All My Presidents

The Lucky and the Luckless - Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter

Michael Goldfarb tells the story of American presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan.

• 15 mins

All My Presidents

Talkin' 'bout My Generation - Bill Clinton and George W Bush

Michael Goldfarb discusses American presidents Bill Clinton and George W Bush.

• 15 mins

All My Presidents

The Bully Pulpit

Speeches by Presidents Eisenhower, Carter and Obama that have shaped modern US history.

• 15 mins

The Book that Changed Me

David Simon

Creator of the TV series The Wire David Simon on the book Let us Now Praise Famous Men.

• 15 mins

The Book that Changed Me

Pauline Black

Singer Pauline Black discusses Harper Lee's book To Kill a Mockingbird.

• 15 mins

The Book that Changed Me

Ben Anderson

Journalist Ben Anderson explains how The Autobiography of Malcolm X inspired him.

• 15 mins

The Book that Changed Me

Tacita Dean

Artist Tacita Dean on how Marguerite Yourcenar's book Fires changed her life and art.

• 15 mins

The Book that Changed Me

Sir Richard Eyre

Director Sir Richard Eyre on how he was inspired by Angus Calder's book The People's War.

• 15 mins

Letters to Writers

Dear Geoffrey Chaucer...

Novelist Ian Sansom fires off a letter to Geoffrey Chaucer...

• 15 mins

Letters to Writers

Dear Jonathan Swift...

Ian Sansom writes an imaginary letter to Jonathan Swift and interrogates him about his art

• 15 mins

Letters to Writers

Dear George Eliot...

Novelist Ian Sansom pens a missive to George Eliot...

• 15 mins

Letters to Writers

Dear Virginia Woolf...

A letter of apology to Virginia Woolf from novelist Ian Sansom.

• 15 mins

Letters to Writers

Dear Agatha Christie...

Novelist Ian Sansom has a theory to put to the Queen of Crime.

• 15 mins

The Mabinogion Revisited

An Introduction to the Mabinogion

Professor Sioned Davies introduces the early medieval Welsh tales of the Mabinogion.

• 15 mins

The Mabinogion Revisited

James Hawes

Author James Hawes discusses what the Mabinogion can teach us about storytelling.

• 15 mins

The Mabinogion Revisited

Gwyneth Lewis on the Tale of Blodeuwedd

Gwyneth Lewis reflects on the tale of Blodeuwedd: a woman conjured entirely of flowers.

• 15 mins

The Mabinogion Revisited

Jon Gower on the Role of Nature

What the Mabinogion stories can teach us about the role of nature in the Celtic mind.

• 15 mins

The Mabinogion Revisited

Horatio Clare on Lludd and Llefelys

Horatio Clare discusses the 12th-century tale of Lludd and Llefelys from the Mabinogion.

• 15 mins

Between the Essays

Prelude

Sophie Townsend explores what beginnings might be found when everything has ended.

• 15 mins

Between the Essays

Fugue

Michael Umney with a poetic exploration of the countryside, farming and false nostalgia.

• 15 mins

Between the Essays

Menuet

A musical radio piece about the empty space between people who were once very close.

• 15 mins

Between the Essays

Pavane

Sindre Leganger discusses living near a Norwegian mountain said to be about to collapse.

• 15 mins

Changing My Mind

Memory

Author Julian Barnes explores ideas of vacillation, uncertainty and memory.

• 15 mins

Changing My Mind

Words

Julian Barnes on how he uses words, asking what did they ever mean and what they mean now.

• 15 mins

Changing My Mind

Politics

Author Julian Barnes discusses his changing views about politics over the years.

• 15 mins

Changing My Mind

Books

Julian Barnes on his changing views about books and their authors, especially EM Forster.

• 15 mins

Changing My Mind

Time

Author Julian Barnes considers whether his perception of time has changed over the years.

• 15 mins

Christmas Close Up

New Life

John Wyatt on the fragility of new life and working on a neonatal ward at Christmas.

• 15 mins

Christmas Close Up

Star of Wonder

Space scientist Monica Grady reflects on the symbolic power of the Star of Bethlehem.

• 15 mins

Christmas Close Up

Nativity Characters - Beyond the Christian Story

What Jesus and Mary represent to Muslims beyond the story of the Incarnation.

• 15 mins