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Free Thinking Episodes

  1.

    JG Ballard's Crash

    Iain Sinclair, Mark Blacklock, Muriel Zagha and Jo Stanley join Matthew Sweet.

  2. Narnia and CS Lewis

    Exploring the literary and theological terrain of C.S. Lewis's Narnia

  3. Humboldt, soil, gardens and Frank Walter

    Jago Cooper, Barbara Paca, Jim Scown and Camilla Allen talk trees, soil, art and advocacy.

  4. Kadare, Gospodinov, Kafka and Dickens

    Lea Ypi and Roger Luckhurst join Matthew Sweet to look at novels, dreams and bureaucracy.

  5. Libraries

    From Alexandria to mid-Wales, Laurence Scott and guests look at library history.

  6. Lorca

    As the National Theatre stages The House of Bernarda Alba, Rana Mitter discusses Lorca

  7. AS Byatt and The Children's Book

    AS Byatt discussed her writing life with Matthew Sweet as she published a novel in 2009.

  8. Postwar Germany

    Forging the modern German nation from the moral and material ruins of World War II.

  9. Sam Selvon and The Lonely Londoners

    Selvon's evocative 1956 novel discussed at the British Library by Shahidha Bari & guests.

  10. Ursula Le Guin and The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas

    Naomi Alderman, Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson and others discuss the politics of this 1973 fable.

  11. Women, art and activism

    Naomi Paxton and guests on exhibitions at Tate Britain, the Barbican and Modern Art Oxford

  12. Food

    Lisa Mullen hears about new research into eating habits and ideas about hospitality.

  13. How and why we talk

    John Gallagher hears about Gaelic consonants, tongue shapes and accent prejudice

  14. Shakespeare as inspiration

    From Bollywood films and Pre-Raphaelite art to productions of Shakespeare in places at war

  15. The Imperial War Museum Remembrance discussion 2023

    As the IWM unveils its new art galleries, Anne McElvoy & guests discuss photographing war

  16. African identity via China and photography

    Teju Cole, Noo Saro-Wiwa and Tate curator Osei Bonsu talk to Laurence Scott.

  17. Korea and Japan

    Chris Harding reads from Yu Miri's new novel, The End of August.

  18. Robert Aickman

    On Halloween, Matthew Sweet & guests discuss supernatural fiction, conservation and canals

  19. Eliza Flower and non-conformist thinking

    Matthew Sweet hears about research into the singer and friend of JS Mill feat. live songs!

  20. Sleep

    John Gallagher gets sleeping tips from research pioneers and early modern history

  21. Sankofa and Afrofuturism

    Curator Ekow Eshun, academic Sarah Jilani and sculptor Zak Ov茅 with Shahidha Bari.

  22. Valis and Philip K Dick

    A weirdly autobiographical science fiction novel from 1981, inspired by hallucinations.

  23. Humours and the body

    From mitochondria and 16th-century cancer treatments to breath, blood and Bach cantatas.

  24. Victorian colour, jewellery and metalwork

    Nandini Das visits Colour Revolution at the Ashmolean in Oxford and talks to a jeweller.

  25. Being Blonde

    Matthew Sweet and Professor Lynda Nead explore links between Diana Dors and Ruth Ellis.

  26. The Frieze/Radio 3 Museum Directors Debate 2023

    Directors of the National Portrait Gallery, London and MACBA, Barcelona join Anne McElvoy

  27. Art, Kew, a symphony and nature

    Artist Mat Collishaw, composer Jimmy L贸pez Bellido, academics Vid Simoniti and Sarah Casey

  28. Faith, consciousness and creating meaning in life

    Philosophers Daniel Dennett, Philip Goff, podcaster Liz Oldfield & a faith museum curator.

  29. Refuge and National Poetry Day

    Poets Momtaza Mehri, Julianknxx and historian Jes煤s Sanjurjo join Matthew Sweet.

  30. Slavic culture and myth

    Matthew Sweet looks at the origins of creatures like Baba Yaga, Banniks and Rusalkas.

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