Podcast appearances and mentions of Sara Wheeler

Kate Adie presents stories from the USA, Myanmar, The Dominican Republic, Afghanistan and the Greek island of Syros President Trump's decision to impose huge tariffs across the world drew ire from Wall Street financiers this week - and even members of his own Republican party. But what do his supporters in small-town America think? Mike Wendling travelled to Delta, Ohio, in America's rust belt, where locals have other things on their mind.In Myanmar the military junta has restricted foreign rescue teams' access to areas damaged by the recent earthquake - not to mention international media. After entering the country undercover, Yogita Limaye reports from the city of Mandalay, close to the earthquake's epicentre.The Dominican Republic announced three days of national mourning this week, after the roof of a popular nightclub collapsed, killing more than two hundred people. Will Grant visited the scene in the capital Santo Domingo, where an investigation is now under way as to what caused the collapse.Since returning to power in Afghanistan, the Taliban have steadily increased restrictions on the country's citizens and the introduction of a huge CCTV network in the capital Kabul has alarmed human rights groups. The Taliban says it is to combat crime, but Mahjooba Nowrouzi says there is unease over what else might be under surveillance.The battle for dominance in the electric car market is in full swing, but the EV evolution has been a long time in the making, as Sara Wheeler discovered when she stumbled across one of the world's first mass-produced models on the Greek island of Syros.Series producer: Serena Tarling Production Coordinators: Katie Morrison & Sophie Hill Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

Kate Adie presents stories from Russia, the occupied West Bank, Bangladesh, South Africa and IndiaUS relations with its Western allies have been upended recently amid a rapprochement between Washington and Moscow. The BBC's Russia Editor Steve Rosenberg reveals how the warming of relations has been feted in the pro-Putin press, while ordinary Russians are seemingly more cautious.As the first stage of the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel comes to an end, Israel's defence forces are in the midst of another major operation against armed Palestinian groups in the occupied West Bank. Paul Adams visited one of the region's refugee camps to see what impact Israel's military action is having on the thousands of people forced to leave their homes.Bangladesh remains politically unstable six months after the violent student-led uprising which brought down long-term leader, Sheikh Hasina. In the absence of political certainty, fundamentalist Islamic groups – previously side-lined in politics – have found fresh impetus, says David Loyn.Johannesburg in South Africa is often framed as one of the world's most dangerous cities - but there are signs of improvement, with both locals and tourists returning to explore areas once regarded as no-go zones. Ed Habershon met the Joburgers trying to change their city's image.Each year, in the south Indian state of Kerala, ancient folk rituals, known as theyyams, are held in family estates and around temples. Sara Wheeler went to watch the dramatic spectacles, where performers become living embodiments of Hindu deities.Series Producer: Serena Tarling Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith Production Coordinators: Katie Morrison & Sophie Hill

From sacks of correspondence belonging to a well known author to archives from the Battle of Waterloo (and the odd wooden leg), Sara Wheeler reflects on the joys of Britain's personal archives. 'I have loved almost every day I have ever spent in an archive,' Sara writes, 'and not just because dead people are so easy to get along with.' But she fears that idiosyncratic borough and country archives will suffer because of budget cuts. Producer: Adele Armstrong Sound: Peter Bosher Production coordinator: Liam Morrey Editor: Bridget Harney

Sara Wheeler explains why every week for several decades - despite knowing nothing about art - she has called in to London's National Gallery to look at the same two paintings. 'This habit of mine,' writes Sara, 'started by accident when I moved to London forty years ago' when she first set eyes on Botticelli's 'Portrait of a Young Man' and van Eyck's 'Portrait of a Man.' 'I have come to realise,' says Sara, the extraordinary power of 'familiarity, close contact and regular attention'. Producer: Adele Armstrong Sound: Peter Bosher Production coordinator: Gemma Ashman Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

On this week's Spectator Out Loud: Paul Wood analyses what a Trump victory could mean for the Middle East (1:16); Sean Thomas gets a glimpse of a childless future while travelling in South Korea (8:39); in search of herself, Imogen Yates takes part in ‘ecstatic dance' (15:11); a second selection of our books of the year from Peter Parker, Daniel Swift, Andrea Wulf, Claire Lowdon, and Sara Wheeler (20:30); and notes on the speaking clock from the voice himself, Alan Steadman (25:26).    Produced and presented by Patrick Gibbons.

On this week's Spectator Out Loud: Paul Wood analyses what a Trump victory could mean for the Middle East (1:16); Sean Thomas gets a glimpse of a childless future while travelling in South Korea (8:39); in search of herself, Imogen Yates takes part in ‘ecstatic dance' (15:11); a second selection of our books of the year from Peter Parker, Daniel Swift, Andrea Wulf, Claire Lowdon, and Sara Wheeler (20:30); and notes on the speaking clock from the voice himself, Alan Steadman (25:26).    Produced and presented by Patrick Gibbons.

Sara Wheeler reflects on the valuable perspective offered by out-of-date guide books. They shed light on the life of the early traveler - advised to pack an iron bedstead and a portable bath tub - and reveal how destinations may have evolved or be frozen in time.'The chief question I ask the old guides is whether the spirit of a place - the genius loci - can survive the upheaval of the years. Is the spirit of the place immutable or can it change?' asks Sara. Producer: Sheila Cook Sound: Peter Bosher Production Co-ordinator: Liam Morrey Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

On this week's Spectator Out Loud: Joan Collins reads an extract from her diary (1:15); Owen Matthews argues that Russia and China's relationship is just a marriage of convenience (3:19); reviewing The White Ladder: Triumph and Tragedy at the Dawn of Mountaineering by Daniel Light, Sara Wheeler examines the epic history of the sport (13:52); Igor Toronyi-Lalic looks at the life, cinema, and many drinks, of Marguerite Duras (21:35); and Tanya Gold provides her notes on tasting menus (26:07).    Presented and produced by Patrick Gibbons.  

On this week's Spectator Out Loud: Joan Collins reads an extract from her diary (1:15); Owen Matthews argues that Russia and China's relationship is just a marriage of convenience (3:19); reviewing The White Ladder: Triumph and Tragedy at the Dawn of Mountaineering by Daniel Light, Sara Wheeler examines the epic history of the sport (13:52); Igor Toronyi-Lalic looks at the life, cinema, and many drinks, of Marguerite Duras (21:35); and Tanya Gold provides her notes on tasting menus (26:07).    Presented and produced by Patrick Gibbons.  

Kate Adie presents stories from Russia, Nigeria, the US, Ecuador and Italy.Ukraine's surprise attack on Russia's western border region of Kursk caused authorities to declare a state of emergency there. The incursion is now in its second week and is the deepest into Russian territory since Vladimir Putin launched his invasion. Steve Rosenberg has been watching the reaction in Moscow and reflects on another major news event soon after he first arrived in Russia.Nigeria has been in the throes of an economic crisis which earlier this month led to 10 days of protests across the country. More than 700 demonstrators were arrested, 22 were killed and many more were injured. The marches eventually petered out but the causes of their discontent, though, don't look likely to go away. Simi Jolaoso has been to an open-air market in Lagos.In certain US states, parents are offered school vouchers as a means of paying for their children to go to private school, should they so choose, using public funding which would otherwise be used for state-funded school places. The vouchers scheme has polarised communities across the state of Arizona, says Mark Moran in Queen Creek.In Ecuador, President Daniel Noboa has moved to clampdown on organised crime and the drug cartels since he took power, amid a surge in outbreaks of violence. Danny Wiser was in Guayaquil, which has seen the worst of the violence and learned how it's impacting key areas of daily life.The Italian city of Trieste has a complex identity, thanks to its history and its geography. It was once part of the Austro-Hungarian empire. Sara Wheeler found out more about its past on a visit this Summer.Series Producer: Serena Tarling Editor: Tom Bigwood Production Coordinators: Sophie Hill & Katie Morrison

Sara Wheeler on why sleeping in Captain Scott's bunk in the Antarctic got her thinking about imposter syndrome. 'It took me many years,' writes Sara, 'to realise that I had as much right to be in Captain Scott's hut as anyone else, because nobody owns the Antarctic, or the hut, or Scott's legacy."Producer: Adele Armstrong Sound: Rod Farquhar Production coordinator: Janet Staples Editor: Tom Bigwood

Welcome to the travel/literary podcast The Wandering Book Collector with host Michelle Jana Chan. This is a series of conversations with writers exploring what's informed their books and their lives around themes of movement, memory, sense of place, borders, identity, belonging and home.In this edition, I'm joined by the writer Jessi Jezewska Stevens, to discuss her book, Ghost Pains. Please consider supporting your local bookshop.If you're enjoying the podcast, I'd love you to leave a rating or a review. To learn about future editions, please subscribe or hit “follow” on your podcast app of choice. Thank you for listening!For more on the podcast, book recs, what books to pack for where's next, and who's up next, I'm across socials @michellejchan. I'd love to hear from you.And if you've missed any, do catch up. From Janine di Giovanni to Bernardine Evaristo to Afua Hirsch to Carla Power to Maaza Mengiste to Kapka Kassabova to Sara Wheeler to Brigid Delaney to Horatio Clare to Rebecca Mead to Preti Taneja to Kathryn D. Sullivan to Emmanuel Jal to Jennifer Steil to Winnie M Li to Mona Arshi to Tim Mackintosh-Smith to Karen Joy Fowler and Shannon Leone Fowler to Ariana Neumann to Anthony Sattin to Roger Robinson to Justin Marozzi to Frances Stonor Saunders to Osman Yousefzada to Kylie Moore-Gilbert to Doreen Cunningham to Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o to Sophie Ward to Damian Le Bas to Hanne Ørstavik to Khashayar J Khabushani to Daljit Nagra to Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀ to Nastassja Martin to Ginanne Brownell to Hilary Bradt. All credit for sound effects goes to the artists and founders of Freesound.org and Zapsplat.com. All credit for music goes to the artists and founders of Soundstripe.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sara Wheeler asks whether trying to get away from it all is a futile endeavour.'We go to all that trouble', writes Sara, 'up at 4.30, cancelled planes and trains and bent tent poles - only to find ourselves, boring as ever, glum and pink on a beach or glum and damp in a Welsh cottage!' But there are still good reasons, Sara argues, why so many of us want a change of scene. And so 'off we go, in large numbers. At every opportunity'. Producer: Adele Armstrong Sound: Peter Bosher Production coordinator: Katie Morrison Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

Kate Adie presents stories from the US, Russia, Afghanistan, Germany and BhutanIt's been a week of high drama in Manhattan as Donald Trump's former ally and fixer, Michael Cohen took to the witness stand in the former President's criminal trial. Kayla Epstein was watching events unfold in the courtroom in New York and reflects on what it might mean for Donald Trump's re-election chances.A new front opened up in Russia's invasion of Ukraine this week, as Russian troops made gains in the country's north-east. Ukraine is still suffering from a lack of ammunition and personnel, even as the US long-promised aid begins to filter through to the frontline. Vitaliy Shevchenko has been finding out how Russian troops are being supplemented by fighters from Cuba.It's been nearly three years since the Taliban took back control of Afghanistan in a rapid offensive. Since then, the freedoms that women had come to know, such as the right to education and work have been curtailed. John Kampfner has met one woman who embarked on a perilous journey to CanadaThe island of Fehmarn, off Germany's north-east coast is something of an oasis for holidaymakers. But it's also soon to be the entrance to the world's longest underwater rail and road tunnel which will for the first time connect Germany to Denmark. Lesley Curwen has been speaking to some of the locals about how it will impact their way of life.At soaring altitudes, foragers in the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan seek out a special parasitic fungus, highly prized for its therapeutic qualities. Sara Wheeler's been hearing about the special status afforded to those who harvest the delicacy.Editor: Bridget Harney Series Producer: Serena Tarling Production Coordinator: Janet Staples

In this episode, hear from Sara Wheeler, whose adventures have taken her to some of the most exciting and far-flung places on the planet, and award-winning journalist and bestselling author, Christina Lamb, one of Britain's leading foreign correspondents.

Welcome to the travel/literary podcast The Wandering Book Collector with host Michelle Jana Chan. This is a series of conversations with writers exploring what's informed their books and their lives around themes of movement, memory, sense of place, borders, identity, belonging and home.In this edition, I'm joined by the writer Hilary Bradt to discuss Taking the Risk: My Adventures in Travel & Publishing. Please consider supporting your local bookshop.If you're enjoying the podcast, I'd love you to leave a rating or a review. To learn about future editions, please subscribe or hit “follow” on your podcast app of choice. Thank you for listening! For more on the podcast, book recs, what books to pack for where's next, and who's up next, I'm across socials @michellejchan. I'd love to hear from you.And if you've missed any, do catch up. From Janine di Giovanni to Bernardine Evaristo to Afua Hirsch to Carla Power to Maaza Mengiste to Kapka Kassabova to Sara Wheeler to Brigid Delaney to Horatio Clare to Rebecca Mead to Preti Taneja to Kathryn D. Sullivan to Emmanuel Jal to Jennifer Steil to Winnie M Li to Mona Arshi to Tim Mackintosh-Smith to Karen Joy Fowler and Shannon Leone Fowler to Ariana Neumann to Anthony Sattin to Roger Robinson to Justin Marozzi to Frances Stonor Saunders to Osman Yousefzada to Kylie Moore-Gilbert to Doreen Cunningham to Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o to Sophie Ward to Damian Le Bas to Hanne Ørstavik to Khashayar J Khabushani to Daljit Nagra to Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀ to Nastassja Martin to Ginanne Brownell. All credit for sound effects goes to the artists and founders of Freesound.org and Zapsplat.com. All credit for music goes to the artists and founders of Soundstripe.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sara Wheeler reflects on the experience of being a sibling to her brother who has a lifelong disability. "Posting on social media on National Siblings Day, which fell on a Wednesday this year, brothers and sisters like me express pride. 'You love them more, not less' is a common thread. Because what all this is really about is the sibling's acute awareness of the lack of empathy routinely shown to the disabled - after all, childhood gives us, the siblings, a unique perspective. It's 'Does he take sugar?' times ten - ignoring the point of view of the disabled person and not even trying to stand in her shoes. Ask us. We know." Producer: Sheila Cook Sound: Peter Bosher Production coordinator: Liam Morrey Editor: Penny Murphy

Welcome to the travel/literary podcast The Wandering Book Collector with host Michelle Jana Chan. This is a series of conversations with writers exploring what's informed their books and their lives around themes of movement, memory, sense of place, borders, identity, belonging and home.In this edition, I'm joined by the writer Ginanne Brownell, to discuss her book, GHETTO CLASSICS: How a youth orchestra changed a Nairobi slum Please consider supporting your local bookshop.If you're enjoying the podcast, I'd love you to leave a rating or a review. To learn about future editions, please subscribe or hit “follow” on your podcast app of choice. Thank you for listening! For more on the podcast, book recs, what books to pack for where's next, and who's up next, I'm across socials @michellejchan. I'd love to hear from you.And if you've missed any, do catch up. From Janine di Giovanni to Bernardine Evaristo to Afua Hirsch to Carla Power to Maaza Mengiste to Kapka Kassabova to Sara Wheeler to Brigid Delaney to Horatio Clare to Rebecca Mead to Preti Taneja to Kathryn D. Sullivan to Emmanuel Jal to Jennifer Steil to Winnie M Li to Mona Arshi to Tim Mackintosh-Smith to Karen Joy Fowler and Shannon Leone Fowler to Ariana Neumann to Anthony Sattin to Roger Robinson to Justin Marozzi to Frances Stonor Saunders to Osman Yousefzada to Kylie Moore-Gilbert to Doreen Cunningham to Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o to Sophie Ward to Damian Le Bas to Hanne Ørstavik to Khashayar J Khabushani to Daljit Nagra to Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀ to Nastassja Martin. All credit for sound effects goes to the artists and founders of Freesound.org and Zapsplat.com. All credit for music goes to the artists and founders of Soundstripe.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kate Adie introduces stories from Russia, Germany, Timor Leste and OmanAt a recent gathering in a gilded hall in the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin thanked VIP supporters for his re-election. As he commenced his fifth term in office, he has reminded his voters that the annexation of Crimea is just the beginning of Moscow's ambitions. Steve Rosenberg reflects on how this latest election has emboldened the President but there are voices of opposition willing to take a stand in spite of the consequences.When German Chancellor Olaf Scholz pledged the country was seeing a paradigm shift, or Zeitenwende, in supporting Ukraine in the war against Russia, he did not foresee how this would divide public opinion over Germany's potential involvement in a military campaign. Damien McGuinness reports on the ongoing political rifts in Berlin.Timor Leste has had a troubled history and faces multiple economic and social challenges including malnutrition and rural poverty. But marine scientists are discovering that Timor Leste lies on a vast migration route for a wide range of ocean wildlife, which some hope could fuel a fledgling tourism industry, reports Michelle Jana Chan.And we're in Oman, where a journey to the medieval capital of Nizwa leads to a conversation about the changes for women in the country, with a female driving instructor. Women have been legally allowed to drive in the country for more than 2 decades, unlike its neighbour Saudi Arabia, and a rise in the number of women in the workplace means more women are getting behind the wheel, says Sara Wheeler.Series Producer: Serena Tarling Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith Production Coordinator: Katie Morrison

Kate Adie presents stories from Pakistan, Syria, Gaza, Trinidad and Tobago and Ivory Coast.With most of the results now declared in Pakistan's general election, no political force has a clear majority. Jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan is claiming victory, and another ex-PM, Nawaz Sharif, says his party has emerged the largest and is urging others to join his coalition. Caroline Davies reflects on how the vote has divided the nation.Residents of the tightly-controlled rebel-held area of Idlib, in Syria's north-west, are struggling to survive as aid funding has been cut one year on from the quake which struck Syria and Turkey. Leila Molana Allen visits an orphanage where children try to imagine a better future.Lucy Williamson follows the story of six-year-old Hind Rajab who was caught up in crossfire when she tried to leave Gaza City, following evacuation orders by Israel's military. She describes the efforts to stay in contact with her after her family died, and the perilous nature of rescue efforts that are replicated every day.Trinidad and Tobago is one of the wealthiest nations in the Caribbean, thanks to significant oil and gas reserves. But Tobagans often complain that Trinidad has reaped the benefits at the expense of their own smaller island. Sara Wheeler paid the island a visit.And finally, on Sunday Nigeria faces Ivory Coast in the final of the Africa Cup of Nations. James Copnall was there for the tournament, twenty years after he worked there as a correspondent. He charts its transformation after years of civil war.Series Producer: Serena Tarling Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith Production Coordinator: Katie Morrison

Kate Adie presents stories from Pakistan, Syria, Gaza, Trinidad and Tobago and Ivory Coast.With most of the results now declared in Pakistan's general election, no political force has a clear majority. Jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan is claiming victory, and another ex-PM, Nawaz Sharif, says his party has emerged the largest and is urging others to join his coalition. Caroline Davies reflects on how the vote has divided the nation.Residents of the tightly-controlled rebel-held area of Idlib, in Syria's north-west, are struggling to survive as aid funding has been cut one year on from the quake which struck Syria and Turkey. Leila Molana Allen visits an orphanage where children try to imagine a better future.Lucy Williamson follows the story of six-year-old Hind Rajab who was caught up in crossfire when she tried to leave Gaza City, following evacuation orders by Israel's military. She describes the efforts to stay in contact with her after her family died, and the perilous nature of rescue efforts that are replicated every day.Trinidad and Tobago is one of the wealthiest nations in the Caribbean, thanks to significant oil and gas reserves. But Tobagans often complain that Trinidad has reaped the benefits at the expense of their own smaller island. Sara Wheeler paid the island a visit.And finally, on Sunday Nigeria faces Ivory Coast in the final of the Africa Cup of Nations. James Copnall was there for the tournament, twenty years after he worked there as a correspondent. He charts its transformation after years of civil war.Series Producer: Serena Tarling Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith Production Coordinator: Katie MorrisonSeries Producer From Our Own Correspondent BBC Long Form Audio

Taking a lead from Confucius - a man who loved a good ritual - Sara Wheeler explores the continuing fascination of rituals. 'Two and a half millennia ago,' writes Sara, 'Confucius famously fiddled about moving his mat so it was exactly straight before he crossed his legs and sat down on it.' He believed that ritual improves character and that, in turn, benefits society as a whole. Sara delves into her favourite rituals and ponders the role of ritual today. Producer: Adele Armstrong Sound: Peter Bosher Production coordinator: Gemma Ashman Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

Welcome to the travel/literary podcast The Wandering Book Collector with host Michelle Jana Chan. This is a series of conversations with writers exploring what's informed their books and their lives around themes of movement, memory, sense of place, borders, identity, belonging and home.In this edition, I'm joined by the writer Nastassja Martin to discuss her book, IN THE EYE OF THE WILD. Please consider supporting your local bookshop.If you're enjoying the podcast, I'd love you to leave a rating or a review. To learn about future editions, please subscribe or hit “follow” on your podcast app of choice. Thank you for listening! For more on the podcast, book recs, what books to pack for where's next, and who's up next, I'm across socials @michellejchan. I'd love to hear from you.And if you've missed any, do catch up. From Janine di Giovanni to Bernardine Evaristo to Afua Hirsch to Carla Power to Maaza Mengiste to Kapka Kassabova to Sara Wheeler to Brigid Delaney to Horatio Clare to Rebecca Mead to Preti Taneja to Kathryn D. Sullivan to Emmanuel Jal to Jennifer Steil to Winnie M Li to Mona Arshi to Tim Mackintosh-Smith to Karen Joy Fowler and Shannon Leone Fowler to Ariana Neumann to Anthony Sattin to Roger Robinson to Justin Marozzi to Frances Stonor Saunders to Osman Yousefzada to Kylie Moore-Gilbert to Doreen Cunningham to Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o to Sophie Ward to Damian Le Bas to Hanne Ørstavik to Khashayar J Khabushani to Daljit Nagra to Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀. All credit for sound effects goes to the artists and founders of Freesound.org and Zapsplat.com. All credit for music goes to the artists and founders of Soundstripe.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the travel/literary podcast The Wandering Book Collector with host Michelle Jana Chan. This is a series of conversations with writers exploring what's informed their books and their lives around themes of movement, memory, sense of place, borders, identity, belonging and home.In this edition, I'm joined by the writer Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀ to discuss her new book, A Spell of Good Things. Please consider supporting your local bookshop.If you're enjoying the podcast, I'd love you to leave a rating or a review. To learn about future editions, please subscribe or hit “follow” on your podcast app of choice. Thank you for listening! For more on the podcast, book recs, what books to pack for where's next, and who's up next, I'm across socials @michellejchan. I'd love to hear from you.And if you've missed any, do catch up. From Janine di Giovanni to Bernardine Evaristo to Afua Hirsch to Carla Power to Maaza Mengiste to Kapka Kassabova to Sara Wheeler to Brigid Delaney to Horatio Clare to Rebecca Mead to Preti Taneja to Kathryn D. Sullivan to Emmanuel Jal to Jennifer Steil to Winnie M Li to Mona Arshi to Tim Mackintosh-Smith to Karen Joy Fowler and Shannon Leone Fowler to Ariana Neumann to Anthony Sattin to Roger Robinson to Justin Marozzi to Frances Stonor Saunders to Osman Yousefzada to Kylie Moore-Gilbert to Doreen Cunningham to Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o to Sophie Ward to Damian Le Bas to Hanne Ørstavik to Khashayar J Khabushani to Daljit Nagra. All credit for sound effects goes to the artists and founders of Freesound.org and Zapsplat.com. All credit for music goes to the artists and founders of Soundstripe.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sara Wheeler challenges the idea that there's an equivalence between loving nature and being a good person. 'This queerly opaque idea has embedded itself in the collective subconscious since Granny Smiths ripened in the Garden of Eden,' writes Sara, 'but recent concerns have raised its stock.' She argues that the logic of that is flawed. Producer: Adele Armstrong Sound: Graham Puddifoot Production coordinator: Katie Morrison Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

Welcome to the travel/literary podcast The Wandering Book Collector with host Michelle Jana Chan. This is a series of conversations with writers exploring what's informed their books and their lives around themes of movement, memory, sense of place, borders, identity, belonging and home.In this edition, I'm joined by the writer Daljit Nagra to discuss his latest collection of poetry, Indiom.Please consider supporting your local bookshop.The Wandering Book Collector would like to thank the supporter of this podcast:Abercrombie & Kent — Creating unique, meticulously planned journeys into hard-to-reach wildernesses and cultures.If you're enjoying the podcast, I'd love you to leave a rating or a review. To learn about future editions, please subscribe or hit “follow” on your podcast app of choice.Thank you for listening!For more on the podcast, book recs, what books to pack for where's next, and who's up next, I'm across socials @michellejchan. I'd love to hear from you.And if you've missed any, do catch up. From Janine di Giovanni to Bernardine Evaristo to Afua Hirsch to Carla Power to Maaza Mengiste to Kapka Kassabova to Sara Wheeler to Brigid Delaney to Horatio Clare to Rebecca Mead to Preti Taneja to Kathryn D. Sullivan to Emmanuel Jal to Jennifer Steil to Winnie M Li to Mona Arshi to Tim Mackintosh-Smith to Karen Joy Fowler and Shannon Leone Fowler to Ariana Neumann to Anthony Sattin to Roger Robinson to Justin Marozzi to Frances Stonor Saunders to Osman Yousefzada to Kylie Moore-Gilbert to Doreen Cunningham to Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o to Sophie Ward to Damian Le Bas to Hanne Ørstavik to Khashayar J Khabushani.All credit for sound effects goes to the artists and founders of Freesound.org and Zapsplat.com. All credit for music goes to the artists and founders of Soundstripe.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sara Wheeler reflects on the concept of limbo as a way of helping us deal with current uncertainties but she recognizes this will not be easy. 'Limbo is a borderless, undefined, in-between state that is neither one thing nor the other and therefore it is hard to label and harder to accept.' She believes though that an acceptance of unknowability may be increasingly important since 'the rules and certainties on which we built our lives have altered beyond all recognition.' Producer: Adele Armstrong Sound: Peter Bosher Production coordinator: Gemma Ashman Editor: Bridget Harney

Welcome to the travel/literary podcast The Wandering Book Collector with host Michelle Jana Chan. This is a series of conversations with writers exploring what's informed their books and their lives around themes of movement, memory, sense of place, borders, identity, belonging and home.In this edition, I'm joined by the writer Khashayar J Khabushani to discuss his debut, I Will Greet the Sun Again.Please consider supporting your local bookshop.The Wandering Book Collector would like to thank the supporter of this podcast:Cox & Kings — Arranging captivating travel experiences for over 260 years.If you're enjoying the podcast, I'd love you to leave a rating or a review. To learn about future editions, please subscribe or hit “follow” on your podcast app of choice. Thank you for listening!For more on the podcast, book recs, what books to pack for where's next, and who's up next, I'm across socials @michellejchan. I'd love to hear from you.And if you've missed any, do catch up. From Janine di Giovanni to Bernardine Evaristo to Afua Hirsch to Carla Power to Maaza Mengiste to Kapka Kassabova to Sara Wheeler to Brigid Delaney to Horatio Clare to Rebecca Mead to Preti Taneja to Kathryn D. Sullivan to Emmanuel Jal to Jennifer Steil to Winnie M Li to Mona Arshi to Tim Mackintosh-Smith to Karen Joy Fowler and Shannon Leone Fowler to Ariana Neumann to Anthony Sattin to Roger Robinson to Justin Marozzi to Frances Stonor Saunders to Osman Yousefzada to Kylie Moore-Gilbert to Doreen Cunningham to Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o to Sophie Ward to Damian Le Bas to Hanne Ørstavik.All credit for sound effects goes to the artists and founders of Freesound.org and Zapsplat.com. All credit for music goes to the artists and founders of Soundstripe.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It was remarkably good fortune that famed writer Sara Wheeler came through Mompós in Colombia when I was there overseeing our hotels. Over coffee and conversations we discussed Colombia, the politics and her travel writing. And so, I was very honoured that she agreed to come on the Colombia Calling podcast to discuss future projects, past projects and much more. Wheeler's latest book, Glowing Still: A Woman's Life on the Road, is her most personal to date, reflecting on her own experience and the changing world of travel. "How are we supposed to live? The best writers all know that there aren't any answers, there are only questions." Tune in here and wherever you get your podcasts for this and the Colombia News Brief reported by journalist Emily Hart.

Welcome to the travel/literary podcast The Wandering Book Collector with host Michelle Jana Chan. This is a series of conversations with writers exploring what's informed their books and their lives around themes of movement, memory, sense of place, borders, identity, belonging and home.In this edition, I'm joined by the writer Hanne Ørstavik to discuss her book, Ti Amo. It is her 16th novel. Please consider supporting your local bookshop.The Wandering Book Collector would like to thank the supporter of this podcast: Abercrombie & Kent — Creating unique, meticulously planned journeys into hard-to-reach wildernesses and cultures.If you're enjoying the podcast, I'd love you to leave a rating or a review. To learn about future editions, please subscribe or hit “follow” on your podcast app of choice. Thank you for listening! For more on the podcast, book recs, what books to pack for where's next, and who's up next, I'm across socials @michellejchan. I'd love to hear from you.And if you've missed any, do catch up. From Janine di Giovanni to Bernardine Evaristo to Afua Hirsch to Carla Power to Maaza Mengiste to Kapka Kassabova to Sara Wheeler to Brigid Delaney to Horatio Clare to Rebecca Mead to Preti Taneja to Kathryn D. Sullivan to Emmanuel Jal to Jennifer Steil to Winnie M Li to Mona Arshi to Tim Mackintosh-Smith to Karen Joy Fowler and Shannon Leone Fowler to Ariana Neumann to Anthony Sattin to Roger Robinson to Justin Marozzi to Frances Stonor Saunders to Osman Yousefzada to Kylie Moore-Gilbert to Doreen Cunningham to Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o to Sophie Ward to Damian Le Bas.All credit for sound effects goes to the artists and founders of Freesound.org and Zapsplat.com. All credit for music goes to the artists and founders of Soundstripe.com

Sara Wheeler speaks with Caroline Sanderson about the sources of her inspirations as a travel writer and biographer, why the future of travel writing is bright and why the writer's job is to find hope and celebrate the individual human spirit's survival.

Welcome to the travel/literary podcast The Wandering Book Collector with host Michelle Jana Chan. This is a series of conversations with writers exploring what's informed their books and their lives around themes of movement, memory, sense of place, borders, identity, belonging and home.In this edition, I'm joined by the writer Damian Le Bas to discuss his debut, The Stopping Places. Please consider supporting your local bookshop.The Wandering Book Collector would like to thank the supporter of this podcast:Abercrombie & Kent — Creating unique, meticulously planned journeys into hard-to-reach wildernesses and cultures.If you're enjoying the podcast, I'd love you to leave a rating or a review. To learn about future editions, please subscribe or hit “follow” on your podcast app of choice. Thank you for listening! For more on the podcast, book recs, what books to pack for where's next, and who's up next, I'm across socials @michellejchan. I'd love to hear from you.And if you've missed any, do catch up. From Janine di Giovanni to Bernardine Evaristo to Afua Hirsch to Carla Power to Maaza Mengiste to Kapka Kassabova to Sara Wheeler to Brigid Delaney to Horatio Clare to Rebecca Mead to Preti Taneja to Kathryn D. Sullivan to Emmanuel Jal to Jennifer Steil to Winnie M Li to Mona Arshi to Tim Mackintosh-Smith to Karen Joy Fowler and Shannon Leone Fowler to Ariana Neumann to Anthony Sattin to Roger Robinson to Justin Marozzi to Frances Stonor Saunders to Osman Yousefzada to Kylie Moore-Gilbert to Doreen Cunningham to Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o to Sophie Ward. All credit for sound effects goes to the artists and founders of Freesound.org and Zapsplat.com. All credit for music goes to the artists and founders of Soundstripe.com

One of Britain's foremost travel writers, Sara Wheeler has written bestselling books and biographies about the polar region and its famous expeditions, as well as the United States, Chile, Russia and Greece. Now, in Glowing Still: A Woman's Life on the Road, Wheeler turns the lens on herself, considering a life spent on the road and writing in what has historically been a male-dominated genre. Part memoir, part travelogue, Glowing Still spans seven continents and has been described as "funny, furious writing from the queen of intrepid travel."

Kate Adie introduces dispatches from Ukraine, Greece, Armenia, the US-Mexico border and Indonesia's Raja Ampat Islands. There have been months of speculation about when and how Ukraine might use its armed forces, and their new weaponry, in a counter-offensive to take back territory occupied by Russia. Russian attacks are still hitting Ukrainian cities almost every day. Hugo Bachega describes how two men in Kyiv - a civilian whose home was bombed, and the President, who must lead the country through this war - are keeping their nerve. Before the Greek election there was plenty of talk about the frustrated ambitions of young Greeks, and public outrage over cronyism in politics. Yet Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis was re-elected, and his wasn't the only familiar face to be brought back to govern in Athens. Nick Beake covered the campaign, and gained a few insights into the enduring power of the country's political dynasties along the way. Armenia and Azerbaijan have been discussing normalising relations, and reopening transport links, in peace talks in Moscow - but there are still many potential stumbling blocks along the road to a settlement. The disputed enclave of Nagorno Karabakh is at the heart of the matter, but as Emily Craig heard while visiting southern Armenia, many people in the country still feel they're on a permanent war footing. Last week, international media readied themselves to cover an expected surge of people trying to cross the border into the United States from Mexico. It was believed that the expiry of the Title 42 regulations would trigger a new migration crisis. Yet it didn't happen - even though there are thousands of people still trying to enter the US. Bernd Debussman reports from the streets of El Paso. And in the island archipelago of Raja Ampat, in the Southwest Papua province of Indonesia, Sara Wheeler has recently seen wonders - including a rare glimpse of the purple tail of a Wilson's bird of paradise, and a walking shark in some of the world's most biodiverse waters. Producer: Polly Hope Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith Production Co-ordinator: Helena Warwick-Cross

Welcome to the travel/literary podcast The Wandering Book Collector with host Michelle Jana Chan. This is a series of conversations with writers exploring what's informed their books and their lives around themes of movement, memory, sense of place, borders, identity, belonging and home.In this edition, I'm joined by the writer Sophie Ward to discuss her novels, The Schoolhouse, and her debut Love and Other Thought Experiments, long listed for the Booker. Before that, a work of non-fiction, A Marriage Proposal: The Importance of Equal Marriage and What it Means for All of Us. Please consider supporting your local bookshop.The Wandering Book Collector would like to thank the supporter of this podcast:Abercrombie & Kent — Creating unique, meticulously planned journeys into hard-to-reach wildernesses and cultures.If you're enjoying the podcast, I'd love you to leave a rating or a review. To learn about future editions, please subscribe or hit “follow” on your podcast app of choice. Thank you for listening! For more on the podcast, book recs, what books to pack for where's next, and who's up next, I'm across socials @michellejchan. I'd love to hear from you.And if you've missed any, do catch up. From Janine di Giovanni to Bernardine Evaristo to Afua Hirsch to Carla Power to Maaza Mengiste to Kapka Kassabova to Sara Wheeler to Brigid Delaney to Horatio Clare to Rebecca Mead to Preti Taneja to Kathryn D. Sullivan to Emmanuel Jal to Jennifer Steil to Winnie M Li to Mona Arshi to Tim Mackintosh-Smith to Karen Joy Fowler and Shannon Leone Fowler to Ariana Neumann to Anthony Sattin to Roger Robinson to Justin Marozzi to Frances Stonor Saunders to Osman Yousefzada to Kylie Moore-Gilbert to Doreen Cunningham to Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o. All credit for sound effects goes to the artists and founders of Freesound.org and Zapsplat.com. All credit for music goes to the artists and founders of Soundstripe.com

The coronation in 1953, which heralded a new Elizabethan age, was accompanied by that most famous of mountaineering exploits - the conquering of Mount Everest. 'This weekend,' writes Sara Wheeler, 'we are not, perhaps regrettably, expecting celebratory rocket-runners from Mars announcing touchdown on the red planet.' But, Sara suggests, the new Carolean age should be about collective effort rather than focussed on individual achievement. Producer: Adele Armstrong Sound: Peter Bosher Production Coordinator: Sabine Schereck Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

Sara Wheeler finds writing a biography to be a humanising process, in which learning to see the world through someone else's eyes is more important than rushing to judge them. 'We are quick to judge - quicker than ever in grotesquely polarised times. But if we can't know another person, how can we judge them?', she writes. 'I am suggesting that we use the biographer's craft as a tool for understanding. And a tool for avoiding generalisation, compartmentalisation and judgement.' Producer: Sheila Cook Sound Engineer: Peter Bosher Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith Production Co-ordinator: Helena Warwick-Cross

Clive Anderson and Michelle McManus are joined by Charles Dance, Dyllón Burnside, Thomasina Miers and Sara Wheeler for an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy. With music from Sarah Jane Morris and Trampolene.

Kate Adie presents stories from Iraq, on the 20th anniversary of the US-led invasion, Brazil and Colombia. The BBC's International Editor Jeremy Bowen first reported from Iraq in 1990, and went on to visit the country on many more occasions - including during the US-led invasion in 2003. Twenty years on since the start of that war, he charts how events during the decade prior shaped the country's destiny. The city of Fallujah has had to rebuild many times following the invasion by coalition forces, which was followed by the Iraqi insurgency and a takeover by Al Qaeda and Isis. Leila Molana Allen speaks to residents of the city about their memories of the last 20 years, and what life is like today. In Brazil, measures have been taken to enshrine protection for those who are overweight, including preferential seats on subways, larger desks in schools and an annual day to promote the rights of obese people. But despite these moves, it can take longer for societal attitudes to change, says Bob Howard. And we're in Colombia on a journey by ferry on the Magdalena river to the old colonial trading hub, Mompox, which later became crucial to the fight for independence. The ripple effects of this region's rich history are still felt today, says Sara Wheeler. Series Producer: Serena Tarling Producer: Bethan Ashmead Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith Production Coordinator: Helena Warwick-Cross

On this week's Book Club podcast, my guest is Sara Wheeler, who looks back on her travelling life in Glowing Still: A Woman's Life on the Road. She tells me why it's 'a book about tits and toilets', as well as a meditation on the past and future of travel writing and a lament for the books – in one case thanks to having children and the other to the modern fatwa on 'cultural appropriation' – she didn't get to write.

On this week's Book Club podcast, my guest is Sara Wheeler, who looks back on her travelling life in Glowing Still: A Woman's Life on the Road. She tells me why it's 'a book about tits and toilets', as well as a meditation on the past and future of travel writing and a lament for the books – in one case thanks to having children and the other to the modern fatwa on 'cultural appropriation' – she didn't get to write. 

As meteorologists tell us that the chance of snow is decreasing year on year, Sara Wheeler reflects on a future where younger generations may never get to experience snow - and what that means for a season so ingrained in our lives and culture. 'Winter is deeply embedded in the English language - the white stuff of metaphor', she writes. 'But if climate change blanches the seasons, one wonders what the as yet unborn writers will reach for when they try to put the unsayable into words.' Producer: Adele Armstrong Sound: Peter Bosher Production coordinator: Iona Hammond Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

From cancel culture - ancient Greek style - to the binary politics of today, Sara Wheeler argues that the perils of entrenched positions have been clear for a very long time. In ancient Greece, once a year, citizens gathered in the forum to scratch the name of the person they most wanted removed from the political arena on an ostrakon, a shard of broken pot. Too many appearances, and you got banished to a faraway province for a decade...ostracised by the ostraka. 'Once you were out of Athens in the fifth century BCE', Sara writes, 'you were cancelled good and proper'. History, she says, ought to teach us the importance of listening to each other and the value of nuance. Producer: Adele Armstrong Sound: Peter Bosher Production coordinator: Iona Hammond Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

Sara Wheeler has just been appointed the authorised biographer of the travel writer, Jan Morris. But she faces a dilemma. She's concerned that she is 'effectively appropriating the story of a woman who appropriated hundreds of other stories'. How, she wonders, can she navigate this tricky territory. Producer: Adele Armstrong Sound: Peter Bosher Production coordinator: Iona Hammond Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

“One thing we like to say [in Antarctica] is that nothing on the continent can kill you, except for the entire continent.”  –Karen Pszonka In this episode of Deviate, Rolf and Karen talk about how Karen first got a job in Antarctica (1:40); what weather is like during the Antarctic winter, the research being done at McMurdo, and a penguin named "Buddy" (8:00); what the landscape working conditions, and living conditions are like in Antartica (24:00); what community life is like among the people who live and work in Antarctica (42:15); and the best and worst aspects of working in Antarctica, and how one might go about applying for a job there (1:02:00). Karen Pszonka (@zonks) works as support staff for the United States Antarctic Program's science research at McMurdo Station. Notable Links: Ice Bound, by Dr. Jerri Nielsen (book) Terra Incognita: Travels in Antarctica, by Sara Wheeler (book) Doomsday Glacier (Antarctic glacier) Europa (moon of the planet Jupiter) IceCube (neutrino observatory at the South Pole) Sea spider (marine arthropod) Ob tube (research instrument) Sea angel (type of sea slug) Royal Society Range (mountain range in Antarctica) Hut Point (peninsula in Antarctica) Medevac (medical evacuation) Manhauling (human-powered sledges) The Nutcracker (ballet) Skua (type of bird) U.S. Antarctic Program job opportunities The Deviate theme music comes from the title track of Cedar Van Tassel's 2017 album Lumber. Note: We don't host a “comments” section, but we're happy to hear your questions and insights via email, at deviate@rolfpotts.com.

Casey McQuiston has done it again! Join us as we discuss their debut YA novel, I Kissed Shara Wheeler. We discuss things such as pop culture references in media works, Katie brings up Taylor Swift, Bailey discusses her high school dress code in comparison with Willowgrove, and there is a lot of talking about Paper Towns. Somehow, we manage not to get that sidetracked in this episode. There is no fun game this week, we just gush over the announced cast for the Red, White, and Royal Blue adaptation!

I kick off Season 4 with journalist, editor, co-host of "Postcards from Midlife" podcast and mum of four Lorraine Candy. Formerly the editor in chief of the Sunday Times Style magazine, Elle and Cosmopolitan, Lorraine has been writing about parenting in national newspapers and magazines for more than a decade. In this episode, we talk about her family memoir “Mum What's wrong with you” 101 things only mothers of girls know. In the pages of her book  Lorraine is lighting the way for other mums facing life with teenage girls, just as they going through their own midlife unravelling.Join as we talk about:-The many parallels between the Teenage years and the Menopause and the negative narrative that surrounds both. The Perfect storm of parenting teens in your mid-40s.The reasons why Teenagers behave as they do, and the reasons we behave as we do.The importance of role modelling so our Teenagers can see us caring for ourselves and also dealing and coping with a range of emotions. How our issues and childhood experiences can affect our parentingThe pressure of parenting perfectionismHow to recognise and recover from those dreadful moments in parenting life and the importance of being able to say sorry and move forward. The immense brain changes that occur during the Teenage years.The loneliness and shame that can come with parenting Teens. You are not the only person getting it wrong. How to deal with messy bedrooms!The rise of adolescent mental healthReforming our identity in MidlifeThe importance of eye contact and putting down our phones.Why you mustn't be your child's best friend. Teenagers and phones - the power of The Digital SunsetMental health policies, sex education and female financial power in our schools How and why we experiencing “Living loss”“Meanagers” and “Moron Mum” Lorraine's book Choice Terra Incognita, Travels in Antarctica by Sara Wheeler also mentioned in the epsisode The Orchid and the Dandelion by W. Thomas BoyceShout85258 - free, confidential, 24/7 text-messaging support service for anyone who is struggling to cope. Find out more about my Coaching and Education, how you can work with me and get your free Menopause Symptom tracker at www.themerrymenopause.com

"A friend of mine gave me a Hermes scarf which I ended up tying on my tent." Sara Wheeler is a writer and the author of Terra Incognita: Travels in Antarctica and Mud and Stars: Travels in Russia. She tells host Laura Antonia Jordan that even in the South Pole it is possible to add small touches of personal style to the essential kit, about the thrill of packing and why red lipstick is her daily 'go to' for lifting her mood - even when swimming.

Sara Wheeler is the author of 10 books, including Mud and Stars. We spoke about her travels in Russia, living as writer-in-residence on an Antarctic research base, and the reciprocal relationship between story and memory.

MAGNET SCHOOL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM GRANTS. HOW THEY HELP DISTRICTS :Our guests are Magnet Schools of America Executive Director Todd Mann and from SC's District 5 in Columbia, Sara Wheeler