Podcast appearances and mentions of Samira Ahmed

Samira Ahmed talks to Twin Peaks' co-creator Mark Frost and podcaster Mike Munser about the show's enduring legacy, 35 years after it began. And Hollywood is under pressure, with financial incentives luring filmmakers elsewhere. Samira also talks to playwright Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti about her new play Marriage Material, which spans decades in the lives of a Sikh family running a corner shop in Wolverhampton.

In part two of our conversation with author Samira Ahmed, we deep dive into the genre of Internment—is it dystopian, speculative, or realistic fiction?—and why that label matters in the classroom. What starts as a conversation about shelving quickly becomes an exploration of how genre influences student thinking, how we can break down subject silos in education, and why teaching through inquiry is more critical than ever. Samira shares insights on the emotional toll of teaching today, the urgency of connecting past and present injustices, and her belief that “teaching is a revolutionary act.” This episode is a reminder of the impact educators have and the power of stories to spark resistance, reflection, and change.Resources:Camp BNTInternment, by Samira AhmedThe Grace Year, by Kim LiggettProphet Song, by Paul LynchRelated Episodes:Episode 155, Powerful Female Voices in YA Lit: An Interview with Yamile Saied MendezEpisode 171, New Dystopian Texts & Supplements for Your ELA ClassroomEpisode 230, Building Trong Writers: An Interview with Author Christina Schnider of The Daring English TeacherEpisode 260, Samira Ahmed: A Conversation About Internment Part 1SHOW NOTES: https://www.bravenewteaching.com/home/episode261"Send us a message - please include your contact information so we can chat soon!"Get your FREE Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs gateway lesson: shop.bravenewteaching.com/cloudyCheck out Curriculum Rehab here!Support the show

Camp BNT is back for year three, and we're kicking things off with bestselling author (and former high school English teacher!) Samira Ahmed. In this episode, Samira shares how her time in the classroom shaped her writing, the inspiration behind Internment, and how educators can use essential questions to spark powerful conversations. Plus, get a sneak peek at her upcoming projects—and hear why she's so passionate about writing for teens. This is part one of a two-part conversation you won't want to miss!Resources:Sign up for Camp BNTSummer Reading RescueInternment, by Samira AhmedLove, Hate & Other Filters, by Samira AhmedConnect with Samira:WebsiteInstagram: @sam_aye_ahmSamira's booksRelated Episodes:Episode 155, Powerful Female Voices in YA Lit: An Interview with Yamile Saied MendezEpisode 157, Modern Folktales and Monsters: An Interview with Diana LopezEpisode 166, Lesson Plan Inspiration with Elizabeth Acevedo: An Interview DebriefSHOW NOTES: https://www.bravenewteaching.com/home/episode260"Send us a message - please include your contact information so we can chat soon!"Ready to make your summer reading program awesome? Head to bravenewteaching.com/summerreadingSupport the show

Samira Ahmed and writers Dreda Mitchell and Mark Ravenhill review Imelda Staunton and her daughter, Bessie Carter, in Mrs Warren's Profession.They consider, too, theatre director Marianne Elliott's first foray into film, The Salt Path, based on a Raynor Winn's bestselling memoir of how she and her husband, after they have lost their house and farm and he has been diagnosed with a rare terminal disease, walk the 600 miles of the South West Coast Path. It features Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs - with and the land and seascape of the end of England in a starring role. The Victoria and Albert Museum has a collection of 4.5 million artefacts. Inevitably, many are stored away. But now the museum is inviting everyone backstage, to the V&A East Storehouse, where half a million objects are looked after. It is a wonderful gallimaufry, ancient ceramics next to plastic chairs from the sixties, a huge Picasso, a Frank Lloyd Wright office and a child's pedal car. Samira, Freda and Mark wander the gantries.Presenter: Samira Ahmed Producer: Julian May

Grace and Alvina record an episode while Grace is in the middle of her book tour for THE GATE, THE GIRL, AND THE DRAGON, so of course the topic is everything having to do with book tours! Grace shares some highlights and lowlights, gives some tips and tricks for travel and touring, talks about what her expectations about book tours vs the reality, how she prepares for book tours, and more. For the Fortune Cookie segment they discuss the firing of Dr. Carla Hayden from the Library of Congress. For the Tell Me About segment, Alvina tells Grace about THE SINGULAR LIFE OF ARIA PATEL by Samira Ahmed. And, they end by sharing what they're grateful for. See complete show notes at www.bookfriendsforever.com. Click here to become a Patreon member: https://www.patreon.com/Bookfriendsforever1. See info about Grace's new book "The Gate, the Girl, and the Dragon": https://linktr.ee/gracelinauthor. Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bookfriendsforever_podcast/

In 1975, at the height of their fame, British band Slade made a feature film, Slade in Flame. The film was a critical and commercial failure at the time, but has built up a cult following over the years. Now it's being re-released in cinemas and on DVD. Frontman Noddy Holder and film director Richard Loncraine spoke to Samira Ahmed in studio.With a new English translation of Simone de Beauvoir's novel The Image of Her and a stage adaptation of her semi-autobiographical The Inseperables, Lauren Elkin and Grace Joy Howarth discuss the enduring legacy of the French feminist icon.Plus Irish actor Stephen Rae talks about his career working with Samuel Beckett, his hit film The Crying Game, and his current production of Krapp's Last Tape

Director and Screenwriter PJ Hogan, creator of the 1994 comedy Muriel's wedding, speaks to Samira Ahmed about the new musical adaptation of his film. With lead actors leaving, and ratings down, there are questions about the future of Doctor Who. Author John Higgs, and entertainment writer Caroline Frost, talk about the past, present and future of the world famous Time Lord. And Anthony Horowitz talks about turning 70, and the release of his new book, Marble Hall Murders.Presenter: Samira Ahmed Producer: Harry Graham

Samira Ahmed and guest critics - the novelist and anthropologist Tahmima Anam and Ben Luke from the Art Newspaper - give their verdict on the week's cultural releases. They've been to see Cate Blanchett in Anton Chekhov's play The Seagull at the Barbican Centre. The classic drama still features characters from Russian nobility – but it's given a modern-day treatment including VR headsets and quad bikes. They have also watched Sister Midnight, a film about a young bride called Uma who joins her husband in Mumbai but struggles to adapt to her new life and connect with the man she knew as a childhood friend. She wanders the streets, drawn to the moon and becomes an accidental outlaw.Also under consideration are portraits in an exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery by Edvard Munch – an artist best known for his painting The Scream. Plus we pay tribute to Five Star's Stedman Pearson who's died at the age of 60.Presenter: Samira Ahmed Producer: Claire Bartleet

Trump takes Russia's side, the White House seizes control over the press pool, and post-Roe America brings echoes of the real-life stories that inspired The Handmaid's Tale

We look back at the quarter century in performing arts, exploring the changes in live stage performance and asking how the theatrical landscape has changed over those years. Samira Ahmed hears about some of the big trends that have changed the experience - such as immersive theatre and discusses the challenges the sector has faced. She is joined by playwrights Mark Ravenhill and Lolita Chakrabarti, who is also an actor, by the producer and CEO of Nimax Theatres, Nica Burns and by the critic Sarah Crompton. Plus we hear from Felix Barrett, founder of Punchdrunk Theatre and Nikolai Foster the artistic director of the Leicester Curve.Presenter: Samira Ahmed Producer: Ruth Watts

Samira Ahmed talks to Brazilian director Walter Salles about his film I'm Still Here - which has already won multiple awards including the Golden Globe for Best Actress for its star Fernanda Torres. it's based on a true story about a family Salles knew when he was growing up in Rio de Janeiro - whose father was detained and disappeared during the military dictatorship which lasted for more than 20 years. The Face magazine was launched in 1980, offering a stylish approach to music, fashion and culture. A new exhibition at London's National Portrait Gallery showcases some of the most iconic images created by photographers like Jurgen Teller and Ellen von Unwerth. The curator Sabina Jaskot-Gill and journalist and broacaster Miranda Sawyer discuss what made The Face such an important part of British culture. 80s hearthrob Matt Goss - one half of hit band Bros with his brother Luke - features in one of the images in The Face exhibition. He performs his new single and talks about his 11 year residency in Las Vegas - and why he's come back to the UK to tour. Presenter: Samira Ahmed Producer: Paula McGrath

In this episode, Folarin is joined by influencer Samira Ahmed and she discusses her time growing up between Georgia, Ohio and Minnesota, and beginning to first post content on Twitter. She tells the story of getting her first brand deal, moving to NYC, and signing with a management company. She recaps some of her highlights thus far, from working with Chanel to meeting Bella Hadid, and being on a Time Square billboard. She speaks to some of the difficulties that come with influencing, imposter syndrome, and much more!!TIME STAMPS:Start - 5:52   Samira background 5:52-10:57     Initially posting content online10:57-19:00  First brand deal, subsequent partnerships 19:00-30:21    Moving to NY full time, signing w/ a management agency 30:21-42:49   Some of the difficulties of influencing 42:49-56:40    Career highlights / imposter syndrome56:40-1:00:00   Advice / staying grounded1:00:00-1:03:34    Lightning Round 1:03:34-End   Music identity segmentCREDITS:Hosted by Folarin OkulajaProduced by Folarin OkulajaEngineered by Folarin OkulajaSubscribe to Go With the Flo on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts!https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeheP4nl7aAFDmC8QgV-LUQhttps://open.spotify.com/show/0TCIEfodZuvVgnOVsho4lj?si=N3Pvw2hpR7u4979mwAZ5lQ&dl_branch=1https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/go-with-the-flo/id1551569516

This week, acclaimed authors Samira Ahmed and Jas Hammonds discuss their recent books, the state of young adult literature today, and the importance of young people seeing themselves in the stories they read. Ahmed’s latest, This Book Won't Burn, is a timely and gripping social-suspense novel about book banning, activism, and standing up for what [...]

This week, acclaimed authors Samira Ahmed and Jas Hammonds discuss their recent books, the state of young adult literature today, and the importance of young people seeing themselves in the stories they read. Ahmed's latest, This Book Won't Burn, is a timely and gripping social-suspense novel about book banning, activism, and standing up for what you believe. From Hammonds comes Thirsty, an unflinching novel about addiction that bestselling author Courtney Summers called "sensitively wrought and gorgeously written."This conversation originally took place May 19, 2024 and was recorded live at the American Writers Festival.AWM PODCAST NETWORK HOMEAbout the writers:SAMIRA AHMED is the bestselling author of Love, Hate & Other Filters; Internment; Mad, Bad & Dangerous to Know; Hollow Fires; and the Amira & Hamza middle-grade duology, as well as a Ms. Marvel comic book mini-series. Her poetry, essays, and short stories have appeared in numerous publications and anthologies including the New York Times, Take the Mic, Color Outside the Lines, Vampires Never Get Old, and A Universe of Wishes.JAS HAMMONDS was raised in many cities and between the pages of many books. They have received support for their writing from Lambda Literary, Baldwin for the Arts, and the Highlights Foundation. They are also a grateful recipient of the MacDowell James Baldwin Fellowship. Their debut novel, We Deserve Monuments, won the 2023 Coretta Scott King John Steptoe Award for New Talent, among many other accolades.

Samira Ahmed presents Front Row's contribution to Radio 4's New Year's Day celebration of the Shipping Forecast, marking a century since the BBC began broadcasting it. This edition of the arts programme explores how the Shipping Forecast inspires musicians, writers, artists of all kinds, and how it has become a powerful presence in the psyche of the nation, even among people with no connection to the sea. There is an irony here: the forecast is factual, devoid of metaphor, yet it moves millions emotionally. Recorded in front of an audience at Britain's most famous ship, the Cutty Sark, Samira's guests are novelist Meg Clothier, author of The Shipping Forecast: Celebrating 100 Years; musicians Lisa Knapp and Gerry Diver; poets Sean Street and Zaffar Kunial; and Paddy Rodgers, Director of Royal Museums, Greenwich. They discuss the inspirational quality of the Shipping Forecast - the litany of names of sea areas, its rhythms, the factual yet evocative vocabulary of atmospheric and sea states, and how this vital information, demanding attention, has become a national lullaby. Sean Street, Britain's first Professor of Radio and author of several books about sound, considers the Shipping Forecast as a sound work, and reads his poem, Shipping Forecast, Donegal. Lisa Knapp performs, accompanied by Gerry Diver, her song 'Shipping Song' and 'Three Score and Ten', written by William Delf, a Grimsby fisherman, after a disastrous storm in 1889. There are two world premieres, commissioned by Front Row, an audio piece by the sound designer, Ross Burns, and a poem by Zaffar Kunial. And some quirky Shipping Forecast moments such as Alan Bennett reading it and Charlotte Green assaying the Forecast - in Arabic.Presenter: Samira Ahmed Producer: Julian May

Samira Ahmed's joined by this week's critics - Louisa Buck and Matt Everitt - to review Beatles '64, documenting the fab four's first trip to America with previously unseen footage shot by pioneering brothers Albert and David Maysles. They've also been to see Tate Modern's new exhibition Electric Dreams, exploring how artists were inspired to use machines and algorithms to create mind-binding art before the internet. Plus the star-studded new TV spy drama The Agency - starring Michael Fassbender, written by Jez Butterworth and produced by George Clooney - and we hear about this year's Deep Time music festival, taking it's inspiration from an imagined meeting between Jean-Michel Basquiat and John Cage in Edinburgh. Presenter: Samira Ahmed Producer: Sarah Jane Griffiths

Send us a textInternment by Samira AhmedThe future is here and for Muslims, like Layla, things are not good in the United States. The president has made it very clear that Muslims are to blame for everything (sound familiar - think World War II and Jewish people) and many are losing their jobs and having their lives restricted. In fact, Layla's father, a professor at a university, has lost his job and people are now burning his books - and other muslim authors and books that the president and his followers don't think are appropriate for American society to have access to read.It is in this atmosphere that Layla and her family and others find themselves in. One night when her family is taken from their home - right as night has fallen - and ordered to leave, Layla can't believe this is happening to her, an American citizen, all because of her religious beliefs.Recommended for grades 8 and up. *the word "damn" is used in this podcast

Ahead of tonight's Booker Prize ceremony, Front Row hears from all of the shortlisted authors: Percival Everett, Samantha Harvey, Rachel Kushner, Anne Michaels, Yael van der Wouden and Charlotte Wood.Then at 9.30pm, in a special extra edition of Front Row, Samira Ahmed hosts the ceremony. Find out who will win the prestigious literary prize. Producer: Claire Bartleet Presenter: Samira Ahmed

Samira Ahmed is live from the Booker Prize 2024 ceremony. As well as hearing from the six shortlisted authors, Samira speaks to judges novelist Sara Collins and musician Nitin Sawhney. Campaigner for social justice Baroness Lola Young talks about the transformative power of literature. Chair of judges, artist and writer Edmund de Waal announces the winner of this prestigious award for fiction.Presenter: Samira Ahmed Producer: Claire Bartleet

Daniel Libeskind is one of the world's leading architects. Amongst his many projects, he devised the masterplan for the redevelopment of Ground Zero in New York and designed the Jewish Museum in Berlin. He tells Samira Ahmed about the Albert Einstein House in Jerusalem, a new building which will house Einstein's work and belongings, from his favourite novels, his letters as a peace campaigner, to his papers laying out his famous theory of relativity. He also talks Samira through the many other global projects he is working on, including a museum of anthropology in Iquique, Chile.

Samira Ahmed talks to Pat Barker about the final part of her Troy trilogy, The Voyage Home. Alain Delon has died at the age of 88 - President Macron called him a French monument. Film critic Ginette Vincendeau assesses his impact on French film. At the Proms two orchestras are set to play works by Beethoven and Mozart from memory - conductor Nicholas Collon from the Aurora Orchestra explains how musicians manage without a score. And Orlando Weeks - formerly the frontman of Mercury Prize-nominated band The Maccabees - plays live in the studio and talks about the art he now creates, alongside music. Presenter: Samira Ahmed Producer: Paula McGrath

David Morrissey stars as a hapless father in the new BBC comedy Daddy Issues - alongside Sex Education's Aimee Lou Wood as his pregnant daughter. Samira Ahmed asks him about playing for laughs - as well as reprising his role in James Graham's Sherwood, which is about to return to BBC1, featuring local gangs in Nottinghamshire and a proposed new coal mine, an unwelcome reminder of past rivalries.Arts venues are increasingly offering relaxed performances and screenings. Some aim to increase access to neurodiverse audiences, while others want to dismantle the rigid etiquette that might put off newcomers. Lilliam Crawford - an autistic writer and co-host of the Autism Through Cinema podcast - and culture writer Emily Bootle discuss the appeal and the of relaxed performances and how they can change everyone's experience of the arts. Alien: Romulus is the latest Alien movie - filmed 45 years after the original directed by Ridley Scott. So what has director Fede Alvarez brought to this latest Alien offering? Presenter: Samira Ahmed Producer: Paula McGrath

Colm Toibin, Bonnie Greer and Mendez join Samira Ahmed to celebrate the life and work of the American writer and civil rights activist James Baldwin, author of the landmark gay novel Giovanni's Room, as part of a series of programmes on BBC Radio 4 and 3 marking the 100th anniversary of his birth. Colm Toibin is author of the book On James Baldwin Bonnie Greer is writing a memoir of her own personal encounter with James Baldwin Mendez is author of the autobiographical novel Rainbow MilkPresenter: Samira Ahmed Producer: Eliane Glaser, Ciaran Bermingham and Robyn ReadOther programmes marking the centenary:Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin is this week's Book at Bedtime on BBC Radio 4 The Lost Archives of James Baldwin - about how and why his personal effects ended up in a village in France - is on BBC Radio 4 on Tuesday 30 July at 4pm James Baldwin's Words and Music is on BBC Radio 3 on Sunday 4 August at 5.30pm and features special readings recorded by Adrian Lester set alongside music

Hello! We have the privilege and honour this week to share with you exclusive audio from behind the scenes at the recent live episode recording of Chris Shaw's final 'I Am The EggPod' podcast, featuring interviews by Rob Manuel with EggPod fans and alumni, including: Mark Lewisohn, Samira Ahmed, Joel Morris, Nadia Shireen, Jason Hazeley, Julia Raeside, Matt Everitt, Kevin Eldon, Jill Connolly, Mark Newlove, Eleanor Gray, Adam S Leslie, Chris Chibnall, James Marshall... and more! If you don't know, 'EggPod' was a massive influence on us starting our show. Chris brings such warmth and passion when talking about The Beatles, and meeting him last year and finding out that he listens to (and likes!) our little show has been a highlight of my podcasting journey so far. So, thanks Chris for the EggPod and for asking us if we would like to share this with our fans, and I expect, many people who will never have heard of us before! We hope you enjoy and please consider having a listen to some of our regular episodes from our first 4 series.

Samira Ahmed, Mark Lewisohn and David Janson discuss the 60th anniversary of The Beatles' A Hard Day's Night premiere, with Chris Shaw. 

Youth Services Librarian Meagan joins us once again to promote the 'Adventure Begins at Your Library' Summer Reading Challenge. This Challenge opened on June 8th and goes through August 10th! Learn more and register by visiting oakcreeklibrary.org/src. Or, visit our events calendar to stay up to date on all of the fun activities that will keep you and your family busy this summer: oakcreeklibrary.org/events. Check out what we talked about: Books mentioned: "Around the World in Eighty Days" by Jules Verne with readalike "The Time Machine" by H.G. Wells. The "Throne of Glass" series by Sarah J. Maas with readalike series "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir. "Grandad's Camper" by Harry Woodgate with readalike "On the Trapline" by David Robertson. "On the Road" by Jack Kerouac with readalike "Off the Road: My Years with Cassady, Kerouac, and Ginsberg" by Carolyn Cassady. The "Dragon Rider" series by Cornelia Funke with readalike series "The Inheritance Cycle" by Christopher Paolini. "You Are Here: Connecting Flights" edited by Ellen Oh with readalike "Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks" by Jason Reynolds. The "Uglies" series by Scott Westerfeld with spinoff series "Imposters" by the same author. "The City of Ember" by Jeanne DuPrau with readalike "The Giver" by Lois Lowry. "Amira & Hamza: The War to Save the Worlds" by Samira Ahmed with readalike "Aru Shah and the End of Time" by Roshani Chokshi. To access complete transcripts for all episodes of Not Your Mother's Library, please visit: oakcreeklibrary.org/podcast Check out books, movies, and other materials through the Milwaukee County Federated Library System: countycat.mcfls.org hoopladigital.com wplc.overdrive.com oakcreeklibrary.org

Noor Khan is still reeling from the disintegration of her family when she stumbles across a library cart stacked with books in her new small-town high school. In her heart, she just wants to finish her senior year and get back to Chicago as quickly as possible. But when she learns the books are being removed by a group of parents trying to ban literature they deem as obscene, she is enraged. Will her values force her to act, even if doing so puts a target on her back? Or is the fight not worth the cost? That's the premise of Samira Ahmed's new YA novel, “This Book Won't Burn.” No stranger to book bans herself, Ahmed joins host Kerri Miller this week on Big Books and Bold Ideas to talk about the freedom to read and how teenagers today are finding the courage to act against a national movement to ban books.

This is an archive episode from 2019 from the second series of How I Found My Voice, a podcast from Intelligence Squared. Presented by the BBC journalist Samira Ahmed, the podcast explores how some of the world's greatest artists and thinkers became such compelling – and unique – communicators. In this episode Samira speaks to the actor, writer and comedian Michael Palin. Part of the legendary Monty Python comedy group, Palin has helped shape British comedy on our TV screens. From growing up with a father who stuttered to finding his comedy partners and travelling the world, Palin speaks about the moments that shaped and inspired his voice. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/IS for £100 sponsored credit. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all of our longer form interviews and Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events - Our member-only newsletter The Monthly Read, sent straight to your inbox ... Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series ... Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. ... Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Samira Ahmed is joined by author Anita Sethi and critic Tim Robey to review time-skipping sci-fi epic The Beast, where human emotions are perceived as a threat; the second series of Nida Manzoor's We Are Lady Parts, where the all-female Muslin punk band are recording their first album; they also give their verdict on the Beyond Fashion photography exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery, which tracks how fashion photography has become an art form in its own right.Presenter: Samira Ahmed Producer: Paula McGrath

Samira Ahmed is joined by the Guardian's music editor Ben Beaumont-Thomas plus cultural sociologist and music researcher Dr. Monique Charles to review espionage thriller and cross-culture satire The Sympathizer, a 7-part series based on Viet Thanh Nguyen's Pulitzer Prize winning novel. They also discuss the winners of the Ivor Novello Awards, and Samira talks to Michelle Terry about playing Richard III at the Globe theatre.Presenter: Samira Ahmed Producer: Claire Bartleet

On this episode we sit down with author Samira Ahmed about her newest novel This Book Won't Burn, a YA coming-of-age story about a girl who moves to a small town in the middle of her senior year and finds herself embroiled in her town's politics as she finds out that hundreds of books in her school's libraries have been marked for book bans. We chat with Samira about her own experiences taking on book bans across the country as well as her thoughts on the importance of reading diversely. Follow Samira on Instagram at @sam_aye_ahm and check out her novel This Book Won't Burn, available now on the Books & Boba bookshop!Books & Boba is a podcast dedicated to reading and featuring books by Asian and Asian American authorsSupport the Books & Boba Podcast by:Joining our Patreon to receive exclusive perksPurchasing books at our bookshopRocking our Books & Boba merchFollow our hosts:Reera Yoo (@reeraboo)Marvin Yueh (@marvinyueh)Follow us:InstagramTwitterGoodreadsFacebookThe Books & Boba May 2024 pick is Kill Her Twice by Stacey LeeThis podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective

The Pet Shop Boys are the most successful duo in UK music history. Forty years after their first hit West End Girls they are about to release their new album Nonetheless. Chris Lowe and Neil Tennant join Samira Ahmed to talk about making sense of life through culture, their music being used in hit films like Saltburn and All of Us Strangers and their gay icon status. Also joining Samira in the studio are art critic Catherine McCormack and writer Jenny McCartney to review the new tennis film Challengers - which stars Zendaya and Josh O'Connor and Tate Modern's new exhibition Expressionists: Kandinsky, Münter and The Blue Rider.Presenter: Samira Ahmed Producer: Paula McGrath

The National Gallery opened its doors on 10th May 1824. The public could view 38 paintings, free. Now there are more than 2,300, including many masterpieces of European art by geniuses such as Rembrandt, Turner and Van Gogh. It is still free. The gallery's director, Gabriele Finaldi, guides Samira Ahmed through the collection. Artists Barbara Walker, Bob and Roberta Smith and Celine Condorelli, last year's artist-in-residence , choose paintings from the collection that are important to them, as does the critic Louisa Buck. The Sainsbury Wing is closed for building work, giving an opportunity to attend to the paintings there, and Samira visits the conservation studio and the framing workshop. She hears, too, from curator Mari Elin Jones in Aberystwyth about how during the Second World War the entire National Gallery collection was evacuated to a slate quarry in north Wales. The gallery's historians, Susanna Avery-Quash and Alan Crookham, show Samira photos of this period, and documents from the very beginning of the gallery. As part of the bicentennial celebrations 12 masterpieces are going to cities around the UK, to form the centre of exhibitions. Appropriately, Canaletto's 'The Stone Mason's Yard' will be going to Aberystwyth. From BBC Archive recordings we hear how Kenneth Clark and pianist Myra Hess organised lunchtime concerts held in the empty gallery, keeping cultural life going during the Blitz.Samira, Gabriele and Bob and Roberta first came to the National Gallery as children; Louisa Buck brought her children, who hunted for dragons in the paintings. The National Gallery is a welcoming, free, safe space for everyone, as a visitor, her baby asleep in his sling, happily explains.Presenter: Samira Ahmed Producer: Julian May

Marjane Satrapi is best known for being the cartoonist and film maker behind Persepolis. She talks to Samira Ahmed about her new book - Woman, Life, Freedom - which she has created with 17 Iranian and international comic book artists. It documents the story of the death in custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, a woman detained for allegedly not properly wearing the Islamic headscarf in 2022, and the subsequent protest movement which has swept Iran.In the Event of Moon Disaster is part of a new exhibition at the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts in Norfolk. It uses artificial intelligence to reimagine history, to ask what is truth? Centre Director Dr Jago Cooper and digital artist Francesca Panetta dive into conspiracy and misinformation, and discuss how an event as influential as the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing could be manipulated, and how doubt can be cast on even the most well-known facts.And Samira and producer Julian May follow the Harlow Sculpture Trail, encountering work by some of the greatest artists of the 20th century, including Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth and Elisabeth Frink. Presenter: Samira Ahmed Producer: Paul Waters

Sir Peter Blake is famous for his Pop Art paintings, collages and album covers – and not just Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. But the artist, now 91, has throughout his career made three dimensional works. For the first time in two decades there is an exhibition devoted to these. Samira Ahmed meets the artist in the gallery on the eve of the opening of Peter Blake: Sculpture and Other Matters.Actor David Harewood is appointed the new President of RADA – the Royal Academy for the Dramatic Arts. He shares with Front Row his vision for one of the world's leading theatre schools.John Logan's new play Double Feature explores the director-actor relationship through two of the most tempestuous relationships in cinema history. Samira talks with the Oscar-nominated Gladiator writer about how Alfred Hitchcock made Tippi Hedren's life on the set of 1964 thriller Marnie a living hell, while Vincent Price and Michael Reeves could barely hide their hatred for each other during the making of the 1968 horror film Witchfinder General. The play opens tonight at the London's Hampstead Theatre.Presenter Samira Ahmed Producer: Julian May

It's time for a tidbit of next week's delicious offering, when we find out what happened last summer when the team took the show to Hannah's home Island as part of the Ventnor Fringe on the Isle of Wight! In a tent literally packed-to-the-trapeze, the team solved a historical, local crime, while being joined on stage by the man who did the impossible and made an honest woman of Hannah - right before he knocked her up - yes, it's Mr Hannah George, otherwise known as actor and writer, Toby Williams... The full episode will be available next Wednesday 21st February. In the meantime, why not catch up with the vast back catalogue of DWSC eps, featuring amazing guests like Katherine Ryan, Sara Pascoe, Desiree Burch, Samira Ahmed, Fern Britton, Shazia Mirza, Susie Dent... the list is (almost) endless. The Drunk Women are at The Museum of Comedy in March, April, May and June - so join them at their London residency, book early to avoid disappointment, as it's likely to sell out! For info and tickets head to - Drunk Women Solving Crime - The UK's hit true crime comedy podcastYou can also support the show on Patreon, and for as little as £3 a month, have access to ad free episodes, bonus content, live zoom records AND be the subject of one of Taylor's incredible shout outs - Drunk Women Solving Crime | creating Podcasts | Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen Sanchez found fame on Tik Tok, bringing his 1950s inspired music and style to an audience of young fans. At just 20 years old, he was Elton John's guest on the main stage at Glastonbury. He talks to Samira Ahmed about his UK tour and performs two songs from his new album, Angel Face.What do Gen Z's viewing habits mean for the future of TV and film? Dr Antonia Ward, Chief Futurist at Stylus, and Entertainment Reporter Palmer Haasch explain how the preferences of younger viewers are shaping film and television.In 1954 Ishiro Honda changed the monster movie forever when he introduced the world to Godzilla. Now 70 years and nearly 40 films later, Godzilla is the star of the world's longest running film franchise. Author Graham Skipper and film distributor Andrew Partridge explain why Godzilla holds a unique place in cinema and pop culture.Presenter: Samira Ahmed Producer: Julian May

Oscar-winning director and artist Steve McQueen has collaborated with his partner, the writer and historian Bianca Stigter, to document the hidden histories of World War Two beneath the streets of modern day Amsterdam. The couple join Samira to discuss their mesmerising and poetic new film.Mojo brought him great success when he was just 26. Later came Jerusalem, the greatest play of the 20th century in the Daily Telegraph theatre critic's opinion. Then, The Ferryman, also highly acclaimed. He has also written a couple of James Bond films. So, Jez Butterworth's new play The Hills of California is eagerly awaited and has gone straight to the West End. On the eve of press night, the playwright talks to Samira Ahmed about the play that its director, Sam Mendes, says is ‘about love, time, memory, parents and children. And England.' Lots to talk about.Singer-songwriter Declan McKenna gives Front Row a preview of his new album What Happened To The Beach? – recorded in LA nearly a decade after winning Glastonbury's Emerging Talent Competition as a teenager.

The Best of My Time Capsule 2023 Part 3 featuring Tony Robinson, Ted Robbins, Nina Wadia, Neil Delamere, Jim Sweeny, Samira Ahmed, Roger Black, Robert Popper, Jon Harvey AKA Count Binface, Professor Turi King, Neil Mullarkey, Zoe Lyons, Tommy Cannon and Iain Lee.Follow My Time Capsule on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook: @MyTCpod .Follow Michael Fenton Stevens on Twitter: @fentonstevens & Instagram @mikefentonstevens .Produced and edited by John Fenton-Stevens for Cast Off Productions .Music by Pass The Peas Music .Artwork by matthewboxall.com .This podcast is proud to be associated with the charity Viva! Providing theatrical opportunities for hundreds of young people. Get bonus episodes and ad-free listening by becoming a team member with Acast+! Your support will help us to keep making My Time Capsule. Join our team now! https://plus.acast.com/s/mytimecapsule. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the TV hits of 2023, Ghosts returns for a one-off special on Christmas Day. Festive viewing for many families will also probably include other work by one of its creators, Simon Farnaby, who co-wrote Wonka as well as the Paddington films. Critics Kate Maltby and Boyd Hilton review Donmar Warehouse's Macbeth starring David Tennant and Cush Jumbo – which includes headphones for the audience. They also give Samira Ahmed their verdict on Next Goal Wins, the film version of the documentary about the true story of the American Samoan football team trying to qualify for the World Cup. And culture journalist Gary Raymond on whether the National Theatre of Wales has a future now it's lost all of its Arts Council Wales funding.

The poet, writer and activist Benjamin Zephaniah sadly passed away this week, aged 65. In this archive discussion from 2019, journalist Samira Ahmed speaks with Zephaniah about his life's work and the journey that took him from his youth in Birmingham to becoming one of the UK's most distinct and relevant voices harnessing the power of poetry and the spoken word. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Front Row reviews the week's cultural highlights. Samira Ahmed is joined by critics Sarah Crompton and Isabel Stevens to discuss William Oldroyd's new film Eileen and a production of The House of Bernarda Alba at the National Theatre. The Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan, who is often described as one of the 20th Century's greatest song-writers, has died age 65. Irish broadcaster John Kelly remembers him.Ian Youngs reports from Bristol's new music venue Bristol Beacon, formerly Colston Hall, which is re-opening after a five year refurbishment and a name change. It's now a state of the art concert venue, but the work has proved controversial due to escalating costs. And Barbara Walker, who is shortlisted for this year's Turner Prize, talks about how her portraits capture people affected by the Windrush scandal. Presenter: Samira Ahmed Producer: Eliane Glaser

Michael Connelly is one of several authors suing the tech company OpenAI for "theft" of his work. Nicola Solomon, outgoing Society of Authors CEO, and Sean Michaels, one of the first novelists to use AI, discuss the challenges and opportunities facing writers on the cusp of a new technological era.What makes a great piece of terrible album artwork? The Williamson Gallery & Museum in Birkenhead is currently displaying nearly 500 albums which have been collected over a seven year period by Steve Goldman from record fairs and online market places as part of their ‘Worst Record Covers' exhibition. Samira is joined by the exhibition curator Niall Hodson and the writer, journalist and author of “The Sound of Being Human” Jude Rogers.The most famous event in Los Angeles in 1852 was a horse race. Fortunes were won and lost on Pio Pico's horse Sarco and Jose Sepulveda's Black Swan. Widespread press reports included the horses' names and the names of their owners - but not the name of the black jockey who won. Apart from his colour, we know nothing about him. Fred D'Aguiar talks to Samira Ahmed about his latest collection of poems, 'For the Unnamed', in which he recovers and re-imagines the story, giving the black jockey the presence today he was denied in his lifetime.

Kamala Khan, aka Ms. Marvel, is the Marvel Universe's biggest fan! She's known for her fanfiction and unabashed enthusiasm.Hosts Ellie and Preeti talk to Marvel Studios' own Kamala Khan, actress Iman Vellani, about writing her debut comic Ms. Marvel: New Mutant. They also talk to writer Samira Ahmed about writing Kamala and what happens when a fan becomes a hero. We'll hear from creator Sana Amanat and fan Raisin Cosplay about what makes Kamala such a relatable character to so many people.Plus, writers Rainbow Rowell and Seanan Mcguire explain why fanfiction is great for both readers and writers!Check out MarvelUnlimited's Women of Marvel Reading List for Ms. Marvel!: https://www.marvel.com/articles/podcasts/listen-women-of-marvel-ms-marvel-kamala-khan-podcast-episode-highlights

The American Library Association observed Banned Books Week at the beginning of October — an especially poignant marker this year. A report by PEN America found more than 1,200 books were censored or removed from U.S. public school classrooms and libraries during the 2022-23 school year, compared to only 333 in the previous school year. That's an increase of almost 400 percent.Authors whose books are most frequently targeted are usually female, people of color or LGBTQ+. This week, Big Books and Bold Ideas commends the freedom to read by talking with three young adult authors whose books are frequently found on the targeted lists. Kelly Yang is the author of many young adult and children's books, including “Front Desk,” which is based on her own memories of working at her family's motel business after they immigrated to California from Hong Kong. As she tells MPR News host Kerri Miller, the first few years after “Front Desk” was published, it was a huge success. But then it started to get pushback. “I guess people started to question why kids should learn about the immigrant experience. Like: I don't want my kid to feel sad or uncomfortable,” said Yang. “But if we airbrush our nation's history and ignore the experiences of millions of people, what is the difference between this country and where my parents came from, which is China?”“The freedom to read is what makes this country great,” Yang told Miller. Matt de la Peña is also a writer of children and young adult books. He won the Newbery Medal in 2016 for his picture book “Last Stop on Market Street.” But it is “Mexican Whiteboy,” the novel inspired his own experience of growing up mixed race in San Diego, that has faced the most criticism. “When you're a new writer, you sometimes glorify the idea of getting banned,” laughed de la Peña. “But then you don't have the context for who is unable to have access to your book.” “I wrote [‘Mexican White Boy'] because I'm mixed — my dad is Mexican, my mom is white — and I wanted to write about sometimes not feeling Mexican enough growing up.” But then it got caught up in a political battle in Arizona. De la Peña met with students at Tucson High School who had the book taken out of their hands as they were reading. And why? “There is no context for the banning,” de la Peña told Miller. “It's a rumor. ‘Oh, I heard this book has a scene about such and such.' Or, ‘I heard this book leans into racial identity too much.' ‘Maybe it fits into that critical race stuff.'” “Book banning has nothing to do with young people. It has everything to do with parents,” he said. “And I understand this instinct. I'm a parent of two young kids, and I'm very cognizant of what goes into their brains. But we run into trouble when parents are trying to eliminate that content for other people's children.”Samira Ahmed writes stories about “revolutionary girls” for middle grade students and young adults. Several of her books have been challenged, including “Internment,” published in 2019, and her newest novel, “Hollow Fires.” Ahmed said her earliest experience with book banning was “soft banning.” Librarians told her they were hesitant to put her first book on their shelves because they had no Muslim students in their community. A Kansas teacher told her a school staff member continually delayed putting in a purchase order for Ahmed's “Internment.” Book ban attempts on the rise in Minnesota schools “You might not read about this in the newspaper. It's not even getting to a school board meeting,” Ahmed said to Miller. “But this is happening — not just to my books, but to queer authors and authors of color, where there's this soft banning, almost this pre-banning, where people are not allowing the books to come into schools.” But Ahmed, like de la Peña and Yang, is not deterred.“The voices of those who want to challenge books or censor books or ban books are very loud,” she said. “But I assure you, they are the minority. Find your community who is willing to advocate to ensure that our children have freedom to read.” And if you want proof that authors are willing to fight being silenced, Ahmed's next novel comes out in 2024. It's called, “This Book Won't Burn.”

Samira Ahmed speaks to comedian Katherine Ryan, as part of the Intelligence Squared series How I Found My Voice. From working at Hooters and her first stand-up gigs to watching TV with her mum, they discuss the moments that inspired Katherine to find her voice and, in her own words, be a disruptive woman. This episode was first aired in 2019. How I Found My Voice explores how some of the world's greatest artists and thinkers became such compelling and unique communicators.  — We'd love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be.  Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us @intelligence2.  And if you'd like to support our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations, as well as ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content, early access and much more, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared. Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Samira Ahmed speaks to one of Britain's most popular podcasters - Adam Buxton. From experimenting with early video recorders to his David Bowie impressions and comedic use of Star Wars figurines on national television, Buxton talks about the moments that shaped and inspired his voice. This discussion first aired on our award-winning podcast, How I Found My Voice, in 2019. We'd love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be.  Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us @intelligence2.  And if you'd like to get ad-free access to all Intelligence Squared podcasts, including exclusive bonus content, early access to new episodes and much more, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared today for just £4.99, or the equivalent in your local currency .  Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Samira Ahmed speaks to the chef Yotam Ottolenghi, who has arguably done more than any other food writer in recent times to change the way we cook and eat. In 2014 the American food magazine Bon Appétit wrote that he had ‘made the world love vegetables' – although he himself is not a vegetarian. They speak about his life and career, from discovering his love of food in Jerusalem and that his grandmother was a Mossad spy to his professional partnership with Palestinian chef Sami Tamimi and navigating what it means to be a gay man and parent. He is the author of numerous cookbooks including Simple and Flavour. This discussion first aired on our award-winning podcast, How I Found My Voice, in 2021. We'd love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be.  Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us @intelligence2.  And if you'd like to get ad-free access to all Intelligence Squared podcasts, including exclusive bonus content, early access to new episodes and much more, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared today for just £4.99, or the equivalent in your local currency .  Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Samira Ahmed speaks to the novelist and author of An American Marriage, Tayari Jones. They speak about her life and career from growing up in Atlanta and taking a stand on ethical issues as a child to developing her voice as a writer, the role that children's author Judy Blume played in her life, and being selected for President Barack Obama's summer reading list and Oprah's Book Club. This discussion first aired on our award-winning podcast, How I Found My Voice, in 2021. We'd love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be.  Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us @intelligence2.  And if you'd like to get ad-free access to all Intelligence Squared podcasts, including exclusive bonus content, early access to new episodes and much more, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared today for just £4.99, or the equivalent in your local currency .  Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gloria Estefan is one of the most successful female singers ever. With more than 120 million records sold worldwide, three Grammy Awards, and a career spanning four decades, she has helped make Latin-flavoured pop music an international success. Estefan is also the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Honor and has her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. From fleeing Cuba as a young child when it fell under Castro's control, narrowly escaping death in a bus accident aged 32, to marrying her first boyfriend, who was also the founder of her first band Miami Sound Machine, she has lived a remarkable life. In this exclusive live podcast recording of the award-winning How I Found My Voice, presented by Samira Ahmed, Estefan reflected on her path to musical success and fame. We'd love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be.  Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us @intelligence2.  And if you'd like to get ad-free access to all Intelligence Squared podcasts, including exclusive bonus content, early access to new episodes and much more, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared today for just £4.99, or the equivalent in your local currency .  Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices