A BBC Radio 4 collection

Steven Pinker's 12-part guide to thinking better 
 
'A paean to human potential' The Telegraph 
 
Cognitive scientist Professor Steven Pinker has spent his life thinking about thinking, and now he wants us to join him. With the aid of his critical thinking toolkit, he hopes to help us make smarter choices, become more rational, gain a greater understanding of the confused world we live in - and maybe even become better citizens. 
 
In this fascinating series, produced in partnership with the Open University, he examines the different ways the human brain can be tripped up, from understanding probability to the difference between correlation and causation. Joined by an array of other prominent thinkers, he explores such diverse subjects as whether formulas can predict how well an athlete will perform, why it's dangerous to see patterns in the randomness of everyday experience and why so many of us believe in conspiracy theories. 
 
He also considers the life and death choices made by judges and juries, ponders whether some thoughts are too evil to think, asks why making future predictions can be hard, and wonders: should we eat, drink and be merry, or make sacrifices now to benefit our future selves? And what can the game 'Rock, Paper, Scissors' teach us about preventing a climate catastrophe? In addition, he and his fellow experts discuss how we can stop the news distorting our understanding of the world - and why getting it right might mean admitting you're wrong... 
 
Among his special guests are Tim Harford, presenter of BBC Radio 4's More or Less; Pulitzer Prize-winning author Siddartha Mukherjee; Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; Professor Hannah Fry, co-presenter of Radio 4's popular science show The Curious Cases of Rutherford &amp; Fry; Daniel Kahneman, winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics; and one of the most influential psychologists of the 20th Century, Elizabeth Loftus. 
 
Production credits 
Presented by Steven Pinker 
Produced by Imogen Walford and Joe Kent 
Edited by Emma Rippon 
Think with Pinker is produced in partnership with The Open University 
 
Episode 1: Think twice 
Featuring: Sig Mejdal and Professor Ellen Peters 
 
Episode 2: Methinks it is a weasel 
Featuring: Charlie Munger and Tim Harford 
 
Episode 3: In touch with reality 
Featuring: Jonathan Rauch and Ellen Cushing 
 
Episode 4: Don't expect a zebra 
Featuring: Talithia Williams and Siddartha Mukherjee 
 
Episode 5: You can't think that! 
Featuring: Philip Tetlock and Sally Satel 
 
Episode 6: Future you 
Featuring: Dr Maria Kournikova and Bina Venkataraman 
 
Episode 7: The climate game 
Featuring: Bill Gates and Professor Hannah Fry 
 
Episode 8: Rational soothsaying 
Featuring: Barbara Mellers and Thomas Friedman 
 
Episode 9: Nudges and noise 
Featuring: Daniel Kahneman and Robyn Scott 
 
Episode 10: Sentence first, verdict afterwards 
Featuring: Judge Nancy Gertner and Elizabeth Loftus 
 
Episode 11: Headlines and trendlines 
Featuring: James Harding and Anna Rosling Rutland 
 
Episode 12: Being right 
Featuring: Julia Galef and Daniel Willingham 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 18 November 2021 - 3 February 2022 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P) BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Think with Pinker

How to be a better critical thinker

Various

Ten emblematic lectures by world-leading thinkers, specially selected by the series producer. 
 
Since 1948, the BBC's iconic annual lecture series has provided a platform for brilliant, entertaining individuals to discuss and develop their ideas on radio. The topics range from art and science to history, culture, politics and more, and each Reith Lecture - which is a little longer than a TED talk - is followed by a lively question-and-answer session showcasing the speaker's expertise, wisdom and wit. 
 
This collection brings together ten of the very best Reith Lectures, chosen by the series producer, Jim Frank. Prize-winning artist Grayson Perry argues that art can no longer shock us - we've seen it all before; bestselling novelist Hilary Mantel explores how art can bring the dead back to life; Eliza Manningham-Buller, the former MI5 director, tells us what it was like to head up the security services in the aftermath of 9/11; Tom Kirkwood asks whether ageing and death are the price we pay for sex; and Margaret MacMillan discusses the relationship between war and humanity, and the role of the soldier. 
 
In addition, Atul Gawande considers the future of medicine; Michael Sandel examines the expansion of markets; Kwame Anthony Appiah appeals for a world free of racial fixations; Vilayanur S. Ramachandran looks at the process we call 'seeing'; and Daniel Barenboim celebrates the power of music to bring us together. Illuminating, captivating and thought-provoking, these superlative radio lectures are full of insight and inspiration. 
 
Production credits 
Presented, chaired and introduced by Sue Lawley 
Produced and curated by Jim Frank 
Edited by Hugh Levinson 
 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on the following dates: 
Tom Kirkwood: Sex and Death 18 April 2001 
Vilayanur S. Ramachandran: Synapses and the Self 9 April 2003 
Daniel Barenboim: In the Beginning was Sound 7 April 2006 
Michael Sandel: Markets and Morals 9 June 2009 
Eliza Manningham-Buller: Terror 6 September 2011 
Grayson Perry: Nice Rebellion - Welcome In! 29 October 2013 
Atul Gawande: The Century of the System 2 December 2014 
Kwame Anthony Appiah: Colour 1 November 2016 
Hilary Mantel: The Day is for the Living 13 June 2017 
Margaret MacMillan: Fearing and Loving - Making Sense of the Warrior 3 July 2018 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.

The Reith Lectures

10 of the best

New Generation Thinkers

The most exciting emerging thinkers of our age present their ideas 
 
Since 2010, the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the BBC have joined forces to find the best and brightest academic minds whose cutting-edge research deserves to be shared with a wider audience. Each year, 10 pioneering scholars are selected as New Generation Thinkers, and given the unique opportunity to bring their groundbreaking work to life on radio. New Generation Thinkers have explored the arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond, and continue to share ideas, bring people into their world, and expand horizons everywhere. 
 
To mark ten years of this incredible scheme, this collection brings together the 100 winners from the past decade. Many have gone on to become prominent public figures, and all have fascinating insights to share. Charlotte Blease questions the relationship between doctors and patients; Sarah Dillon explores roles for women in science fiction and whether the genre is sexist; Anindya Raychaudhuri discusses the 1947 Partition of India and how it is remembered; Edmund Richardson tells the story of Alexander the Great's lost city; and Ben Anderson explains how trespassers in the early 20th Century helped create new attitudes to nature by going off-piste. 
 
With topics ranging from a pirate's cookbook to prison breaks, from shaving to Shakespeare and from Berlin techno music to the Glasgow rag trade, these intriguing radio essays will inform, provoke, stimulate and surprise. 
 
© 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (p) 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd 
 
If you'd like to learn more about New Generation Thinkers, visit the Arts and Humanities Research Council website at ahrc.ukri.org

Instant Expert

100 of the best ideas from New Generation Thinkers

Baroness Sayeeda Warsi

Kamila Shamsie

Major BBC series rediscovering some of the key thinkers and achievements from the Golden Age of Islam. 
 
Between the 8th and 13th Century, the Islamic world flourished. This 500-year period of monumental political and cultural change became known as its 'Golden Age', characterised by unprecedented advancement in the fields of architecture, invention, medicine, innovation and philosophy, which still inform huge parts of the modern world. 
 
In these 20 episodes, we hear about some of the most remarkable events and individuals of this extraordinary epoch. Beginning with the establishment and expansion of the Islamic State, the series encompasses the rise of Shi-ism, the introduction of paper to the Western world, the brilliance and beauty of Islamic architecture and the intellectual powerhouses of Baghdad and Cairo. We also meet important historical figures, including Harun Al-Rashid (the Caliph from the Thousand and One Night tales), mathematician and astronomer Al-Khwarizmi, philosopher and physician Avicenna, influential poet and mystic Al-Rumi and the great 12th Century hero Saladin. 
 
Each episode is presented by experts in the field, who share their knowledge and passion, among them lawyer and politician Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, scientist Jim Al-Khalili, theologian Professor Mona Siddiqui, Persian scholar Narguess Farzad and award-winning writer Kamila Shamsie. 
 
Also included are two episodes of In Our Time hosted by Melvyn Bragg, the first expanding further on the colourful career of Avicenna, and the second discussing the life and ideas of a prescient intellectual who lived just after the Golden Age: the 14th Century philosopher of history Ibn Khaldun. 
 
Copyright © 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. ? 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd 
Presented by Hugh Kennedy, Professor Robert Gleave, Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, Professor Jonathan Bloom, Professor Julia Bray, Narguess Farzad, Jim Al-Khalili, Professor James Montgomery, Professor Peter Adamson, Dr Tony Street, Dr. Sussan Babaie, Dr Simonetta Calderini and Dr Delia Cortese, Professor Mona Siddiqui, Professor Charles Burnett, Dr. Amira Bennison, Jonathan Phillips and Kamila Shamsie 
Produced by Sarah Taylor and Mohini Patel 
First broadcast on BBC Radio 3 from November 2013 to February 2014. 
 
Track list: 
1. The Establishment of the Islamic State 
2. Ali ibn Abi Talib 
3. Imam Bukhari 
4. Paper 
5. Harun al-Rashid 
6. Rabia Balkhi and Mahsati Ganjavi 
7. Al-Khwarizmi 
8. Al-Kindi 
9. Al-Farabi 
10. Avicenna 
11. Al-Tabari 
12. Islamic Architecture 
13. Al-Biruni 
14. Al Hakim 
15. Al-Ghazali 
16. Ibn Rushd 
17. Cities of Learning 
18. Salah al-Din 
19. Al-Rumi 
20. Lubna of Cordoba 
 
21. In Our Time: Avicenna 
Presented by Melvyn Bragg 
With Peter Adamson; Amira Bennison and Nader El-Bizri 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 8 November 2007 
 
22. In Our Time: Ibn Khaldun 
Presented by Melvyn Bragg 
With Robert Hoyland, Robert Irwin and Hugh Kennedy 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 4 February 2010

The Islamic Golden Age

A BBC history 770 - 1258 CE

Helen Lewis

Journalist and author Helen Lewis meets groundbreaking thinkers to test out their big ideas 
 
From politics to economics, from tech to the study of how we live, things are changing fast. Old certainties are crumbling, and we need new solutions to shake up the status quo and shape the future. In The Spark, Helen Lewis meets 11 radical thinkers who are bidding to change our world, and puts their ideas under the spotlight to find out what they have to offer compared to the failures of the past. 
 
Part 1 sees her interviewing American economist Emily Oster, who discusses how data-based parenting could have a life-changing impact on pregnancy and child-rearing; social entrepreneur Hilary Cottam, who believes that human connection should be at the heart of the welfare state; Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman, who explains why 'zombie ideas' are holding us back; and social pyschologist Roy Baumeister, who talks about our inbuilt negativity bias and how to defeat it. 
 
In Part 2, CEO and writer Margaret Heffernan argues that preparedness is the best way to deal with uncertainty; artificial intelligence pioneer Stuart Russell explains how we can keep AI under human control; former Frome mayor Peter Macfadyen takes us through his new model for community-based politics; and behavioural scientist Pragya Agarwal discusses our unintentional biases - how they affect our decision making, and ways of overcoming them. 
 
And in Part 3, Helen's guests include economists Paul Collier and John Kay, who call for an end to destructive individualism in favour of mutuality and co-operation; educationalist Kiran Gill, whose organisation The Difference strives to improve the life chances of excluded schoolchildren; and barrister Chris Daw, advocate of a radical plan to abolish prisons and rethink our whole approach to punishment and rehabilitation. 
 
Cogent, credible and compelling, these thought-provoking proposals will give you a whole new perspective on the problems our society faces and how we could solve them. 
 
Copyright © 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. ? 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd 
Presented by Helen Lewis 
With: Emily Oster, Hilary Cottam, Paul Krugman, Roy Baumeister, Margaret Heffernan, Stuart Russell, Peter Macfadyen, Pragya Agarwal, Paul Collier and John Kay, Kiran Gill, Chris Daw 
Produced by Eliane Glaser, Phil Tinline, Emma Wallace and Sarah Shebbeare

The Spark

11 ideas to change the world

A major 60-part BBC radio series exploring the questions that have preoccupied philosophers through the ages, presented by Melvyn Bragg. 
 
With his landmark series In Our Time, Melvyn Bragg introduced an audience of over 2 million to big ideas across the realms of science, religion, culture, history and philosophy. Now, in A History of Ideas, he looks at the fundamental concepts that underpin our world, and the great thinkers who explored them - from Plato, Aristotle and Seneca to Freud, Rousseau, David Hume and John Stuart Mill. 
 
He is joined by experts from a wide range of fields to discuss the biggest questions we ask ourselves, such as 'What does it mean to be free?', 'How do I tell wrong from right?', 'What makes us human?' and 'How can I know anything at all?' Each of his guests attempts to answer these questions using their specialist expertise. 
 
Between them, they lead us through some of the most significant themes in philosophy, including morality, beauty, justice, altruism and existentialism. We find out about the evolution of language and technology, are given insights into consciousness and memory, and discover the many aspects of love - as well as learning the Buddha's Four Noble Truths, hearing what put the bang in the Big Bang, and uncovering the link between Wittgenstein and Blade Runner... 
 
Wide-ranging, entertaining and inspiring, this stunning series puts the big ideas in their historical context, showing us that they are not merely academic abstractions, but essential tools for living. 
 
Copyright © 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

A History of Ideas

Key philosophers and their theories

Bettany Hughes

Bettany Hughes reveals the surprising and invigorating history of civilisation's most influential ideas 
 
'Eloquent and engaging... don't miss' Radio Times 
 
In this compelling 'archaeology of philosophy', award-winning historian Bettany Hughes takes 25 single-word ideas from Ancient Greek culture and traces their development. Travelling backwards and forwards through time, she investigates how they first emerged and have evolved throughout history - and how those changes have shaped us. 
 
In each programme, she discusses her chosenconcept with special guests from the humanities and sciences, discovers where these big philosophical ideas were born, and visits the street markets, churches, offices and homes where they continue to morph and influence our daily lives. We consider changing ideas of comedy by listening to a rat laughing and by giggling at schoolboy jokes from Ancient Mesopotamia; explores peace through images of war-torn Syria; investigates agony from conflict on the sports field to the battles of the heart; contemplate fame and how our attitude to celebrity has changed from Achilles to YouTube; and visits a Buddhist temple, the Palace of Westminster and the UK's largest food bank to find out why humans are hard-wired to hope. 
 
Along the way, Bettany is joined by a star-studded cast including John Lloyd, Kate Mosse, John Prescott, Nick Clegg, Eniola Aluko, Carlo Rovelli, Angie Hobbs, Stanley Johnson, John Humphrys and Bob Geldof. 
 
Series 1 finds her looking at Ideas, Fame and Love, asking who came up with the idea of an idea? How has our attitude to celebrity changed over time? And what does love look like on a brain scan? She also delves into the perception of Agony, from sporting conflict to broken hearts, and investigates Justice, from Babylon to the Old Bailey. 
 
In Series 2, she examines changing ideas of Liberty and analyses Comedy with the help of a laughing rat and some Ancient Mesopotamian jokes. Plus, she shows poet Ben Okri some Hospitality, goes to a women's football game and a synagogue in a quest to understand Wisdom and explores Peace through images of war-torn Syria and a talk with a dying man. 
 
Series 3 sees Bettany probing her Psyche on Sigmund Freud's couch, finding Charisma at the Acropolis and in a bestselling novel, and inquiring into Irony in a club where it's banned. Pursuing Nemesis, she talks to experts on counter-terrorism and climate change, and she's aided on her hunt for Virtue by a former Greek Finance Minister and an aid worker back from Sierra Leone. 
 
In Series 4, she takes her street philosophy to an ancient palace, a political think-tank and a prison kitchen as she considers Character. She ponders the changing idea of Harmony in mythology and on the battlefield, researches Narcissism in Victorian society - and at a hairdresser's, gets to grips with Technology at an electrical shop and in the future, and studies Hubris on a building site and aboard an Elizabethan sailing ship. 
 
Finally, in Series 5, Bettany asks some big questions about Hope, Memory, Gaia, Chaos and Time. Are we hard-wired to believe things can get better - and why does our past hold the key to our future? Do we still believe in Mother Earth, and what role does disruption play in our lives? And who owns time, what does it mean, and how can we best make use of it? 
 
©2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Ideas That Make Us

Robert M. Pirsig

Peter Flannery

An odyssey into life’s challenging questions during an unforgettable summer motorcycle trip 
 
Acclaimed as one of the most exciting books in the history of American letters, Robert M. Pirsig’s Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance became an instant bestseller upon its publication in 1974. A powerful examination of how we live, as well as a breath-taking meditation on how to live better, it tells the epic story of a father and son’s motorcycle trip across America’s Northwest in the 1960s. 
 
Pirsig’s modern classic transformed a generation and continues to inspire millions of readers today. Dramatised for radio for the first time by Peter Flannery (Our Friends in the North, George Gently, The Devil’s Whore), this fantastic full-cast production stars James Purefoy (Rome, Injustice, Ironclad) and adds a new and original dimension to an iconic work. Following a father and his young son on their cross-country summer adventure from Minnesota to California, it is a story of love, fear, growth, discovery and acceptance. Both personal and philosophical, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is also a compelling study of relationships, values, enlightenment and meaning. 
 
The maintenance of the motorcycle throughout the journey illustrates how to unify the cold, rational realm of technology with the warm, imaginative realm of artistry. Resonating with the confusions and the wonders of existence, the narrator wrestles with some of the most important philosophical questions of the 20th century. His need to also reconcile his past and present selves drives him and his son forward, to a point where all is either lost or won on the Chautauqua spiritual journey. 
 
This audio edition includes a bonus 10 minutes of material that was not broadcast on the radio. 
 
NB: the recording contains strong language. 
 
Production credits 
Author: Robert M. Pirsig 
Dramatist: Peter Flannery 
Original music: Jon Nicholls 
Sound Design: Eloise Whitmore 
Producer: Melanie Harris 
 
A Sparklab production for BBC Radio 4. 
 
© 2012 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P) 2012 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Zen And The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance®

The year is 1Q84. This is the real world, there is no doubt about that. But in this world, there are two moons in the sky. Discover the 1Q84 Trilogy by Haruki Murakami.

1Q84

365 Days of Art

A BBC Christmas

A Black Book Thriller

A Box Full of Murders

A Cal Leandros Novel

A Christmas Mystery

The intelligent and capable police commissioner Guido Brunetti confronts crime in and around his home town of Venice.

A Commissario Brunetti Mystery

A DC Smith / Kings Lake Investigation Series

A Daisy Story

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