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On this week's Spectator Out Loud: Ian Williams looks at Chinese influence in the UK (1:39); Philip Patrick interviews Japan's last ninja (9:35); Guy Stagg reviews Damian Le Bas and explores the myths behind the city of Atlantis (18:23); Ysenda Maxtone Graham reviews an exhibition on school dinners at the Food Museum in Stowmarket (23:38); Mark Mason provides his notes on quizzes, ahead of the Spectator's garden quiz (28:00); and, swapping Provence to visit family in America, Catriona Olding takes us on a trip up the east coast (31:27). Produced and presented by Patrick Gibbons.
On this week's Spectator Out Loud: Ian Williams looks at Chinese influence in the UK (1:39); Philip Patrick interviews Japan's last ninja (9:35); Guy Stagg reviews Damian Le Bas and explores the myths behind the city of Atlantis (18:23); Ysenda Maxtone Graham reviews an exhibition on school dinners at the Food Museum in Stowmarket (23:38); Mark Mason provides his notes on quizzes, ahead of the Spectator's garden quiz (28:00); and, swapping Provence to visit family in America, Catriona Olding takes us on a trip up the east coast (31:27). Produced and presented by Patrick Gibbons.
As part of a 3-part series featuring participants in the inaugural Genesis Jewish Book Week Emerging Writers' Programme, George Prochnik, author of New York Times "Editor's Choice” and Wingate Prize short-listed Stranger in a Strange Land: Searching for Gershom Scholem and Jerusalem and Guy Stagg, author of Edward Stanford Travel Memoir of the Year 2019 The Crossway, explore biographical writing and how one can use it not only as a lens into the subject or period, but also into oneself. They particularly focus on Guy's second book in development, Triptych, which is a group biography, focusing on Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein, French philosopher Simone Weil and Welsh poet and painter David Jones.
Simon speaks with the travel writer Guy Stagg. In 2013 Guy, who had grown up in Paris, Heidelberg, Yorkshire and London, walked from Canterbury to Jerusalem. "The Crossway," an account of this journey, was published by Picador in 2018. The book won an Edward Stanford Travel Award and was shortlisted for the Rathbones Folio Prize, the RSL Ondaatje Prize, the Somerset Maugham Award, and the Deborah Rogers Foundation Award. We spoke to Guy about travel writing in the age of Tripadvisor, his long walk to Jerusalem, and how that experience turned into a book. https://www.guystagg.co.uk/ https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1509844597/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1 You can find us online at alwaystakenotes.com, on Twitter @takenotesalways, and on Facebook at facebook.com/alwaystakenotes. Our crowdfunding page is patreon.com/alwaystakenotes. Always Take Notes is presented by Simon Akam and Rachel Lloyd, and produced by Nicola Kean. Our social media is run by Eoin Redahan. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and our logo was designed by James Edgar.
In 2013, Guy Stagg departed his London home on New Year's Day and then began a pilgrimage from Canterbury, not only to Rome, but then onward to Jerusalem. In his account of that pilgrimage, The Crossway, Guy weaves a fascinating, dramatic, and profound narrative, marked by evenings spent in monasteries and convents, reflections on faith and healing, and jarring encounters with political instability. In this episode, Guy further explores some of the central themes of his journey, including loneliness, suffering, and belief.
The podcast continues its summer break this week, so we are giving you the chance to listen again (or perhaps for the first time) to an interview from our archives. This episode was originally posted in July 2018. Guy Stagg spent 10 months walking from Canterbury to Jerusalem, following medieval pilgrim paths across 5,500 km. He began the journey after several years of mental illness, hoping that the walk would heal him. A non-believer, he wanted to understand religion by taking part in its rituals. The Crossway, published by Picador, is an account of his journey, a mix of travel and memoir, history and current affairs. It is now out in paperback, and is available from the Church House Bookshop. Guy came into Church Times offices to talk about his extraordinary journey. Picture: copyright Barney Poole Photography
They say that everyone has a book in them. But not everyone manages to write it. The Rathbones Folio Sessions 'How To Write a Book in a Day' took place on 19 May 2019 at the British Library, and gathered some of the best writers at work today, to discuss the joys and pitfalls of their practice and process. The all-day sessions were chaired by writer, performer and comedienne A.L. Kennedy. Part One: The Beginning features Kate Clanchy and Guy Stagg.
In 2013 Guy Stagg made a pilgrimage from Canterbury to Jerusalem. Though a non-believer, he began the journey after suffering several years of mental illness, hoping the ritual would heal him. Guy Stagg: www.guystagg.co.uk Website: www.ninemountains.co.uk Charity: www.jamesplace.org.uk
For centuries people have been making spiritual journeys in search of enlightenment or following some kind of sacred footsteps. Emma Slade, Justin Butcher and Guy Stagg have all recently written very different books following this theme. Here they discuss the historical significance and personal experiences behind these journeys, how they can be secular and offer … Continue reading A Modern Pilgrim’s Journey: Stanfords Travel Writers Festival 2019
For centuries people have been making spiritual journeys in search of enlightenment or following some kind of sacred footsteps. Emma Slade, Justin Butcher and Guy Stagg have all recently written very different books following this theme. Here they discuss the historical significance and personal experiences behind these journeys, how they can be secular and offer … Continue reading A Modern Pilgrim's Journey: Stanfords Travel Writers Festival 2019
Idries Shah Foundation Podcast | Practical Psychology for Today
Welcome to the Idries Shah Foundation podcast, practical psychology for today. This weekly podcast features selections from Idries Shah books, as well as original recordings. It has been made available by The Idries Shah Foundation, and is voiced by David Ault. This episode, the first in our Cultural Crossroads series, features an interview with Guy Stagg. During his lifetime Idries Shah promoted contacts and connections between different traditions around the world, believing this to be an important element in the advancement of human culture. In this spirit, The Idries Shah Foundation has created ‘Cultural Crossroads’, a website forum where people from many walks of life are invited to talk about their own experiences crossing cultural boundaries, and the lessons that they have learned as a result. You can find these articles on the ISF blog. This is our first Cultural Crossroads interview for this podcast. About Guy Stagg Guy Stagg was born in 1988 and grew up in Paris, Heidelberg, Yorkshire and London. He read English at Trinity College, Cambridge, and on graduating worked in politics and journalism. In 2013 he walked from Canterbury to Jerusalem. The Crossway, an account of this journey, will be published by Picador in 2018. An extract from the book was shortlisted for the inaugural Deborah Rogers Foundation Award. You can learn more about him at www.guystagg.co.uk.
The young atheist writer Guy Stagg threw in his job a few years ago to undertake a pilgrimage to Jerusalem via Rome - choosing a hazardous medieval route across the Alps. It nearly killed him: at one stage, trying to cross a broken bridge in Switzerland, he ended up partially submerged in the water, held up only by his rucksack. On this week's Holy Smoke podcast, Guy explains why his journey was a pilgrimage, not just travels. And Damian talks to Harry Mount, editor of The Oldie, why he's irresistibly drawn to church buildings while remaining an unbeliever - albeit an agnostic rather than an atheist. Presented by Damian Thompson. Produced by Connor O'Hara and Cindy Yu. This episode was first released in July this year.
The young atheist writer Guy Stagg threw in his job a few years ago to undertake a pilgrimage to Jerusalem via Rome - choosing a hazardous medieval route across the Alps. It nearly killed him: at one stage, trying to cross a broken bridge in Switzerland, he ended up partially submerged in the water, held up only by his rucksack. On this week’s Holy Smoke podcast, Guy explains why his journey was a pilgrimage, not just travels. And Damian talks to Harry Mount, editor of The Oldie, why he’s irresistibly drawn to church buildings while remaining an unbeliever - albeit an agnostic rather than an atheist. Presented by Damian Thompson. Produced by Connor O'Hara and Cindy Yu.
Guy Stagg spent 10 months walking from Canterbury to Jerusalem, following medieval pilgrim paths across 5,500 km. He began the journey after several years of mental illness, hoping that the walk would heal him. A non-believer, he wanted to understand religion by taking part in its rituals. The Crossway, published by Picador, is an account of his journey, a mix of travel and memoir, history and current affairs. Guy came into Church Times offices to talk about his extraordinary journey. The Crossway is available to buy from the Church House Bookshop. Subscribe to the Church Times Podcast on iTunes
The nave of Chester Cathedral has been transformed into a huge theatre set for the performance of medieval mystery plays which take place in the city every five years and are running now. Rosie Dawson has been to a rehearsal. Nigel Lawson once likened the NHS to a religion; Trevor Barnes explores whether people think the NHS is a religion. After several years of mental illness, Guy Stagg set off one morning, from London, to walk to Canterbury. This led him to follow the paths of the medieval pilgrims to Jerusalem and he explains how this walk of over 5000 miles has helped his recovery. The chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis accompanied the Duke of Cambridge on his historic tour of Israel and the Palestinian territories. The Chief Rabbi talks to Edward about the trip and the wider significance of it. Does the church attract narcissistic personality types in leadership roles? Some new books on the topic suggest this is certainly the case. Edward discusses with Mark Vernon, former priest and psychotherapist and Andre Spicer from Cass Business School. The Court of Appeal in Belfast has ruled that humanist celebrants must be registered by the state as able to perform legal marriages for couples. We look at what this means for humanists as they take on more services such as funerals, naming ceremonies and marriage. Professor Linda Woodhead from Lancaster University talks about the role of such non-religious ceremonies. Producers Carmel Lonergan Louise Clarke-Rowbotham Series Producer: Amanda Hancox Photo credit: Neil Kendall.
After years of mental illness Guy Stagg embarked on a walk from Canterbury to Jerusalem, spending ten months on a 5,500 km medieval pilgrim route, a journey to the centre of the three Abrahamic... Things Unseen. For people who have a faith, and those who just feel there’s more out there than meets the eye.