Born from grief, exile, intellectual ferment and the ‘year
without a summer’, Frankenstein is a creation myth with its own creation
myth. Mary Shelley’s novel is a foundational work of science fiction, horror
and trauma narrative, and continues to spark reinvention and reinterpretation.
In their fourth conversation together, Adam Thirlwell and Marina Warner ... Show More
Jan 14
On Politics: Venezuela and the Trump Doctrine
In early January, the US military seized Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, in a display of force that echoed its numerous past interventions in Latin America. Yet in this case, Trump’s justifications for the action made no mention of democracy, but cited, among other things, ... Show More
1h 1m
Jul 2025
The Mother of Science Fiction: Inventing Frankenstein
<div>This week NPAD is on vacation, but as a special treat, we wanted to share an episode of our other podcast, Watch Her Cook, with you. This episode has a few surprising NPAD tie ins, and we are so excited to share it with you all. We will be back to our regularly scheduled Nat ... Show More
54m 31s
Sep 2024
Talking Shit with Elizabeth Oldfield: On Becoming Fully Alive
<p>In Episode 71, we are joined by Elizabeth Oldfield, a writer, thinker, bridge builder, and Christian working out of the UK. We discuss her new book Fully Alive, and the rich worldview which underlies it. Elizabeth challenges us to live our principles in our daily lives, and to ... Show More
1h 11m
Sep 2025
ON WRITING... With Salman Rushdie and Kazuo Ishiguro
Welcome to another special edition of How to Fail, where I revisit conversations from the How to Fail archives. Each week, we shine a light on a particular theme, hopefully offering inspiration, perspective and comfort through the words of past guests. This week’s theme is on wri ... Show More
24m 18s
Aug 2025
36: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
This episode provides an overview of Mary Shelley's novel, Frankenstein, detailing the framework narrative of Robert Walton's Arctic journey and his discovery of Victor Frankenstein, who then recounts his life story. The episode highlights Victor's idyllic childhood, his scientif ... Show More
12m 39s
Jul 2025
561. Scott Adams and Jordan Peterson
In this deeply personal interview, Dr. Jordan B. Peterson sits down with Scott Adams, cartoonist and creator of Dilbert, to explore the unlikely paths that shape a life—from illustrating a nationally syndicated hit comic to fatal illness and facing the metaphysical. Adams shares ... Show More
1h 24m
