Why every single statue should come down...

We are raiding the Guardian long read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors. This week, from 2022: the closure of John Lewis’s store in Sheffield after almost 60 years was a bitter blow. As debate rages over what to do ... Show More

In my 40s, I found myself with a life that didn’t look like it was ‘supposed’ to. What was I doing? On trips to South Korea with my mother, an answer began to emerge By E Tammy Kim. Read by Jennifer J Kim. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod 

We are raiding the Guardian long read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors. This week, from 2022: new technology was supposed to make umpiring easy. It hasn’t worked out that way By William Ralston. Read by Simon Vance ... Show More

It’s more than 150 years since the end of the American Civil War. But the replacement of a monument dedicated to the Confederate Commander Robert E Lee with a statue of black icon Henrietta Lacks has proved an emotive issue in Roanoke, Virginia. In a region steeped in the history ... Show More

In recent years, there’s been a movement to remove statues of Confederate leaders and other monuments that some see as celebrations of America’s racist history. But does taking down these statues help address the racial inequities that plague our nation to this day? Or is it just ... Show More

In the United States, questions of how we celebrate – or condemn – leaders in the past have never been more contentious. In 2017, a statue of Robert E. Lee was removed – leading to a race riot and terrorist attack. But in 2020, statues of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Chri ... Show More

Jamil Smith talks with Erin Thompson, professor of art crime and author of Smashing Statues: The Rise and Fall of America's Public Monuments. They discuss why we honor horrible people from the past in metal and stone, what effects these objects have on our present, and what's kee ... Show More

George Gustav Heye’s work in curating a collection of Native American artifacts has enabled many people to learn about indigenous cultures. But his colleting practices and relationship to those cultures are complicated. Research: “Blaming It on the Women.” The Cincinnati Post. Ju ... Show More

Johnny Cochrane, Thanyia Moore and Olga Koch knock down the man behind the big statues controversy - should statues of evil geniuses from history stay up? Producer Beth O'Dea 

Salman Rushdie’s 1988 novel, “The Satanic Verses,” made him the target of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who denounced the book as blasphemous and issued a fatwa calling for his assassination. Rushdie spent years trying to escape the shadow the fatwa cast on him, and for some time, ... Show More

New York Times opinion columnist Pamela Paul joins The Unspeakable for a conversation about problematic opinions, obvious truths, the state of book reviewing, the problem with publishing, “feeling French” despite being an American, and much more. You can upgrade your subscription ... Show More

Today’s six impossible episode subjects are all by listener request! Topics include the Iron Mountain baby, Leslie’s Retreat, Lady Hao, Ella Williams, and more. And these are examples of how short tales can sometimes have intense details. Research: “Tale of The Iron Mountain Baby ... Show More

Thirty years after D.H. Lawrence died, his book "Lady Chatterley's Lover," which had been banned for decades in many countries, was central to a trial in Great Britain over whether the novel was obscenity or whether it had literary merit. Research: Britannica, The Editors of Ency ... Show More