English writer and social critic
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A Christmas Gift, From Your Hosts, Jim and Kit Caren!Back by Popular Demand:On this episode, we feature our Seventh presentation of the 1939 radio broadcast of "A Christmas Carol", by Charles Dickens, featuring the voices of Orson Welles and Lionel Barrymore. Complete, and uncut.ENJOY !!!Merry Christmas! Support this podcast====HISTORICAL REFERENCES:A Christmas Carol, The Campbell Playhouse, CBS Radio Network, December 24, 1939 (radio play, audio).O'Leary, Dorothy, Barrymore's Scrooge, New York Times, December 21, 1947 (interview with Lionel Barrymore).Chesteron, G.K., The Wrong Books at Christmas, Illustrated London News, January 09, 1909 (column / commentary).Dickens, Charles, A Christmas Carol (1843) (complete text of book). PLEASE NOTE: The radio play is a shortened and adapted version of the book. We claim NO ownership interest in any of the above material - whether audio or print.====GUEST VOICES:Lionel Barrymore - Pete Lutz, voice artist and producer, Narada Radio Company, an audiodrama podcast.G.K. Chesterton - Logan Smith - free-lance professional voice actor.====MISCELLANEOUS:Exit Aphorism (voice) – Kit Caren, co-host Forgotten News Podcast.Host Intro – Nina Innsted, host of the Already Gone podcast.Exit Aphorism - Source: Author Unknown====MUSIC:Kevin MacLeod of Incompetech.com – Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses / by 3.0 At RestAt RestI Knew A GuyAll Sound Effects & Short Instrumentals Are From Freesound.org , Or the Public Domain. ====HEY! CONTACT US!E-Mail: ForgottenNewsPodcast@gmail.com FNP Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/Forgotten-News-Podcast Kit Caren's Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/people/Kit-Caren/100085459732466X - formerly known as Twitter:@NewsForgotten@KitCaren
The curator and executive director of the AKC Museum of the Dog recalls one owned by Charles Dickens. "It was a Maltese that was so flea-ridden, they regularly had to shave him and bathe him to get rid of all the fleas." The dog, not Dickens. I think. Dogs in art, ethics, and history. Music: Dorian's Room—Jonathan Stutz, Madeline Nickerson, Fae Hartt.
We answer your calls with Vaughn Vreeland (of New York Times Cookie Week fame) to help you bake the best cookies of the season; historian Pen Vogler breaks down classic Christmas dishes featured in Charles Dickens' stories, from turkey to plum pudding; author Kat Lieu shares her recipe for Old-Fashioned Cantonese Shortbread; and reporter Mackenzie Martin shares the true story of a Wisconsin holiday tradition, the wildcat sandwich.Get Kat Lieu's recipe for Old-Fashioned Cantonese Shortbread here. Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify
This week, a poet and musician draws inspiration from a distant family connection to the Grand Ole Opry's Little Jimmy Dickens.Also, for 15 years, a Virginia library has been hosting a weekly Dungeons & Dragons game for teens. It can get wacky.And, a taxidermist in Yadkin County, North Carolina found her calling before she could drive a car.
A lot of people who came of age listening to the Grand Ole Opry know Little Jimmy Dickens. With his clever songs and his rhinestone-studded outfits, the West Virginia native influenced a generation of performers. Now he's remembered in a new book of poetry. The post State Employee Pay Raises And Little Jimmy Dickens, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
This is a preview of a brand-new audiobook from the Noiser Podcast Network. Join Sir David Suchet as he reads a selection of Charles Dickens's most chilling short works, brought to life with sound design and original music. We'll encounter dark premonitions of disaster experienced by a lonely railway signalman… A Victorian murder trial cast into chaos when the dead man's ghost interrupts proceedings… And a sinister haunted hotel, where twelve identical spirits stalk the corridors… But first, a very special festive gift: Dickens's most beloved ghost story of all, A Christmas Carol. You can listen to Part 2 of A Christmas Carol straight after this. Just search for Charles Dickens Ghost Stories in your podcast app or listen at www.noiser.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
‘The Muppet Christmas Carol' underwhelmed at the box office when it was first released on 11th December, 1992 - but found its audience on video and DVD in the decades later, becoming a gold-plated Christmas classic, re-watched by families, year after year. There was darkness behind the scenes - from the sudden death of Muppets creator Jim Henson, to the legal wrangling over Disney's acquisition deal for his company, and composer Paul Williams's return from a difficult decade of addiction. But, despite this, or, perhaps, because of it, 28 year-old first-time director Brian Henson delivered a faithful and enduring adaptation of Charles Dickens's novel. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly discover how Steve Whitmire shouldered the daunting job of playing Kermit for the first time; consider Michael Caine's masterstroke performance as Scrooge (‘as if playing opposite the Royal Shakespeare Company'); and reveal how Jerry Juhl's script shifted from comedy pastiche to heartfelt musical… Further Reading: • ‘‘You'll never see Michael Caine blink': An oral history of The Muppet Christmas Carol at 30' (The Independent, 2022): https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/the-muppet-christmas-carol-brian-henson-b2243015.html • ‘The Muppet Christmas Carol movie review' (Roger Ebert, 1992): https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-muppet-christmas-carol-1992 • ‘The Muppet Christmas Carol Trailer #1' (Disney, 1992): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNo-Q0IDJi0 #90s #Film #Christmas #Heartwarming Thanks so much for supporting the show! We massively appreciate it. The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill. Edit producer: Ollie Peart Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Dickens' A Christmas Carol stands out strongly from his other works, but not because it's so different, really, in what it hopes to accomplish. Critiquing society, drawing attention to the world outside the doors of the wealthy in Victorian England, hoping to create social change... this was Dickens. But it's in A Christmas Carol that he condenses this message and provides joy in equal measure with distress. I've read a lot of Dickens, though I never did quite manage to finish Bleak House even after carrying it around for months, but it's A Christmas Carol that most stays with me, and that most feels like a doable add to a high school curriculum filled with many voices. At the same time, we can't talk about A Christmas Carol without considering how it centers Christmas. If you're going to teach this book, consider how you can also acknowledge the many other holidays that happen in this season - Diwali, Hanukkah, Eid, Lunar New Year, and more. I recently redid all the imagery in my winter holiday maker project (snag it free here) because I realized that although I had tried to keep Christmas from dominating, it was still too red and green. Take a look at the simple changes I was able to make (below) to create a more inclusive project, featuring imagery from many holiday traditions. And if you'd like to explore more inclusive holiday activities, you can find a bunch in this round up blog post. But to come back to Dickens, I think it's important to use the vehicle as a book to discuss Dickens' desire to use his art to create change, his context in Victorian England, and the transformation of his character, Scrooge, rather than seeing it as mainly a fun holiday activity, because of course, many students do not celebrate Christmas and so reading a Christmas story won't necessarily feel like a fun holiday activity to them. IKYK. OK, with all this said, let's dive in to five creative activities you can use with this text, whether you choose to read the play, watch the movie, or some combination. Go Further: Explore alllll the Episodes of The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast. Launch your choice reading program with all my favorite tools and recs, and grab the free toolkit. Join our community, Creative High School English, on Facebook. Come hang out on Instagram. Enjoying the podcast? Please consider sharing it with a friend, snagging a screenshot to share on the 'gram, or tapping those ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ to help others discover the show. Thank you!
Matt Croke, Reed Martin, and Austin Tichenor remember the creation of the RSC's second radio show The Reduced Shakespeare Company Christmas in 1995, and how it paved the way for the RSC's eighth stage show The Ultimate Christmas Show (abridged). Matt, Reed, and Austin reveal their audio inspirations (like Firesign Theatre and 'Weird Al' Yankovic); how the new golden age of radio is called podcasts; how we failed to achieve novelty hit status with "Mrs. Santa Claus;" how we incorporated inside-baseball Ringling Brothers jokes and personal holiday memories; and how the heart the recording is its ten-minute reduction A Little Dickens: The Complete Christmas Carol (abridged); and how Austin went from playing parody Scrooge to playing the real guy for Chicago's Goodman Theatre. (Length 15:02) The post Remembering ‘Little Dickens' appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.
Jesuit Media Lab fellows Mike O'Connell and Renée Roden join host Mike Jordan Laskey to draft their favorite things about Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol." It's a celebration in honor of the Jesuit Media Lab's first published book -- a communal read-aloud version of the classic novella, formatted as a play. We're encouraging folks to gather with their friends, family, neighbors or fellow parishioners to read " A Christmas Carol" aloud. More on our version of "A Christmas Carol" and how you can host a read-aloud gathering: https://jesuitmedialab.org/weve-published-a-read-aloud-adaptation-of-a-christmas-carol-here-are-6-tips-for-hosting-your-own-communal-reading-party/ The scan of Dickens' own copy of the novella he used for public readings during his life: https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/e1951b10-d507-0136-fa03-60f81dd2b63c More about our Jesuit Media Lab fellows: https://jesuitmedialab.org/meet-the-first-ever-jesuit-media-lab-fellow-michael-oconnell-ph-d/ https://jesuitmedialab.org/meet-our-newest-jesuit-media-lab-fellow-renee-d-roden/ AMDG is a production of the Jesuit Media Lab, which is a project of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. www.jesuits.org/ www.beajesuit.org/ twitter.com/jesuitnews facebook.com/Jesuits instagram.com/wearethejesuits youtube.com/societyofjesus www.jesuitmedialab.org/
This is a preview of a brand-new audiobook from the Noiser Podcast Network. Join Sir David Suchet as he reads a selection of Charles Dickens's most chilling short works, brought to life with sound design and original music. We'll encounter dark premonitions of disaster experienced by a lonely railway signalman… A Victorian murder trial cast into chaos when the dead man's ghost interrupts proceedings… And a sinister haunted hotel, where twelve identical spirits stalk the corridors… But first, a very special festive gift: Dickens's most beloved ghost story of all, A Christmas Carol. You can listen to Part 2 of A Christmas Carol straight after this. Just search for Charles Dickens Ghost Stories in your podcast app or listen at www.noiser.com. Real Dictators will return on December 17th with the story of Jean-Bédel Bokassa. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
This is a preview of a brand-new audiobook from the Noiser Podcast Network. Join Sir David Suchet as he reads a selection of Charles Dickens's most chilling short works, brought to life with sound design and original music. We'll encounter dark premonitions of disaster experienced by a lonely railway signalman… A Victorian murder trial cast into chaos when the dead man's ghost interrupts proceedings… And a sinister haunted hotel, where twelve identical spirits stalk the corridors… But first, a very special festive gift: Dickens's most beloved ghost story of all, A Christmas Carol. You can listen to Part 2 of A Christmas Carol straight after this. Just search for Charles Dickens Ghost Stories in your podcast app or listen at www.noiser.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol' is without a doubt the most well known ghost story ever written. But what most people don't realize is that the book contains references to a variety of paranormal phenomena. So, turn off your lights, sit back and join me as I take a deep dive into the paranormal in Dickens' masterpiece, 'A Christmas Carol'. Website: www.ConnecticutGhostHunter.com Contact: barrypirro@yahoo.com
Total War: Medieval III confirmed! Sony links with Left 4 Dead co-creator for a new shooter, and Amazon is building a "unified universe" for Tomb Raider. Plus, Dan Houser compares open-world games to Dickens. #gameburst
On three occasions, Charles Dickens would speak in Dublin. Each time huge crowds came to hear him speak in the Rotunda, with the crowds spilling out into Sackville Street and well beyond. A Christmas Carol was the highlight of all three tours. Beyond his readings, Dickens also wrote interesting letters from the city, comparing it favourably to London and Edinburgh. There was once a time when Dublin even had street names taken from the world of Dickens.
Magoo & Scrooge BH Sales Kennel Kelp Holistic Healing Hour Podcast "Visualizing Wellness: A Holistic Journey with Grandpa Bill" #SpotifyWellness, #HolisticLiving, #VisualHealing, #GrandpaBill,1.In this adaptation, how does Ebenezer Magoo-Scrooge differ from the traditional Dickens character at the beginning of the story?A.He is already a generous philanthropist giving millions to charity.B.He is a scientist obsessed with experiments.C.He is a miser who refuses to spend a single penny.D.He is a poor man struggling to make ends meet.Think about his interaction with Lumen regarding the Christmas hampers and donations.1.In this adaptation, how does Ebenezer Magoo-Scrooge differ from the traditional Dickens character at the beginning of the story?A.He is already a generous philanthropist giving millions to charity.B.He is a scientist obsessed with experiments.C.He is a miser who refuses to spend a single penny.D.He is a poor man struggling to make ends meet.Think about his interaction with Lumen regarding the Christmas hampers and donations3.Who represents the Ghost of Christmas Past, and what concept do they embody?A.His Mother; Family values.B.Queen Victoria; Imperial History.C.Florence Nightingale; Nursing and Care.D.Madame Curie; Foundational Science.She glows with the light of a specific radioactive element she discovered4.According to Madame Curie, why is 'simple charity' insufficient?A.It is too expensive to maintain long-term.B.it does not generate enough publicity.C.It makes the recipients lazy.D.It fixes the immediate injury but not the systemic flaw in knowledge.Think about the difference between treating a cut and understanding the machine that caused the cut.5.Who is the Ghost of Christmas Present and what is his main lesson?A.Santa Claus; Generosity should be anonymous.B.A News Anchor; Information must be unbiased.C.A Union Leader; Workers must unite.D.P.T. Barnum; Systemic justice requires spectacle and engagement.This ghost is associated with the 'Greatest Show on Earth'.6.What does P.T. Barnum suggest Magoo-Scrooge do with his resources?A.Create a media spectacle to shift policy and public will.B.Invest quietly in blue-chip stocks.C.Build more circuses for entertainment.D.Run for political office.He wants to turn justice into the 'Main Event' to influence lawmakers.7.Who is the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come?A.An elderly environmentalist.B.Adah, a college freshman and Java expert.C.A futuristic robot.D.The Grim Reaper.She carries a laptop and represents the digital youth.8.What is the 'Structural Secret' advocated by the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come?A.Deploying secure, scalable, autonomous systems like open-source models.B.Waiting for the future to fix itself.C.Banning all technology to return to nature.D.Asking the government to take over all charity.Think about modern tech buzzwords like 'blockchain', 'open-source', and 'scalability'.9.What is the name of the new institution Magoo-Scrooge founds?A.The Global Circus of Science.B.The Magoo-Scrooge Institute for Foundational Structural Change.C.The Ebenezer Benevolence Society.D.The Christmas Spirit Foundation.The name combines his identity with the core concept of fixing the system's roots.10.How does the final ambition of Magoo-Scrooge evolve regarding the 'fish' analogy?A.From giving fish to teaching men to fish.B.From eating fish to becoming a vegetarian.C.From catching fish to buying a fish market.D.From giving fish to building a sustainable ocean.It's not just about the food (fish) or the skill (fishing), but the ecosystem itself.
In this Write Big session of the #amwriting podcast, host Jennie Nash welcomes Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Jennifer Senior for a powerful conversation about finding, knowing, and claiming your voice.Jennifer shares how a medication once stripped away her ability to think in metaphor—the very heart of her writing—and what it was like to get that voice back. She and Jennie talk about how voice strengthens over time, why confidence and ruthless editing matter, and what it feels like when you're truly writing in flow.It's an inspiring reminder that your voice is your greatest strength—and worth honoring every time you sit down to write.TRANSCRIPT BELOW!THINGS MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST:* Jennifer's Fresh Air interview with Terry Gross: Can't Sleep? You're Not Alone* Atlantic feature story: What Bobby McIlvaine Left Behind* Atlantic feature story: The Ones We Sent Away* Atlantic feature story: It's Your Friends Who Break Your Heart* The New York Times article: Happiness Won't Save You* Heavyweight the podcastSPONSORSHIP MESSAGEHey, it's Jennie Nash. And at Author Accelerator, we believe that the skills required to become a great book coach and build a successful book coaching business can be taught to people who come from all kinds of backgrounds and who bring all kinds of experiences to the work. But we also know that there are certain core characteristics that our most successful book coaches share. If you've been curious about becoming a book coach, and 2026 might be the year for you, come take our quiz to see how many of those core characteristics you have. You can find it at bookcoaches.com/characteristics-quiz.EPISODE TRANSCRIPTJennie NashHi, I'm Jennie Nash, and you're listening to the Hashtag AmWriting Podcast. This is a Write Big Session, where I'm bringing you short episodes about the mindset shifts that help you stop playing small and write like it matters. This one might not actually be that short, because today I'm talking to journalist Jennifer Senior about the idea of finding and knowing and claiming your voice—a rather big part of writing big. Jennifer Senior is a staff writer at The Atlantic. She won the Pulitzer Prize for feature writing in 2022 and was a finalist again in 2024. Before that, she spent five years at The New York Times as both a daily book critic and a columnist for the opinion page, and nearly two decades at New York Magazine. She's also the author of a bestselling parenting book, and frequently appears on NPR and other news shows. Welcome, Jennifer. Thanks for joining us.Jennifer SeniorThank you for having me. Hey, I got to clarify just one thing.Jennie NashOh, no.Jennifer SeniorAll Joy and No Fun is by no means a parenting book. I can't tell you the first thing about how to raise your kids. It is all about how kids change their parents. It's all like a sociological look at who we become and why we are—so our lives become so vexed. I like, I would do these book talks, and at the end, everybody would raise their hand and be like, “How do I get my kid into Harvard?” You know, like, the equivalent obviously—they wouldn't say it that way. I'd be like; I don't really have any idea, or how to get your kid to eat vegetables, or how to get your kid to, like, stop talking back. But anyway, I just have to clarify that, because every time...Jennie NashPlease, please—Jennifer SeniorSomeone says that, I'm like, “Noooo.” Anyway, it's a sociology book. Ah, it's an ethnography, you know. But anyway, it doesn't matter.Jennie NashAll right, like she said, you guys—not what I said.Jennifer SeniorI'm not correcting you. It came out 11 years ago. There were no iPads then, or social media. I mean, forget it. It's so dated anyway. But like, I just...Jennie NashThat's so funny. So the reason that we're speaking is that I heard you recently on Fresh Air with Terry Gross, where you were talking about an Atlantic feature story that you wrote called “Why Can't Americans Sleep?” And this was obviously a reported piece, but also a really personal piece and you're talking about your futile attempts to fall asleep and the latest research into insomnia and medication and therapy that you used to treat it, and we'll link to that article and interview in the show notes. But the reason that we're talking, and that in the middle of this conversation, which—which I'm listening to and I'm riveted by—you made this comment, and it was a little bit of a throwaway comment in the conversation, and, you know, then the conversation moved on. But you talked about how you were taking a particular antidepressant you'd been prescribed, and this was the quote you said: “It blew out all the circuitry that was responsible for generating metaphors, which is what I do as a writer. So it made my writing really flat.” And I was just like, hold up. What was that like? What happened? What—everything? So that's why we're talking. So… can we go back to the very beginning? If you can remember—Jess Lahey actually told me that when she was teaching fifth and sixth grade, that's around the time that kids begin to grasp this idea of figurative language and metaphor and such. Do you remember learning how to write like that, like write in metaphor and simile and all such things?Jennifer SeniorOh, that's funny. Do I remember it? I remember them starting to sort of come unbidden in my—like they would come unbidden in my head starting maybe in my—the minute I entered college, or maybe in my teens. Actually, I had that thing where some people have this—people who become writers have, like, a narrator's voice in their head where they're actually looking at things and describing them in the third person. They're writing them as they witness the world. That went away, that narrator's voice, which I also find sort of fascinating. But, like, I would say that it sort of emerged concurrently. I guess I was scribbling a little bit of, like, short story stuff, or I tried at least one when I was a senior in high school. So that was the first time maybe that, like, I started realizing that I had a flair for it. I also—once I noticed that, I know in college I would make, you know, when I started writing for the alternative weekly and I was reviewing things, particularly theater, I would make a conscientious effort to come up with good metaphors, and, like, 50% of them worked and 50% of them didn't, because if you ever labor over a metaphor, there's a much lower chance of it working. I mean, if you come—if you revisit it and go, oh, that's not—you know, that you can tell if it's too precious. But now if I labor over a metaphor, I don't bother. I stop. You know, it has to come instantaneously or...Jennie NashOr that reminds me of people who write with the thesaurus open, like that's going to be good, right? That's not going to work. So I want to stick with this, you know, so that they come into your head, you recognize that, and just this idea of knowing, back in the day, that you could write like that—you… this was a thing you had, like you used the word “flair,” like had a flair for this. Were there other signs or things that led you to the work, like knowing you were good, or knowing when something was on the page that it was right, like, what—what is that?Jennifer SeniorIt's that feeling of exhilaration, but it's also that feeling of total bewilderment, like you've been struck by something—something just blew through you and you had nothing to do with it. I mean, it's the cliché: here I am saying the metaphors are my superpower, which my editors were telling me, and I'm about to use a cliché, which is that you feel like you're a conduit for something and you have absolutely nothing to do with it. So I would have that sense that it had almost come without conscious thought. That was sort of when I knew it was working. It's also part of being in a flow state. It's when you're losing track of time and you're just in it. And the metaphors are—yeah, they're effortless. By the way, my brain is not entirely fogged in from long COVID, but I have noticed—and at first I didn't really notice any decrements in cognition—but recently, I have. So I'm wondering now if I'm having problems with spontaneous metaphor generation. It's a little bit disconcerting. And I do feel like all SSRIs—and I'm taking one now, just because, not just because long COVID is depressing, but because I have POTS, which is like a—it's Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, and that's a very common sequela from long COVID, and it wipes out your plasma serotonin. So we have to take one anyway, we POTS patients. So I found that nicotine often helped with my long COVID, which is a thing—like a nicotine patch—and that made up for it. It almost felt like I was doping [laughing]. It made my writing so much better. But it's been...Jennie NashWait, wait, wait, this is so interesting.Jennifer SeniorI know…it's really weird. I would never have guessed that so much of my writing would be dampened by Big Pharma. I mean—but now with the nicotine patches, I was like, oh, now I get why writers are smoking until into the night, writing. Like, I mean, and I always wished that I did, just because it looked cool, you know? I could have just been one of those people with their Gitanes, or however you pronounce it, but, yeah.Jennie NashWow. So I want to come—I want to circle back to this in a minute, but let's get to the first time—well, it sounds like the first time that happened where you were prescribed an antidepressant and—and you recognized that you lost the ability to write in metaphor. Can you talk about—well, first of all, can you tell us what the medication was?Jennifer SeniorYeah, it was Paxil, which is actually notorious for that. And at the top—which I only subsequently discovered—those were in the days where there were no such things as Reddit threads or anything like that. It was 1999… I guess, no, eight, but so really early. That was the bespoke antidepressant at the time, thought to be more nuanced. I think it's now fallen out of favor, because it's also a b***h to wean off of. But it was kind of awful, just—I would think, and nothing would come. It was the strangest thing. For—there's all this static electricity usually when you write, right? And there's a lot of free associating that goes on that, again, feels a little involuntary. You know, you start thinking—it's like you've pulled back the spring in the pinball machine, and suddenly the thing is just bouncing around everywhere, and the ball wasn't bouncing around. Nothing was lighting up. It was like a dis… it just was strange, to be able to summon nothing.Jennie NashWow. So you—you just used this killer metaphor to describe that.Jennifer SeniorYeah, that was spontaneous.Jennie NashRight? So—so you said first, you said static, static energy, which—which is interesting.Jennifer SeniorYeah, it's... [buzzing sound]Jennie NashYeah. Yeah. Because it's noisy. You're talking about...Jennie SeniorOh, but it's not disruptive noise. Sorry, that might seem like it's like unwanted crackling, like on your television. I didn't really—yeah, maybe that's the wrong metaphor, actually, maybe the pinball is sort of better, that all you need is to, you know, psych yourself up, sit down, have your caffeine, and then bam, you know? But I didn't mean static in that way.Jennie NashI understood what you meant. There's like a buzzy energy.Jennifer SeniorYeah, right. It's fizz.Jennie NashFizz... that's so good. So you—you recognized that this was gone.Jennifer SeniorSo gone! Like the TV was off, you know?Jennie NashAnd did you...?Jennifer SeniorOr the machine, you know, was unplugged? I mean, it's—Jennie NashYeah, and did you? I'm just so curious about the part of your brain that was watching another part of your brain.Jennifer Senior[Laughing] You know what? I think... oh, that's really interesting. But are you watching, or are you just despairing because there's nothing—I mean, I'm trying to think if that's the right...Jennie NashBut there's a part of your brain that's like, this part of my brain isn't working.Jennifer SeniorRight. I'm just thinking how much metacognition is involved in— I mean, if you forget a word, are you really, like, staring at that very hard, or are you just like, s**t, what's the word? If you're staring at Jack Nicholson on TV, and you're like, why can't I remember that dude's name?Multiple speakers[Both laughing]Jennifer SeniorWhich happens to me far more regularly now, [unintelligible]… than it used to, you know? I mean, I don't know. There is a part of you that's completely alarmed, but, like, I guess you're right. There did come a point where I—you're right, where I suddenly realized, oh, there's just been a total breakdown here. It's never happening. Like, what is going on? Also, you know what would happen? Every sentence was a grind, like...Jennie NashOkay, so—okay, so...Jennifer Senior[Unintelligible]... Why is this so effortful? When you can't hold the previous sentence in your head, suddenly there's been this lapse in voice, right? Because, like, if every sentence is an effort and you're starting from nothing again, there's no continuity in how you sound. So, I mean, it was really dreadful. And by the way, if I can just say one thing, sorry now that—Jennie NashNo, I love it!Jennifer SeniorYeah. Sorry. I'm just—now you really got me going. I'm just like, yeah, I know. I'm sort of on a tear and a partial rant, which is Prozac—there came a point where, like, every single SSRI was too activating for me to sleep. But it was, of course, a problem, because being sleepless makes you depressed, so you need something to get at your depression. And SNRIs, like the Effexor's and the Cymbalta's, are out of the question, because those are known to be activating. So I kept vainly searching for SSRIs, and Prozac was the only one that didn't—that wound up not being terribly activating, besides Paxil, but it, too, was somewhat deadening, and I wrote my whole book on it.Jennie NashWow!Jennifer SeniorIt's not all metaphor.Multiple Speakers[both laughing]Jennifer SeniorIt's not all me and no—nothing memorable, you know? I mean, it's—it's kind of a problem. It was—I can't really bear to go back and look at it.Jennie NashWow.Jennie NashSo—so the feeling...Jennifer SeniorI'm really giving my book the hard sell, like it's really a B plus in terms of its pro…—I mean, you know, it wasn't.Jennie NashSo you—you—you recognize its happening, and what you recognize is a lack of fizzy, buzzy energy and a lack of flow. So I just have to ask now, presumably—well, there's long COVID now, but when you don't have—when you're writing in your full powers, do you—is it always in a state of flow? Like, if you're not in a state of flow, do you get up and go do something else? Like, what—how does that function in the life of a writer on a deadline?Jennifer SeniorOK. Well, am I always in a state of flow? No! I mean, flow is not—I don't know anyone who's good at something who just immediately can be in flow every time.Jennie NashYeah.Jennifer SeniorIt's still magic when it happens. You know, when I was in flow almost out of the gate every day—the McIlvaine stories—like, I knew when I hit send, this thing is damn good. I knew when I hit send on a piece that was not as well read, but is like my second or third favorite story. I wrote something for The New York Times called “Happiness Wont Save You,” about a pioneer in—he wrote one of the foundational studies in positive psychology about lottery winners and paraplegics, and how lottery winners are pretty much no happier than random controls found in a phone book, and paraplegics are much less unhappy than you might think, compared to controls. It was really poorly designed. It would never withstand the scrutiny of peer review today. But anyway, this guy was, like, a very innovative thinker. His name was Philip Brickman, and in 1982 at 38 years old, he climbed—he got—went—he found his way to the roof of the tallest building in Ann Arbor and jumped, and took his own life. And I was in flow pretty much throughout writing that one too.Jennie NashWow. So the piece you're referring to, that you referred to previous to that, is What Bobby McIlvaine Left Behind, which was a feature story in The Atlantic. It's the one you won the—Pul…Pulitzer for? It's now made into a book. It has, like...Jennifer SeniorAlthough all it is like, you know, the story between...Jennie NashCovers, right?Jennifer SeniorYeah. Yeah. Because—yeah, yeah.Jennie NashBut—Jennifer SeniorWhich is great, because then people can have it, rather than look at it online, which—and it goes on forever—so yeah.Jennie NashSo this is a piece—the subtitle is Grief, Conspiracy Theories, and One Family's Search for Meaning in the Two Decades Since 9/11—and I actually pulled a couple of metaphors from that piece, because I re-read it knowing I was going to speak to you… and I mean, it was just so beautifully written. It's—it's so beautifully structured, everything, everything. But here's a couple of examples for our listeners. You're describing Bobby, who was a 26-year-old who died in 9/11, who was your brother's college roommate.Jennifer SeniorAnd at that young adult—they—you can't afford New York. They were living together for eight years. It was four in college, and four—Jennie NashWow.Jennifer SeniorIn New York City. They had a two-bedroom... yeah, in a cheaper part... well, to the extent that there are cheaper parts in...Jennie NashYeah.Jennifer SeniorThe way over near York Avenue, east side, yeah.Jennie NashSo you write, “When he smiled, it looked for all the world like he'd swallowed the moon.” And you wrote, “But for all Bobby's hunger and swagger, what he mainly exuded, even during his college years, was warmth, decency, a corkscrew quirkiness.” So just that kind of language—a corkscrew quirkiness, like he'd swallowed the moon—that, it's that the piece is full of that. So that's interesting, that you felt in flow with this other piece you described and this one. So how would you describe—so you describe metaphors as things that just come—it just—it just happens. You're not forcing it—you can't force it. Do you think that's true of whatever this ineffable thing of voice—voices—as well?Jennifer SeniorOh, that's a good question. My voice got more distinct as I got older—it gets better. I think a lot of people's—writers'—powers wax. Philip Roth is a great example of that. Colette? I mean, there are people whose powers really get better and better, and I've gotten better with more experience. But do you start with the voice? I think you do. I don't know if you can teach someone a voice.Jennie NashSo when you say you've gotten better, what does that mean to you?Jennifer SeniorYeah. Um, I'm trying to think, like, do I write with more swing? Do I—just with more confidence because I'm older? Being a columnist…which is the least creative medium…Jennie NashYeah.Jennifer SeniorSeven hundred and fifty words to fit onto—I had a dedicated space in print. When David Leonhardt left, I took over the Monday spot, during COVID. So it's really, really—but what it forces you to do is to be very—your writing becomes lean, and it becomes—and structure is everything. So this does not relate to voice, but my—I was always pretty good at structure anyway. I think if you—I think movies and radio, podcasts, are, like, great for structure. Storytelling podcasts are the best thing to—I think I unconsciously emulate them. The McIlvaine story has a three-act structure. There's also—I think the podcast Heavyweight is sublime in that way.Jennie NashIs that Roxane Gay?Jennifer SeniorNo, no, no, no.Jennie NashOh, it's, um—Jennifer SeniorIt's Jonathan Goldstein.Jennie NashYes, got it. I'm going to write that down and link to that in our show notes.Jennifer SeniorIt's... I'm trying to think of—because, you know, his is, like, narratives, and it's—it's got a very unusual premise. But voice, voice, voice—well, I, you know, I worked on making my metaphors better in the beginning. I worked on noticing things, you know, and I worked on—I have the—I'm the least visual person alive. I mean, this is what's so interesting. Like, I failed to notice once that I had sat for an hour and a half with a woman who was missing an arm. I mean, I came back to the office and was talking—this is Barbara Epstein, who was a storied editor of The New York Review of Books, the story editor, along with Bob Silver. And I was talking to Mike Tomasky, who was our, like, city politic editor at the time. And I said to him, I just had this one—I knew she knew her. And he said, was it awkward? Was—you know, with her having one arm and everything? And I just stared at him and went one arm? I—I am really oblivious to stuff. And yet visual metaphors are no problem with me. Riddle me that, Batman. I don't know why that is. But I can, like, summon them in my head, and so I worked at it for a while, when my editors were responsive to it. Now they come more easily, so that seems to maybe just be a facility. I started noticing them in other people's writing. So Michael Ondaatje —in, I think it was In the Skin of a Lion, but maybe it was The English Patient. I've read, like, every book of his, like I've, you know— Running… was it Running in the Family? Running with the Family? I think it was Running in the—his memoir. And, I mean, doesn't—everything. Anil's Ghost—he— you know, that was it The Ballad of Billy the Kid? [The Collected Works of Billy the Kid] Anyway, I can go on and on. He had one metaphor talking about the evening being as serene as ink. And it was then that I realized that metaphors without effort often—and—or is that a simile? That's a simile.Jennie NashLike—or if it's “like” or “as,” it's a simile.Jennifer SeniorYeah. So I'm pretty good with similes, maybe more than metaphors. But... serene as ink. I realized that what made that work is that ink is one syllable. There is something about landing on a word with one syllable that sounds like you did not work particularly hard at it. You just look at it and keep going. And I know that I made a real effort to make my metaphors do that for a while, and I still do sometimes. Anything more than that can seem labored.Jennie NashOh, but that's so interesting. So you—you noticed in other people what worked and what you liked, and then tried to fold that into your own work.Jennifer SeniorYeah.Jennie NashSo does that mean you might noodle on—like, you have the structure of the metaphor or simile, but you might noodle on the word—Jennifer SeniorThe final word?Jennie NashThe final word.Jennifer SeniorYeah. Yeah, the actual simile, or whatever—yeah, I guess it's a simile—yeah, sometimes. Sometimes they—like I said, they come unbidden. I think I have enough experience now—which may make my voice better—to know what's crap. And I also, by the way, I'll tell you what makes your voice better: just being very willing to hit Select Alt, Delete. You know, there's more where that came from. I am a monster of self-editing. I just—I have no problem doing it. I like to do it. I like to be told when things are s**t. I think that improves your voice, because you can see it on the page.Jennie NashYeah.Jennifer SeniorAnd also, I think paying attention to other people's writing, you know, I did more and more of that, you know, reverse engineering stuff, looking at how they did stuff as I got older, so...Jennie NashSo I was going to ask a question, which now maybe you already answered, but the question was going to be… you said that you're—you feel like you're getting better as a writer as you got older. And you—you said that was due to experience. And I was going to ask, is it, or is it due to getting older? You know, is there something about literally living more years that makes you better, or, you know, like, is wisdom something that you just get, or is it something you work for? But I think what I'm hearing is you're saying you have worked to become the kind of writer who knows, you know, what you just said—you delete stuff, it comes again. But tell me if—you know, you welcome the kind of tough feedback, because you know that makes you better. You know, this sort of real effort to become better, it sounds like that's a practice you have. Is that—is that right?Jennifer SeniorOh yeah. I mean, well, let's do two things on that, please. I so easily lose my juju these days that, like, you've got to—if you can put a, you know, oh God, I'm going to use a cliché again—if you can put a pin in or bookmark that, the observation about, you know, harsh feedback. I want to come back to that. But yes, one of the things that I was going to keep—when I said that I have the confidence now, I also was going to say that I have the wisdom, but I had too many kind of competing—Jennie NashYeah. Yeah.Jennifer SeniorYou know, were running at once, and I, you know, many trains on many tracks—Jennie NashYeah, yeah.Jennifer Senior…about to leave, so…, Like, I had to sort of hop on one. But, like, the—the confidence and wisdom, yes, and also, like, I'll tell you something: in the McIlvaine piece, it may have been the first time I did, like, a narrative nonfiction. I told a story. There was a time when I would have hid behind research on that one.Jennie NashOoh, and did you tell a story. It was the—I remember reading that piece when it first came out, and there you're introducing, you know, this—the situation. And then there's a moment, and it comes very quickly at the top of the piece, where you explain your relationship to the protagonist of the story. And there's a—there's just a moment of like, oh, we're—we're really in something different here. There's really—is that feel of, this is not a reported story, this is a lived story, and that there's so many layers of power, I mean, to the story itself, but obviously the way that you—you present it, so I know exactly what you're talking about.Jennifer SeniorYeah, and by the way, I think writing in the first person, which I've been doing a lot of lately, is not something I would have done until now. Probably because I am older and I feel like I've earned it. I have more to say. I've been through more stuff. It's not, like, with the same kind of narcissism or adolescent—like, I want to get this out, you know. It's more searching, I think, and because I've seen more, and also because I've had these pent up stories that I've wanted to tell for a long time. And also I just don't think I would have had the balls, you know.Jennie NashRight.Jennifer SeniorSo some of it is—and I think that that's part of—you can write better in your own voice. If it's you writing about you, you're—there's no better authority, you know? So your voice comes out.Jennie NashRight.Jennifer SeniorBut I'm trying to think of also—I would have hid behind research and talked about theories of grief. And when I wrote, “It's the damnedest thing, the dead abandon you, and then you abandon the dead,” I had blurted that out loud when I was talking to, actually, not Bobby's brother, which is the context in which I wrote it, but to Bobby's—I said that, it's, like, right there on the tape—to his former almost fiancée. And I was thinking about that line, that I let it stand. I didn't actually then rush off and see if there was a body of literature that talked about the guilt that the living feel about letting go of their memories. But I would have done that at one point. I would have turned it into this... because I was too afraid to just let my own observations stand. But you get older and you're like, you know what? I'm smart enough to just let that be mine. Like, assume...Jennie NashRight.Jennifer SeniorIt's got to be right. But can we go back, also, before I forget?Jennie NashYeah, we're going to go back to harsh, but—but I would just want to use your cliché, put a pin in what you said, because you've said so many important things— that there's actual practice of getting better, and then there's also wisdom of—of just owning, growing into, embracing, which are two different things, both so important. So I just wanted to highlight that you've gone through those two things. So yes, let's go back to—I said harsh, and maybe I miss—can...misrepresenting what you meant.Jennifer SeniorYou may not have said that. I don't know what you said.Jennie NashNo, I did, I did.Jennifer SeniorYou did, okay, yeah, because I just know that it was processed as a harsh—oh no, totally. Like, I was going to say to you that—so there was a part of my book, my book, eventually, I just gave one chapter to each person in my life whom I thought could, like, assess it best, and one of them, so this friend—I did it on paper. He circled three paragraphs, and he wrote, and I quote, “Is this just a shitty way of saying...?” And then I was like, thank God someone caught it, if it was shitty. Oh my God. And then—and I was totally old enough to handle it, you know, I was like 44, whatever, 43. And then, who was it? Someone else—oh, I think I gave my husband the intro, and he wrote—he circled a paragraph and just wrote, “Ugh.” Okay, Select Alt, Delete, redo. You know, like, what are you going to do with that? That's so unambiguous. It's like, you know—and also, I mean, when you're younger, you argue. When you're older, you never quarrel with Ugh. Or Is this...Jennie NashRight, you're just like, okay, yep.Jennifer SeniorYeah. And again, you—you've done it enough that, you know, there's so much more where that came from.Jennie NashYeah.Jennifer SeniorWhy cling to anything that someone just, I don't know, had this totally allergic reaction to? Like, you know, if my husband broke out in a hive.Jennie NashYeah. So, circling back to the—the storyline of—you took this medication, you lost your ability to write in this way, you changed medications, presumably, you got it back. What did it feel like to get it back? Did you—do you remember that?Jennifer SeniorOh God, yes, it was glorious.Jennie NashReally?!Jennifer SeniorOh, you don't feel like yourself. I think that—I mean, I think there are many professions that are intertwined with identity. They may be the more professional—I'm sorry, the more creative professions. But not always, you know. And so if your writing voice is gone, and it's—I mean, so much of writing is an expression of your interior, if not life, then, I don't know some kind of thought process and something that you're working out. To have that drained out of you, for someone to just decant all the life out of your—or something to decant all the life out of your writing, it's—it's, I wouldn't say it's traumatic, that's totally overstating it, but it's—it's a huge bummer. It's, you know, it's depressing.Jennie NashWell, the word glorious, that's so cool. So to feel that you got back your—the you-ness of your voice was—was glorious. I mean, that's—that's amazing.Jennifer SeniorWhat—if I can just say, I wrote a feature, right, that then, like, I remember coming off of it, and then I wrote a feature that won the News Women's Club of New York story for best feature that year. Like, I didn't realize that those are kind of hard to win, and not like I won... I think I've won one since. But, like, that was in, like, 99 or something. I mean, like, you know, I don't write a whole lot of things that win stuff, until recently, you know. There was, like, a real kind of blackout period where, you know, I mean, but like—which I think, it probably didn't have to do with the quality of my writing. I mean, there was—but, I mean, you know, I wasn't writing any of the stuff that floated to the tippy top, and, like, I think that there was some kind of explosion thereof, like, all the, again, stuff that was just desperate to come out. I think there was just this volcanic outpouring.Jennie NashSo you're saying now you are winning things, which is indeed true. I mean, Pulitzer Prizes among them. Do you think that that has to do with this getting better? The wisdom, the practice, the glorious having of your abilities? Or, I guess what I'm asking is, like, is luck a part of—a part of all that? Is it just, it just happens? Or do you think there's some reason that it's happening? You feel that your writing is that powerful now?Jennifer SeniorWell, luck is definitely a part of it, because The Atlantic is the greatest place to showcase your feature writing. It gets so much attention, even though I think fewer people probably read that piece about Bobby McIlvaine than would have read any of my columns on any given day. The kind of attention was just so different. And it makes sense in a funny way, because it was 13,600 words or something. I mean, it was so long, and columns are 750 words. But, like, I think that I just lucked out in terms of the showcase. So that's definitely a part of it. And The Atlantic has the machinery to, you know, and all these dedicated, wonderful publicity people who will make it possible for people to read it, blah, blah, blah. So there's that. If you're older, you know everyone in the business, so you have people amplifying your work, they're suddenly reading it and saying, hey, everybody read it. It was before Twitter turned to garbage. Media was still a way to amplify it. It's much harder now, so passing things along through social media has become a real problem. But at that moment, it was not—Jennie NashYeah.Jennifer SeniorSo that was totally luck. Also, I wonder if it was because I was suddenly writing something from in the first person, and my voice was just better that way. And I wouldn't have had, like, the courage, you know?Jennie NashYeah.Jennifer SeniorAnd also, you're a book critic, which is what I was at The Times. And you certainly are not writing from the first person. And as a columnist, you're not either.Jennie NashYeah.Jennifer SeniorSo, you know, those are very kind of constricted forms, and they're also not—there are certainly critics who win Pulitzers. I don't think I was good enough at it. I was good, but it was not good enough. I could name off the top of my head, like, so many critics who were—who are—who haven't even won anything yet. Like Dwight Garner really deserves one. Why has he not won a Pulitzer? He's, I think, the best writer—him and Sophie Gilbert, who keeps coming close. I don't get it, like, what the hell?Jennie NashDo you—as a—as a reader of other people's work, I know you—you mentioned Michael Ondaatje that you'd studied—study him. But do you just recognize when somebody else is on their game? Like, do you recognize the voice or the gloriousness of somebody else's work? Can you just be like, yeah, that...?Jennifer SeniorWell, Philip Roth, sentence for sentence. Martin Amis, even more so—I cannot get over the originality of each of his sentences and the wide vocabulary from which he recruits his words, and, like, maybe some of that is just being English. I think they just get better, kind of more comprehensive. They read more comprehensively. And I always tell people, if they want to improve their voice, they should read the Victorians, like that [unintelligible]. His also facility with metaphor, I don't think, is without equal. The thing is, I can't stand his fiction. I just find it repellent. But his criticism is bangers and his memoirs are great, so I love them.Jennie NashYeah.Jennifer SeniorSo I really—I read him very attentively, trying to think of, like, other people whose kind of...Jennie NashI guess I was—I was getting at more... like, genius recognizes genius, that con... that concept, like, when you know you can do this and write in this way from time to time anyway, you can pull it off.Jennifer SeniorYeah, genius as in—I wouldn't—we can't go there.Jennie NashWell, that's the—that's the cliché, right? But, like...Jennifer SeniorOh no, I know, I know. Game—game, game recognizes game.Jennie NashGame recognizes game is a better way of saying it. Like, do you see—that's actually what the phrase is. I don't know where I came up with genius, but...Jennifer SeniorNo, it's fine. You can stick anything in that template, you know—evil recognizes evil, I mean, you know, it's like a...Jennie NashYeah. Do you see it? Do you see it? Like, you can see it in other people?Jennifer SeniorSure. Oh yeah, I see it.Jennie NashYeah.Jennifer SeniorI mean, you're just talking about among my contemporaries, or just as it...Jennie NashJust like anything, like when you pick up a book or you read an article or even listen to a storytelling pack podcast, that sense of being in the hands of somebody who's on it.Jennifer SeniorYeah, I think that Jonathan Goldstein—I mean, I think that the—the Heavyweight Podcast, for sure, is something—and more than that, it's—it's storytelling structure, it's just that—I think that anybody who's a master at structure would just look at that show and be like, yeah, that show nails it each and every time.Jennie NashI've not listened, but I feel like I should end our time together. I would talk to you forever about this, but I always like to leave our listeners with something specific to reflect or practice or do. And is there anything related to metaphor or practicing, finding your voice, owning your voice, that you would suggest for—for folks? You've already suggested a lot.Jennifer SeniorRead the Victorians.Jennie NashAwesome. Any particular one that you would say start with?Jennifer SeniorYeah, you know what? I find Dickens rough sledding. I like his, you know, dear friend Wilkie Collins. I think No Name is one of the greatest books ever. I would read No Name.Jennie NashAmazing. And I will add, go read Jennifer's work. We'll link to a bunch of it in the show notes. Study her and—and watch what she does and learn what she does—that there it is, a master at work, and that's what I would suggest. So thank you for joining us and having this amazing discussion.Jennifer SeniorThis has been super fun.Jennie NashAnd for our listeners, until next time, stop playing small and write like it matters.NarratorThe Hashtag AmWriting Podcast is produced by Andrew Perrella. Our intro music, aptly titled Unemployed Monday, was written and played by Max Cohen. Andrew and Max were paid for their time and their creative output, because everyone deserves to be paid for their work. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amwriting.substack.com/subscribe
We begin with a trigger warning, this week we talk about the results of people apparently catching fire spontaneously and the gruesome remains that sometimes leaves behind. We attempt to go easy but still if you find yourself challenged by some of these descriptions, feel free to skip the episode. You matter. What a week! This week we tackle the burning subject (quite literally( of spontaneous human combustion. We dig into historic cases both fairly mundane and incredibly strange. We discuss cases and theories from ancient to modern, including the wick effect and how it literally demands the person sit in one place, unmoving while they burn to mostly ash. We discuss the very strange case of Mary Reeser and so much more and we also talk to author, and friend of the show, Dan B. Fierce about his upcoming plans. Check it out!https://linktr.ee/danbfiercehttps://a.co/d/2wRgwvcBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/family-plot--4670465/support.
Gurinder Chadha's new film, Christmas Karma, reimagines Charles Dickens' classic Christmas story with The Big Bang Theory's Kunal Nayyar in the lead. How does it stack up to the best previous adaptations? Can it measure up to the Muppets? And why is Dickens still relevant? Your host, Helen O'Hara, assesses the results with the help of comedian and author Marc Burrows. Marc's new book, The Story of the Christmas Number One: Mistletoe & Vinyl, is out now, and you can learn more about launch dates here: Marc Burrows.com For more from Helen, you can find her on Bluesky @HelenLOHara, or at helenohara.com. Her new books, 50 Film Ideas You Really Need To Know and A Quentin Tarantino Dictionary are available now. This podcast is produced and edited by Helen O'Hara with Stripped Media. For more on this podcast, and others produced by Stripped Media, please visit www.stripped.media or email producers@stripped.media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
While the Bay Area doesn't see much snow, one place you CAN find some right now is.. Southeast San Francisco! An annual tradition is taking place these days in a transformed arena off Geneva Street. In a space once reserved for livestock and cowboys, the streets of Victorian England come alive. It's the Great Dickens Christmas Fair at the Cow Palace!
On this week's episode, Sarah and Peter travel to St Peter's College, Oxford, where Peter ruminates on an increasingly unlikely peace deal in Ukraine, and Sarah begins by asking why Christmas starts earlier each year before regaling the student audience with tales of Christmas past more woeful that Dickens' A Christmas Carol. Plus, Peter and Sarah take on all comers, and each other, with questions from the floor including the evolution of women's role in the workplace (which goes off like a cheap firework), what they both really think of President Donald Trump and Peter's Moscow goose (it's not a cocktail). On our reading and watch list this week: · In The Wet – Nevil Shute· When Women Lead – Julia Boorstin· Moscow Christmas: A Diary. December 1966 – Peter Pears, Benjamin Britten· Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn WaughPlease do get in touch, email: Alas@dailymail.co.uk you can leave a comment on Spotify or even send us a voice note on Whatsapp – on 07796 657512, start your message with the word ‘alas'. Presenters: Sarah Vine & Peter HitchensProducer: Philip WildingEditor: Chelsey MooreProduction Manager: Vittoria CecchiniExecutive Producer: Jamie East A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Welcome to The Portal, the newest show from Ninjas Are Butterflies where we interview guests from across the world through the digital void of remote viewing. In this episode we sit down with the creator of the hit show The Telepathy Tapes to explore the shocking results of telepathic experiments conducted with children, the potential implications of her research, and the controversy surrounding alleged interference from intelligence agencies including rumored CIA tampering. We dig into the science, the ethics, the dangers, and what her findings could mean for the future of communication, consciousness, and national security. We also talk about the production of her new season and what mysteries viewers should be prepared for as the story escalates. Is telepathy real Have governments already weaponized psychic ability Why are whistleblowers suddenly appearing now What are they trying to hide Strap in and step through The Portal as we uncover the truth piece by piece. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this re-release special episode, host Jason Blitman dives into the world of Wicked. Joined by legendary author Gregory Maguire, Guest Gay Reader is comedian and host of That's a Gay Ass Podcast, Eric Williams, and Gays Reading's first Guest Gay Icon, Broadway powerhouse Eden Espinosa. Highlights include:
You know Dasher, and Dancer, and Prancer, and Vixen. Santa, and Frosty, and Rudolph, and Dickens. But do you know? The Alluring Dark Spirits of old? In this episode, you can meet three of the Dark Spirits of the Christmas with my guest Tania Yager. Tania is the author of the book The Allure of the Dark Spirits (which will be available Dec. 5, 2025 on Lulu). We talk about the process of getting the book written and about the three topics of the book: Krampus, La Befana, and the Mari Lwyd. The book "is a whimsical, bombastic, and deeply heartfelt journey into the shadowy magic of winter folklore. Part memoir, part shamanic exploration, and part folklore celebration, Yager invites readers to walk beside her as she meets the Alpine Krampus in the snowy streets of Munich, seeks out the Italian witch La Befana, and revisits her own bittersweet ties to Wales through the ghostly Mari Lwyd." We had a great discussion (one of the longer I've done) talking about her journey and about the spirits. The book will be available for order on Dec. 5, 2025 (Krampusnacht) in time for the holiday season. A gift for yourself and that special friend in your life who also enjoys the spirits of winter. This is a longer episode, so here is a bit of a show flow: 0:00:00 Introduction and background of Tania and developing the book 0:35:28 Frau Perchta/Frau Holle 0:47:33 Krampus 1:02:00 La Befana 1:11:20 Mari Lwyd - Mari Beast 1:37:56 New Projects, closing Yager is a multifaceted visual/ performance artist, writer, holistic educator, and shamanic practitioner. She has dedicated her life to the art of storytelling in all forms and strives to put the education at the forefront of her work. She is the creative director of Twisted Heart Puppetworks and founder of The Wild Hunt of Vista Krampus Run and The Dark X-mas Market of Vista. Through her works, she aims to inspire others to explore folklore, fantasy, myth and magic. Order the book beginning Dec. 5, 2025 on Lulu. Find the link at The Wild Hunt of Vista.com Check out the Dark X-mas Market in Vista California on Dec .13 2025. Follow Tania on IG & FB: @twistedheartpuppetworks and IG: @wildhuntersvista The Dark Market on IG & FB: @thedarkxmasmarket # # # Create your podcast today! #madeonzencastr Subscribe to Substack: https://giftsofthewyrd.substack.com/ Instagram: @wyrdgifts1 Facebook: @GiftsoftheWyrd Email: giftsofthwyrd@gmail.com Order The Christmas Oracle Deck created by me and artist Vinnora at https://feniksshop.etsy.com follow FB/IG: @thechristmasoracle This product was sent to me by the publisher. I have not been compensated for this interview or review, and my opinions are my own. Music. Royalty free music from https://www.fesliyanstudios.com Intro: Land of 8 Bits. Outro: The Night Before Christmas. Gifts of the Wyrd Logo Created by Xan Folmer. Logo based on the Vanic boar created by Vanatru Priestess Ember of the Vanic Conspiracy. Studio recordings using Zencastr and Audacity.
Just dropping by with a quick hello, now that the season is in full swing. Today, I share an announcement about this season of Christmas Past, as well as share highlights from my annual visit to the Great Dickens Christmas Fair in San Francisco. Plus...a surprise guest appearance!Music in this Episode"Working Time - Soft Acoustic Guitar" — Dream Protocol, via PixabayOrder your copy today! Of Christmases Long, Long AgoConnect with Me Links to all the things https://christmaspastpodcast.com/links Email: christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com BooksOf Christmases Long, Long Ago: Surprising Traditions from Christmas Past (2025, Lyons Press and Recorded Books) It's Christmas as you've never seen it before, and it makes a great gift for all the Christmas lovers in your life. Christmas Past: The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday's Traditions (2022, Lyons Press and Recorded Books)
Kitty Reads Lit for Peace: Dickens – The Old Curiosity Shop plus The Next Peacelands Welcome back to Kitty Reads Literature for Peace, a quiet act of daily storytelling in a noisy world. In this episode, Kitty O'Compost reads the opening of The Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens—a writer who turned social conscience into art and believed deeply in the redemptive power of attention. With her warm lilt, Kitty slows Dickens down just enough for us to hear the tenderness at the heart of his writing: the oddities, the wanderers, and the small mercies that hold a broken world together. These short readings are her daily warm-up for CTRL–AI–DISARM, the upcoming Peace Is Here series about truth, power, and the technologies shaping our future. At the end of the episode, we continue with The Next Peacelands, where Avis Kalfsbeek reads a real-time list of global warzones and arms suppliers. This segment grounds the work in honesty and invites listeners into a wider, quieter practice of peace. Get the books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com Contact Avis to say hello or let her know how to say “Peace is Here” in your language: Contact Me Here The Next Peacelands source: Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) and the Stockholm Internation Peace Research Institute's Arms Transfers Database [as updated on Wikipedia. Peace is Here podcast series Coming Soon!: CTRL-AI-DISARM
Join Hazel Baker, host of the London History Podcast, as she delves into the character of Ebenezer Scrooge from Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol'. Explore the rich symbolism behind Scrooge's name, his physical and emotional transformation, and the social commentary embedded in the novella. Discover the streets of Victorian London that inspired Dickens' tale and learn how the story's themes of greed, generosity, and redemption resonate even today. Perfect for literary enthusiasts and history buffs alike, this episode offers a comprehensive analysis of one of literature's most enduring characters.00:00 Introduction to Ebenezer Scrooge01:30 The Symbolism Behind Scrooge's Name04:56 Dickens' Masterful Description of Scrooge11:13 Scrooge's Relationship with Jacob Marley13:39 Scrooge's Troubled Past15:31 The Impact of Fezziwig and Belle19:53 Fred and Scrooge's Isolation22:25 Scrooge's Notorious Statements and Their Implications25:05 Bob Cratchit and Scrooge's Transformation27:17 The Redemption of Scrooge31:25 Dickens' Social Commentary and Final Thoughts33:57 Conclusion and other Christmas-themed Podcast episodesVisit the London History podcast webpage
Timestamp: (10:19) In the US, an average of 450 children are murdered by their parents each year, with mothers more likely to kill infants and fathers more likely to kill older children. North Carolina man Wellington Dickens called 911 in October 2025. He confessed to killing four of his children over the period of a few months. He also told authorities that another child of his had previously passed and police are searching for the remains of that baby. In November 2025, New Zealand man Dean Field allegedly killed his three young children August, Hugo and Goldie before setting their home on fire. Dean perished along with the children. Ohio man Ryan Eagon and his wife Raven had a tumultuous relationship. Raven believed that Ryan was away for work and she enlisted the help of a previous partner, Dustin Willey, to help her move her two children and their belongings out of the home. Ryan ambushed the family, killing Dustin and the two young boys, before taking his own life. Read our blog for these tragic cases - https://truecrimesocietyblog.com/2025/11/24/deadly-dads-november-2025/ If you are in an abusive relationship, we have helpful resources on our Instagram highlight section - Instagram.com/truecrimesociety Join us on Patreon for weekly, exclusive content - Patreon.com/truecrimesociety This episode is sponsored by: Mood - Head to mood.com, find the functional gummy that matches exactly what you're looking for, and let Mood help you discover YOUR perfect mood. And don't forget to use promo code [TCS] when you check out to save 20% on your first order.
Discover why play isn't frivolous—it's a powerful tool for healing your nervous system, overcoming fear, and living authentically. Host Khudania Ajay (KAJ) talks with Amy Dickens, creator of Joyfully You, about how to reconnect with joy to transform your life from a state of burnout to one of bliss. For more conversations that awaken your potential, visit https://kajmasterclass.com=========================================
Discover the Power of Joy with Amy Dickens!Amy grew up thinking adulthood had to be serious and structured—until burnout taught her that what was missing wasn't more discipline, but more joy.Now, through her podcast Joyfully You, her book 101 Ways to Spread Joy, and inspiring events, Amy helps adults reconnect with play, creativity, and authentic living. With a background in yoga, meditation, and coaching, she shares practical tools to shift your mindset, calm your nervous system, and bring more fun into everyday life.✨ Why Joy Matters: It's not frivolous—it's fuel for resilience, creativity, and connection.
Dolly Parton BioSnap a weekly updated Biography.Dolly Parton has once again proven why she remains a singular force in country music, business, and American culture, with a flurry of significant activities and developments in just the past few days. On November 21, Dolly launched a fresh national tour for her stage musical Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol. This adaptation of Dickens' classic, set in Depression-era Appalachia and infused with original music and Appalachian melodies, is slated to visit more than 20 cities through the holiday season. Critics and cast members alike are praising the show's emotional warmth and Parton's unique songwriting, describing it as a new American classic destined to become a holiday tradition, according to DollyParton.com and regional theaters including the Carson Center and the Baker Center for the Arts.Parallel to the tour, Dolly unveiled her innovative Threads My Songs in Symphony experience, with performances in Raleigh, North Carolina on November 21 and 22. This multimedia orchestral event features Dolly onscreen, leading audiences through orchestrated versions of her most iconic hits plus previews from her upcoming Broadway musical. Dolly explains that Threads is about weaving the story of her life through her music, engaging fans in an immersive, biographical celebration through new sonic arrangements, as shared in details from the North Carolina Symphony and Visit Raleigh.In business news, excitement continues to swirl around the announcement that Dolly Parton's Tennessean Travel Stops will be rebranded, with a major flagship in Cornersville, Tennessee launching in Summer 2026. This collaboration seeks to redefine highway travel experiences across the South, creating new jobs and expanding the reach of Dolly's homegrown brand, as highlighted on her official website.On the music front, Dolly created holiday buzz with the release of a special limited-edition picture disc vinyl for A Holly Dolly Christmas, celebrating the album's 5th anniversary. Only 2,000 copies were pressed, making it a quick sell-out and a highly coveted item among collectors. Dolly promoted this release personally to her 8.2 million Instagram followers, sparking enthusiastic responses and holiday playlist debates, according to a November 21 feature from Parade.However, recent headlines have also focused on Dolly's health. Owing to what she called unspecified “health challenges,” Dolly has canceled several major appearances, including her in-person attendance at the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions Hall of Fame induction on November 17 and the 2025 Governors Awards where she was to receive an honorary Oscar. In a heartfelt message posted to Dollywood's official channels and covered by outlets such as Parade and The Today Show, Dolly reassured fans that her doctors advised rest and she remains grateful for the recognition and support, albeit from afar.Social media this week overflowed with fans sending well wishes and celebrating Dolly's continued resilience and creativity, even speculating about whether these recent health setbacks could signal a semi-retirement—a claim unconfirmed by any direct statement from Dolly or her team.Dolly Parton's presence this week underscores her lasting cultural significance, with creative, commercial, and personal headlines reflecting a woman still at the heart of music, storytelling, and Southern enterprise—even when she has to step back for her health.Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOtaThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
Kevin Patterson, from the Great Dickens Fair at the Cow Palace through December 21, joins Herlinda Heras and Daedalus Howell on Brew Ha Ha. Anderson Valley Brewing Company is also in the studio today. They are the official beer sponsor of the Great Dickens Fair. (The AVBC portion of today’s radio show can be heard over here, at this other podcast page. This way, each guest gets to manage their own web traffic.) The Cow Palace in San Francisco has some great exhibition halls, that they turn into a miniature version of London, including shops, theaters, and six different pubs. Each one has its own style and identity. You enter the Great Dickens Fair through Victoria Station on a train that passes through a magical forest. Then you are “whisked into the 19th century” where the first stop is a pub called The Leather Bottle. This comes right out of Charles Dickens’ Pickwick Papers. Russian River Brewing Co. is open in Santa Rosa on 4th St. and at their big Windsor location. Visit their website for up-to-date hours, menus, beers and more. Twilight All Day The lighting in the Fair is twilight all the time, which makes everything theatrical. The miniature village feaures a thousand costumed people, plus many of the visitors come in costume. You can also purchase a costume there. Some people really go all out. There is a music shop with instruments and singers. They serve beverages of all kinds. Some people have been working at the fair every year for a long time. This is the Fair’s 41st year and their 25th at the Cow Palace. Visit our sponsor PizzaLeah in Windsor for the finest pizza menu, great beers and the most authentic flavors around!
Dolly Parton BioSnap a weekly updated Biography.Dolly Parton just can't be kept out of the headlines even when she's not physically able to attend events. On November 16, Dolly accepted her first Oscar—the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award—at the Academy's Governor Awards, delivered via a heartfelt video message filmed in Nashville. According to People and Cat Country, Parton beamed about being “blessed more than I ever dreamed possible,” with a touching nod to her charitable efforts, especially the Imagination Library project that's put 285 million books into kids' hands worldwide. Lily Tomlin, her legendary 9 to 5 co-star, presented the honor, solidifying a four-decade Hollywood friendship and giving a biographically critical moment of recognition for a lifetime of service.But Dolly's acceptance came under a health cloud. The Today Show and Global News both highlighted how Dolly has been open about experiencing recent health challenges, requiring her to postpone her much-hyped Las Vegas concert run at Caesars Palace. She addressed fans directly in multiple video appearances, explaining her absence not only from Vegas but also from a milestone Dollywood event, where the famed attraction was inducted into a Hall of Fame to mark its 40th year. While specifics about her condition remain private, her remarks radiate resilience, and nowhere on social media has she suggested these are anything but temporary setbacks.Despite these health issues, Dolly's work endures. The musical Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol, featuring her original songs and that signature Dolly sparkle, kicked off a 2025 U.S. national tour this week with stops in over 20 cities. The production, as covered by DollyParton.com and the Carson Center's Broadway series materials, has been lauded by both cast and fans as a moving update of Dickens, reimagined through a distinctly Appalachian lens and aiming to become a new holiday tradition.Off the main stage, Dolly Parton's symphonic multimedia experience, Threads: My Songs in Symphony, brought orchestras and guest vocalists together in Raleigh for an immersive celebration of her songwriting legacy, complete with her on-screen narration. According to the North Carolina Symphony, the experience weaves performance, biography, and musical story in ways that continue to redefine country music's public profile.As for buzz, Dolly's social media has stayed focused on gratitude for her awards, boosting the tour's ticket sales, and reassuring fans that, as she herself put it, “the threads of my life are woven together through my songs.” There's plenty of tongue-wagging about her health, but not from Dolly herself; the legend is keeping it positive, visible, and, as always, deeply connected to the people. With an Oscar finally on her shelf, a Broadway-bound symphony, and a beloved Christmas tour underway, Dolly Parton remains as much a force of nature as Tennessee's own Smokies.Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOtaThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
Hello you beautiful people!We start the show with a version of A Christmas Carol and it's the audio release that Mickey's Christmas Carol is based on. The full title is An Adaptation of Dickens' A Christmas Carol by The Disney Players. You can watch it here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCilmU2_NQMNext up it's Do You Hear What I Hear? and Bob Baker is looking at Polystyrene, or is it Styrofoam? You decide.Then we have our yearly visit with our US correspondent Scott Newman from The Tinsel Tunes and Christmas Morning Podcasts. This year we look at a few of the many versions of Do They Know It's Christmas. Here's the videos:Band Aid https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RH-xd5bPKTABand Aid 2https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMZjb3YEUQ8Band Aid 20https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UZ--sD_DBQBand Aid 30https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-w7jyVHocTkLad Baby https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIS3wNkQ_UEKeith Lemonhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_05wWm6Mp0Then Bob Baker is back with Where Are You Christmas? and he's looking at Harry Potter stuff in the UK. Check out Bob's podcast here: https://4fpodcast.buzzsprout.com/We end with The Christmas Quiz. I managed 8, let me know how you got on.Get in touch:Email: totalchristmas@gmail.comWeb: totalchristmaspodcast.comMerry Christmas!
This week on Xtra Butta, Cam and Dylan crack open the VHS vault and dive into the magical, chaotic, and surprisingly emotional world of 1996's Matilda the movie that made every millennial believe two things: Reading unlocks superpowers Your principal should never be built like a retired Olympic shot-putter. Cam and Dylan break down the film's quirky charm, from Matilda's early genius days (reading Dickens before most of us could read our own names) to the Wormwoods the most aggressively neglectful yet hilarious parents ever portrayed on screen. Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman were in their BAG for this movie, serving peak-trashy comedy. Of course, no Matilda conversation is complete without talking about Miss Trunchbull the terrifying, chokey-building, child-yeeting villain who straight-up traumatized a whole generation. The guys revisit her most unhinged moments, debate whether she secretly invented CrossFit, and celebrate the triumphant scenes where Matilda finally turns the tables with some telekinetic justice. Along the way, Cam & Dylan dive into behind-the-scenes trivia, the film's Roald Dahl roots, why the chocolate cake scene lives rent-free in our heads, and how Miss Honey remains the gold standard for “teacher who actually cares.” If you grew up quoting this movie, hiding from Trunchbull in gym class, or wishing you could levitate cereal with your mind, this episode is pure nostalgic comfort food xtra butta included. Tune in, laugh with us, and rediscover why Matilda still hits with magic, heart, and just the right amount of childhood chaos. Wanna ask us something?!? Hit us up at Xtrabutta@gmail.com or our Instagram https://instagram.com/xtrabuttapodcast?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Today in 1866, the first US patent for the yo-yo. It's a device that's been around in some forms since ancient times, and there have even been a few occasions when it's gone into space. Plus: starting tomorrow in Claremore, Oklahoma, it's Dickens on the Boulevard. Toys in space (UPI)Dickens on the Boulevard (TravelOK)Don't let this show spin in place! Back us on Patreon today
Description: In today's mind-bending episode, prepare to challenge everything you think you know. Acclaimed storyteller and filmmaker Ky Dickens—known for documentaries that shift public policy and cultural perception—takes us on a new journey with The Telepathy Tapes, her viral podcast exploring telepathy within the nonspeaking community. The series sparked global fascination, raising profound questions about consciousness, language, and human connection—and is now being developed into a feature documentary. Jen and Amy talk with Ky about how non-speakers are breaking barriers and communicating in ways once thought impossible. From the science of telepathy to its spiritual dimensions, this conversation will upend your understanding of what it means to connect and communicate. Highlights: The groundbreaking ways non-speakers are reshaping communication Dismissed yet fascinating topics like energy healing, animal communication, mediumship, and near-death experiences “The Hill”: a metaphysical space where non-speakers connect telepathically – just wait until you hear about it! What non-speakers reveal about consciousness—and why we never truly disappear Thought-provoking Quotes: “Maybe instead of fixing the brokenness in society, I should focus on fixing the brokenness in me and in humanity.” – Ky Dickens “I don't think it's binary that people have to be that dogmatic about science, and we don't have to believe in everything. I think most of us are somewhere in the middle. We want to really investigate and understand the truth about the non-physical world, and it's not silly or unscientific or gullible to do so. I think it's a beautiful part of being alive.” – Ky Dickens “If you look at the world outside of nature itself, everything here was a thought first. The chair you're sitting in, the jeans you're wearing, even your life itself. And so if consciousness is fundamental, it explains everything.” – Ky Dickens “So much of what science postulates was completely mocked and ridiculed and dismissed at the time. And it turned out later to be true. I mean, people once thought the world was flat. So our beliefs do change.” – Ky Dickens “One thing I have come to realize deeply is that science and spirituality are not enemies.” – Ky Dickens “I have not met a single non-speaker who doesn't talk about people who've passed and about the very real existence of God in an afterlife.” – Ky Dickens Resources Mentioned in This Episode: The Telepathy Tapes – https://thetelepathytapes.com/ BT Harman - https://btharman.com/welcome Dr. Diane Hennacy Powell – https://drdianehennacy.com/ Elizabeth Gilbert – https://www.elizabethgilbert.com/ Rick Rubin - https://x.com/RickRubin Gregory Shushan – https://www.gregoryshushan.com/ Jane Goodall – https://janegoodall.org/ Guest's Links: Website - https://thetelepathytapes.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thetelepathytapes/ Twitter - https://x.com/TelepathyTapes Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPA5cHDlwkvTM7akXINZo9w TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@telepathytapes Podcast - https://open.spotify.com/show/1zigaPaUWO4G9SiFV0Kf1c Connect with Jen! Jen's Website - https://jenhatmaker.com/ Jen's Instagram - https://instagram.com/jenhatmaker Jen's Twitter - https://twitter.com/jenHatmaker/ Jen's Facebook - https://facebook.com/jenhatmaker Jen's YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/JenHatmaker The For the Love Podcast is presented by Audacy. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Malkia Stampley (above) is directing the Goodman Theatre's 48th annual production of A Christmas Carol (in previews now, opening Sunday, and running through New Year's Eve), and reflects how her experience in other productions, as well as her background as both a performer and a person, informs her approach to Dickens's classic tale. Malkia reveals how she's amplifying the diversity the production has had for decades by allowing characters to sound like what they look like; how the story of Ebenezer Scrooge's redemption is perhaps more important than ever; how she's shaping the show around the talents the actors bring; how the story changes because of the way the world has changed; and how the timeless story of A Christmas Carol belongs to everyone. (Length 23:45) The post Malkia's Christmas Carol appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.
What if the test gatekeeping college admissions was designed to celebrate—not undermine—your classical education? Discover how one alternative is changing the game for homeschoolers and classical students across America. In this milestone episode, Robert Bortins sits down with Soren Schwab (VP of Partnerships) and Noah Tyler (CFO) from the Classical Learning Test to celebrate 10 years of offering an alternative to the College Board's monopoly. The conversation opens with a stunning revelation: after hiring David Coleman—the chief architect of Common Core—in 2015, the College Board transformed the SAT so dramatically that its longest reading passage is now between 25-125 words. That's literally the length of a tweet. This is what "college readiness" has become. The CLT offers something radically different: Instead of politically biased content and tweet-length passages, students engage with C.S. Lewis, Aristotle, Dickens, and Abraham Lincoln. Parents report their children actually asking to read more after encountering authors on the test—something that would never happen with the SAT or ACT. And because homeschoolers can take it from home through video proctoring, test anxiety is significantly reduced. What You'll Learn: How homeschoolers went from "a little weird" to the most sought-after students on college campuses The expansion story: from garage startup to 320+ accepting universities and recognition in 15 states Legislative victories breaking the College Board's monopoly in Florida, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, and beyond The exciting announcement about "Enduring Course Exams"—CLT's alternative to AP, starting with humanities subjects where the College Board's ideological capture is most egregious Resources: https://www.cltexam.com/ This episode of Refining Rhetoric is sponsored by: Classical Conversations Alumni Network Classical Conversations launched its Alumni Network in May 2025, creating the first comprehensive platform for CC graduates and parents to stay connected beyond Challenge IV. Discover job opportunities, network with fellow alumni, and access exclusive content featuring CC success stories. Learn more at https://ccalumni.network/ and join the community that's empowering CC alumni and parents to connect, thrive, and inspire through their shared legacy of Christian, classical education.
This episode's returning guest is Maggie Dickens, licensed therapist and the host of Unapologetically Childfree. Maggie's built an incredible space for childfree women who are done holding it all together for everyone else and ready to feel as supported as everyone else. She's got a mix of therapy smarts, real talk, and a calming energy that makes you want to exhale and finally stop carrying everyone's emotional baggage. In this episode, Maggie joins to talk through how to stop being the entire village and do it guilt-free. And today, just in time for the holidays, she's sharing some strategies to regulate your nervous system. Connect with Maggie on Instagram.SMALL BUSINESS OF THE WEEK: Contact Taylor of Oxley Consulting Services for support in building personalized administrative solutions to help you make real progress in your life + in your business.Merch is here!!! New Dinky trip alert!! Erika is taking a group of childfree travelers to VIETNAM — and it's an artsy adventurer's dream itinerary! Buy your tickets while they last. Wanna get your finances in order? Use our link to sign up for a FREE 34 day trial of YNAB (You Need A Budget) and support the show. Wanna connect with us on social media? You can find us on Substack, Instagram, TikTok, and Threads at @dinkypod. Follow us on YouTube.If you have a question or comment, email us at dinky@dinkypod.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/dinky--5953015/support.
If you've ever wondered why people do the strange things we do, this episode is your new favourite rabbit hole!Today we have Phill Agnew on the show, the mind behind Nudge — the UK's #1 marketing podcast, downloaded hundreds of thousands of times.But today?You get Phill unplugged — telling stories, breaking down psychology, and showing you how a few behavioral science principles can transform your business, your life, your TikTok following and even your marathon time.
Not the first time the edmund fitzgerald has been on my mindGordon LIghtfoot: https://genius.com/Gordon-lightfoot-the-wreck-of-the-edmund-fitzgerald-lyricshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFkyDB2InTsEdmund Fitzgerald: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Edmund_FitzgeraldTop 10 best songs: https://www.billboard.com/lists/gordon-lightfoot-best-songs/10-dream-street-rose/Train spotting - The Big Boy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Pacific_Big_BoyMore train spotting: The Mercury: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_(train)Collin training videos!Splash-a-rino Mini Susan Family reunionDeep cutsno Dickens in the classic sectionDelivery services…Nobody expects the DHLIs DHL Jiffy Express: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e134NoLyTug HaikuGreen fades to reveala hidden color palletOf autumnal shadesCheck out our other episodes: ohbrotherpodcast.comFollow us on InstagramCheck us out on Youtube
Experience the thrill of A Christmas Carol without all the paranormal encounters with a visit to Dickens on the Boulevard, November 22-23 in downtown Claremore. Charles Dickens penned the holiday classic in 1843, years before the modern town of Claremore was even founded. That doesn't stop the downtown from transforming into a wintertime Victorian wonderland for a celebration that will includes street dancing, nineteenth century wardrobe and food, historic tours, carriage rides, and more. Ben investigates this unique Oklahoma tradition this week on the show. Also on this episode, the editors discuss their personal favorite literary classics, and podvents includes an event that rocks in more way than one. You won't want to miss it!
Dominic is joined by the inimitable Prof. Emma Clery - author of The Rise of Supernatural Fiction 1762-1800 and Professor of English Literature at Uppsala University, Sweden. They continue this month's theme of the supernatural, taking you on a journey into the heart of an event that caused a sensation in Georgian London, and would inspire Dickens decades later …The real life story of The Cock Lane Ghost set the stage for an earnest debate between Anglicans and Methodists - the former skeptical the latter credulous towards a spirit realm - where the dead can seek out the living and communicate with them. The alleged haunting in Cock Lane quickly spiralled in the first months of 1762, with many great figures of the age Samuel Johnson, Horace Walpole and Prince Edward, Duke of York attending seances to cross examine the ghost. At the heart of the controversy lay the very serious charge of murder that the ghost - known as ‘Scratching Fanny' - was trying to convince her hearers of, and the very real possibility of the man accused being sent to the gallows.It will come as no surprise to you that Dickens loved this story! Mentioning it not only in articles but in three of his novels - through Mrs Nickleby's flighty imagination, the disgruntled temper of Mrs Pipchin, and as Prologue to the madness and terror that engulfs A Tale of Two Cities …Joining us to bring to life the real characters from this story - in the form of articles, letters and transcripts - are the fantastic actors Peter Bray and Rachel Winters.Additional Sound Effects in this episode have been used under license from Epidemic Sounds Support the showIf you'd like to make a donation to support the costs of producing this series you can buy 'coffees' right here https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dominicgerrardThank you so much!Host: Dominic GerrardSeries Artwork: Léna GibertOriginal Music: Dominic GerrardThank you for listening!
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 16, 2025 is: writhe • RYTHE • verb To writhe is to twist one's body from side to side. The word is often used when the body or a bodily part is twisting in pain. // The injured player lay on the football field, writhing in pain. // At the instruction of their teacher, the children rolled the fallen log aside to reveal worms and other small critters writhing in the soft earth. See the entry > Examples: “The creatures named after writers are mostly bugs, which makes sense. There are a lot of those little guys writhing around, and I imagine most of them escaped our attention for long enough that science had to start reaching for new names. And a lot of them are wasps: Dante has two wasps named after him; Marx has two, Didion has one, Dickens has two, Zola has two, Thoreau has seven, and Shakespeare has three wasps and a bacterium. Nabokov has a lot of butterflies, naturally.” — James Folta, LitHub.com, 25 Aug. 2025 Did you know? Writhe wound its way to us from the Old English verb wrīthan, meaning “to twist,” and that ancestral meaning lives on in the word's current uses, most of which have to do with twists of one kind or another. Among the oldest of these uses is the meaning “to twist into coils or folds,” but in modern use writhing is more often about the physical contortions of one suffering from debilitating pain or attempting to remove oneself from a tight grasp (as, say, a snake from a hawk's talons). The word is also not infrequently applied to the twisting bodies of dancers. The closest relation of writhe in modern English lacks any of the painful connotations often present in writhe: wreath comes from Old English writha, which shares an ancestor with wrīthan.
A neglected Georgian house, shutters still, poplars trees surround it, whispering. Downstairs is a row of servant bells to call servants. One has a mysterious name and is reputed to ring when no one is there. Rumour speaks of a hooded figure and an owl; the corridors mutter with sounds of pipes, disconnected wires, and something harder to dismiss. By night, faces seem to change in the mirror; but by day, the rooms are ordinary. Servants won't stay there and then the owner organises an investigation, a ghost hunt, if you like. A society of guest who are to keep their counsel until Twelfth Night, listening for what remains and for the presence that speaks when the house is empty. First published as the Christmas number of All the Year Round (December 1859), a collaborative sequence framed and partly written by Charles Dickens. This reading includes Dickens's chapters: “The Mortals in the House” and “The Ghost in Master B.'s Room.” Charles Dickens (1812–1870) was a British novelist and social critic, author of Oliver Twist, Bleak House, and Great Expectations. He edited Household Words and All the Year Round, helping to make the Victorian Christmas ghost story a tradition. Join Our Podia Community for 100s of Ad Free Ghost Stories www.classicghost.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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