Free Thinking Episodes Episode guide
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Narcissism: Will Storr, Olivia Sudjic, Tom Jackson and Sophie Scott
Shahidha Bari and Laurence Scott explore our perceived obsession with the self.
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Will Self, RD Laing, Mandy
Will Self talks to Matthew Sweet about his new novel. Plus a film about RD Laing.
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Political Sketch Writing, Enclosure Acts, Emma Butcher on Branwell Bronte, Pushkin House Book Prize
Anne McElvoy and guests explore the style of the election and the job of sketch writers.
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Revenge: My Cousin Rachel, Natalie Haynes, Islam Issa
Matthew Sweet discusses the film My Cousin Rachel and explores revenge in Shakespeare.
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Arundhati Roy
The Man Booker Prize-winning author and campaigner is in conversation with Philip Dodd.
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Hay Festival 2017: Writing history with Sebastian Barry, Jake Arnott, Madeleine Thien
At 2017's Hay Festival, Sarah Dillon chairs a discussion about writing history.
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Ecstasy, Carpe Diem, Hetta Howes on medieval ecstasy
Jules Evans and Roman Krznaric join Rana Mitter to discuss living in the moment.
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Hay 2017: Women's Voices in the Classical World
Catherine Fletcher introduces a discussion recorded at 2017's Hay Festival.
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Artist Tom Phillips at 80, How do we save our plants?
Artist Tom Phillips talks to Philip Dodd about his career as he marks his 80th birthday.
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Japan and Korea, Hokusai
Chris Harding discusses the work of Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai.
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Bella Bathurst, Mike Figgis, Birds in British literature, 2017 New Generation Thinker Daisy Fancourt on music and health
Matthew Sweet explores deafness, plot twists, birds in books & how music is good for you
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Fiona Shaw and Mark Ravenhill on Brecht, John Knox, Joanne Paul
Philip Dodd discusses speaking truth to power and the beliefs of John Knox and Galileo.
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Rachel Seiffert, James Hawes, Richard Nelson, 2017 New Generation Thinker Alistair Fraser on gangs.
Anne McElvoy and her guests discuss German-Russian history, US electioneering and crime.
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Artist Taryn Simon. Deglobalisation. 2017 New Generation Thinker Eleanor Lybeck on the circus.
With artist Taryn Simon, a discussion about circuses and a debate about 'deglobalisation'.
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Laurent Binet, France, Blockchains
With novelist Laurent Binet, a discussion about France, and blockchain technology.
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Angels in America, Salomé, Queer British Art.
Philip Dodd looks at desire and politics as Angels in America runs at the National Theatre
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Wolfson History Prize
Rana Mitter is joined by the six authors shortlisted for the 2017 Wolfson History Prize.
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Breaking Free: Landmark - Paradise Lost
John Carey, Mandy Green, Islam Issa and Joe Moshenska discuss Milton's Paradise Lost.
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Breaking Free - How the Reformation Changed British Daily Life
Rana Mitter discusses research into the way life changed in Britain after the Reformation.
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Breaking Free - Martin Luther's Revolution
Peter Stanford, Ulinka Rublack and Diarmaid MacCulloch discuss Martin Luther.
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Wellcome Book Prize, Civil Wars: Susan Buck-Morss and AC Grayling, Louisa Egbunike and Akachi Ezeigbo.
Anne McElvoy discusses nation states and war with AC Grayling and Susan Buck-Morss.
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What now for environmentalism? With Paul Kingsnorth, James Thornton and Martin Goodman
Writer Paul Kingsnorth talks about his changing attitude to the environmental movement.
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Smell: Michele Roberts, A history of dentistry.
Matthew Sweet is joined by writer Michele Roberts, who talks about her latest novel.
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Free Thinking at Uproot Festival
Author David Mark and poet Adelle Stripe join Matthew Sweet and an audience at Hull Truck.
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Rodney Graham at Baltic, The Amber Collective
New Generation Thinker Shahidha Bari visits exhibitions opening in Gateshead and Newcastle
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Images of America
As London hosts two exhibitions of American art, Anne McElvoy discusses the American Dream
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Michael Lewis
Author Michael Lewis joins Matthew Sweet to explore risk-taking in sport and in finance.
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Neglected Women: Lady Mary Wroth, Margaret Cavendish, Charlotte Robinson
Anne McElvoy and guests including Tracy Chevalier on women neglected in standard histories
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Landmark: The Prince
Philip Dodd and guests explore the continuing relevance of Machiavelli's The Prince.