In his new book “Better Living Through Criticism,” A.O. Scott distills his decades-long career into a simple to read manifesto that not only explains the qualities of a good critic, but argues their fundamental importance to any culture.
Intelligent. Optimistic. Curious.
Audio
Anne Karpf tells Steve Paulson our voices communicate all sorts of things, which listeners can understand even if they don't speak the same language.
Though names like Mother Ann Lee and Charles Fourier are not names that ring a bell for most today, they founded two of the most influential utopian movements in US history. 19th Century communes like the Shakers and Brook Farm are gone today their legacy – politically and culturally, are all around us. Chris Jennings is the author of “Paradise Now: The Story of American Utopianism.” Steve Paulson sat down with Jennings and asked him about what is now a dirty word, utopia.
Albert Glinsky is the author of “Theremin: Ether Music and Espionage.” The book is a biography of Leon Theremin and a history of the instrument that bears his name.
Philosopher Alva Noe says it's a mistake to regard consciousness as strictly a product of our brain. He says consciousness is something we do.
Andrew Solomon talks with Steve Paulson about his own experience with depression, and why depressive illness is becoming more common.
Worried about getting old? Amy Gorman was, so she went looking for inspiration among old women - some who were over 100.
Philosopher Lars Svendsen talks about how fashion--the search for the new, for the sake of novelty--was born during the early renaissance, with the rise of Modern individuality. He says fashion shapes not just the clothes we wear, but almost every part of our lives.
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