Michael Dirda tells Anne Strainchamps that modern readers of Beowulf owe a great deal to J.R.R. Tolkien.
Intelligent. Optimistic. Curious.
Audio
Getting lost has many meanings and sometimes it’s a good thing if it allows you to go beyond your own constraints and comfort zones.
Sir Ian McKellen is heard first, reading from the novel "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver. It's part of her "Chronicles of Ancient Darkness" series, set 6000 years ago.
Psychologist Justin Barett thinks most children have a natural aptitude for religious belief. He says it's not surprising that so many people believe in spirits or supernatural beings.
Richard Harwood talks with Anne Strainchamps about the quality of authenticity as the public perceives it in politicians.
Muhammad Yunus founded the Grameen Bank which pioneered the practice of micro-lending as a way for poor people to start their own businesses.
“The Unraveling of Mercy Louis" tells the fascinating story of a community that’s nearly torn apart following the discovery of an abandoned baby in a dumpster. A witch hunt ensures and the girls at a local high school soon begin developing mysterious twitches and tics, which quickly intensify. Eventually, the girls in the town are acting as if they’re possessed, thrashing around on the floor or grunting like animals. As strange as it all sounds, Parssinen says the book was inspired by a real episode of mass hysteria in Le Roy, New York.
Philip Nel talks about “The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T.” It was the first Dr. Seuss film, made in 1952.
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