Podcasts about James Baldwin

Our latest installment of Full Bio focuses on the life of writer James Baldwin, a literary master and essential figure of the Civil Rights movement. Nicholas Boggs discusses his new biography, Baldwin: A Love Story. On today's installment, we learn about his literary legacy, his activism, and his final years.

Here's a question that'll keep you up at night: What do you do when you believe in "buy or die" but you're terrified of ruining future opportunities with annoying prospecting sequences? That's exactly what Angie Anderson asked during a recent Ask Jeb session, and it's a problem that's plaguing salespeople everywhere. Angie subscribes to the buy or die mentality but doesn't want to destroy her odds of winning in the future by becoming the prospect's worst nightmare. If you're nodding your head right now, you're not alone. The tension between persistent prospecting and respectful relationship building is one of the biggest challenges facing modern sales professionals, and getting it wrong costs you deals—both now and in the future. The Buy or Die Misconception That's Killing Your Pipeline Here's the brutal truth: Most salespeople completely misunderstand what "buy or die" actually means. They think it's about hammering prospects until they crack, but that's not persistence—that's harassment. Real buy or die mentality recognizes that the prospect is never not a prospect, but sometimes now is not the right time. The key is knowing when to push and when to pull back. Your sequence length and touch frequency should be driven by one critical factor: deal complexity and account size. Short Cycle Sales Need Short, Aggressive Sequences Run 10-14 touch sequences over 10-30 days with touchpoints every 2-3 days. These prospects have buying windows that are typically always open, and the stakes are relatively low. Complex Accounts Require Long-Term Relationship Building For massive, high-value accounts, you could run sequences that extend up to two years. Touch them monthly or quarterly to stay top of mind, waiting for the right opportunity window to open. The magic happens when you track meaningful engagement. In any properly executed sequence, 30-50% of prospects will give you some form of signal—yes, no, or even "go away." All of these responses give you something to work with. But here's the critical part: When you get complete radio silence from the other 50%, you stop. Pull them out of your sequence, slot in fresh prospects, and circle back in 90 days or six months. You have infinite time to go after them—use it strategically. Why Generic Messages Get You Blocked Every Time This brings us to the second major challenge facing modern salespeople: crafting relevant messages that actually resonate with busy prospects. James Baldwin perfectly captured this struggle when he asked about leveraging tools like ZoomInfo to create relevant messaging. He sees tons of information but doesn't know what to use or how to use it effectively. This is where most reps completely miss the mark, and it's costing them relationships. The Research Failure That Destroys Credibility Want to know the fastest way to get permanently blocked? Send a message that screams "I know nothing about you or your business." This happened to me recently with a rep from a major software company. They did everything technically right—multi-channel approach, proper timing, professional voicemails—but they failed at the most critical element: relevance. They prospected Sales Gravy without doing even basic research. My LinkedIn profile was right there. My content was everywhere. I've literally said thousands of times that if you mention my books when prospecting me, I'll almost always respond. But they were too lazy to look. That's not persistence—that's sales malpractice. How to Turn Data Overload Into Relevant Conversations The problem isn't lack of information—it's information overwhelm. Modern tools give you access to massive amounts of data, but most reps freeze up trying to figure out what matters. The solution is asking better questions of your data. Instead of just building lists, use AI-powered tools to ask specific questions: "What are three conversation starters that would make this CEO interested in talking with us?

Our latest installment of Full Bio focuses on the life of writer James Baldwin, a literary master and essential figure of the Civil Rights movement. Nicholas Boggs discusses his new biography, Baldwin: A Love Story. On today's installment, we learn about Baldwin's time in Paris and his relationship with Lucien Happersberger.Fact Check for the tribute to the late Robert Redford: "Barefoot In The Park" was actually released in 1967. 

Our latest installment of Full Bio focuses on the life of writer James Baldwin, a literary master and essential figure of the Civil Rights movement. Nicholas Boggs discusses his new biography, Baldwin: A Love Story. In today's installment, we learn about Baldwin's early life and relationship with his family.

Baldwin: A Love Story, published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux in August 2025, is author Boggs's examination of writer James Baldwin — the first major biography of this influential, controversial, and compelling […]

Brad and Lesley recap her conversation with franchise expert Jon Ostenson, unpacking how non-food franchising helps risk-averse entrepreneurs own a business without reinventing the wheel. They highlight funding paths, corporate support, and why following the playbook matters. You will hear practical ways to start while keeping your day job and how Jon's services are paid by franchisors, not you.If you have any questions about this episode or want to get some of the resources we mentioned, head over to LesleyLogan.co/podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/. If you have any comments or questions about the Be It pod shoot us a message at beit@lesleylogan.co mailto:beit@lesleylogan.co. And as always, if you're enjoying the show please share it with someone who you think would enjoy it as well. It is your continued support that will help us continue to help others. Thank you so much! Never miss another show by subscribing at LesleyLogan.co/subscribe https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/#follow-subscribe-free.In this episode you will learn about:When to treat Reformer footwork differently from leg press.How franchise ownership works even if you keep your day job.Why matching your strengths to the right franchise matters.Why matching your strengths to the right franchise matters.Common mistakes franchisees make when they don't follow the playbook.The mindset shifts around seeing $50K as possible, not impossible.Episode References/Links:Indivisible Movement - https://indivisible.orgBook: She Caused A Riot by Hannah Jewell - https://a.co/d/cGhs5UYP.O.T. Chicago 2025 - https://pilates.com/pilates-on-tour-chicagolandCambodia October 2025 Waitlist - https://crowsnestretreats.comWinter Tour Waitlist - https://opc.me/eventsSubmit your wins or questions - https://beitpod.com/questionsEp. 544 Matthew Lesko - https://beitpod.com/matthewleskoBook: Non-Food Franchising by Jon Ostenson - https://a.co/d/29XayrQ If you enjoyed this episode, make sure and give us a five star rating and leave us a review on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podchaser or Castbox. https://lovethepodcast.com/BITYSIDEALS! DEALS! DEALS! DEALS! https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentCheck out all our Preferred Vendors & Special Deals from Clair Sparrow, Sensate, Lyfefuel BeeKeeper's Naturals, Sauna Space, HigherDose, AG1 and ToeSox https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentBe in the know with all the workshops at OPC https://workshops.onlinepilatesclasses.com/lp-workshop-waitlistBe It Till You See It Podcast Survey https://pod.lesleylogan.co/be-it-podcasts-surveyBe a part of Lesley's Pilates Mentorship https://lesleylogan.co/elevate/FREE Ditching Busy Webinar https://ditchingbusy.com/Resources:Watch the Be It Till You See It podcast on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gLesley Logan website https://lesleylogan.co/Be It Till You See It Podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjogqXLnfyhS5VlU4rdzlnQProfitable Pilates https://profitablepilates.com/about/Follow Us on Social Media:Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lesley.logan/The Be It Till You See It Podcast YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gFacebook https://www.facebook.com/llogan.pilatesLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesley-logan/The OPC YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@OnlinePilatesClasses Episode Transcript:Brad Crowell 0:00  His services to you are free. How are they free, you ask, because he sees what you're trying to do. Then he goes to the franchise, the parent company, and he says, pay me, and I'll help these guys succeed doing your franchise. Pretty brilliant. I was like, wow, that's amazing.Lesley Logan 0:20  Welcome to the Be It Till You See It podcast where we talk about taking messy action, knowing that perfect is boring. I'm Lesley Logan, Pilates instructor and fitness business coach. I've trained thousands of people around the world and the number one thing I see stopping people from achieving anything is self-doubt. My friends, action brings clarity and it's the antidote to fear. Each week, my guest will bring bold, executable, intrinsic and targeted steps that you can use to put yourself first and Be It Till You See It. It's a practice, not a perfect. Let's get started.Lesley Logan 0:59  Welcome back to the Be It Till You See It interview recap where my co-host in life, Brad, and I are going to dig into the supporting convo I had with Jon Ostenson in our last episode. If you haven't yet listened to that interview, feel free to pause this now, go back and listen to that one, and then come back and join us, or listen to this one, and then you can decide if you want to listen that one. I think it's great. Jon has a book. It's really wonderful. It's a very niche topic. It's a nerdy topic. It's one I wanted to have because I don't think entrepreneurs, I'm like, making your own idea is for everybody, but I do think everybody deserves to have the wealth and agency that they want to have in this world and make what they want to make. So I'm excited about it. Brad Crowell 1:30  Well, I thought I really liked, I really liked the conversation. I was very I mean, especially for me, because I am very entrepreneurial, but I appreciated the back and forth. So, yeah, I, I think that it was very revealing. Lesley Logan 1:51  Are you saying it was a great interview? Did I do a good job? Brad Crowell 1:51  I'm saying it was a great interview. Not only that, but I think the information that he's sharing is shocking. He's super smart dude, and I thought, I thought it was very revealing for someone who might be hoping, wishing they could own a business. This was very empowering, because it, it created hope I think. So, yeah, great. Lesley Logan 2:17  I well, you'll, you guys, stay tuned. You'll hear what we're talking about in a second. Today is September 11th, 2025 and it's Patriot Day, which gives us all time to reflect on the devastating terror attacks that took 3000 lives. We commemorate those who we lost, and give thanks to the brave responders who put their lives on the line. Take a moment today to consider what we stand for as a nation, how we can work together to make the world a better place for all. It's a hard day. Brad Crowell 2:39  Yeah, I mean.Lesley Logan 2:40  Especially with 20, with 25 years to reflect on what fucking lies we're told afterwards, and then how we treat the first responders and how fucking hard it was to get their medical bills paid because they're dying from cancer right now. Like.Brad Crowell 2:56  Yeah, it's like, it's like a story that keeps repeating itself where something devastating happens that is wrong and tragic. People die and then motherfuckers in office take advantage of the public's emotional state, and they use it to go do some wrong shit. Lesley Logan 3:18  Go, so seriously, go watch the movie Vice. I happen to be really lucky to be teaching Christian Bale's wife at the time that he was filming that. And so it was a really interesting time, because, like, he was becoming Dick Cheney, which, like, it is a, I mean, of course, he won an, I think he won a bunch of awards for that. And he literally thanked Satan for the inspiration. Brad Crowell 3:41  Yes, he did. Lesley Logan 3:37  And I remember, I remember my client. I remember my client was, my client was just like, I fucking told him not to do that, or something like that. And so anyways, but go watch it, because it, while it's not historical, it is pretty fucking accurate about like, how rich Cheney and these bitches got after doing what they did and using, using the heartbreak, and what people fought with patriotism to go make these fucking wars, and then we did a bunch of bullshit, and then we ruined places. And it just pisses me off, because. Brad Crowell 4:04  Over, over, lies. Lesley Logan 4:09  Lies and so. And also, if you don't believe in September 11th being what it was like, I don't know why you're here, but like, I, I just really.Brad Crowell 4:18  Well, it was, I mean, it was a terrorist attack, no question. But what we did after it, how the public was manipulated, to then go to war for 20 years after, based on literal lies, you know.Lesley Logan 4:30  Yeah, it's, I it's hard because, like, okay, reflecting on what we consider as a nation today, I think, as an I think the people running our nation today reflect something I would never want to be a patriot of.Brad Crowell 4:42  Yeah, and that that's, that's the thing that really frustrates me as a person who, when you read the definition of patriot, I want to be that. That is absolutely, I mean, I consider myself a patriot. But also there's this, there's this frustrating association with angry white men, usually, who don't give a shit about people. And there's so much fear of others associated with it. And there's this ego that's associated with it that.Lesley Logan 5:17  It's, it's so it's so fragile. What they're like, they're thinking is so they are. They're such fragile people. Because they're just like, they're the way that they think, that they're showing strength. And we're like, protesting, they're like, like, making sure that we see the middle finger, and like, just like, and it's like, I have never driven in my entire life, of driving past something, we're talking about this with the protest where I disagree. Brad Crowell 5:39  We used to live by protests all the time, where we lived in L.A., we're literally next to the federal building, so it was like, every weekend, forever.Lesley Logan 5:45  Every weekend, it was like, who's protesting today? And like, there were times I was like, oh, I wonder why. It made me get curious as to, like, what is going on here. It was very fascinating. And it was like, what the fuck like, but I never was like, here's my middle finger to you. It's like, just, you know, move along. Move right along. The fact that you have to make sure I see your face in your lifted stupid truck while you flip me off, it makes you and that makes you feel good. You're like, yeah, I did it to them. I did it like, we were in Idaho, and there was a big ass sign in this guy's house. I was walking by the lake, and it was like, make liberals cry again, and it's like, oh, you think I'm crying. I'm pissed off. Like the tears of the tears are of what we are losing, of course, but like, no, I'm pissed off. James Baldwin, I want to, I want to make sure everyone hears this quote, because I think it's really beautiful, and I think it's this is what being a patriot is. I love America more than any other country in the world, and exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually. And I think that, like, this country has so many shortcomings, and no country is perfect. Like, I was listening to Sophia Bush on a podcast recently, and she's like, like, I'm not gonna move because, like, I love this place. I'm gonna fight for her. And so, like, if you moved and whatever, like, I have no judgments for that, but if you're here, like, you have to fight, because we're losing rights. We're losing rights. And it really pisses me off, because in the time of my mother being an adult and married woman, she could not get a credit card until, like, the 80s, right? Like, like, I if you're listening to this and you're just like, la, la, la, I just want to hear about how to be till I see it. Ladies, you are going to lose your ability to have your own bank account. You're gonna lose your ability to have your own vote. And if you think it's not going to happen because, oh, it's not going to happen. It's they want it to happen. And the right people are in power. And I'm tired of being told that Project 2025 is bullshit. It is happening right now. Lesley Logan 5:46  They're more than 50% of the way through completing Project 2025.Lesley Logan 5:48  In the time we're recording this, seven months. Brad Crowell 7:40  Yeah, seven months. And, I mean, you know, if you go through and you actually read the things that are in that platform, they they do want to make single family voting, which is literally taking away the white the rights of women, because they would consider the man the head of the household. Lesley Logan 8:02  And if you think, oh, I'm not married yeah your brother get to vote for you. I don't have a brother, your uncle get to vote for you. Like they will find a man if and when this type of life existed, they would find someone in the government to become your vote. You don't get there's no getting out of this. You don't get one.Brad Crowell 8:17  Yeah, and, and, and the people in power are Tweeting about that stuff, literally right now, right like they're they're putting it out there. They're trying to normalize the idea so that when they go and try to do it, it doesn't seem like it's as big of a deal as it actually fucking is. Lesley Logan 8:32  So you know what I think patriotism is right now, babe, it is, find a protest. I know you're busy. I know you have fucked tons, going on. We are, too. Find one. Go for an hour. Go yell. Go meet friends. Go meet people who are different than you. It's, these protests people, some people are fighting for their their gay marriages to still exist. Some people are fighting further to not be war. Some people are fighting for God. Some people are fighting to like for the Epstein list. I don't care what gets you out there, but like you think that this, that what they're gonna do is not gonna affect your life, it is. It is. Brad Crowell 8:55  Yeah, go, go check out individual, indivisible.org, for a local, you know, event, or how you can get involved near you. So, you know, we're gonna move on, and we're gonna actually. Lesley Logan 9:11  Well, people like this, Brad, we've been told, hi, Vicky.Brad Crowell 9:14  I think it's so important y'all and and it's like this, I know that we this isn't a podcast about politics, but it is. Lesley Logan 9:22  But also, but also. Brad Crowell 9:23  Being it until you see it is a pod, it is about like politics, and it is a part of every single element of our life, even if you have the perfect life, quote, unquote, it's because of politics that you are able to live the way that you live. And what's happening right now is such fast, dramatic change in our countries. Like, historically, there's so much change happening so quickly there, that when we wake up, you know, in even six months from now, it's going to be like, there we are at the brink of things. Lesley Logan 9:53  I don't even know how we're going to make it to the midterms. That's my fear. That's my fear, and I put it out right now, but I will just say, even if you're like, less. I just want a homestead. I want to be like tradwife. The fact that you get to choose that is because of politics. So that is fine if that's what you want to choose to do. But do not think that everybody wants to do that and that that should be the choice for everybody. So I think that like that is why we have to get involved. And if you are a woman, you are political. Your existence in any room is political has been and if you really want to get fired up, go read the book, She Caused A Riot. Go look at history. Like fucking Socrates, his teacher was a woman. Did you know that? The reason you don't know that is because politics, they didn't want you to know that there was leaders in this world.Brad Crowell 10:39  Politics and religion. Lesley Logan 10:39  Fuck that. Anyways. Brad Crowell 10:39  Frustrating. Lesley Logan 10:39  I'm pissed off, but we're currently in the U.K. We're in the U.K. and then when we get home, well, we're home for a couple of weeks, and we gotta see my best friends and come visit, and then we're gonna go to Chicagoland for Pilates On Tour with Balanced Body. I'm doing the Joe's Gyms there. That's in Burr Ridge. If there's any spots left, you should snag one, because it's super, super fun, and we have a huge party coming with all of our agency eLevate OPC members, then we're gonna be in Cambodia. That's also in October. You can still join like you can join last minute. Guess what? Flight planes will sell a seat as long as there is one. So you can get the fuck out of town and retreat a little bit and be in a different world and get some empathy for what it's like to live in different places.Brad Crowell 11:21  Yeah, and experience a different culture and see that not everybody.Lesley Logan 11:24  If you are worried. Sorry, I cut you off. If you're worried about being an American in a different country, let me tell you, they see what's happening right now, and they are, in Cambodia, they are sad for us. They are scared for us. They know that they know where we're headed, and they're sad for us.Brad Crowell 11:25  Yeah, I was just gonna say with our experience recently about trying to cross borders and getting stuck and turned around and not being able to, it wasn't the it wasn't the attendees of the events that we were not able to attend who were angry with us. It was the border guard who was, you know, unfortunately, misinformed and, you know, and angry. And he's angry because the border guards of our country were turning away people for no reason. So he could just, that's the only power he had, was to turn away, you know, Americans for no reason. And we just kind of got caught up in that. So there's a lot of, there is a lot of frustration, but it's not from the people, right, in this country, it's like, you know? So, so I would say, you know, yeah, it did feel a little bit stressful to you know, as we were approaching, once we got there and started talking to them, it became clear that that there was just silly reasons being turned away but, but even in that, like the you know, the guy wasn't like, he wasn't an asshole about it. So, but I it was really frustrating. If you're worried about something like that, when you come to a place like Cambodia, you apply for your visa ahead of time. You will know before you arrive if they're going to turn you around, because you'll have the right paperwork.Lesley Logan 13:06  And also you're we're all going as tourists. The Canadian thing, we were going into work. Brad Crowell 13:11  That's true. Lesley Logan 13:11  And that was it, we'll have to do a whole episode on it, because it's a longer, longer conversation. That being said, you go to. Brad Crowell 13:18  But as a tourist, they want a tourist. They want that because. Lesley Logan 13:21  That's how they're that's literally how their country survives. Brad Crowell 13:24  Yep, it's how well, it's how the city that we're going to, that's how the economy there survives, from tourism. So, you know, and they are very aware of that, so. Lesley Logan 13:32  Yes, they want us there. They're so welcoming, they're so kind, and you can see what it's like to be living in a different part of this world. I think that's so important. I think one of the biggest reasons why people in this, in the U.S., are so fucking scared of people of a different color is because they've never, they've never gone and seen how they live. Yeah, you know, go get worldly. You will have more empathy, crowsnestretreats.com. After we leave Cambodia, we're going to be in Singapore. We're going to teach at a beautiful studio there, and then we're gonna see the Botanical Gardens. And then we're home. We're home for the whole month of November. Oh my God, no, Brad, I'm not going camping anywhere. We're home for the whole month of November. Brad Crowell 14:10  But my parents are coming. We're gonna go camp. Lesley Logan 14:12  No, we're, that is not why they're coming to visit us. Help make an, help you with the roof or something. And then October, we're gonna be on our winter tour. And if you want to make sure you hear about that first, go to opc.me/events, opc.me/events, because our people on our waitlist will get the access to the tickets first. And the winter tour does have cities that sell out in 24 hours. Okay, we have to get to our interview, but we do have an audience question. So Brad, go for it.Brad Crowell 14:37  Yes. Okay. DMK asks on Instagram, hey Lesley, my footwork question is this, what cue or cues do you like to use during footwork? I'm sorry, if footwork students, very confused. They made a mistake on the word here.Lesley Logan 14:42  What cues do you like to use, if during footwork, students are using it like a leg press? Brad Crowell 14:56  Oh, sorry. Okay. Lesley Logan 14:57  Yeah, thank you. Brad Crowell 14:59  Well, I just read that wrong. That's all.Lesley Logan 15:00  It's okay, it's all good. So.Brad Crowell 15:04  First off, we're clearly talking about. Lesley Logan 15:06  Footwork on the Reformer. Yeah. DMK, this, I hate cues.Brad Crowell 15:13  Well, hold on, let's explain what the problem is. What is the problem that she's experiencing with her class? Lesley Logan 15:17  The problem that she's probably seen is they're, they're, they're pushing out and in, like, it's a leg press machine, like, it's like a leg machine, and they're making it only a leg exercise versus a full body exercise, right? And then the other thing is that they're not using all the muscles of their legs, because they're just, like, shoving their knees straight. And they're probably pausing at the top, which is what you do on a leg press machine. And then kind of, hopefully, on a leg press machine, you're resisting. But a lot of people just kind of, like, close the the weights, or just like, kind of float in or ride the springs in. So here's the deal, DMK, my teacher, Jay Grimes, and the teachers I studied with him, talked a lot about how Joe didn't really correct during footwork. You use footwork to tell you what's kind of going on in the person's body. So I also happen to like three or four springs on for footwork. So some people think that, like heavy springs means they're gonna use it like a leg press machine, but ideally you want those heavy springs to warm the body up. Two lightest springs can actually affect someone's lower back, if they have a tight lower back, or they're not getting the connection, and the warm up for what's to come. So I do like three to four springs. That being said, what you can do for those people who want to make it a leg press machine, take all the springs off, go down to one light spring and see what happens. They're going to fly off. And you're like, yeah, you actually have to push into the foot bar the whole time, even as you come in. So I love a one spring, because it kind of helps teach the actual movement, and then load the springs up. If you take my fast workshop, I think you can get it on our OPC website. You'll see how I explain how to use especially with arches and heels to do that. The other thing I would say is ask them, if they are opening the front of the hips or opening the back of the knees. What is their intention? Meaning, the, when you focus on opening the knee joint, you're a leg press machine. When you focus on opening the front of the hips, you're making this move from your center. I am looking, I actually don't care people's knees go straight. I'm looking at, can they move their thigh away from their center and open the front of their hips and then pull that back in. So I'm kind of looking at that, but if they don't do those things, the footwork is just really telling me how they're actually moving. And I have to pick other exercises to assist. So other ways to help them understand that's not like press machine would be doing leg springs. Single leg springs, both leg springs, footwork on the Tower is gonna be really helpful, because that's a whole different plane. And so like, find different exercises that get your point across. Ask them what they're feeling and then take them back to the Reformer and say, find that feeling here.Lesley Logan 17:39  Great. Love it. That's the best cue you could do. Lesley Logan 17:50  There you go. Brad Crowell 17:50  I love it. Great question, DMK. Lesley Logan 17:52  Thanks, DMK. Brad Crowell 17:52  If you have a question, just text us. 310-905-5534, 310-905-5534 or you can actually send your question in through, beitpod.com/questions, beitpod.com/questions.Lesley Logan 18:07  That's where you can also send your wins in, too. I want your wins, people. Brad Crowell 18:14  We want your wins. Let's do it. All right. Stick around. We'll be right back. We're actually going to talk about Jon Ostenson next. Lesley Logan 18:20  Finally. Brad Crowell 18:22  All right, let's talk about Jon Ostenson. An expert in franchising and based out of Atlanta, Georgia, Jon Ostenson left his W2 job eight years ago, after years in the corporate world, to become president of Shelf Genie, a large franchise system where he says he fell in love with the franchise model, which he explained amazingly and in detail during the interview. So if you didn't get a chance to listen to that, I would, I would very much encourage you to go listen to it. It was super informative. He is, Jon, is now the founder of FranBridge Consulting and author of the bestselling book, Non-Food Franchising, which, Lesley, I know you read, I've seen it on our table out there. Jon helps clients find suitable franchise opportunities from over 600 different brands outside of the fast food industry. His mission is to guide individuals who want to own a business but may feel risk-averse or lack a, quote unquote, genius idea connecting with them with proven scalable franchise model, and here's the, models, and here's the crazy thing, this is where I was like, oh my God, this guy's brilliant, his services to you are free. How are they free, you ask, because he sees what you're trying to do then he goes to the franchise, the parent company, and he says, pay me, and I'll help these guys succeed doing your franchise. Yeah, pretty brilliant. I was like, wow, that's amazing. So.Lesley Logan 19:44  I love it. I love it so much because it's, like, it's completely risk-averse for you, like, and the reason I thought this, I really wanted to dig in with this guy, because I don't even understand how you get into a franchise, and. Brad Crowell 19:58  Well, it makes me want to get into franchises. Lesley Logan 20:00  I know. And we just met someone who's like, all he does is all these different franchises and and so I just like it because, like, first of all, we talked a lot about how you could, like, work and have a franchise. Like, it's like, there's like, there's all these different ways you can do it. So, anyways.Brad Crowell 20:16  Yeah, he said a lot of franchisors, the people on the franchise, still might have a day job, because. Lesley Logan 20:21  Yeah. Aren't they a franchisee? Brad Crowell 20:24  Oh, sorry, franchisee. You're, you're right. The franchisor is the parent company. The franchisee is the person who's, who's like, purchase one of the locations or whatever. So the franchisee as if you could still be working your normal life and have a franchise, obviously, then it's about the team that you put in place to make sure that they can run it without you having to be there. But, but this guy was talking about having franchises all over the country, so he's clearly not in them operating them. Lesley Logan 20:51  Yeah. But also. No. And so you can be an owner-operator. He has, he, like, his book has got a lot of this stuff in it, if you want to, like, dig in even more and then chat with him, but like, here's what I. Brad Crowell 20:51  And by the way, we're not just talking about Pilates franchises. Lesley Logan 21:02  No, he is, like, there's so many, there's some out there. And also, like, I personally, I personally don't want to grab someone else's Pilates franchises, because, the way I like to teach, I probably would want to make my own, but maybe I want to get one that's in the like, maybe that's like a red light sauna space or something that goes along with what I do, that's like in the thing that I am interested in, in life, like I'm already. Brad Crowell 21:23  Or salt path, float, float, yeah, floating, yeah.Lesley Logan 21:27  By the way, there is a float place that I'm sure, is a franchise in Nashville that I'm like, how the fuck do we get it out here in our neighborhood? Because I'm tired of driving 30 minutes to go fucking float, I'm pissed off by the time I get back. Anyways, we just need, I don't know, a few thousands of dollars, and then we can do it, babe. I think, here's where our next adventure is. Brad Crowell 21:45  (inaudible) crazy is you said that, like, a lot of people, will start a franchise with maybe, you know, $50,000 to $100,000 down, and the rest of it is actually from a an SBA loan, because the SBA and the banks believe in the franchise model so much that they are willing to effectively front the rest of the startup capital. And I was like, wow, I never thought about that. That's amazing. Because, and like, you know, $50,000 is still a shitload of money. I understand that. But it also isn't a million dollars, right? Lesley Logan 22:18  And also, like, anyone who wants to start to make legitimate money, you have to stop thinking that $50,000 is a lot of money, start thinking it's possible, that you can get it, that there's a way, because I remember thinking that, oh, my God, it's so much money. And let me tell you the long as you think 50,000 is so much money you're gonna have, it's gonna feel so far away when you start to think like, of course I still have to find $50,000 you, go listen to that podcast we have with the guy with the question marks, I forget his name, anyways, go and find it, but let's just talk about things I loved that he said. Okay, let me get into my notes. He said, you're in business for yourself, but not by yourself. And I love this, because so many of the people I meet, they're like, so lucky that you and Brad, like, are married and like, you work together. And our biggest response is, like, not everyone should do what we do. So if you want to be in business for yourself, but not by yourself, instead of working with your partner, why don't you get a partner? And it can be a franchise like, I think that's really cool.Brad Crowell 23:09  And different franchisors offer different support, and that's one of the conversations that that you could have with a person like Jon, where you might be like, hey, I am innately a marketer, but I'm terrible at operations, right? Then he, he might say, okay, well, this franchise, you know, whatever, they can help. Or, or conversely, I hate marketing. I'm really, that's not my jam. I need a franchise that will create the content for me that I can just use to put out there. So they're different, like, corporate offices will do different things for the business to support the franchisee and but, but, but as a as a layman, how am I supposed to know? But Jon gets to see hundreds of franchises. Lesley Logan 23:53  I think that's what's so cool. Is like, if you know your strengths, then you can talk to Jon and figure out, like, what are the different franchises that I'm interested in that are, like, in an area I want to be in, and then, okay, of those, which one matches my strengths and my weaknesses? Because you don't want to have something that's like, great at marketing and you're great at marketing, but like, has the systems are not there for the operations, like things like that, but also the franchiser does a lot for you. And remember, it's a proven business model, so like, it's already figured like, it's already thrown ideas at the wall, figured out what works, and then you just get to rinse and repeat that. And I really, I really like that for people who want to create their own schedule, create their own impact, be part of the community, but are risk-averse, you know? And by the way, I get it, we just.Lesley Logan 24:39  I'm risk-averse, too. Lesley Logan 24:39  Oh my god, you really are. Brad Crowell 24:41  But in a measurable way. But it's like, I wouldn't want to go, just go throw money away and hope, hope that something works. Imagine being able to follow a systematic approach where they figured out all the kinks in the business. Like, like the business that Lesley and I run that we've created, it has taken us a lot longer to get to where we are today. It's literally 10 years now, 10 years of running this business, yeah, 10 years of trying to figure things out, making mistakes, doing all this stuff, when with a franchise model, there are so many less mistakes to make, because hypothetically, they've already made the mistakes for you and figured it out and put together the playbook that you can simply follow the plan, the process, right? I really loved when he talked about business ownership is really hard. It takes a lot of work. And, yeah, that's that's very true, too. And he said, if it was easy, everyone would be a business owner, and what he what so, so, of all the pros that we've been talking about with a franchise model, it still does take a lot of work, and it's it takes focus and and the biggest thing he mentioned was the people who fail don't follow the plan, right? And Jon goes, calls up the franchise corporate office and goes, yo, what happened here? What's going on? And the franchisor said, you know, would say to Jon, well, look, we did everything we could to support this person, but they didn't listen. They just didn't fucking listen, you know. And that doesn't mean that, like, there won't still be challenges, because every single location is different, every market is different, every opportunity. And what I mean that, I mean different franchise model is different, you know. So it still will take work, but you don't have to do it alone, you know. And that that's amazing, you know. So, so anyway, he doesn't sugarcoat franchises but he said it's a lot easier and a lot more predictable. Lesley Logan 26:40  His book, actually, like, talks about, like, like, kind of like, if it's for you, you know, and this is where like, it, for us to follow the rules, right, with you, you have to know, okay, we're gonna do this thing with this company. We're gonna follow their rules, which means I'm gonna hire someone to go follow their rules, because I am unemployable, so I will probably fuck him up, but you have to know that about yourself, you know. Such a cool dude. He also was like, because I told him I have an idea, I still have an idea that I might want to, like happen and make, and franchise and he's like, just give me a call. Run it by me. And I'm like, amazing. I just love how generous people can be. Brad Crowell 27:18  Yeah, yeah. Well, stick around, we're going to talk about how generous Jon is with his Be It Action Items, in just a minute. Brad Crowell 27:25  All right, so finally, let's talk about those Be It Action Items. What bold, executable, intrinsic or targeted action items can we take away from your convo with Jon Ostenson? He said he really encourages people who are interested in franchising or the concept of franchising, to just simply explore, that there's no downside, there's no cost to learn about how it works, what it is, is it even plausible for me? Is this something that I could do while still doing my life? He said it's super free to work with them, which we already talked about at the very beginning of this convo here. FranBridge consulting, his company helps clients navigate and find top available opportunities among over 600 different non-food franchise brands and. Lesley Logan 28:08  We love that. I do not want to deal with food. Brad Crowell 28:10  Well, he's he's not, he's not opposed to food, but it also, apparently, just adds a whole lot more variables in there. Lesley Logan 28:16  I used to work at a coffee shop, and it was small business-owned, and I'm going to tell you right now, it is,.Brad Crowell 28:21  Well, that's different than a franchise, because a franchise is a system, so small business-owned might make things just complicated because they're making shit up.Lesley Logan 28:28  Food, food, there's, like, the things you have to do to prevent rats.Brad Crowell 28:32  Right, there's just a lot more variables when it comes to food. There's also a lot of more licensing and a lot more, like red tape with like, local state government stuff, you know. So anyway, he explained that what I already mentioned is that, how does he get paid? He gets paid by the franchise business, the corporate, right? He, you're not necessarily paying him directly. So, I mean, it seems like an absolute win-win.Lesley Logan 28:57  Just worth having the conversation like there's no, there's no harm in it, you know. Brad Crowell 29:00  Yeah. What about you? Lesley Logan 29:01  So I love that he said, activity breeds activity. Yes. It's like a body in motion, stays in motion. Yesterday, we just got into town, you know, at midnight on Friday night. I guess it's Saturday morning. Anyways, our friend, my she saw me at the gym, and she's like, you're like, the most consistent creature. And I'm like, I don't if I was to not be consistent, like, like, if I used travel as an excuse, I would never be consistent. So activity breeds activity. A body motion stays in motion. Explain, it's the idea he saw play out in his career and life, that whenever he gets off the sidelines he starts moving to Option A or B. That's that, then that's when option C comes out of left field. He says, good things happen when you're in motion. And it's so true. Like, it's so true. You know, even we got sidelined with the fucking Canada thing, we pivoted and kept going. And, like, because we did that, other things happened, that the dominoes kept going. And like, these other opportunities came around. And I think, like. Brad Crowell 29:53  Yeah, we met a whole studio we never would have met. Lesley Logan 29:55  We totally did. Could be a pop-up someday. But at any rate, like, you know, you, you'd be surprised what happens. Too often, we get we get sidelined, and we're like, I'm gonna sit over here. Keep going, take another step. And if you hear, as you hear in the podcast, it says action is the antidote to fear. So anyways, I'm Lesley Logan. Brad Crowell 30:16  And I'm Brad Crowell. Lesley Logan 30:17  Thank you so much for listening to our podcast. We love your reviews. Leave us more reviews. I want more reviews. It's my love language. And share this with a person who needs to hear it like you might have a friend in your life who is like, kind of stuck, kind of wondering what to do. Maybe this is what they need. So send them Jon's episode. Send them this episode. And until next time, Be It Till You See It. Brad Crowell 30:38  Bye for now. Lesley Logan 30:38  That's all I got for this episode of the Be It Till You See It Podcast. One thing that would help both myself and future listeners is for you to rate the show and leave a review and follow or subscribe for free wherever you listen to your podcast. Also, make sure to introduce yourself over at the Be It Pod on Instagram. I would love to know more about you. Share this episode with whoever you think needs to hear it. Help us and others Be It Till You See It. Have an awesome day. Be It Till You See It is a production of The Bloom Podcast Network. If you want to leave us a message or a question that we might read on another episode, you can text us at +1-310-905-5534 or send a DM on Instagram @BeItPod. Brad Crowell 31:21  It's written, filmed, and recorded by your host, Lesley Logan, and me, Brad Crowell.Lesley Logan 31:27  It is transcribed, produced and edited by the epic team at Disenyo.co.Brad Crowell 31:31  Our theme music is by Ali at Apex Production Music and our branding by designer and artist, Gianfranco Cioffi.Lesley Logan 31:39  Special thanks to Melissa Solomon for creating our visuals.Brad Crowell 31:42  Also to Angelina Herico for adding all of our content to our website. And finally to Meridith Root for keeping us all on point and on time.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/be-it-till-you-see-it/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

9.9.2025 #RolandMartinUnfiltered: MO GOP Map Targets Black Voters, Pressley Demands Powell Answer on Black Jobs, Pastor vs. MAGAMissouri Republicans have passed a proposed congressional map that could expand the GOP's razor-thin majority in the U.S. House. Congressional Black Caucus Chair Yvette Clarke will join us to discuss the racist efforts aimed at undermining Black and minority representation in Congress.Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley is demanding that Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell address the rising unemployment rate among Black women. She'll be here to explain why Black women's employment is a "key metric of the health of the U.S. economy."A New York pastor calls out MAGA Christians. His message: "Don't confuse them with real Christians." Racist conservative commentator Charlie Kirk is blaming young white women for the "West's fertility collapse." Tonight's Black Star Network Marketplace segment is for art lovers. The award-winning artist, DomoINK, who created the James Baldwin piece in our studio, will explain how her work brings representation to people of color.#BlackStarNetwork partner: Fanbasehttps://www.startengine.com/offering/fanbaseThis Reg A+ offering is made available through StartEngine Primary, LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. This investment is speculative, illiquid, and involves a high degree of risk, including the possible loss of your entire investment. You should read the Offering Circular (https://bit.ly/3VDPKjD) and Risks (https://bit.ly/3ZQzHl0) related to this offering before investing.Download the Black Star Network app at http://www.blackstarnetwork.com! We're on iOS, AppleTV, Android, AndroidTV, Roku, FireTV, XBox and SamsungTV.The #BlackStarNetwork is a news reporting platform covered under Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Self-love is a skill that takes daily practice. And if you're feeling a bit out of practice... well, you're not alone. In this episode, we're diving into our Element of Love by focusing on the wisdom of James Baldwin as he encourages us all to find light within darkness. We'll talk about the relationship of self-love and mental health, self-love as a tool for behavior change, the importance of spotlighting positive actions, and the transformative power of kindness in practical situations.  About: Cope with stress, anxiety, and depression better with the Joy Lab Podcast. Learn evidence-based mental health practices and mindfulness skills to boost happiness, resilience, and emotional wellbeing.   Like and follow Joy Lab on Socials:  Instagram TikTok Linkedin Sources and Notes: Joy Lab Program: Take the next leap in your wellbeing journey with step-by-step practices to help you build and maintain the elements of joy in your life.  Excerpt from James Baldwin's Nothing Personal.  Article: Less Screaming, More Weightlifting: The Army Is Reinventing Basic Training for Gen Z    Full transcript available here. Please remember that this content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice and is not a replacement for advice and treatment from a medical professional. Please consult your doctor or other qualified health professional before beginning any diet change, supplement, or lifestyle program. Please see our terms for more information. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call the NAMI HelpLine: 1-800-950-6264 available Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m., ET. OR text "HelpLine" to 62640 or email NAMI at helpline@nami.org. Visit NAMI for more. You can also call or text SAMHSA at 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.

On today's episode of You Are What You Read, we are joined by biographer Nicholas Boggs to talk about literary icon James Baldwin. Nick is the author of Baldwin: A Love Story, a deep dive into Baldwin's personal relationships and their influence on his life and work. Nick's biography was named a “A Most Anticipated Book” by The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, The Boston Globe, the Chicago Tribune, Publisher's Weekly and more. Nicholas also co-edited a new edition of Baldwin's collaboration with French artist Yoran Cazac, Little Man, Little Man: A Story of Childhood. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What this book showed me was how to balance pieces of myself that didn't fit together.Today we meet Abdi Nazemian and we're talking about the queer book that saved his life: Another Country by James Baldwin.Abdi Nazemian spent his childhood in a series of exciting locations (Tehran, Paris, Toronto, New York), but could usually be found in his bedroom watching old movies and reading. His first novel, The Walk-In Closet, was awarded Best Debut at the Lambda Literary Awards. He has written three young adult novels: The Authentics, Like a Love Story, and The Chandler Legacies. As Head of Development for Water's End Productions, Abdi has been an executive producer or associate producer on numerous films, including Call Me By Your Name, It Happened In L.A., The Price, The House of Tomorrow, and Little Woods.Another Country, stunning for its emotional intensity and haunting sensuality, depicts men and women, blacks and whites, stripped of their masks of gender and race by love and hatred at the most elemental and sublime. It was nominated as one of America's best-loved novels by PBS's The Great American Read.James Baldwin was born in 1924 and educated in New York. The author of over twenty works of fiction and non-fiction, Baldwin received numerous accolades, including a Guggenheim Fellowship and a Ford Foundation Grant.Connect with Abdiwebsite: abdinazemian.cominstagram: @abdaddyOur BookshopVisit our Bookshop for new releases, current bestsellers, banned books, critically acclaimed LGBTQ books, or peruse the books featured on our podcasts: bookshop.org/shop/thisqueerbookBuy Another Country: https://bookshop.org/a/82376/9780679744719Become an Associate Producer!Become an Associate Producer of our podcast through a $20/month sponsorship on Patreon! A professionally recognized credit, you can gain access to Associate Producer meetings to help guide our podcast into the future! Get started today: patreon.com/thisqueerbookCreditsHost/Founder: John ParkerExecutive Producer: Jim PoundsAssociate Producers: Archie Arnold, K Jason Bryan and David Rephan, Bob Bush, Natalie Cruz, Jonathan Fried, Paul Kaefer, Joe Perazzo, Bill Shay, and Sean SmithPatreon Subscribers: Stephen D., Terry D., Stephen Flamm, Ida Göteburg, Thomas Michna, Sofia Nerman, and Gary Nygaard.Creative and Accounting support provided by: Gordy EricksonQuatrefoil LibraryQuatrefoil has created a curated lending library made up of the books featured on our podcast! If you can't buy these books, then borrow them! Link: https://libbyapp.com/library/quatrefoil/curated-1404336/page-1Support the show

An Arendt expert has arrived at Arendt-obsessed Recall This Book. Lyndsey Stonebridge discusses her widely praised 2024 We Are Free to Change the World: Hannah Arendt's Lessons in Love and Disobedience. Lesley sees both radical evil and the banality of evil at work in Nazi Germany and in the causes of suffering and death in Gaza today. She compares the moral idiocy of authoritarians (like the murderous Nazis and those who are starving Gaza) to that of philosophers who cannot hear the echoes of what they are doing. Lesley and John discuss Arendt's belief in the fragile ethics of the Founding Fathers, with its checks and balances and its politics based not on emotion but cool deliberation. Arendt could say that “The fundamental contradiction of [America] is political freedom coupled with social slavery,”” but why was she too easy on the legacy of imperial racism in America, missing its settler-colonial logic? Arendt read W. E. B. DuBois (who saw and said this) but perhaps, says Lesley, not attentively enough. Lyndsey is not a fan of Jonathan Glazer's Zone of Interest, because it makes the evil banality of extermination monstrous all over again (cf. her"Mythic Banality: Jonathan Glazer and Hannah Arendt.") Responsibility is crucial: She praises Arendt for distinguishing between temptation and coercion. Mentioned in the episode: Carnation Revolution in Portugal in 1974 one of the last great historical events in Arendt's lifetime. Lesley praises “reading while walking” and the unpacking of the totalitarian in Anna Burns's marvelous Norther Ireland novel, Milkman. Hannah Pitkin's wonderful 1998 The Attack of the Blob: Hannah Arendt's Concept of the Social, emphasizes Arendt's idea that although we are free, we can forfeit that freedom by assuming we are rule-bound. Arendt on the challenge of identity: “When one is attacked as a Jew, one must respond not as a German or a Frenchman or a world citizen, but as a Jew.” The Holocaust is a crime agains humanity a crime against the human status, a crime "perpetrated on the body of the Jewish people".” Various books by Hannah Arendt come up: Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on teh Banality of Evil. (1963). Judgement in Arendt is crucial from earliest days studying Kant and in her final works (among The Life of the Mind) she speaks of the moments when "the mind goes visiting.” Her earliest ideas about love and natality are in Love and Saint Augustine (1929, not published in English until 1996). Hannah Arendt is buried at Bard, near her husband Heinrich Blucher and opposite Philip Roth, who reportedly wanted to capture some of the spillover Arendt traffic. James Baldwin's essay “The Fire Next Time” (1963) caused Arendt to write Baldwin about the difference between pariah love and the love of those in power, who think that love can justify lashing out with power. Recallable Books Lyndsey praises Leah Ypi's (Free) forthcoming memoir about her Albanian family, Indignity. John recalls E. M Forster, Howard's End a novel that thinks philosophically (in a novelistic vein) about how to continue being an individual in a new Imperial Britain. Listen and Read here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/political-science

An Arendt expert has arrived at Arendt-obsessed Recall This Book. Lyndsey Stonebridge discusses her widely praised 2024 We Are Free to Change the World: Hannah Arendt's Lessons in Love and Disobedience. Lesley sees both radical evil and the banality of evil at work in Nazi Germany and in the causes of suffering and death in Gaza today. She compares the moral idiocy of authoritarians (like the murderous Nazis and those who are starving Gaza) to that of philosophers who cannot hear the echoes of what they are doing. Lesley and John discuss Arendt's belief in the fragile ethics of the Founding Fathers, with its checks and balances and its politics based not on emotion but cool deliberation. Arendt could say that “The fundamental contradiction of [America] is political freedom coupled with social slavery,”” but why was she too easy on the legacy of imperial racism in America, missing its settler-colonial logic? Arendt read W. E. B. DuBois (who saw and said this) but perhaps, says Lesley, not attentively enough. Lyndsey is not a fan of Jonathan Glazer's Zone of Interest, because it makes the evil banality of extermination monstrous all over again (cf. her"Mythic Banality: Jonathan Glazer and Hannah Arendt.") Responsibility is crucial: She praises Arendt for distinguishing between temptation and coercion. Mentioned in the episode: Carnation Revolution in Portugal in 1974 one of the last great historical events in Arendt's lifetime. Lesley praises “reading while walking” and the unpacking of the totalitarian in Anna Burns's marvelous Norther Ireland novel, Milkman. Hannah Pitkin's wonderful 1998 The Attack of the Blob: Hannah Arendt's Concept of the Social, emphasizes Arendt's idea that although we are free, we can forfeit that freedom by assuming we are rule-bound. Arendt on the challenge of identity: “When one is attacked as a Jew, one must respond not as a German or a Frenchman or a world citizen, but as a Jew.” The Holocaust is a crime agains humanity a crime against the human status, a crime "perpetrated on the body of the Jewish people".” Various books by Hannah Arendt come up: Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on teh Banality of Evil. (1963). Judgement in Arendt is crucial from earliest days studying Kant and in her final works (among The Life of the Mind) she speaks of the moments when "the mind goes visiting.” Her earliest ideas about love and natality are in Love and Saint Augustine (1929, not published in English until 1996). Hannah Arendt is buried at Bard, near her husband Heinrich Blucher and opposite Philip Roth, who reportedly wanted to capture some of the spillover Arendt traffic. James Baldwin's essay “The Fire Next Time” (1963) caused Arendt to write Baldwin about the difference between pariah love and the love of those in power, who think that love can justify lashing out with power. Recallable Books Lyndsey praises Leah Ypi's (Free) forthcoming memoir about her Albanian family, Indignity. John recalls E. M Forster, Howard's End a novel that thinks philosophically (in a novelistic vein) about how to continue being an individual in a new Imperial Britain. Listen and Read here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/critical-theory

An Arendt expert has arrived at Arendt-obsessed Recall This Book. Lyndsey Stonebridge discusses her widely praised 2024 We Are Free to Change the World: Hannah Arendt's Lessons in Love and Disobedience. Lesley sees both radical evil and the banality of evil at work in Nazi Germany and in the causes of suffering and death in Gaza today. She compares the moral idiocy of authoritarians (like the murderous Nazis and those who are starving Gaza) to that of philosophers who cannot hear the echoes of what they are doing. Lesley and John discuss Arendt's belief in the fragile ethics of the Founding Fathers, with its checks and balances and its politics based not on emotion but cool deliberation. Arendt could say that “The fundamental contradiction of [America] is political freedom coupled with social slavery,”” but why was she too easy on the legacy of imperial racism in America, missing its settler-colonial logic? Arendt read W. E. B. DuBois (who saw and said this) but perhaps, says Lesley, not attentively enough. Lyndsey is not a fan of Jonathan Glazer's Zone of Interest, because it makes the evil banality of extermination monstrous all over again (cf. her"Mythic Banality: Jonathan Glazer and Hannah Arendt.") Responsibility is crucial: She praises Arendt for distinguishing between temptation and coercion. Mentioned in the episode: Carnation Revolution in Portugal in 1974 one of the last great historical events in Arendt's lifetime. Lesley praises “reading while walking” and the unpacking of the totalitarian in Anna Burns's marvelous Norther Ireland novel, Milkman. Hannah Pitkin's wonderful 1998 The Attack of the Blob: Hannah Arendt's Concept of the Social, emphasizes Arendt's idea that although we are free, we can forfeit that freedom by assuming we are rule-bound. Arendt on the challenge of identity: “When one is attacked as a Jew, one must respond not as a German or a Frenchman or a world citizen, but as a Jew.” The Holocaust is a crime agains humanity a crime against the human status, a crime "perpetrated on the body of the Jewish people".” Various books by Hannah Arendt come up: Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on teh Banality of Evil. (1963). Judgement in Arendt is crucial from earliest days studying Kant and in her final works (among The Life of the Mind) she speaks of the moments when "the mind goes visiting.” Her earliest ideas about love and natality are in Love and Saint Augustine (1929, not published in English until 1996). Hannah Arendt is buried at Bard, near her husband Heinrich Blucher and opposite Philip Roth, who reportedly wanted to capture some of the spillover Arendt traffic. James Baldwin's essay “The Fire Next Time” (1963) caused Arendt to write Baldwin about the difference between pariah love and the love of those in power, who think that love can justify lashing out with power. Recallable Books Lyndsey praises Leah Ypi's (Free) forthcoming memoir about her Albanian family, Indignity. John recalls E. M Forster, Howard's End a novel that thinks philosophically (in a novelistic vein) about how to continue being an individual in a new Imperial Britain. Listen and Read here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/intellectual-history

An Arendt expert has arrived at Arendt-obsessed Recall This Book. Lyndsey Stonebridge discusses her widely praised 2024 We Are Free to Change the World: Hannah Arendt's Lessons in Love and Disobedience. Lesley sees both radical evil and the banality of evil at work in Nazi Germany and in the causes of suffering and death in Gaza today. She compares the moral idiocy of authoritarians (like the murderous Nazis and those who are starving Gaza) to that of philosophers who cannot hear the echoes of what they are doing. Lesley and John discuss Arendt's belief in the fragile ethics of the Founding Fathers, with its checks and balances and its politics based not on emotion but cool deliberation. Arendt could say that “The fundamental contradiction of [America] is political freedom coupled with social slavery,”” but why was she too easy on the legacy of imperial racism in America, missing its settler-colonial logic? Arendt read W. E. B. DuBois (who saw and said this) but perhaps, says Lesley, not attentively enough. Lyndsey is not a fan of Jonathan Glazer's Zone of Interest, because it makes the evil banality of extermination monstrous all over again (cf. her"Mythic Banality: Jonathan Glazer and Hannah Arendt.") Responsibility is crucial: She praises Arendt for distinguishing between temptation and coercion. Mentioned in the episode: Carnation Revolution in Portugal in 1974 one of the last great historical events in Arendt's lifetime. Lesley praises “reading while walking” and the unpacking of the totalitarian in Anna Burns's marvelous Norther Ireland novel, Milkman. Hannah Pitkin's wonderful 1998 The Attack of the Blob: Hannah Arendt's Concept of the Social, emphasizes Arendt's idea that although we are free, we can forfeit that freedom by assuming we are rule-bound. Arendt on the challenge of identity: “When one is attacked as a Jew, one must respond not as a German or a Frenchman or a world citizen, but as a Jew.” The Holocaust is a crime agains humanity a crime against the human status, a crime "perpetrated on the body of the Jewish people".” Various books by Hannah Arendt come up: Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on teh Banality of Evil. (1963). Judgement in Arendt is crucial from earliest days studying Kant and in her final works (among The Life of the Mind) she speaks of the moments when "the mind goes visiting.” Her earliest ideas about love and natality are in Love and Saint Augustine (1929, not published in English until 1996). Hannah Arendt is buried at Bard, near her husband Heinrich Blucher and opposite Philip Roth, who reportedly wanted to capture some of the spillover Arendt traffic. James Baldwin's essay “The Fire Next Time” (1963) caused Arendt to write Baldwin about the difference between pariah love and the love of those in power, who think that love can justify lashing out with power. Recallable Books Lyndsey praises Leah Ypi's (Free) forthcoming memoir about her Albanian family, Indignity. John recalls E. M Forster, Howard's End a novel that thinks philosophically (in a novelistic vein) about how to continue being an individual in a new Imperial Britain. Listen and Read here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

An Arendt expert has arrived at Arendt-obsessed Recall This Book. Lyndsey Stonebridge discusses her widely praised 2024 We Are Free to Change the World: Hannah Arendt's Lessons in Love and Disobedience. Lesley sees both radical evil and the banality of evil at work in Nazi Germany and in the causes of suffering and death in Gaza today. She compares the moral idiocy of authoritarians (like the murderous Nazis and those who are starving Gaza) to that of philosophers who cannot hear the echoes of what they are doing. Lesley and John discuss Arendt's belief in the fragile ethics of the Founding Fathers, with its checks and balances and its politics based not on emotion but cool deliberation. Arendt could say that “The fundamental contradiction of [America] is political freedom coupled with social slavery,”” but why was she too easy on the legacy of imperial racism in America, missing its settler-colonial logic? Arendt read W. E. B. DuBois (who saw and said this) but perhaps, says Lesley, not attentively enough. Lyndsey is not a fan of Jonathan Glazer's Zone of Interest, because it makes the evil banality of extermination monstrous all over again (cf. her"Mythic Banality: Jonathan Glazer and Hannah Arendt.") Responsibility is crucial: She praises Arendt for distinguishing between temptation and coercion. Mentioned in the episode: Carnation Revolution in Portugal in 1974 one of the last great historical events in Arendt's lifetime. Lesley praises “reading while walking” and the unpacking of the totalitarian in Anna Burns's marvelous Norther Ireland novel, Milkman. Hannah Pitkin's wonderful 1998 The Attack of the Blob: Hannah Arendt's Concept of the Social, emphasizes Arendt's idea that although we are free, we can forfeit that freedom by assuming we are rule-bound. Arendt on the challenge of identity: “When one is attacked as a Jew, one must respond not as a German or a Frenchman or a world citizen, but as a Jew.” The Holocaust is a crime agains humanity a crime against the human status, a crime "perpetrated on the body of the Jewish people".” Various books by Hannah Arendt come up: Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on teh Banality of Evil. (1963). Judgement in Arendt is crucial from earliest days studying Kant and in her final works (among The Life of the Mind) she speaks of the moments when "the mind goes visiting.” Her earliest ideas about love and natality are in Love and Saint Augustine (1929, not published in English until 1996). Hannah Arendt is buried at Bard, near her husband Heinrich Blucher and opposite Philip Roth, who reportedly wanted to capture some of the spillover Arendt traffic. James Baldwin's essay “The Fire Next Time” (1963) caused Arendt to write Baldwin about the difference between pariah love and the love of those in power, who think that love can justify lashing out with power. Recallable Books Lyndsey praises Leah Ypi's (Free) forthcoming memoir about her Albanian family, Indignity. John recalls E. M Forster, Howard's End a novel that thinks philosophically (in a novelistic vein) about how to continue being an individual in a new Imperial Britain. Listen and Read here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we are joined by translator Max Lawton to celebrate the release of Michael Lenz's Schattenfroh from Deep Vellum. But rather than focus only on this one book, we open the conversation to a wider theme: the joy of reading books that resist. These are works that don't give themselves up on a first pass, that refuse to be solved, that instead teach us how to read them as we go. With Schattenfroh as our starting point, we wander through the labyrinths of these kinds of books, asking why surrounding to the unknown might be one of the great rewards of reading.We've got some fantastic author-focused episodes lined up for the foreseeable future, and we want to give you plenty of time to dive in if you'd like to read along with us. These episodes come around every ten episodes, and with our bi-weekly release schedule, you'll have a few months to get ready for each. Here's what we have in store:* Episode 115: Kazuo Ishiguro* Episode 125: Flannery O'Connor* Episode 135: William Faulkner* Episode 145: Elizabeth Taylor* Episode 155: Naguib MahfouzThere's no rush—take your time, and grab a book (or two, or three) so you're prepared for these as they come!Join the Mookse and the Gripes on DiscordWant to share your thoughts on these upcoming authors or anything else we're discussing? Join us over on Discord! It's the perfect place to dive deeper into the conversation—whether you're reading along with our author-focused episodes or just want to chat about the books that are on your mind.We're also just now in our second novella book club, where we're reading Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin. It's a fantastic book, and we'd love to have you join the discussion. It's a great space to engage with fellow listeners, share your insights, and discover new perspectives on the books you're reading.ShownotesWhat are we reading?* Max: An Outcast of the Islands and The Rescue, by Joseph Conrad* Paul: Frontier, by Can Xue, translated by Karen Gernant & Chen Zeping, and The Stronghold, by Dino Buzzati, translated by Lawrence Venuti* Trevor: The Magic Mountain, by Thomas Mann, translated by John E. WoodsOn the Web:* Deep Vellum: Schattenfroh, by Michael Lenz, translated by Max Lawton* The Untranslated on Schattenfroh* The Untranslated: A Visual Guide to SchattenfrohThe Mookse and the Gripes Podcast is a bookish conversation hosted by Paul and Trevor. Every other week, we explore a bookish topic and celebrate our love of reading. We're glad you're here, and we hope you'll continue to join us on this literary journey!A huge thank you to those who help make this podcast possible! If you'd like to support us, you can do so via Substack or Patreon. Subscribers receive access to periodic bonus episodes and early access to all new episodes. Plus, each supporter gets their own dedicated feed, allowing them to download episodes a few days before they're released to the public. We'd love for you to check it out! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mookse.substack.com/subscribe

An expansive volume featuring over two decades of incisive reflections on race, art and pop culture by one of the greatest artists working today This long-awaited and essential volume collects writings and interviews by Glenn Ligon, whose canonical paintings, neons and installations have been delivering a cutting examination of race, history, sexuality and culture in America since his emergence in the late 1980s. No stranger to text, the artist has routinely utilized writings from James Baldwin, Zora Neale Hurston, Richard Pryor, Gertrude Stein and others to construct work that centers Blackness within the historically white backdrop of the art world and culture writ large. Ligon began writing in the early 2000s, engaging deeply with the work of peers such as Julie Mehretu, Chris Ofili and Lorna Simpson, as well as with artists who came before him, among them Philip Guston, David Hammons and Andy Warhol. Interweaving a singular voice and a magical knack for storytelling with an astute view of art history and broader cultural shifts, this collection cements Ligon's status as one of the great chroniclers of our time. Glenn Ligon was born in the Bronx in 1960. He began as an abstract painter but shifted to text-based works which often incorporate quotes from Black authors. His work can be found in the collections of the Art Institute of Chicago, the Baltimore Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art, New York. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-studies

Nicholas Boggs, whose new book, "Baldwin: A Love Story," offers a fresh, intimate portrait of James Baldwin. Drawing on letters, archives, and conversations, Boggs traces Baldwin's search for connection across Harlem, Paris, and beyond, revealing how love shaped his politics and prose.

Love isn't just desire, provision, or possession—yet too often that's what men are taught to believe. In this episode, we dive into 5 Things Men Don't Understand About Love, drawing from the wisdom of bell hooks, James Baldwin, and John Makransky.We explore why love requires vulnerability, accountability, and daily practice—and why true love is always liberation, not control. This isn't about shaming men, but about breaking free from harmful myths and discovering what real, connected love can look like.✨ What you'll hear in this episode: • The difference between desire, possession, and love • Why vulnerability is the heart of intimacy • How love is a daily practice, not just a feeling • Why accountability matters in relationships • How love frees us rather than controls us

Biographer Nicholas Boggs joins co-hosts Whitney Terrell and V.V. Ganeshananthan to discuss his groundbreaking new book, Baldwin: A Love Story, the first major biography of James Baldwin to be published in three decades. Boggs recalls how finding Baldwin's only children's book in a Yale library as a college student led him to track down the volume's illustrator, the French artist Yoran Cazac, Baldwin's last great love. He talks about interviewing people who had never previously spoken about their relationships with the iconic author, including Cazac, whom at least one previous biographer had wrongly guessed was deceased. Boggs reflects on the importance of considering Blackness, queerness, and chosen family as central to Baldwin's life and art. He discusses Baldwin's youth in Harlem, his years in Europe and Istanbul, and his relationships with the painters Beauford Delaney and Lucien Happersberger, the actor Engin Cezzar, and Cazac, as well as many others. Boggs considers how Baldwin's deepest friendships and romances influenced his life and work, including Another Country, Go Tell It on the Mountain, Notes of a Native Son, and Giovanni's Room. He reads from the book. To hear the full episode, subscribe through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app (include the forward slashes when searching). You can also listen by streaming from the player below. Check out video versions of our interviews on the ⁠Fiction/Non/Fiction Instagram account⁠, the ⁠Fiction/Non/Fiction YouTube Channel⁠, and our show website: ⁠https://www.fnfpodcast.net/⁠ This podcast is produced by V.V. Ganeshananthan, Whitney Terrell, and Moss Terrell. ⁠Nicholas Boggs⁠ ⁠Baldwin: A Love Story⁠ ⁠Little Man, Little Man (ed.)⁠ ⁠“They Will Try to Kill You”: James Baldwin's Fraught Hollywood Journey | Vanity Fair⁠ ⁠James Baldwin's Love Stories | Vogue⁠  ⁠James Baldwin⁠ ⁠"Open Letter to the Born Again" | The Nation⁠ “⁠If Black English Isn't a Language, Then Tell Me, What Is?⁠” | The New York Times ⁠Giovanni's Room⁠ ⁠Another Country ⁠ ⁠Notes of a Native Son⁠ ⁠Go Tell It on the Mountain⁠ ⁠Everybody's Protest Novel⁠ Others: ⁠James Baldwin′s Turkish Decade by Magdalena J. Zaborowska⁠  ⁠James Baldwin: A Biography by David Leeming Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this Sunday Gathering message that draws upon the work of James Baldwin and the teachings of A Course in Miracles, Emily Perry explores how hate functions like a spiritual cancer—growing silently within us until it erupts into division, violence, and despair. If you've ever wondered how to confront the hostility in our world—and in yourself—without losing sight of love, this message will encourage you to look honestly at your own heart and discover the freedom that comes with letting hate go. ___________________________ Since 1993, our purpose has been to help with both the theory and practical application of A Course in Miracles. We are the publisher of the Complete and Annotated Edition of the Course (known as the “CE”), which is available as a paperback*, ebook*, and via Audible. Our work grows out of our commitment to be as faithful as possible to what A Course in Miracles says,  years of dedication to walking this path ourselves, and a desire to see the Course's purpose realized in the lives of students and in the world. You are invited to download the free ACIM CE App to read, search, or listen to the Course wherever you are in the world, by following the instructions at https://acimce.app/ Whether you are new to ACIM or you've been a student for many years, you are welcome to join our online community and learning platform to access a vast collection of resources designed to help you understand and apply Course teachings in everyday life: https://community.circleofa.org/ To submit a question or suggest a topic for a future podcast episode, please email info@circleofa.org. If you enjoyed this podcast, please consider subscribing and leaving a review, as this will help us reach other listeners. You are also welcome to make a donation to help support our work at circleofa.org/donate. *Amazon affiliate links  

Eric Newman speaks with Nicholas Boggs about his monumental new biography, James Baldwin: A Love Story. Drawing on fresh archival research and interviews, Boggs offers an intimate portrait of the literary legend anchored by the romances that shaped his life, writing, and political vision. Spanning Baldwin's formative mentorship under artist Beauford Delaney, his romance with Lucien Happersberger, and lesser-known relationships with Turkish actor Engin Cezzar and French artist Yoran Cazac, the book explores how these relationships, alongside periods of isolation, served as the engines of Baldwin's literary production. Arriving amid a renaissance of interest in Baldwin's life and work, Boggs' biography offers a fresh perspective on the iconic writer for longtime fans and younger generations who may be encountering him for the first time.

Finalist, Award for Excellence in the Study of Religion, Constructive-Reflective Studies, given by the American Academy of ReligionExplores how Black Buddhist Teachers and Practitioners interpret Western Buddhism in unique spiritual and communal waysIn Black Buddhists and the Black Radical Tradition: The Practice of Stillness in the Movement for Liberation (NYU Press, 2022), Rima Vesely-Flad examines the distinctive features of Black-identifying Buddhist practitioners, arguing that Black Buddhists interpret Buddhist teachings in ways that are congruent with Black radical thought. Indeed, the volume makes the case that given their experiences with racism—both in the larger society and also within largely white-oriented Buddhist organizations—Black cultural frameworks are necessary for illuminating the Buddha's wisdom.Drawing on interviews with forty Black Buddhist teachers and practitioners, Vesely-Flad argues that Buddhist teachings, through their focus on healing intergenerational trauma, provide a vitally important foundation for achieving Black liberation. She shows that Buddhist teachings as practiced by Black Americans emphasize different aspects of the religion than do those in white convert Buddhist communities, focusing more on devotional practices to ancestors and community uplift.The book includes discussions of the Black Power movement, the Black feminist movement, and the Black prophetic tradition. It also offers a nuanced discussion of how the Black body, which has historically been reviled, is claimed as a vehicle for liberation. In so doing, the book explores how the experiences of non-binary, gender non-conforming, and transgender practitioners of African descent are validated within the tradition. The book also uplifts the voices of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer Black Buddhists. This unique volume shows the importance of Black Buddhist teachers' insights into Buddhist wisdom, and how they align Buddhism with Black radical teachings, helping to pull Buddhism away from dominant white cultural norms. Please also check out her forthcoming book, The Fire Inside: The Dharma of James Baldwin and Audre Lordre. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/african-american-studies

Finalist, Award for Excellence in the Study of Religion, Constructive-Reflective Studies, given by the American Academy of ReligionExplores how Black Buddhist Teachers and Practitioners interpret Western Buddhism in unique spiritual and communal waysIn Black Buddhists and the Black Radical Tradition: The Practice of Stillness in the Movement for Liberation (NYU Press, 2022), Rima Vesely-Flad examines the distinctive features of Black-identifying Buddhist practitioners, arguing that Black Buddhists interpret Buddhist teachings in ways that are congruent with Black radical thought. Indeed, the volume makes the case that given their experiences with racism—both in the larger society and also within largely white-oriented Buddhist organizations—Black cultural frameworks are necessary for illuminating the Buddha's wisdom.Drawing on interviews with forty Black Buddhist teachers and practitioners, Vesely-Flad argues that Buddhist teachings, through their focus on healing intergenerational trauma, provide a vitally important foundation for achieving Black liberation. She shows that Buddhist teachings as practiced by Black Americans emphasize different aspects of the religion than do those in white convert Buddhist communities, focusing more on devotional practices to ancestors and community uplift.The book includes discussions of the Black Power movement, the Black feminist movement, and the Black prophetic tradition. It also offers a nuanced discussion of how the Black body, which has historically been reviled, is claimed as a vehicle for liberation. In so doing, the book explores how the experiences of non-binary, gender non-conforming, and transgender practitioners of African descent are validated within the tradition. The book also uplifts the voices of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer Black Buddhists. This unique volume shows the importance of Black Buddhist teachers' insights into Buddhist wisdom, and how they align Buddhism with Black radical teachings, helping to pull Buddhism away from dominant white cultural norms. Please also check out her forthcoming book, The Fire Inside: The Dharma of James Baldwin and Audre Lordre. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Eric Newman speaks with Nicholas Boggs about his monumental new biography, "James Baldwin: A Love Story." Drawing on fresh archival research and interviews, Boggs offers an intimate portrait of the literary legend anchored by the romances that shaped his life, writing, and political vision. Spanning Baldwin's formative mentorship under artist Beauford Delaney, his romance with Lucien Happersberger, and lesser-known relationships with Turkish actor Engin Cezzar and French artist Yoran Cazac, the book explores how these relationships, alongside periods of isolation, served as the engines of Baldwin's literary production. Arriving amid a renaissance of interest in Baldwin's life and work, Boggs' biography offers a fresh perspective on the iconic writer for longtime fans and younger generations who may be encountering him for the first time.

Finalist, Award for Excellence in the Study of Religion, Constructive-Reflective Studies, given by the American Academy of ReligionExplores how Black Buddhist Teachers and Practitioners interpret Western Buddhism in unique spiritual and communal waysIn Black Buddhists and the Black Radical Tradition: The Practice of Stillness in the Movement for Liberation (NYU Press, 2022), Rima Vesely-Flad examines the distinctive features of Black-identifying Buddhist practitioners, arguing that Black Buddhists interpret Buddhist teachings in ways that are congruent with Black radical thought. Indeed, the volume makes the case that given their experiences with racism—both in the larger society and also within largely white-oriented Buddhist organizations—Black cultural frameworks are necessary for illuminating the Buddha's wisdom.Drawing on interviews with forty Black Buddhist teachers and practitioners, Vesely-Flad argues that Buddhist teachings, through their focus on healing intergenerational trauma, provide a vitally important foundation for achieving Black liberation. She shows that Buddhist teachings as practiced by Black Americans emphasize different aspects of the religion than do those in white convert Buddhist communities, focusing more on devotional practices to ancestors and community uplift.The book includes discussions of the Black Power movement, the Black feminist movement, and the Black prophetic tradition. It also offers a nuanced discussion of how the Black body, which has historically been reviled, is claimed as a vehicle for liberation. In so doing, the book explores how the experiences of non-binary, gender non-conforming, and transgender practitioners of African descent are validated within the tradition. The book also uplifts the voices of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer Black Buddhists. This unique volume shows the importance of Black Buddhist teachers' insights into Buddhist wisdom, and how they align Buddhism with Black radical teachings, helping to pull Buddhism away from dominant white cultural norms. Please also check out her forthcoming book, The Fire Inside: The Dharma of James Baldwin and Audre Lordre. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/buddhist-studies

Finalist, Award for Excellence in the Study of Religion, Constructive-Reflective Studies, given by the American Academy of ReligionExplores how Black Buddhist Teachers and Practitioners interpret Western Buddhism in unique spiritual and communal waysIn Black Buddhists and the Black Radical Tradition: The Practice of Stillness in the Movement for Liberation (NYU Press, 2022), Rima Vesely-Flad examines the distinctive features of Black-identifying Buddhist practitioners, arguing that Black Buddhists interpret Buddhist teachings in ways that are congruent with Black radical thought. Indeed, the volume makes the case that given their experiences with racism—both in the larger society and also within largely white-oriented Buddhist organizations—Black cultural frameworks are necessary for illuminating the Buddha's wisdom.Drawing on interviews with forty Black Buddhist teachers and practitioners, Vesely-Flad argues that Buddhist teachings, through their focus on healing intergenerational trauma, provide a vitally important foundation for achieving Black liberation. She shows that Buddhist teachings as practiced by Black Americans emphasize different aspects of the religion than do those in white convert Buddhist communities, focusing more on devotional practices to ancestors and community uplift.The book includes discussions of the Black Power movement, the Black feminist movement, and the Black prophetic tradition. It also offers a nuanced discussion of how the Black body, which has historically been reviled, is claimed as a vehicle for liberation. In so doing, the book explores how the experiences of non-binary, gender non-conforming, and transgender practitioners of African descent are validated within the tradition. The book also uplifts the voices of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer Black Buddhists. This unique volume shows the importance of Black Buddhist teachers' insights into Buddhist wisdom, and how they align Buddhism with Black radical teachings, helping to pull Buddhism away from dominant white cultural norms. Please also check out her forthcoming book, The Fire Inside: The Dharma of James Baldwin and Audre Lordre. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/religion

What does it take to build the perfect first shelf? This week we tackle the joyful—and surprisingly stressful—task of creating a starter library. We're joined by John Williams, book editor at The Washington Post, to discuss how to choose ten books that someone can use as a starter library, offering comfort, surprise, and a little stretch along the way. We compare approaches, confess our struggles, and share the shelves we'd hand to a friend ready build their personal library.We'd love to hear from you—what books would make it onto your own starter library?We've got some fantastic author-focused episodes lined up for the foreseeable future, and we want to give you plenty of time to dive in if you'd like to read along with us. These episodes come around every ten episodes, and with our bi-weekly release schedule, you'll have a few months to get ready for each. Here's what we have in store:* Episode 115: Kazuo Ishiguro* Episode 125: Flannery O'Connor* Episode 135: William Faulkner* Episode 145: Elizabeth Taylor* Episode 155: Naguib MahfouzThere's no rush—take your time, and grab a book (or two, or three) so you're prepared for these as they come!Join the Mookse and the Gripes on DiscordWant to share your thoughts on these upcoming authors or anything else we're discussing? Join us over on Discord! It's the perfect place to dive deeper into the conversation—whether you're reading along with our author-focused episodes or just want to chat about the books that are on your mind.We're also just now in our second novella book club, where we're reading Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin. It's a fantastic book, and we'd love to have you join the discussion. It's a great space to engage with fellow listeners, share your insights, and discover new perspectives on the books you're reading.ShownotesWhat are we reading?* Paul: The Endless Week, by Laura Vasquez, translated by Alex Niemi* John: Giovanni's Room, by James Baldin* Trevor: Nadja, by André Breton, translated by Mark PolizzottiOur Starter LibrariesPaul* The Complete Calvin and Hobbes, by Bill Waterson* Moby-Dick, by Herman Melville* Finding Beauty in a Broken World, by Terry Tempest Williams* The Complete Works of William Shakespeare* Lonesome Dove, by Larry McMurtry* The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson* The Complete Stories of Clarice Lispector* To the Lighthouse, by Virginia Woolf* Kindred, by Octavia Butler* Pride and Prejudice, by Jane AustenTrevor* Ex Libris, by Anne Fademan* The Remains of the Day, by Kazuo Ishiguro* The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas* A Good Man Is Hard to Find, by Flannery O'Connor* The Emigrants, by W.G. Sebald, translated by Michael Hulse* The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkein* Cockroaches, by Scholastique Mukasonga, translated by Jordan Stump* So Long, See You Tomorrow, by William Maxwell* Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard* The Complete Poems of Emily DickinsonJohn* The Collected Stories of William Trevor* The Varieties of Religious Experience, by William James* The Collected Poems of Philip Larkin* Notes from Underground, by Fyodor Dostoevsky* The Book of Disquiet, by Fernando Pessoa* The Sellout, by Paul Beatty* The Black Prince, by Iris Murdoch* Nixon Agonistes: The Crisis of the Self-Made Man, by Garry Wills* Essays in Disguise, by Wilfrid Sheed* Mrs. Dalloway, by Virginia Woolf* Why Does the World Exist, by Jim HoltOther* The Library, Duncan FallowellThe Mookse and the Gripes Podcast is a bookish conversation hosted by Paul and Trevor. Every other week, we explore a bookish topic and celebrate our love of reading. We're glad you're here, and we hope you'll continue to join us on this literary journey!A huge thank you to those who help make this podcast possible! If you'd like to support us, you can do so via Substack or Patreon. Subscribers receive access to periodic bonus episodes and early access to all new episodes. Plus, each supporter gets their own dedicated feed, allowing them to download episodes a few days before they're released to the public. We'd love for you to check it out! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mookse.substack.com/subscribe

In the first major biography of James Baldwin in over three decades, Nicholas Boggs presents an intimate portrait shaped by the people who inspired him. Boggs traces four of Baldwin's transformative relationships that depict him not just as a fearless social critic, but as an emotional, vulnerable man shaped by love. Geoff Bennett spoke with Boggs about his book, "Baldwin: A Love Story." PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Three decades in the making, Baldwin: A Love Story by Nicholas Boggs explores the personal relationships that made James Baldwin the indelible figure we know today. Nicholas joins us to talk about what first led him to Baldwin, the future of biographies, how Baldwin became the writer we know now, the art of yearning and more with host Miwa Messer. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang.                     New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app. Featured Books (Episode): Baldwin: A Love Story by Nicholas Boggs James Baldwin: A Biography by David Leeming Little Man, Little Man by James Baldwin and Yoran Cazac Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin Another Country by James Baldwin Sleepwalking Through History by Haynes Johnson If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin The Evidence of Things Not Seen by James Baldwin Jimmy's Blues and Other Poems by James Baldwin Tell Me How Long the Train's Been Gone by James Baldwin The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin

An expansive volume featuring over two decades of incisive reflections on race, art and pop culture by one of the greatest artists working today This long-awaited and essential volume collects writings and interviews by Glenn Ligon, whose canonical paintings, neons and installations have been delivering a cutting examination of race, history, sexuality and culture in America since his emergence in the late 1980s. No stranger to text, the artist has routinely utilized writings from James Baldwin, Zora Neale Hurston, Richard Pryor, Gertrude Stein and others to construct work that centers Blackness within the historically white backdrop of the art world and culture writ large. Ligon began writing in the early 2000s, engaging deeply with the work of peers such as Julie Mehretu, Chris Ofili and Lorna Simpson, as well as with artists who came before him, among them Philip Guston, David Hammons and Andy Warhol. Interweaving a singular voice and a magical knack for storytelling with an astute view of art history and broader cultural shifts, this collection cements Ligon's status as one of the great chroniclers of our time. Glenn Ligon was born in the Bronx in 1960. He began as an abstract painter but shifted to text-based works which often incorporate quotes from Black authors. His work can be found in the collections of the Art Institute of Chicago, the Baltimore Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art, New York. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/african-american-studies

An expansive volume featuring over two decades of incisive reflections on race, art and pop culture by one of the greatest artists working today This long-awaited and essential volume collects writings and interviews by Glenn Ligon, whose canonical paintings, neons and installations have been delivering a cutting examination of race, history, sexuality and culture in America since his emergence in the late 1980s. No stranger to text, the artist has routinely utilized writings from James Baldwin, Zora Neale Hurston, Richard Pryor, Gertrude Stein and others to construct work that centers Blackness within the historically white backdrop of the art world and culture writ large. Ligon began writing in the early 2000s, engaging deeply with the work of peers such as Julie Mehretu, Chris Ofili and Lorna Simpson, as well as with artists who came before him, among them Philip Guston, David Hammons and Andy Warhol. Interweaving a singular voice and a magical knack for storytelling with an astute view of art history and broader cultural shifts, this collection cements Ligon's status as one of the great chroniclers of our time. Glenn Ligon was born in the Bronx in 1960. He began as an abstract painter but shifted to text-based works which often incorporate quotes from Black authors. His work can be found in the collections of the Art Institute of Chicago, the Baltimore Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art, New York. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

An expansive volume featuring over two decades of incisive reflections on race, art and pop culture by one of the greatest artists working today This long-awaited and essential volume collects writings and interviews by Glenn Ligon, whose canonical paintings, neons and installations have been delivering a cutting examination of race, history, sexuality and culture in America since his emergence in the late 1980s. No stranger to text, the artist has routinely utilized writings from James Baldwin, Zora Neale Hurston, Richard Pryor, Gertrude Stein and others to construct work that centers Blackness within the historically white backdrop of the art world and culture writ large. Ligon began writing in the early 2000s, engaging deeply with the work of peers such as Julie Mehretu, Chris Ofili and Lorna Simpson, as well as with artists who came before him, among them Philip Guston, David Hammons and Andy Warhol. Interweaving a singular voice and a magical knack for storytelling with an astute view of art history and broader cultural shifts, this collection cements Ligon's status as one of the great chroniclers of our time. Glenn Ligon was born in the Bronx in 1960. He began as an abstract painter but shifted to text-based works which often incorporate quotes from Black authors. His work can be found in the collections of the Art Institute of Chicago, the Baltimore Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art, New York. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/art

In the first major biography of James Baldwin in over three decades, Nicholas Boggs presents an intimate portrait shaped by the people who inspired him. Boggs traces four of Baldwin's transformative relationships that depict him not just as a fearless social critic, but as an emotional, vulnerable man shaped by love. Geoff Bennett spoke with Boggs about his book, "Baldwin: A Love Story." PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The Grand Paloma Resort by Cleyvis Natera centers on a tropical paradise hiding a sinister secret. Cleyvis joins us to talk about the intricacies of sibling stories, class disparities, tourism, the Dominican Republic, literary influences and more with Miwa Messer. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang.                     New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app. Featured Books (Episode): The Grand Paloma Resort by Cleyvis Natera Neruda on the Park by Cleyvis Natera The Farming of Bones by Edwidge Danticat A Small Place by Jamaica Kincaid Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin

Nineteenth-century Americans regarded Paris as a libertine paradise: a smorgasbord of food and fashion, of night life and sex. Today, the pull toward France endures, though the precise nature of its appeal has shifted. On the second in a series of Critics at Large interview episodes, Alexandra Schwartz talks with the staff writer Lauren Collins about her work as The New Yorker's woman on the ground in France and the long lineage of Francophilic Americans—from Edith Wharton to James Baldwin and, yes, even “Emily.” The two consider how French femininity has been marketed to American women and how modern influencers transmit an incomplete picture of Paris. “Yes, it's romantic, and, yes, it's picturesque, but it's also a big, loud, dirty, profane, complicated city that evolves and changes like everywhere else,” Collins says. “There's a lot of misbegotten essentializing that happens when Americans start talking about France.”Read, watch, and listen with the critics:“Ces restaurants qui gonflent l'addition des touristes américains,” by Mathieu Hennequin (Le Parisien)“Can Emmanuel Macron Stem the Populist Tide?,” by Lauren Collins (The New Yorker)“The Unlikely Rise of French Tacos,” by Lauren Collins (The New Yorker)“Dearest Edith,” by Janet Flanner (The New Yorker)“The Custom of the Country,” by Edith Wharton“Go Tell It on the Mountain,” by James Baldwin“Giovanni's Room,” by James Baldwin“The Discovery of What It Means to Be an American,” by James Baldwin (The New York Times)“Emily in Paris” (2020–)“Sex and the City” (1998–2004)“French Women Don't Get Fat,” by Mireille Guiliano“Bringing Up Bébé,” by Pamela DruckermanNew episodes drop every Thursday. Follow Critics at Large wherever you get your podcasts. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Hi Loyal Readers. Thank you for opening this week's issue of Article Club.Today's issue is dedicated to a beautiful conversation with Saint Trey W, author of this month's featured article, “They Burn Books to Burn Us Too.” He shares space with Sarai Bordeaux, Article Club contributor and Poet Laureate of Eureka, California.If you haven't yet, I hope you read the article. Then if you appreciate it, which I predict you will, I invite you to listen to the conversation, then join our discussion next Sunday, August 24. Kind, thoughtful people (like you!) will engage deeply with Saint Trey's piece on Zoom, beginning at 2:00 pm PT and ending at 3:30 pm PT.If you're interested, you can learn more and sign up by clicking the button below.When I first read “They Burn Books to Burn Us Too,” I was deeply moved. I was moved by the power of Saint Trey W's message. But I was equally moved by the beauty of his writing. Saint Trey is a poet. This essay is lyrical.“When a government begins to fear its own history,” Saint Trey writes, “it has already declared war on the people who survived it.”Yes, this is an essay about book banning. It is about erasure, the war on memory, and our government's attempt to dominate and destroy Black people. But the piece is also about dreaming. No matter the government's violence, Black people will not be silenced. They will not be unwritten. Saint Trey writes:What they do not know is that we were never written in the first place. We were sung. We were carved into tree trunks and kitchen counters and braided into our mother's hair. We are older than their archives. And our stories do not end with silence.When I finished the piece, I had three immediate thoughts:* I must share this essay with Sarai right now* Hopefully they appreciate it as much as I do* Wouldn't it be perfect if Sarai and Saint Trey got to talk to each other?If you're newish to Article Club, you may not have met Sarai yet, so here are a few words of (re)introduction: Sarai is one of the most astute readers I have ever met. Whenever we talk, they make me smarter. More importantly, Sarai helps me connect the dots and act with more compassion.So it was an obvious next step — given my three thoughts above — that I should reach out to Sarai and gather their perspective. The rest is history. Sarai loved the essay, I contacted Saint Trey, he generously said yes to doing the interview, and they met up on Zoom to talk about his beautiful piece.The result is this wholehearted conversation. Sarai and Saint Trey cover a wide range of topics. I won't try to list them all here. It was clear to me, as I listened to Sarai and Saint Trey — two poets thinking together and sharing their perspectives about a powerful essay — that I was struck by the mutual care they shared with one another. In their discussion of Saint Trey's piece, they centered on imagination and possibility, as well as the power of language and lineage.Here's an excerpt from the conversation that I especially appreciated. About ancestors, language, Blackness, libraries, and God, Saint Trey says:Our ancestors are not just bloodlines, right? They're also our bookshelves. People like Toni Morrison, you know — she taught me that language can be a spell. It can be a sword, but it also can be a sanctuary. Reading Beloved and The Bluest Eye — it was the first time I understood the sacredness of Blackness in a way, especially in its unspoken parts — her reminding us that, if you are free, then you must free somebody else.I think libraries are a portal to that. James Baldwin, giving permission to tell the truth, especially when it burns. This sort of clarity — this heat, this refusal to perform respectability — and his teaching that moral authority doesn't require approval. Audre Lorde, reminding us that silence is not going to protect us. She made queerness feel like gospel. So the reason I mentioned libraries is because they're all-encompassing of these stories. They're in a sense, I would say, akin to church, right, to those who are believers, right? For me, the way I have reimagined faith in God is in language, it is in words that, you know, are passed through vessels — the artists, the writers, the griots. All have showed me that craft and conviction can dance, right? — that words don't have to be soft to be sacred. And I think libraries, they feed us when the world try has tried to starve us.Seriously: I could listen to that passage over and over again. The clarity of Saint Trey's words — both spoken here in this conversation, as well as in “They Burn Books to Burn Us Too” — is a gift.I hope you take a listen to the conversation. A little disclaimer: The quality of the audio is a bit patchy at times, particularly at the beginning. The Internet was not behaving. It tried to be a nuisance. But it was unsuccessful, for two reasons: First, the audio smooths out after the first few minutes. Second, the quality of Sarai and Saint Trey's words will make you listen more closely and tune out the distractions.One more time, I'd like to thank Saint Trey for bringing us this piece. It's an essay I believe that everyone should read and reflect on. I appreciate your words and your generosity of spirit. And Sarai, I am grateful to you as well, not only for this conversation but also for your contribution to our reading community. An invitation to our discussion on August 24I warmly invite you to participate in our discussion on Sunday, August 24, 2:00 - 3:30 pm PT. We'll meet on Zoom. You can sign up below, it's free.Thank you for reading and listening to this week's issue. Hope you liked it.

Mini-series Part 3: The Shape-Shift of Good Intentions Still White at the CoreIn this episode, Maureen moves the lens from pointing the finger outward to turning it inward, tracing how whiteness shape-shifts inside us, softening edges, pleasing, and protecting the status quo even when wrapped in the language of justice.Drawing from Angela Davis, bell hooks, James Baldwin, Stokely Carmichael, and Ibram X. Kendi, Maureen examines the ways “good intentions” can mask white supremacist logic, and how liberalism often trades transformation for comfort.With help from Diedra Barber's insights on how patriarchy and white supremacy have co-opted the sacred, feminist, and ancestral art of shapeshifting, Maureen challenges listeners to reclaim that power, not for compliance but for connection, accountability, and liberation. The film Sinners returns as a metaphor for assimilation's hidden cost: the invitation that drains your soul while appearing generous.This episode is a call to notice where you have adapted yourself to fit systems, and to choose shapeshifting as a tool for survival, integrity, and transformation instead.This week's reflection:Where do I shape-shift to maintain comfort rather than create change?What have I been taught by white supremacy and patriarchy that I am ready to transmute?How can I use the power to shift as a practice of accountability, care, and liberation?Support the showThis episode was created with deep love, and deep thanks to the frameworks and tools within Cultivating Intersectional Leadership, a course I co-created with Diedra Barber. CIL isn't just a training. It's a transformative journey—one that supports individuals and organizations in making the systemic, strategic, and spiritual shifts needed to build something different. Something rooted in justice. Something aligned with who we say we want to be. You're invited to learn more or inquire about participation at:

My guest today is Tash Aw, the acclaimed author of The South, a moving coming-of-age novel set during the 1997 Southeast Asian financial crisis. The story follows 16-year-old Jay as he spends a summer on his family's orchard in southern Malaysia, navigating family tension, economic uncertainty, and a tender relationship with another boy. It's a quiet, potent emotional journey, as both wrestle with identity, desire, and belonging. In addition to The South, Tash is the author of several award-winning novels, including The Harmony Silk Factory and Five Star Billionaire, the latter of which was longlisted for the 2013 Booker Prize.Lit with Charles loves reviews. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd be so grateful if you could leave a review of your own, and follow me on Instagram at @litwithcharles. Let's get more people listening – and reading!Tash Aw's four books were:Giovanni's Room, James Baldwin (1956)The Buru Quartet, Pramoedya Ananta Toer (1980-1988)The Line of Beauty, Alan Hollinghurst (2004)Uncle Vanya, Anton Chekhov (1897)

 “The world is held together, really it is held together, by the love and the passion of just a few people.” That quote from James Baldwin captures the idea of the "Tzadikim" from Jewish mysticism. Tzadikim means, “the righteous ones." Based on Genesis 18, the Talmud elaborates: “There are no fewer than 36 righteous people in the world who daily greet the glory of God and uphold creation.” That is, a tiny group of people, because of their innate goodness; because of their humble, just, loving hearts, proves to God that humanity is worth all the trouble. Therefore, God would never go so far as to wipe away humanity, for that would mean wiping away the righteous, and “the Judge of all the earth will do what is right.” Yes, the world is full of corruption; it's full of every vice and evil - just as in the days of Sodom - and God surely must contemplate bringing it all to an end. But through these righteous ones and their persistent hidden holiness, the world is spared. The questions put to each of us, then, are these: "Could you be one of the righteous? Could you...would you...can you...will you - live in such a way that keeps hope alive in the world? You may be the one upholding God's creation.

We're back for another round of Women in Translation Month! Each August, readers around the world celebrate books written by women and translated into English, spotlighting voices the too often go unheard. In this episode, we each pick five WIT titles we're planning to read this month. We promise our goal is not to derail your carefully curated TBR list, but this is an event where we'll happily take responsibility for your reading detours!What WIT books are you reading to celebrate?We've got some fantastic author-focused episodes lined up for the foreseeable future, and we want to give you plenty of time to dive in if you'd like to read along with us. These episodes come around every ten episodes, and with our bi-weekly release schedule, you'll have a few months to get ready for each. Here's what we have in store:* Episode 115: Kazuo Ishiguro* Episode 125: Flannery O'Connor* Episode 135: William Faulkner* Episode 145: Elizabeth Taylor* Episode 155: Naguib MahfouzThere's no rush—take your time, and grab a book (or two, or three) so you're prepared for these as they come!Join the Mookse and the Gripes on DiscordWant to share your thoughts on these upcoming authors or anything else we're discussing? Join us over on Discord! It's the perfect place to dive deeper into the conversation—whether you're reading along with our author-focused episodes or just want to chat about the books that are on your mind.We're also just now in our second novella book club, where we're reading Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin. It's a fantastic book, and we'd love to have you join the discussion. It's a great space to engage with fellow listeners, share your insights, and discover new perspectives on the books you're reading.ShownotesBooks* The Adventures of China Iron, by Gabriela Cabezón Cámara, translated by Fiona Mackintosh and Iona Macintyre* We Are Green and Trembling, by Gabriela Cabezón Cámara, translated by Robin Myers* The Ghost Writer, by Philip Roth* Love in a Cold Climate, by Nancy Mitford* The Sun King, by Nancy Mitford* The Pursuit of Love, by Nancy Mitford* Don't Tell Alfred, by Nancy Mitford* Voltaire in Love, by Nancy Mitford* The Faces, by Tove Ditlevsen, translated by Tiina Nunnally* The Trouble with Happiness, by Tove Ditlevsen, translated by Michael Favala Goldman* Killing Stella, by Marlen Haushofer, translated by Shaun Whiteside* The Wall, by Marlen Haushofer, translated by Shaun Whiteside* Overstaying, by Ariane Koch, translated by Damion Searls* In Farthest Seas, by Lalla Romano, translated by Brian Robert Moore* A Silence Shared, by Lalla Romano, translated by Brian Robert Moore* Frontier, by Can Xue, translated by Karen Gernant and Chen Zeping* The Last Lover, by Can Xue, translated by Annelise Finegan* The Blue Room, by Hanne Ørstavik, translated by Deborah Dawkins* The Taiga Syndrome, by Cristina Rivera Garza, translated by Suzanne Jill Levine and Aviva Kana* New and Selected Stories, by Cristina Rivera Garza, translated by Sarah Booker with additional translations by Lisa Dillman, Francisca González Arias, and Alex Ross* Ultramarine, by Mariette Navarro, translated by Eve Hill Agnus* Voices in the Evening, by Natalia Ginzburg, translated by D.M. Low* The Dry Heart, by Natalia Ginzburg, translated by Frances Frenaye* Family Lexicon, by Natalia Ginzburg, translated by Jenny McPhee* Traces of Enayat, by Iman Mersal, translated by Robin Moger* Motherhood and Its Ghosts, by Iman Mersal, translated by Robin Moger* Animal Stories, by Kate Zambreno* Migratory Birds, by Mariana Oliver, translated by Julia SanchesOther* PEN/America: Women in Translation Month Reading Series 2025* Women in Translation Month websiteThe Mookse and the Gripes Podcast is a bookish conversation hosted by Paul and Trevor. Every other week, we explore a bookish topic and celebrate our love of reading. We're glad you're here, and we hope you'll continue to join us on this literary journey!A huge thank you to those who help make this podcast possible! If you'd like to support us, you can do so via Substack or Patreon. Subscribers receive access to periodic bonus episodes and early access to all new episodes. Plus, each supporter gets their own dedicated feed, allowing them to download episodes a few days before they're released to the public. We'd love for you to check it out! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mookse.substack.com/subscribe

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Amongst its pages, there are many familiar names—Oscar Wilde, Quentisn Crisp, Sappho, James Baldwin, Freddie Mercury — but also many we might not expect: Florence Nightingale, Marlene Dietrich, Cary Grant, J. Edgar Hoover, Eleanor Roosevelt, Tchaikovsky, Greta Garbo, Richard the Lionheart, even Abraham Lincoln,  along with 1000 other stories of artists, generals, politicians, kings, despots and many more figures drawn from 5000 years of hidden culture.   Keith Stern came to the Bureau to talk about his extraordinary encyclopaedia ‘Queers in History', what drove him to write it, and why it matters.   The book is more than a who's-who of queer life —it's a challenge to the official version of the past, a reminder of how history gets made, unmade, and remade,  depending on who's telling the stories, inviting us to consider how queerness has always existed, and has contributed to the culture. And we get into the subject of whether Gandalf was Queer - yes, we really do…

Family, this week on Queer News we're watching blue states draw a legal line in the sand as they sue the Trump administration for attacking gender-affirming care. In a major win for reproductive justice, a federal judge blocks efforts to defund Planned Parenthood. In culture and entertainment, we celebrate the crowning of the first King of Drag, bid farewell to Dinah Shore founder Mariah Hanson, and get a much-needed laugh from TS Madison and Laverne Cox on Family Feud. Plus, I bring you Baldwin's words, wisdom, and rage as we celebrate his birthday. Let's get into it. Want to support this podcast?

This 2020 episode covers James Baldwin, who was a brilliant essayist, one of the chroniclers of the Civil Rights Movement, and a powerful voice against racism.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this new episode of THE POLITICRAT daily podcast Omar Moore salutes James Baldwin on his 101st birthday with audio clips from some of his interviews. Also: News of the last 24 hours or so that you may not have been aware of. Recorded August 2, 2025.MUST-SEE:James Baldwin 1964 documentary "Take This Hammer" (uncut edition), directed by Richard O. Moore: https://diva.sfsu.edu/collections/sfbatv/bundles/216518SUBSCRIBE: https://mooreo.substack.comSUBSCRIBE: https://politicrat.substack.comPatronize Lanny Smith's Actively Black apparel business: https://activelyblack.comPatronize Melanin Haircarehttps://melaninhaircare.comPatronize Black-owned businesses on Roland Martin's Black Star Network: https://shopblackstarnetwork.comBlack-owned media matters: (Watch Roland Martin Unfiltered daily M-F 6-8pm Eastern)https://youtube.com/rolandsmartin Download the Black Star Network appRECOMMENDED READSOmar's latest article on Substack (subscribe!) "A Few Of The Restaurants In San Francisco That Welcome And Treat Black People With Respect" (July 22, 2025)https://open.substack.com/pub/mooreo/p/a-few-of-the-restaurants-in-san-francisco?r=275tyr&utm_medium=iosTHE POLITICRAT SUMMER 2025 BOOK READING LIST: https://substack.com/@politicrat/note/c-133449058?r=judrw&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-actionIf you would like to contribute financially to The Politicrat: please send money via Zelle to omooresf@gmail.comSocial media:https://fanbase.app/popcornreel(Invest in Fanbase now! https://startengine.com/fanbase)https://spoutible.com/popcornreelhttps://popcornreel.bsky.socialAnd spill.com (@popcornreel)

Welcome to episode 91 of The Way Out Is In: The Zen Art of Living, a podcast series mirroring Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh's deep teachings of Buddhist philosophy: a simple yet profound methodology for dealing with our suffering, and for creating more happiness and joy in our lives. In this installment, Zen Buddhist monk Brother Phap Huu and leadership coach/journalist Jo Confino are joined by Nho Tran, who, after 17 years as a nun in the Plum Village tradition, is now continuing her spiritual journey as a layperson. Together, they explore the origins and evolution of the Plum Village tradition: the Buddhist lineage founded by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay). Thay worked to restore and renew Vietnamese Buddhism, integrating its rich history and diverse influences while increasing the teachings’ accessibility and relevance to the modern world. The participants describe Thay’s openness to adapting practices to different communities’ needs, while maintaining the tradition's core principles and lineage. The conversation highlights the importance of understanding one’s roots and cultural heritage, and of the flexibility to evolve and innovate within a spiritual tradition, and how these principles led to Thay’s vision of engaged Buddhism, which seeks to address societal issues and cultivate both inner and outer peace. Among other insights, Nho shares her personal journey of reconnecting with her Vietnamese heritage and identity through Thay’s teachings, while Brother Phap Huu reflects on Thay's intentional weaving together of the ancient roots of Vietnamese Buddhism with contemporary relevance and accessibility. Bio: Nho Tran is a scholar, facilitator, and former Buddhist nun in the Plum Village tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. For many years, she lived and practiced in monastic communities across Asia, Europe, and North America, where she cultivated a deep commitment to interbeing, cultural resilience, and the art of mindful living. Nho's work sits at the intersection of conflict transformation, ethics, and systems thinking. Drawing on her monastic formation and experience across diverse sectors, she supports individuals and communities in navigating difficult conversations, fostering cultural change, and reimagining leadership grounded in compassion and collective wisdom. She holds a joint degree in Cognitive Neuroscience and Religion from the University of Southern California, a Master of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School, and an MA from Harvard University. She is currently a PhD candidate at Harvard's Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, where her research explores the intersections of religion, ethics, governance, and Vietnamese Buddhist history. Nho teaches negotiation, ethics, and conflict resolution at Harvard, and continues to serve as a bridge between contemplative practice and social transformation. Co-produced by the Plum Village App:https://plumvillage.app/ And Global Optimism:https://globaloptimism.com/ With support from the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation:https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/ List of resources Live show: The Way Out Is In podcast with special guest Ocean Vuong plumvillage.uk/livepodcastInterbeinghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interbeing James Baldwinhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Baldwin Dharma Talks: ‘Redefining the Four Noble Truths'https://plumvillage.org/library/dharma-talks/redefining-the-four-noble-truths Thich Nhat Hanh: Redefining the Four Noble Truthshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eARDko51Xdw ‘The Four Dharma Seals of Plum Village'https://plumvillage.org/articles/the-four-dharma-seals-of-plum-village Theravadahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theravada Mahayanahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahayana Champahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Champa Vajrayanahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vajrayana Prajnaparamitahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prajnaparamita Dhyanahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhyana_in_Buddhism Linjihttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linji_school Pearl S. Buckhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearl_S._Buck ‘Please Call Me By My True Name'https://plumvillage.org/articles/please-call-me-by-my-true-names-song-poem Quotes “Is it James Baldwin who says, ‘If you love something dearly, you can love it and, at the same time, critique it with your whole heart'?” “I remember Thay saying that when he met an individual, he never saw that person as themselves alone; he saw the entire lineage of what had brought that person to this present moment.” “Understanding is another name for love.” “One of the beauties of the teachings of the Buddha is that the monks are also scholars. They love to help articulate the teachings of Buddhism; they love to create lists and they love to categorize things as a means to transmit them. And then the deepest practice is being free from all of that and to see the weaving of all the teachings.” “In the will of our teacher, written to all of us, his monks and nuns students, he said that one of the greatest heritages of Buddhism, of the Buddha’s teaching, is this openness to ever grow, to ever change, and not to believe in a god, a doctrine. That is the only way.” “Thay once told me that we don’t have time to go and correct people. Instead, we have to develop our liberation and transmit this beautiful teaching to the next generation.” “Thay is very progressive in order for the tree to grow, but very conservative to restore the roots. That is the dance around and in the teachings of the Buddha: the middle way. To meet the present moment, we have to find a pathway that continues to evolve, but we also need to have roots.” “If we are practicing Buddhism, but we’re not practicing inner peace, outer peace, and liberation, then that is not Buddhism. So, Thay’s understanding of Buddhism goes beyond form.” “What is our compass? That is mindfulness. Come back to our awareness of the present moment.” “Buddhism is made of non-Buddhist elements. Plum Village is made up of non-Plum Village elements – but it does have foundations, and the Four Plum Village seals, which Thay said are our defining way of teaching and practice.” “There is so much richness and goodness in spirituality and in religion because religion is made of non-religious elements.” “If the identity or the moniker of ‘a Buddhist' gets in the way of the work that I’m trying to do, which is peace and liberation, I will let that go gladly. But it doesn’t mean I’m not a Buddhist, or that I don’t get to tap into the tradition. If that’s getting in the way, if that makes people suffer more, that’s not the name of the game. I’m trying to get to liberation; I’m trying to get to freedom for everyone; I’m trying to get to a place where everyone gets to tap into this endless source of love.” “The perfection of wisdom is to be able to hold two seemingly contradictory things together in perfect harmony.”

Subscribe for $5.99 a month to get bonus content most Mondays, bonus episodes every month, ad-free listening, access to the entire 800-episode archive, Discord access, and more: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Brad Onishi sits down with Dr. Anand Pandian, author of Something Between Us, to explore the everyday “walls” that divide Americans—from SUVs and suburbs to video doorbells and noise-canceling headphones. Drawing on James Baldwin's influence, Pandian reveals how our built environments and habits foster suspicion, loneliness, and disconnection. They exacertabe the ruthlessness of our political age. Onishi and Pandian discuss how activism, like the “Aunt Flow” movement, and simple neighborly acts can help rebuild empathy and community. This episode is a powerful reminder that polarization isn't just political—it's personal, physical, and fixable. Anand Pandian's book: https://anand.studio Linktree: https://linktr.ee/StraightWhiteJC Order Brad's book: https://bookshop.org/a/95982/9781506482163 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Episode 201, author Lidija Hilje talks with Sarah about her debut novel, Slanting Towards the Sea. Spanning two decades and one transformative summer in Croatia, Slanting Towards the Sea is a love story that also delves into the profound journey of coming of age in a nation younger than you are. Lidija shares lots of details about how this book came to be and the inspiration for the story and its lush Croatian setting, which becomes a character of its own. They also discuss how the Croatian War of Independence influenced both her own childhood and the novel's narrative. Plus, Lidija shares some of her top book recommendations! This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog. Highlights A brief, spoiler-free overview of Slanting Towards the Sea.  Hilje's inspiration for Slanting Towards the Sea. How Croatia became its own character in the novel. The ways Slanting Towards the Sea developed and was impacted by Lidija's never-to-be-published first novel. The impact of the Croatian War of Independence (1991–1995) on Lidija's childhood and the events of the book. How Lidija shaped the ending of the novel over time. What inspired making “people pleasing” such a strong element of Ivona's character. The complete, upending change that forever shelved her first attempt at a novel. Lidija's Book Recommendations [35:58] Two OLD Books She Loves Gioavanni's Room by James Baldwin (1956) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [36:12] Euphoria by Lily King (2014) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [39:10] Other Books Mentioned: Writers & Lovers by Lily King (2020) [41:10]   Two NEW Books She Loves Audition by Katie Kitamura (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [41:33] The Anthropologists by Ayşegül Savaş (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [44:55] Other Books Mentioned: Intimacies by Katie Kitamura (2021) [41:44]  Trust by Hernán Díaz (2023) [43:41]  Second Place by Rachel Cusk (2021) [43:43]  One Book She DIDN'T Love Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney (2021) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [46:34] One NEW RELEASE She's Excited About This Kind of Trouble by Tochi Eze (August 5, 2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[48:52] Last 5-Star Book Lidija Read We Were the Universe by Kimberly King Parsons (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [50:35] Books From the Discussion You Could Make This Place Beautiful by Maggie Smith (2023) [22:03]

We opened with the legendary James Baldwin, because this week, we're passing the mic to someone walking boldly in Baldwin's footsteps: Amber Wallin, Executive Director of the State Revenue Alliance and a fearless fighter for tax justice, equity, and economic power from the ground up. Whether she's calling out lawmakers, organizing communities, or reshaping policy, Amber is part of a new generation of leaders who refuse to back down. Here she shares the thinkers, art, and music that inspires her in the fight as she takes the Gaslit Nation Self-Care Q&A. Because self-care is an act of resistance.  Want more fierce, unfiltered conversations like this? Join the Gaslit Nation Salon, live every Monday at 4pm ET. It's our weekly dose of truth, strategy, and righteous rage with listeners from around the world. Sign up now at Patreon.com/Gaslit. Annual memberships are discounted, and your support keeps us going. Hitting the beach or binging podcasts from the couch this summer? Take along our graphic novel: Dictatorship: It's Easier Than You Think! Follow our corrupt narrator, Judge Lackey, as he bungles his way through authoritarianism, dodging activists and desperately clinging to power.Grab it at your local library or at BookShop.org.  EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION: NEW DATE! Thursday July 31 4pm ET – the Gaslit Nation Book Club discusses Antoine de Saint Exupéry's The Little Prince written in the U.S. during America First.  Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.  Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.  Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon.  Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.  Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.  Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet? Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!