Piers Vitebsky is an anthropologist who studies the Eveny or Reindeer People of Siberia. They depend on the reindeer for their survival. They keep herds of them for meat - but their connection goes even deeper. Vitebsky says that they also have personal, consecrated reindeer animal doubles, which they believe will die for them.
Intelligent. Optimistic. Curious.
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David Gessner discovered the American West as a young man, and the huge mountains and wide open spaces changed his life. He recently took a road trip through the West, following in the footsteps of two literary heroes, Edward Abbey and Wallace Stegner. Gessner says their books help us see the West in all its complexity.
Will Birch talks to Doug Gordon about the musical movement in Britain that set the stage for punk rock.
Thomas Chatterton Williams is a young writer who grew up listening to hip hop, but lost touch with the culture upon entering college.
When it comes to food, everyone seems to have an opinion. Producer Rehman Tungekar set out to gather some thoughts on what makes a good meal during a recent visit to Chicago’s Windy City Ribfest.
Samuel Clemens was an energetic and passionate man who traveled the world and created a new American idiom.
Stephen Hall is the author of critically-acclaimed histories of contemporary science, including “Merchants of Immortality: Chasing the Dream of Human Life Extension.”
Steve Paulson profiles savage literary critic Dale Peck. A collection of Peck’s reviews is called “Hatchet Jobs.”
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