Be Fruitful and Multiply
Speakers: Elliot Jager, Simon Hattenstone In his provocative book, The Pater, Elliot Jager tackles a near-taboo topic: the Orthodox Jewish attitude towards infertility and what it feels like to be a childless Jewish man. In conversation with Guardian journalist Simon Hattenstone he also grapples with the concept of paternity and his complex relationship with his own father.
The Murderous History of Bible Translation
Speakers: Harry Freedman, Michael Ipgrave, Raphael Zarum Harry Freedman, Bishop Michael Ipgrave and Rabbi Raphael Zarum analyse the surprising damage inflicted by troublesome translations. The Bible has been translated more than any other book in any language and, astonishingly, controversial translations underlie a large number of religious conflicts that have plagued the world.
The Maisky Diaries
Speakers: Gabriel Gorodetsky, John Thornhill, Henry Goodman The diaries of Ivan Maisky, Soviet Ambassador to the UK from 1932-43, discovered and scrupulously edited by Professor Gabriel Gorodetsky, offer unprecedented insight into events surrounding the Second World War. Maisky enjoyed unique access to key players in British public life – politicians, diplomats, press barons, intellectuals and royalty […]
Human Rights and Values for Our Times
Speakers: Francesca Klug, Helena Kennedy, Susan Neiman Francesca Klug, Helena Kennedy and Susan Neiman invite us to consider what is distinctive about the ethics and practice of human rights, exploring such topics as Enlightenment values and what constitutes a just and fair society.
This is London
Speakers: Ben Judah, Josh Glancy In This is London: Life and Death in the World City, Ben Judah takes the lid off a new London, where over one-third of its population are immigrants, immersing himself in their sometimes hidden worlds. From the richest to the poorest, he takes us on a tour of this ever-changing city, also asking […]
Life Moves Pretty Fast
Speakers: Hadley Freeman, Francesca Segal Hadley Freeman in conversation with award-winning author Francesca Segal on her latest book, Life Moves Pretty Fast.
How Human Values Evolve
Speakers: Ian Morris, Michael Cox Professor Ian Morris draws on archaeology, anthropology, biology and history to put forward a compelling new argument about the root of civilisations. Civilisations and their values, Morris argues, are driven by the most basic force of all: energy. His theory not only sheds light on the past, but also intimates the shape […]
The Romanovs: Rise and Fall
Speakers: Kate Williams, Simon Sebag Montefiore The Romanovs were the most successful dynasty of modern times, ruling a sixth of the world’s surface. How did one family turn a war-ruined principality into the world’s greatest empire? And how did they lose it all? This is the intimate story of twenty tsars and tsarinas, some touched by […]
Judy Blume: In The Unlikely Event
Speakers: Judy Blume, Sarah Churchwell Judy Blume talks to Sarah Churchwell about the 50s, writing for Young Adults and her new book In the Unlikely Event.
How Britain Fell in Love with Middle Eastern Food
Talented Israeli and Jewish chefs Tomer Amedi, Sarit Packer, Itamar Srulovitch and Josh Katz discuss Middle Eastern cooking with Jay Rayner. An event from 2015 Jewish Book Week.
Going Behind Closed Doors: Judging Book Prizes
Speakers: Lisa Appignanesi, Natalie Haynes, Sam Leith, Erica Wagner, Glaser Lisa Appignanesi, Natalie Haynes, Sam Leith and Erica Wagner talk with Daniel Glaser on the decisions behind choosing the winners of some of the biggest English Language book prizes.
George Prochnik on Stefan Zweig and Exile
Speakers: George Prochnik,Erica Wagner George Prochnik’s family fled Austria in the 1930s, at the same time as Stefan Zweig turned his back on Vienna for the last time. In The Impossible Exile: Stefan Zweig at the End of the World, Prochnik muses on the consequences of exile for Zweig and other émigré writers, such as […]