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This interview was recorded live at Blossom Book House, Bangalore.Many years ago I saw a TV commercial that stuck with me. It showed a montage—sepia tinted portraits of older couples, with rather interesting last names:Alois and Klara HitlerBeso Jughashvili and Ekaterine Geladze (Josef Stalin's parents)Andruta and Marie Ceausescu (parents of Nikolai Ceausescu, the genocidal leader of Romania.)And a few similar others. And then the punchline “If only these people had heard of Trojan condoms.”This commercial spoke a truth—that families are involved and responsible for the good ones and the monsters alike.We have heard much of the campaigns and conquests and cruelties of world leaders and we have read stories of incidents that might have influenced their growing years. But history is rather quiet on the roles their mothers played. Yes, what about Mom? How did Mom mess with their heads?The most definitive record of this truth—that is the family's role in history—is written by Simon Seabag Montefiore in his book, "The World—A Family History". Simon's book opens with the discovery of footprints. In 2013, a storm lashed the coast of eastern England in Norfolk at a village called Happisburg and uncovered these footprints. They found out that these footprints were left behind at least 850,000 years ago by a small group of humans and children— and that is the first evidence of a family.A blurb in Simon's book says that from the beginning of history through the present, the one thing that humanity has in common is family. The World—A Family History reveals how the family unit has driven history—from the prehistoric homo antecessors of Happisburg to the modern days—the Trump family included.The book has such a huge span. In about 1300 pages it takes us through recorded history as we know it and in a never done before narrative, presents the history of the world through the families that have caused and created history in every corner of the world.This book is nothing short of a modern day epic. To those who have not had the pleasure of reading Simon Sebag Montefiore, let me say that his narrative is not only deep but gripping. And don't let the size of the book fool you. It is unputdownable and call me if it doesn't go faster than binge-watching Game of Thrones with as much guts, gore and sex.I have been given the honour of bringing to you this prolific and hugely entertaining historian.ABOUT SIMON SEBAG MONTEFIOREMontefiore is the internationally bestselling author of prize-winning books that have been published in 48 languages. Catherine the Great & Potemkin, The Court of the Red Tsar, Young Stalin, Jerusalem: The Biography, and The Romanovs: 1613-1918. He is the author of the Moscow Trilogy of novels: Sashenka, Red Sky at Noon and One Night in Winter. He also wrote Written in History: Letters that Changed the World and Voices of History: Speeches that Changed the World. You can get a special 20% discount at Blossom Book House on Church St in Bangalore. Or you can it order it from them here: The World: A Family History: https://explo.in/3Yy2UxN or better, here: https://explo.in/3XcUP0r.WHAT'S THAT WORD?!Co-host Pranati "Pea" Madhav joins Ramjee Chandran in "What's That Word?!", where they discuss the interesting origins of the word, "CONDOM". WANT TO BE ON THE SHOW?Reach us by mail: theliterarycity@explocity.com or simply, tlc@explocity.com.Or here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theliterarycityOr here: https://www.instagram.com/explocityblr/
Beverley Roos Muller explores memory and the discovery of home in Julia Martin's beautifully written memoir Blackridge House. Vanessa Levenstein gets on the line to Evan Ratliff, author of The Mastermind: Drugs, Empire, Murder, Revenge to find out what drove one cyber-genius to choose honour over crime. From crime to culture as Philip Todres turns the spotlight to professional dancer, teacher and choreographer Richard Glasstone and his latest publications and Cindy Moritz welcomed the chance to scratch further beneath the surface in a conversation with Simon Sebag Montefiore, author of Written in History: Letters that changed the world, reviewed here last month. Bringing the topical cyber-crime theme home, Beryl Eichenberger entered the web's dark underbelly in Peter Church's page-turning thriller, Crackerjack, set here in Cape Town, and Michael Avery spoke to financial journalist TJ Strydom, author of Christo Wiese: Risk and Riches, the day after an eventful book launch.
Fine Music Radio — Beverley Roos Muller explores memory and the discovery of home in Julia Martin’s beautifully written memoir Blackridge House. Vanessa Levenstein gets on the line to Evan Ratliff, author of The Mastermind: Drugs, Empire, Murder, Revenge to find out what drove one cyber-genius to choose honour over crime. From crime to culture as Philip Todres turns the spotlight to professional dancer, teacher and choreographer Richard Glasstone and his latest publications and Cindy Moritz welcomed the chance to scratch further beneath the surface in a conversation with Simon Sebag Montefiore, author of Written in History: Letters that changed the world, reviewed here last month. Bringing the topical cyber-crime theme home, Beryl Eichenberger entered the web’s dark underbelly in Peter Church’s page-turning thriller, Crackerjack, set here in Cape Town, and Michael Avery spoke to financial journalist TJ Strydom, author of Christo Wiese: Risk and Riches, the day after an eventful book launch.
International bestselling author and historian Simon Sebag-Montefiore selects over 100 letters, from Rameses, Suleiman the Magnificent and Elizabeth I, to Stalin, Emmeline Pankhurst and Leonard Cohen, from ancient times to the present. He examines human strength and frailty, presenting the most intimate thoughts of visionaries, artists and great leaders. Montefiore, a master storyteller, discusses with Tanya Gold why these letters are essential reading: how they enlighten our past, enrich the way we live now, and illuminate tomorrow. Sponsored by David and Judy Dangoor In Association with Jewish Renaissance This event took place on Sunday 3rd March as part of Jewish Book Week 2019.
Fine Music Radio — Beverley Roos Muller gives joyful voice to Vox by Christina Dalcher which she found very readable. Committed conservationist John Hanks wonders whether The Last Elephants by Don Pinnock and Colin Bell really are the last elephants. From last to the next as Vanessa Levenstein so joyfully chats to Mitch Albom about his sequel to The five people you meet in heaven: The Next Person You Meet in Heaven. And Nicky Farrelly comes up with a joyful bundle of great reads. Just right for the fireside or the electric blanket. Melvyn Minnaar chooses two very different books for those of us who thrill to language charm. MR: And Cindy Moritz reviews Written in History – Letters that changed the World, a book for those of us who are in for a feast of history.
Beverley Roos Muller gives joyful voice to Vox by Christina Dalcher which she found very readable. Committed conservationist John Hanks wonders whether The Last Elephants by Don Pinnock and Colin Bell really are the last elephants. From last to the next as Vanessa Levenstein so joyfully chats to Mitch Albom about his sequel to The five people you meet in heaven: The Next Person You Meet in Heaven. And Nicky Farrelly comes up with a joyful bundle of great reads. Just right for the fireside or the electric blanket. Melvyn Minnaar chooses two very different books for those of us who thrill to language charm. MR: And Cindy Moritz reviews Written in History – Letters that changed the World, a book for those of us who are in for a feast of history.
Following on from Intelligence Squared’s acclaimed events on great speeches and poetry, when Carey Mulligan, Simon Russell Beale, Helena Bonham Carter and other stars took to our stage, we now present Letters That Changed The World, based on award-winning historian Simon Sebag Montefiore’s new book Written in History: Letters that Changed the World. Joining him on stage were No 1 bestselling novelist Kate Mosse. Together they discussed letters by Michelangelo, Catherine the Great, Sarah Bernhardt, Rosa Parks, Nelson Mandela, Virginia Woolf, Alan Turing and Leonard Cohen. Some are inspiring, some unsettling, others express foreboding and despair. Many celebrate love and sex.A cast of performers, including Young Vic director Kwame Kwei-Armah, rising star Jade Anouka, Dunkirk actor Jack Lowden, and West End star Tamsin Greig, brought the letters to life on stage. Listen and discover the bravery, beauty and visceral immediacy in these letters. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
This edition includes: author Simon Sebag-Montefiore discusses his new book Written in History: Letters that changed the World, with Bill Whiteford in the Long Interview; Bjorn Lomborg, director of the environmental think tank, the Copenhagen Consensus Centre, discusses the challenges politicians face in making effective climate change policy workable for domestic politics; Prof Steve Tsang, Director of SOAS China Institute, unpicks the politics behind the trans-global spat between America and China and what it means for the ongoing trade-war between the two countries, and in this week's Reporter's Notebook, Greek journalist Anthee Carassava writes about the migrant crisis on the island of Samos.
This edition includes: author Simon Sebag-Montefiore discusses his new book Written in History: Letters that changed the World, with Bill Whiteford in the Long Interview; Bjorn Lomborg, director of the environmental think tank, the Copenhagen Consensus Centre, discusses the challenges politicians face in making effective climate change policy workable for domestic politics; Prof Steve Tsang, Director of SOAS China Institute, unpicks the politics behind the trans-global spat between America and China and what it means for the ongoing trade-war between the two countries, and in this week's Reporter's Notebook, Greek journalist Anthee Carassava writes about the migrant crisis on the island of Samos.