Today

Sam Sussman on the possibility of family ties

Writer Sam Sussman joins Georgina Godwin to discuss his US upbringing, relationship with his mother and the op-ed that developed into his debut novel, ‘Boy from the North Country’.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

33m 30s

Oct 5

Juhea Kim on stories woven from silence

Georgina Godwin speaks to Juhea Kim about her path from ballet to bestsellers, the inspirations behind her work, her passion for conservation and the television adaptation of her debut novel, ‘Beasts of a Little Land’. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

32m 2s

Sep 28

Priyanka Mattoo on the search for home

Writer and filmmaker Priyanka Mattoo joins Georgina Godwin following the release of her memoir, ‘Bird Milk & Mosquito Bones’, which details a journey of self-discovery and finding home in an ever-changing world.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

33m 10s

Sep 2024

The Romans and India with William Dalrymple

Ancient India was the single greatest trading partner of the Roman Empire. For centuries, Indian sailors navigated the Indian Ocean and Red Sea to bring goods, ideas and religious beliefs to the Greco-Roman ports based on the Egyptian coast. But how did this lucrative trade begin ... Show More

48 m

Sep 2024

183. The Poet Kings: Taking Hinduism to Southeast Asia

India’s transformation of the ancient world is indisputable, and tangible evidence of this can be found in the magnificent Hindu and Buddhist temples scattered across the landscapes of South East Asia. But what was the process by which India transported its vast empire of art, cu ... Show More

50m 35s

Jul 2024

Steven E. Lindquist, "The Literary Life of Yājñavalkya" (SUNY Press, 2024)

In The Literary Life of Yājñavalkya (SUNY Press, 2024), Steven E. Lindquist investigates the intersections between historical context and literary production in the "life" of Yājñavalkya, the most important ancient Indian literary figure prior to the Buddha. Known for his sharp t ... Show More

1h 4m

Nov 2023

Montaigne: Philosopher of the French Renaissance

Centuries before Proust's Remembrance of Things Past took us on a tour of memory and James Joyce played with stream of consciousness, a 16th century nobleman - Michel de Montaigne - developed a wholly new style of reflective prose that examined his place in the world. His thought ... Show More

44m 18s

Dec 2024

208. Humayun Reconquers India

Kicked out of India, Humayun roams the desert as a nomad, accompanied by his young pregnant wife, his court poets, and his library camels. Sher Shah has taken his throne and the Mughal Empire seems as though it will end soon after it had begun. But Humayun does not give up, he se ... Show More

54m 12s

Apr 2023

Alexander Jabbari, "The Making of Persianate Modernity: Language and Literary History between Iran and India" (Cambridge UP, 2023)

Alexander Jabbari’s The Making of Persianate Modernity: Language and Literary History between Iran and India (Cambridge University Press, 2023) narrates the cultural and literary history of one of the world's most significant yet understudied lingua francas. From the ninth to the ... Show More

1h 16m

Sep 2024

Ancient India and China: from golden to silk roads

The best-selling historian William Dalrymple presents India as the great superpower of ancient times in The Golden Road: How Ancient India Transformed the World. He argues that for more than a millennium India art, religions, technology, astronomy, music and mathematics spread fa ... Show More

42m 10s

Jun 2024

613 Celebrating the Book-Makers (with Adam Smyth) | My Last Book with Christopher de Hamel

Books are beloved objects, earning lots of praise as amazing pieces of technology and essential contributors to a civilized society. And yet, we often take these cultural miracles for granted. Who's been making these things for the last several centuries? How have they influenced ... Show More

1h 1m