The Essay Podcast
Leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond, themed across a week - insight, opinion and intellectual surprise.
Episodes to download
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Dan Cruikshank on Robert Adam—Georgian Portraits
Fri 2 May 2014
5/5 Dan Cruikshank on the work of neo-classical architect and interior designer Robert Adam.
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Martin Rowson on William Hogarth—Georgian Portraits
Thu 1 May 2014
4/5 Writer and cartoonist Martin Rowson discusses the satiric genius of William Hogarth.
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Amanda Vickery on Elizabeth Parker Shackleton—Georgian Portraits
Wed 30 Apr 2014
3/5 Historian Amanda Vickery explores the life of Elizabeth Parker Shackleton.
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Ian Kelly on David Garrick—Georgian Portraits
Tue 29 Apr 2014
2/5 Actor and writer Ian Kelly explores the life and times of David Garrick.
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Claire Tomalin on Dora Jordan—Georgian Portraits
Mon 28 Apr 2014
1/5 Claire Tomalin on the life of actress Dora Jordan, lover of the future King William IV.
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An Intimate History of the Bed—Furniture - A Personal History of Movable Objects
Fri 11 Apr 2014
5/5 Novelist Ian Sansom considers the symbolism of beds in literature, art and film.
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Old Mother Hubbard and the Cabinet of Curiosity: The Story of Storage—Furniture - A Personal History of Movable Objects
Thu 10 Apr 2014
4/5 Novelist Ian Sansom explores what cupboards and cabinets reveal about human nature.
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Je suis un table—Furniture - A Personal History of Movable Objects
Wed 9 Apr 2014
3/5 Ian Sansom explores the literary, philosophical and cultural history of the table.
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Who's Been Sitting in My Chair? Our Shadow Selves—Furniture - A Personal History of Movable Objects
Tue 8 Apr 2014
2/5 Ian Sansom examines our complex physical, mental and emotional relationship with the chair
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'Whereyouwanttogoto' - The Wardrobe and the Other World—Furniture - A Personal History of Movable Objects
Mon 7 Apr 2014
1/5 Novelist Ian Sansom explores the history and symbolism attached to wardrobes.
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Philip Hoare in Sholing—Springwalks
Fri 4 Apr 2014
5/5 Philip Hoare describes seeing many animals while walking at the water's edge in Sholing.
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Kirsty Gunn in Sutherland—Springwalks
Thu 3 Apr 2014
4/5 Kirsty Gunn describes the start of spring on a walk in Sutherland.
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John Walsh—Springwalks
Wed 2 Apr 2014
3/5 John Walsh recalls his observations on an early spring walk near a village called Steep.
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Ross Raisin in the Yorkshire Wolds—Springwalks
Tue 1 Apr 2014
2/5 Ross Raisin observes the onset of spring in the Yorkshire wolds.
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Michele Roberts in Poznan—Springwalks
Mon 31 Mar 2014
1/5 Michele Roberts walks through Poznan and is reminded of Persephone, goddess of spring.
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Sara Mohr-Pietsch on Hildegard of Bingen—Secret Admirers
Fri 21 Mar 2014
5/5 Radio 3 presenter Sara Mohr-Pietsch celebrates 12th-century composer Hildegard of Bingen.
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Martin Handley on Malcolm Arnold—Secret Admirers
Thu 20 Mar 2014
4/5 Radio 3 presenter Martin Handley celebrates English composer Malcolm Arnold.
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Lucie Skeaping on Thomas Ravenscroft—Secret Admirers
Wed 19 Mar 2014
3/5 Radio 3 presenter Lucie Skeaping celebrates Shakespeare's contemporary Thomas Ravenscroft.
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Tom Service on Arnold Bax—Secret Admirers
Tue 18 Mar 2014
2/5 Radio 3 presenter Tom Service celebrates the music of Scots-inspired composer Arnold Bax.
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Sarah Walker on John White—Secret Admirers
Mon 17 Mar 2014
1/5 Sarah Walker celebrates English experimentalist composer John White.
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Tolu Ogunlesi—Commonwealth Questions
Fri 14 Mar 2014
5/5 Poet and author Tolu Ogunlesi asks if young people in Lagos can relate to the Commonwealth
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Farah Ghuznavi—Commonwealth Questions
Thu 13 Mar 2014
4/5 Writer Farah Ghuznavi explains why she no longer sees the Commonwealth as an irrelevance.
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Noah Richler—Commonwealth Questions
Wed 12 Mar 2014
3/5 Author Noah Richler asks if Canada still needs ties like the Commonwealth.
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Fakir Aijazuddin—Commonwealth Questions
Tue 11 Mar 2014
2/5 Historian Fakir Aijazuddin on Pakistan's chequered relationship with the Commonwealth.
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Dr Sue Onslow—Commonwealth Questions
Mon 10 Mar 2014
1/5 Exploring the Commonwealth's history. Has it made a difference and does it have a future?
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Slate—Cornerstones
Fri 21 Feb 2014
4/4 Welsh poet Gillian Clarke counts the human cost of quarrying Snowdonia's ubiquitous slate.
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Granite—Cornerstones
Thu 20 Feb 2014
3/4 Sculptor Peter Randall-Page describes the obduracy of Dartmoor's granite boulders.
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Sandstone—Cornerstones
Wed 19 Feb 2014
2/4 Walker and geologist Ronald Turnbull reflects on sandstone's place in our landscapes.
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Limestone—Cornerstones
Tue 18 Feb 2014
1/4 Sue Clifford, co-founder of Common Ground, reflects on England's limestone landscapes.
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Lubna of Cordoba—The Islamic Golden Age
Mon 17 Feb 2014
20/20 Kamila Shamsie discusses Lubna of Cordoba, a female intellectual from the 10th century.
Death in Trieste
A 1760s murder still informs ideas about aesthetics, a certain sort of sex, and death.
Watch: My Deaf World
Five compelling experiences of what it is like to be deaf in 21st-century Britain.
The Book that Changed Me
Five figures from the arts and science introduce books that changed their lives and work.
Download The Essay
Download all the episodes from the series and listen at your leisure.
