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Free Thinking Episodes

  1.

    Essay writing

    From Montaigne to modern Scottish writing - Rana Mitter discusses what makes a good essay.

  2. Game playing

    Shahidha Bari finds out how to win at rock, paper, scissors and to make a Windrush game.

  3. Travel, pleasure and peril

    From preventing strangulation on the railways to guide maps and the art of travel posters.

  4. Dickens, Disney and copyright

    Matthew Sweet looks at copyright rules for Mickey Mouse and Dickens in C19th America.

  5. Greek myth, goddesses and art

    From classic myths rewritten by Natalie Haynes to the art of John Craxton in Crete.

  6. Prize Winners 2023

    Nandini Das, Tania Branigan, Halik Kochanski, Ed Yong, John Vallaint talk to Rana Mitter

  7. Harry Belafonte's career

    The long career of the American singer, film star & activist with Matthew Sweet & guests.

  8. Margaret Cavendish

    Nandini Das and guests discuss the Duchess of Newcastle - philosopher, poet and scientist.

  9. The Life of Objects

    Timothy Morton, Steve Connor, Caroline Edwards and Rachele Dini talk to Lisa Mullen.

  10. JG Ballard's Crash

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

  11. Narnia and CS Lewis

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

  12. Humboldt, soil, gardens and Frank Walter

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

  13. Kadare, Gospodinov, Kafka and Dickens

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

  14. Libraries

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

  15. Lorca

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

  16. AS Byatt and The Children's Book

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

  17. Postwar Germany

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

  18. Sam Selvon and The Lonely Londoners

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

  19. 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.

  20. Women, art and activism

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

  21. Food

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

  22. How and why we talk

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

  23. Shakespeare as inspiration

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

  24. The Imperial War Museum Remembrance discussion 2023

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

  25. African identity via China and photography

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

  26. Korea and Japan

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

  27. Robert Aickman

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

  28. Eliza Flower and non-conformist thinking

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

  29. Sleep

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

  30. Sankofa and Afrofuturism

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

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