Valis and Philip K Dick

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

• 44 mins

Sankofa and Afrofuturism

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

• 44 mins

Sleep

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

• 44 mins

Eliza Flower and non-conformist thinking

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

• 44 mins

Robert Aickman

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

• 44 mins

Korea and Japan

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

• 44 mins

African identity via China and photography

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

• 44 mins

The Imperial War Museum Remembrance discussion 2023

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

• 44 mins

Shakespeare as inspiration

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

• 44 mins

How and why we talk

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

• 44 mins

Food

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

• 44 mins

Women, art and activism

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

• 44 mins

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.

• 44 mins

Sam Selvon and The Lonely Londoners

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

• 44 mins

Postwar Germany

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

• 44 mins

Lorca

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

• 44 mins

Libraries

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

• 44 mins

Kadare, Gospodinov, Kafka and Dickens

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

• 44 mins

Humboldt, soil, gardens and Frank Walter

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

• 44 mins

Narnia and CS Lewis

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

• 44 mins

JG Ballard's Crash

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

• 44 mins

The Life of Objects

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

• 44 mins

Margaret Cavendish

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

• 44 mins

Harry Belafonte's career

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

• 44 mins

Prize Winners 2023

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

• 44 mins

Greek myth, goddesses and art

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

• 44 mins

Dickens, Disney and copyright

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

• 44 mins

Travel, pleasure and peril

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

• 44 mins

Game playing

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

• 44 mins

Essay writing

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

• 44 mins