Simon Montefiore is the author of “Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar.” He says Stalin was more complex than we thought, but still a monster.
Intelligent. Optimistic. Curious.
Audio
The first stories in "Thousand and One Nights" were written down in the ninth century. They’ve been added to over the years. In some ways, it’s not so much a book as a living river of stories. Some of the most recent additions come from the celebrated novelist Salman Rushdie.
You can also hear many more interviews with Rushdie.
Ziauddin Sardar, a London based scholar and cultural critic, tells Steve what’s needed now is “an Islamic science” and explains what that is.
South African singer/songwriter Vusi Mahlasela talks with Steve Paulson about his experiences singing political music during the time of Apartheid.
“Should Scotland be an independent country?” That was the question on the September 18th referendum across the nation of Scotland. The NO side won, with 55% against independence. But how do the YES voters feel?
The most popular baby names in the US last year were Noah and Emma. We know that because 20 years ago, Michael Shackleford wrote a computer program to track the annual popularity of baby names. Expectant parents everywhere should thank him.
Terry Tempest Williams adores Thoreau. She says his passion for social justice and his love of nature are intimately connected.
Steven Biel talks about Grant Woods' iconic American painting: who the models were; how the painting's been received and why it's so often parodied.
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