The Essay Podcast
Leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond, themed across a week - insight, opinion and intellectual surprise.
Episodes to download
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South African Indian Food—From Biltong to Bobotie - Journeys in South African Cuisine
Thu 19 Jan 2023
Lindsay Johns introduces us to bunny chow, a curry dish invented in Durban.
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Coloured South African Food—From Biltong to Bobotie - Journeys in South African Cuisine
Wed 18 Jan 2023
Lindsay Johns introduces us to snoek, pickled fish and the Gatsby steak sandwich.
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White South African Food—From Biltong to Bobotie - Journeys in South African Cuisine
Tue 17 Jan 2023
Lindsay Johns finds out about the place of meat in white South African cuisines.
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Black South African Cuisine—From Biltong to Bobotie - Journeys in South African Cuisine
Mon 16 Jan 2023
Lindsay Johns samples the cuisines of South Africa’s Xhosa and Zulu township communities.
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Prepared Minds—Art and Uncertainty
Fri 13 Jan 2023
Margaret Heffernan explores the benefits of uncertainty in both life and art.
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Are we done?—Art and Uncertainty
Thu 12 Jan 2023
Margaret Heffernan explores how an artist knows when to stop.
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In the Bottom of the Well—Art and Uncertainty
Wed 11 Jan 2023
Margaret Heffernan explores how artists tolerate the fear of uncertainty.
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Where am I?—Art and Uncertainty
Tue 10 Jan 2023
Margaret Heffernan considers how artists use uncertainty when starting a new project.
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The Benefit of Doubt—Art and Uncertainty
Mon 9 Jan 2023
Margaret Heffernan explores how artists embrace uncertainty to create their work.
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A Dying Breed—Behind the Veil: The story of Irish nuns
Fri 6 Jan 2023
Convent-educated, lapsed Catholic Olivia O'Leary asks where all the Irish nuns have gone.
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The Rebels—Behind the Veil: The story of Irish nuns
Thu 5 Jan 2023
Convent-educated, lapsed catholic Olivia O'Leary asks where all the Irish nuns have gone.
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Class and the Convent—Behind the Veil: The story of Irish nuns
Wed 4 Jan 2023
Convent-educated, lapsed catholic Olivia O'Leary asks where all the Irish nuns have gone.
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Liberated Women—Behind the Veil: The story of Irish nuns
Tue 3 Jan 2023
Convent-educated, lapsed Catholic Olivia O'Leary asks where all the Irish nuns have gone.
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Chastity and Lots of Praying—Behind the Veil: The story of Irish nuns
Mon 2 Jan 2023
Convent-educated, lapsed Catholic Olivia O'Leary asks where all the Irish nuns have gone.
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In the Lives of Salmon—Postcards from the Floating Coast
Fri 16 Dec 2022
Bathsheba Demuth journeys to the Yukon River to investigate our relationship with salmon.
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In the Land of Reindeer—Postcards from the Floating Coast
Thu 15 Dec 2022
Bathsheba Demuth explores the impact of reindeers' sensitivity to the Arctic climate.
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In the Company of Walruses—Postcards from the Floating Coast
Wed 14 Dec 2022
Historian Bathsheba Demuth seeks human and animal traces in the Arctic ice and tundra.
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In the Country of Whales—Postcards from the Floating Coast
Tue 13 Dec 2022
Bathsheba Demuth examines how different Arctic peoples have valued bowhead whales.
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In the Minds of Dogs—Postcards from the Floating Coast
Mon 12 Dec 2022
Bathsheba Demuth looks at the shifting relationship between humans and dogs in the Arctic.
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Unspoken Communication—Listen Harder
Fri 2 Dec 2022
Actor Sophie Stone explores communication, performance and deaf identity.
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Ownership of Communication—Listen Harder
Thu 1 Dec 2022
Actor Sophie Stone explores communication, performance and deaf identity.
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Visibility as Communication—Listen Harder
Wed 30 Nov 2022
Actor Sophie Stone explores communication, performance and deaf identity.
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Forms of Communication—Listen Harder
Tue 29 Nov 2022
Actor Sophie Stone explores communication, performance and deaf identity.
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Communication Withheld—Listen Harder
Mon 28 Nov 2022
Actor Sophie Stone explores communication, performance and deaf identity.
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1970s, Into the Mainstream—Renewing the Past: The Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ and Early Music
Fri 4 Nov 2022
Nicholas Kenyon explores early music at the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ in the 1970s.
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1950s and 60s, Performance in Period Style—Renewing the Past: The Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ and Early Music
Thu 3 Nov 2022
Nicholas Kenyon explores early music at the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ in the 1950s and 60s.
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1940s, New Life for Old Music—Renewing the Past: The Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ and Early Music
Wed 2 Nov 2022
Nicholas Kenyon explores early music at the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ in the 1940s.
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1930s, Creating a National Music—Renewing the Past: The Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ and Early Music
Tue 1 Nov 2022
Nicholas Kenyon explores early music at the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ in the 1930s.
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1920s, Reviving Old Ayres—Renewing the Past: The Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ and Early Music
Mon 31 Oct 2022
Nicholas Kenyon explores early music at the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ in the 1920s.
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Diversity—The Beeb and the Bard
Fri 28 Oct 2022
Samuel West and Andrea Smith discuss diversity in Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ radio's productions of Shakespeare.
Death in Trieste
A 1760s murder still informs ideas about aesthetics, a certain sort of sex, and death.
Watch: My Deaf World
Five compelling experiences of what it is like to be deaf in 21st-century Britain.
The Book that Changed Me
Five figures from the arts and science introduce books that changed their lives and work.
Download The Essay
Download all the episodes from the series and listen at your leisure.
