Sounds About Right: Audiobooks to Help Us Understand the World
NG Jones
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The nonfiction bookclub that’s all about learning new things and challenging our perspectives. In each episode I meet with an author and discuss their book with them.
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Oct 9, 2023
#68: Sentience: The Invention of Consciousness with Nicholas Humphrey
Nicolas Humphrey has been studying the evolution of intelligence and consciousness for over 50 years.
He has been a Lecturer in Psychology at Oxford, Assistant Director of the Subdepartment of Animal Behaviour at Cambridge, Senior Research Fellow in Parapsychology at Cambridge, Professor of Psychology at the New School for Social Research, New York, and School Professor at the London School of Economics.
I had the pleasure of discussing with him his book titled: *Sentience: The Invention of Consciousness.*
Some of the topics we discussed in this episode includes:
* What sparked Nick's interest in exploring the evolutionary history of consciousness ?
* What has Nick seen thats changed his perspective from his research in animal science and behaviour?
* Phenomenal Consciousness
* Do animals have Phenomenal Consciousness?
* What is the criteria for a machine to possess Phenomenal Consciousness and does the rise of Artificial Intelligence, make this a possibility ?
* What are the most pressing areas of research for consciousness in the future?
The Book and Audiobook: *Sentience: The Invention of Consciousness *is out now.
You can also find out more about Nick on his website *https://www.humphrey.org.uk
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As of now, my podcast is biweekly and prior to an episode I’ll let you know what book/audiobook I’ll be listening to before the next show so we can delve into it together!
Please don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast so you’re in the loop whenever a new episode comes out.
*www.instagram.com/SoundsAboutPod
www.twitter.com/SoundsAboutPod*
Are you an author that will like to be on the next episode of the podcast?
Listeners: Did I cover a book you read or listened to? Did I discuss the things which also stuck out to you? Or did I miss it out?..... get in touch, and let me know what your experience was or to give me audiobook recommendations: *soundsaboutpod@gmail.com*
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Sep 11, 2023
#67: The Black Lit Fic ( Literary Fiction) Extravaganza with @jpreads6
I had a fascinating conversation with John-Paul (@jpreads6. His TikTok account is one of the most prominent in an engaging and community focused niche, black literary fiction. The books mentioned in the episodes are:
* Honey and Spice, by Bolu Babalola
* The Sex Lives of African Women by Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah
* Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson
* Small World by Caleb Azumah Nelson
* In Every Mirror She's Black by Lola Akinmade Åkerström
* Everything is Not Enough by Lola Akinmade Åkerström
* Light Seekers by Femi Kayode
* The Perfect Find by Tia Williams
* Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan
* Blessings by Chukwuebuka Ibeh
Some of our topics discussed were:
* What inspired John-Paul on showcasing authors from black authors and how he chooses the books to review
* How are social media platforms changing the ways books are discussed and discovered
* How does John-Paul feel about the responsibility and influence that comes with his reviews
* Books that had a profound impact on his perspective and emotions
* How do the books on the black experience contribute towards a better understanding of diverse narratives?
* Are there any trends he has noticed in the portrayal of black characters in the stories he's read?
* John-Pauls recommendation of an authors that deserves more recognition
* TV adaptations of books
* Upcoming books that he's excited about
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Sep 4, 2023
#66: Talking Heads: The New Science of How Conversation Shapes Our Worlds with Shane O'Mara
Shane O'Mara is a Professor of Experimental Brain Research in Trinity College Dublin, and am a Principal Investigator in, and currently the Director of, the Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience and a member of the academic staff of the School of Psychology.
I had the please of discussing with him, his latest book titled: *Talking Heads: The New Science of How Conversation Shapes Our Worlds
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Some of the topics discussed includes:
* How our memories influence our conversations and the importance of group conversations
* What happens when our mind wonders?
* The role of conversations in shaping societies
* The potential for conversation to build a better future and how it can contribute to positive social and societal change.
The Book and Audiobook: *Talking Heads: The New Science of How Conversation Shapes Our Worlds* is out now.
You can also find out more about Shane via his instagram *https://www.instagram.com/shanewriter
*or his substack *https://brainpizza.substack.com/*
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Aug 29, 2023
#65: For The Book Enthusiasts: In Conversation with @NotThatCosta
I had a lovely conversation with Costa (@NotThatCosta) about all things books. His TikTok account is one of my favourite to follow to hear some fascinating book reviews and recommendations. Fair to say that after this episode, my 'to be read list' has grown much larger! The books mentioned in this episode includes:
* 1984, by George Orwell
* Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? by Beverley Tatum
* Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire by Akala
* Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots by Deborah Feldman
* Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women White Feminists Forgot
by Mikki Kendall
* Black Boy by Richard Wright
* On Connection by Kae Tempest
* Don't Touch My Hair by Emma Dabiri
* Municipal Dreams: The Rise and Fall of Council Housing by John Boughton
* The Extreme Centre by Tariq Ali
* Crying in H Mart: A Memoir by Michelle Zauner
* black girl, no magic: essays and reflections on living whilst black by Kimberly McIntosh
Some of our topics discussed were:
* How did he get into reading books and if there was any book that ignited his interest?
* Deciding on the next book to read.
* Preferring to read books that are under 400 pages
* How has some of the books he's read, contributed to a broader understanding of cultural and social issues?
* Has been a book thats challenged his preconceived notions or reconsider a particular topic
* The topic of 'Self Help Books'
* Is there a book he finds himself referencing or mentioning to others to others?
* A book he would recommend for anyone who wants to get into reading?
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Aug 21, 2023
#64: Free Your Mind: The New World of Manipulation and How to Resist It with Patrick Fagan
Patrick Fagan is a Sunday Times bestselling author, and public speaker, and consults for brands and political campaigns around the world.
I had the please of discussing with him, his latest book which he co-authored with journalist Laura Dodsworth titled: *Free Your Mind: The New World of Manipulation and How to Resist It.
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Some of the topics discussed includes:
* How he came up with the idea of putting the book together
* Why when it comes to freeing our mind, must we compare ourselves to soldiers on a battlefield
* How effective have governmental nudge units been?
* How being smart, or having a high level of intellect, doesn't immune you from being brainwashed or manipulated.
* Do social media platforms keep us from being politically informed? and why must we practice social media distancing
* The importance of reading
* How changing our own information space, means we change our environment
* Did Patrick's life change after writing the book?
The Book and Audiobook: *Free Your Mind: The New World of Manipulation and How to Resist It* is out now.
You can also find out more about Pat via his twitter *@PFagan87
*or his website* https://www.patrickfagan.co.uk/*
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Aug 14, 2023
#63: What Is a Doctor?: A GP's Prescription for the Future with Dr Phil Whitaker
Dr Phil Whitaker has lived in a variety of locations around the UK including Nottingham, where he studied in medicine, and Oxford, where he undertook postgraduate training in general practice.
I had the please of discussing with him, his latest book titled: *What Is a Doctor?: A GP's Prescription for the Future.
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Using stories and case studies from across his thirty-year career as a GP, Dr Phil Whitaker offers insight into the medical movements, political interference and societal changes that have transformed the role of doctor over the past three decades.
Some of the topics discussed includes:
* How 'Evidence Based Medicine' has been hijacked by 'Evidence Dictated Medicine'
* What has changed the two way relationship between a doctor and a patient?
* Is it still an attractive job to be GP?
* How reliable are algorithmic softwares such as'GP at Hand' and is it helping or hurting the role of being a GP?
* Phil's thoughts on patient centred consulting in the form of: Ideas Concerns & Expectations (ICE)
* What concepts that should be introduced to undergraduate medicine education, and is Phil optimistic for the future?
The Book and Audiobook: *What Is a Doctor?: A GP's Prescription for the Future* is out now.
You can also find out more about Phil via his twitter *@pwhitakerwriter
*or his website* https://philwhitaker.co.uk*
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Aug 7, 2023
#62: Arguing for a Better World: How to Talk About the Issues That Divide Us with Arianne Shahvisi
Arianne Shahvisi is a Kurdish-British writer and academic philosopher. Raised in Lancashire and Essex, she studied astrophysics and philosophy at the universities of Cambridge and Oxford, and now teaches applied philosophy at the Brighton and Sussex Medical School, where her research focusses on gender, race, migration, and health.
She writes regularly for the London Review of Books, and her essays have also appeared in the Guardian, Prospect, the Independent, and the Economist.
I had the pleasure of speaking with Arianne about her book titled, *Arguing for a Better World: How to talk about the issues that divide us.
*Some of the topics discussed includes:
* How Arianne picked the topics discussed in the book, and the importance of 'showing her working'
* How the tools of philosophy are useful in uncovering the topics discussed in the book.
* How 'freedom of speech' often clashes with other rights we think are important to ourselves.
* How saying 'not all men are trash' trivialises and derails the conversation
* What is meant by ‘wokeness’ and ‘political correctness’?
* How credibility deficits arises from stereotypes
* Did any of Arianne's opinions change whilst writing the book or did the process reinforce her prior held beliefs?
The Book and Audiobook: *Arguing for a Better World: How to talk about the issues that divide us* is out now.
You can also find out more about Arianne via her twitter *@ArianneShahvisi*
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Jul 31, 2023
#61: Internet Empire: The Hidden Digital War with Sean F. Ennis
Professor Sean F. Ennis is an economist, author and expert. He focuses on company behavior, competition and regulation.
He has developed economic market analysis for governments, academia and the private sector. After receiving a BA Hons from King’s College, Cambridge and a PhD from the University of California at Berkeley, he spent more than two decades working on economic and regulatory topics at the OECD, the European Commission and the US Department of Justice. He is now a Professor at the University of East Anglia in England. He has advised and given seminars in more than 25 countries.
Sean has written technical articles published in academic journals, reports released by government institutions, and, most recently, the book* Internet Empire: The Hidden Digital War*, a lively examination of how the internet expansion of US companies has achieved consequences like those of traditional war.*
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I had the pleasure of discussing this book with Sean and some of the topics we discussed in this episode includes:
* How does the internet allow the objectives of war to be achieved ?
* Why we should think about 'Empire building' as an economic activity
* What is the irony in the United States victory in the internet war for control of economic activity?
* Why has Europe lagged behind in comparison to the United States?
* How companies such as Google has used acquisitions and mergers to maintain its dominance and minimalise competition
* The possible government and individual responses
The Book and Audiobook: *Internet Empire: The Hidden Digital War *is out now.
You can also find out more about Sean on his website https://www.seanennis.com*
*
As of now, my podcast is biweekly and prior to an episode I’ll let you know what book/audiobook I’ll be listening to before the next show so we can delve into it together!
Please don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast so you’re in the loop whenever a new episode comes out.
*www.instagram.com/SoundsAboutPod
www.twitter.com/SoundsAboutPod*
Are you an author that will like to be on the next episode of the podcast?
Listeners: Did I cover a book you read or listened to? Did I discuss the things which also stuck out to you? Or did I miss it out?..... get in touch, and let me know what your experience was or to give me audiobook recommendations: *soundsaboutpod@gmail.com*
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Jul 17, 2023
#60: Country Capitalism: How Corporations from the American South Remade Our Economy and the Planet with Bart Elmore
Bart Elmore is an award-winning professor and writer who investigates the impact of big business on our environment.
I had the pleasure of speaking with Bart about his latest book titled: *Country Capitalism: How Corporations from the American South Remade Our Economy and the Planet*. Where in the book, he uses the histories of five southern firms―Coca-Cola, Delta Airlines, Walmart, FedEx, and Bank of America―to investigate the environmental impact of our have-it-now, fly-by-night, buy-on-credit economy.*
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Some of the topics we discussed in this episode includes:
* How did Bart choose the five companies the in the book and what were the things about the companies he wanted to examine?
* We discuss the term 'commercial ecology'
* How did government spending have so much of an impact on how these companies managed to grow so big?
* Delta Airlines and what were the ecological issues as a result of its growth
* When did Banks start to become the target of environmental activism?
* How is The Bank of America accredited as a sustainability leader but also dubbed 'The Bank of Coal?'
* Will there be further urbanisation of the Southern landscape or has this time passed?
The Book and Audiobook: *Country Capitalism: How Corporations from the American South Remade Our Economy and the Planet *is out now.
You can also find out more about Bart on his website https://www.bartelmore.com/*
*
As of now, my podcast is biweekly and prior to an episode I’ll let you know what book/audiobook I’ll be listening to before the next show so we can delve into it together!
Please don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast so you’re in the loop whenever a new episode comes out.
*www.instagram.com/SoundsAboutPod
www.twitter.com/SoundsAboutPod*
Are you an author that will like to be on the next episode of the podcast?
Listeners: Did I cover a book you read or listened to? Did I discuss the things which also stuck out to you? Or did I miss it out?..... get in touch, and let me know what your experience was or to give me audiobook recommendations: *soundsaboutpod@gmail.com*
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Jul 11, 2023
#59: For the Culture: The Power Behind the World's Most Successful Brands, from Apple to Beyoncé with Marcus Collins
Dr. Marcus Collins is an award-winning marketer and cultural translator with one foot in the world of practice--as the head of strategy at Wieden+Kennedy, NY--and one foot in the world of academia--as a clinical assistant professor of marketing at the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan.
His deep understanding of brand strategy and consumer behavior has helped him bridge the academic-practitioner gap for blue-chip brands and startups alike. Over the course of his career, Marcus has developed a practice for creating culturally contagious ideas that inspire people to take action. His strategies and creative contributions have led to the launch and success of Google’s “Real Tone” technology, the “Made In America” music festival, and the Brooklyn Nets–among others.
I had the pleasure of speaking to Marcus about his latest book titled: *For the Culture: The Power Behind the World's Most Successful Brands, from Apple to Beyoncé
*Some of the topics we discussed includes:
* Why is Culture a word that is often used, but misunderstood and what are the systems that make it up?
* The ways brands can tap into culture and how they find their 'congregation' rather than 'audience'
* How can brands identify with people and align their message with ones beliefs.
* Evaluation & Legitimisation: how this taps into the idea of giving something meaning.
* Meaning Incongruence: and why is this something that often happens with brands who are trying to get a message across.
The Book and Audiobook: *For the Culture: The Power Behind the World's Most Successful Brands, from Apple to Beyoncé
*is out now.
You can also find out more about Marcus on his website http://marctothec.com*
*
As of now, my podcast is biweekly and prior to an episode I’ll let you know what book/audiobook I’ll be listening to before the next show so we can delve into it together!
Please don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast so you’re in the loop whenever a new episode comes out.
*www.instagram.com/SoundsAboutPod
www.twitter.com/SoundsAboutPod*
Are you an author that will like to be on the next episode of the podcast?
Listeners: Did I cover a book you read or listened to? Did I discuss the things which also stuck out to you? Or did I miss it out?..... get in touch, and let me know what your experience was or to give me audiobook recommendations: *soundsaboutpod@gmail.com*
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Jul 3, 2023
#58: BEING HUMAN: How Our Biology Shaped World History with Lewis Dartnell
Prof. Lewis Dartnell is a research scientist, presenter and author based in London, UK.
He graduated from Oxford University with a First Class degree in Biological Sciences and completed his PhD at University College London in 2007. He now holds the Professorship in Science Communication at the University of Westminster.
He has also published five books: *THE KNOWLEDGE *was the Sunday Times ‘New Thinking’ Book of the Year and international bestseller, and *ORIGINS: How the Earth Made Us* is a Sunday Times top History book of 2019.
I had the pleasure of speaking to Lewis about his latest book titled: *BEING HUMAN: How our Biology shaped World History
*Some of the topics we discussed includes:
* The process of deciding which topics Lewis wanted to focus on in each chapter.
* Family: How did we through evolution come up with 'pair bonding' and what did it help solve?
* Endemic diseases & Pandemic diseases - and the link between how some of them has has changed the world
*…
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Jun 26, 2023
#57: Astrotopia: The Dangerous Religion of the Corporate Space Race with Mary-Jane Rubenstein
Mary-Jane Rubenstein is Professor of Religion and Science in Society at Wesleyan University, and is affiliated with the Philosophy Department and the Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program. She holds a B.A. from Williams College, an M.Phil. from The University of Cambridge, and a Ph.D. in from Columbia University. Her research unearths the philosophies and histories of religion and science, especially in relation to cosmology, ecology, and space travel.
I spoke to Mary-Jane about her latest book *Astrotopia: The Dangerous Religion of the Corporate Space Race
*Some of the topics we discussed includes:
* Why should we care about bible stories, in a book about out of space?
* How integral the Christian victory over paganism was in transforming a world full of living things to objects for us to consume and absorb
* Should we be wary that the space race will be any different from how the West's exploration of new frontiers in the past has always been at the expense of a pe…
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Jun 19, 2023
#56: Once Upon a Prime: The Wondrous Connections Between Mathematics and Literature with Sarah Hart
She studied at Oxford and Manchester, gaining her PhD in 2000. Postdoctoral research and teaching followed, including a prestigious Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council Fellowship, before she was appointed to a lectureship at Birkbeck in 2004. She became Professor of Mathematics there in 2013, and served in various management roles including as Head of Mathematics and Statistics, Assistant Dean, and Programme Director for the MSc Mathematics.
Her academic publications have been mainly in the area of pure mathematics known as group theory, which has many applications both inside and outside of mathematics, for example in coding theory and cryptography. She is actively involved in the British Society for the History of Mathematics, and has served a three-year term as President of the Society from 2021-2023.
Her book* Once Upon a Prime: the Wondrous Connections between Mathematics and Literature*, was published in 2023, and has been positively reviewed in the press, includ…
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Jun 12, 2023
#55: Bridgebuilders: How Government Can Transcend Boundaries to Solve Big Problems with William D. Eggers
William D. Eggers is the Executive Director of Deloitte’s Center for Government Insights where he is responsible for the firm’s public sector thought leadership.
He also serves as a fellow at the National Academy of Public Administration, a governance futures council member at the World Economic Forum, an advisory board member at What Works Cities and chairs the Leadership Council for New America.
He is the author of numerous books including his newest *Bridgebuilders: How Government Can Transcend Boundaries to Solve Big Problems. *Which I had the pleasure of discussing with him
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*Some of the topics we discussed includes:
* The vending machine form of government and why this no longer works.
* The 10 Key areas for Bridgebuilding.
* The power of collaboration between government and multi-sector organisation's
* Expanding on some of the key areas
* The process of writing the book for William & Donald and whether their perspectives changed during it.
* While putting th…
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Jun 5, 2023
#54: The Poverty Paradox: Understanding Economic Hardship Amid American Prosperity with Mark Robert Rank
Dr. Rank is widely recognized as one of the foremost experts and speakers in the country on issues of poverty, inequality, and social justice. His research and teaching have focused on poverty, social welfare, economic inequality, and social policy. Dr. Rank has published numerous scholarly articles.
His first book, Living on the Edge: The Realities of Welfare in America, explored the conditions of surviving on public assistance and achieved widespread critical acclaim. His 2004 book, One Nation, Underprivileged: Why American Poverty Affects Us All, provided a new understanding of poverty in America.
I spoke to him about his latest book *The Poverty Paradox: Understanding Economic Hardship Amid American Prosperity
*Some of the topics we discussed includes:
* The main viewpoint of poverty and why its something Mark has argued against it in the book
* The different ways 'poverty' has been defined.
* The forces behind poverty: The failure at structural rather than individual lev…
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May 22, 2023
#53: The Torture Doctors: Human Rights Crimes and the Road to Justice with Steven H. Miles
Steven H. Miles is Professor Emeritus of Medicine and Bioethics. His medical career was in Internal Medicine and Geriatrics. He is a former Maas Family Endowed Chair in Bioethics at the University of Minnesota Medical School in Minneapolis.
Dr. Miles has published thirty chapters and more than 200 medical articles on medical ethics, human rights, tropical medicine, end of life care, and medical torture. He has extensive international experience including global work with refugees and work on behalf of victims of torture. He currently serves on the board of the Minnesota ACLU Foundation, the editorial board of Torture Journal (Denmark) and is a Master Gardener.
I spoke to him about his latest book *The Torture Doctors: Human Rights Crimes and the Road to Justice.
*Some of the topics we discussed includes:
* Understanding what a torture doctor is and do they take part in it?
* The role of a physician when it comes to torture.
* Some of the physician supervised practices that ha…
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May 8, 2023
#52: The Frontier Below: The Past, Present and Future of Our Quest to Go Deeper Underwater with Jeff Maynard
Jeff Maynard is an author and documentary maker specialising in historical subjects. Jeff is renowned for uncovering little-known, or long forgotten historical events. His research is undertaken over many years, and he uses that research to reveal character driven stories.
I spoke to him about his latest book *The Frontier Below: The Past, Present and Future of Our Quest to Go Deeper Underwater
*Some of the topics we discussed includes:
* Why Jeff divided the book into 4 understandable ocean zones, and why illustrations of this in the past has been misleading.
* The diving bell
* The Epipelagic Zone and the first known why that people used to dive
* The creation of the diving helmet and how the compressed air led to its success.
* Is it fair to say that the ship wreckage revival business led to the exploration and the development of going deeper under water
* The creation of the bathyscaphe
* The mixed gas air system and what it helped achieve
* What does the future…
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May 1, 2023
#51: What We Build with Power: The Fight for Economic Justice in Tech with David Delmar Sentíes
David Delmar Sentíes is a professional designer and interface developer with experience working with award-winning startups, as well as established brands. Before founding Resilient Coders, he was at PayPal, leading a cross-disciplinary team of designers and coders.
He helped set up PayPal's startup incubator, Start Tank, and served as its UX subject matter expert. David believes in technology as an opportunity for real meritocracy. And he believes in the resilience of Boston's youth.
I spoke to him about his book *What We Build with Power: The Fight for Economic Justice in Tech
*Some of the topics we discussed includes:
* His reasoning for founding Resilient Coders
* Is meritocracy in tech a myth?
* The impact of policy: and comparison of opportunity between older and younger generations.
* The foundation of culture and what can be done for tech to be inclusionary rather than exclusionary.
* Do you really need to go to college to learn how to code?
* Self directed lea…
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Apr 24, 2023
#50: A Hacker's Mind: How the Powerful Bend Society's Rules, and How to Bend them Back with Bruce Schneier
Bruce Schneier is an internationally renowned security technologist, called a “security guru” by The Economist. He is the author of over one dozen books—including his latest, A Hacker’s Mind—as well as hundreds of articles, essays, and academic papers. His influential newsletter “Crypto-Gram” and his blog “Schneier on Security” are read by over 250,000 people.
He has testified before Congress, is a frequent guest on television and radio, has served on several government committees, and is regularly quoted in the press. Schneier is a fellow at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University; a Lecturer in Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School; a board member of the Electronic Frontier Foundation and AccessNow; and an Advisory Board Member of the Electronic Privacy Information Center and VerifiedVoting.org.
I spoke to Him about his latest book *A Hacker's Mind: How the Powerful Bend Society's Rules, and How to Bend them Back*
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*Some of the…
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Apr 17, 2023
#49: The Once and Future Sex: Going Medieval on Women’s Roles in Society with Eleanor Janega
Eleanor's current research focuses on the conceptualisation of sex and its influence on society in the medieval and early modern period.
She speacialises in sexuality, propaganda, apocalypticism, urbanity, and empire, in the late medieval and early modern periods, with a particular emphasis on Bohemia and the Holy Roman Empire. She holds a PhD in History and an MA in Medieval Studies from University College London, and a BA in History from Loyola University Chicago.
I spoke to her about her latest book *The Once and Future Sex: Going Medieval on Women’s Roles in Society*
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*Some of the topics we discussed includes:
* How heavily has the medieval period influenced societies ideas of women today?
* How the medievals were influenced by ancient Greece? and what were the similarities between medieval and Christian text
* The influence of literature, most notably: The Canterbury Tales and Courtly Love
* Why were the medievals so vague when describing woman's beauty?
* The medi…
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Apr 10, 2023
#48: The Education Myth: How Human Capital Trumped Social Democracy with Jon Shelton
Jon Shelton is associate professor and chair of democracy and justice studies. He is the author of *The Education Myth: How Human Capital Trumped Social Democracy* (Cornell University Press, 2023) and Teacher Strike! Public Education and the Making of a New American Political Order, which was the winner of the International Standing Conference of the History of Education’s First Book Award in 2018.
Shelton has also published work in the Washington Post, Dissent, Jacobin, Democracy: A Journal of Ideas, and other publications. He is the Vice-Chair of the city of Green Bay’s first ever Equal Rights Commission and sits on the Board of Directors for the Labor and Working-Class History Association and the Wisconsin Labor History Society. He also serves as Vice-President for Higher Education of the American Federation of Teachers-Wisconsin.
I spoke to him about his latest book *The Education Myth: How Human Capital Trumped Social Democracy* .
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*Some of the topics we discussed includes:…
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Apr 3, 2023
#47: Breakthrough Community Change: A Guide to Creating Common Agendas That Change Everything with Paul Born
Paul is the Co-founder of Tamarack Institute and for 20 years was the CEO/Co-CEO. He is the founder and was the director of Vibrant Communities a national network of nearly 500 cities and communities ending poverty, deepening community, building youth futures and advancing climate transitions.
Prior to that Paul founded and served as the CEO of Community Opportunities Development Association (CODA). CODA was awarded the distinguished United Nations Best Practices (Top 40) award for their community economic development work in the Waterloo Region of Canada. Paul’s newest venture is founding BE Community Ltd., a consulting company whose mission is to support communities to discover and realize breakthrough community change.
Paul is the author of five books including two best sellers (Deepening Community and Community Conversations).
I spoke to him about his latest book *Breakthrough Community Change: A Guide to Creating Common Agendas That Change Everything* which will be available…
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Mar 27, 2023
#46: Stealing My Religion: Not Just Any Cultural Appropriation with Liz Bucar
Liz Bucar is a leading expert in religious ethics, a professor of religion at Northeastern University, and a prizewinning author. Her writing, teaching, and public lectures cover a wide range of topics—from sexual reassignment surgery to the politics of religious clothing--but generally focus on how a deeper understanding religious difference can change our sense of what is right and good.
She is the Director of Sacred Writes, a grant-funded project that provides media training for religion scholars and has written four books, including her most recent, *Stealing My Religion: Not Just Any Cultural Appropriation* *
*Some of the topics we discussed includes:
* The challenges there are when trying to confirm cultural appropriation within religion and what makes a religious form of appropriation any different
* How 'spiritual, not religious' is a big problem within religious appropriation
* Why Liz chose the three specific case studies for the book (Solidarity Hijab, Playing Pil…
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Mar 13, 2023
#45: Defeating the Dictators: How Democracy Can Prevail in the Age of the Strongman with Charles Dunst
Charles Dunst is deputy director of research & analytics at The Asia Group, an adjunct fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and a contributing editor of American Purpose.
He has written for The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, and Foreign Policy, among other outlets. An erstwhile foreign correspondent, he has reported from Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Israel and the Palestinian territories, the United Arab Emirates, Romania, Hungary, and Andorra. He has appeared on broadcast channels including BBC News, ABC News, Bloomberg Radio, Times Radio, and TV Tokyo, and is regularly quoted in outlets like the Financial Times, Bloomberg, and POLITICO.
I spoke with Charles about his book titled: *Defeating the Dictators: How Democracy Can Prevail in the Age of the Strongman
*Some of the topics we discussed includes:
* How and why has for many people in the West, an autocratic regime seems more appealing than the democratic one we currently have.
*…
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Mar 6, 2023
#44: Risky Business: Why Insurance Markets Fail and What to Do About It with Amy Finkelstein
Amy Finkelstein is the John & Jennie S. MacDonald Professor of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She is the co-founder and co-Scientific Director of J-PAL North America, a research center at MIT that encourages and facilitates randomized evaluations of important domestic policy issues.
She is also the founding Editor of American Economic Review: Insights and the co-Director of the Health Care Program at the National Bureau of Economic Research. She is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and of the Institute of Medicine, and a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and of the Econometric Society.
I spoke with Amy about the book she co-authored with fellow economists Liran Einav and Ray Fisman titled: *Risky Business: Why Insurance Markets Fail and What to Do About It. *
Some of the topics we discussed includes:
* Why 'selection' is integral when it comes to insurance
* Why doesn't divorce insurance exist?
* The 'premiums of selecti…
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Feb 27, 2023
#43: Culture: A New World History with Martin Puchner
Martin Puchner, the Byron and Anita Wien Professor of English and Comparative Literature at Harvard University, is a prize-winning author, educator, public speaker, and institution builder in the arts and humanities. His writings range from philosophy and theater to world literature and culture and have been translated into many languages.
His new book, *Culture: A New World History*, tells a global history of culture that raises fundamental questions about how culture works, what good are the arts, and how different cultures should relate to one another.
Some of the topics we discussed includes:
* Queen Nefertiti, the impact of her changing her switch from polytheism and its significance.
* The Greeks, the influence of plays and theatre on their culture and their respect for the Egyptians.
* The relatiionships between Greece & Rome, China & Japan and how neither were driven by conquest
* Xuanzang - The King of Social Mobility.
* How cultures develop by acknowlegding t…
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Feb 20, 2023
#42: The Toolbox: Strategies for Crafting Social Impact with Jacob Harold
Jacob Harold is a social change strategist, author, and executive.
From 2012 to 2021, Harold served as President & CEO of GuideStar and co-founder of Candid. Fast Company called Candid “the definitive nonprofit transparency organization.” Each year, more than 20 million people use its data on nonprofits, grants, and social sector practice.
The NonProfit Times named Harold to its Power and Influence Top 50 list seven years in a row.
He has written extensively on climate change and philanthropic strategy and his essays have been used as course materials at Stanford, Duke, Wharton, Oxford, and Tsinghua. Harold has been quoted in media outlets including the New York Times, Washington Post, Financial Times, and Wall Street Journal. Harold serves on the boards of the U.S. Climate Action Network, Rewiring America, and the Duke University Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship and as an advisor to investors, startups, foundations, and government agencies.
I spoke with J…
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Feb 13, 2023
#41: Addictive Ideologies: Finding Meaning and Agency When Politics Fail You with Dr. Emily Bashah
Dr. Emily Bashah is a licensed psychologist, author and podcast co-host with a private practice in Scottsdale, Arizona.
An expert witness in criminal, immigration, and civil courts, she has worked on high-profile cases covering issues of domestic terrorism and capital offenses, as well as first-degree murder.
I spoke with Dr. Bashah about the book she co-authored with Paul Johnson, former Mayor of Phoenix, Arizona titled: *Addictive Ideologies: Finding Meaning and Agency When Politics Fail You
*Some of the topics we discussed includes:
* How her life experiences and identity of self, helped her get to the point of co-authoring the book.
* How Addictive Ideologies work to absorb us off the responsibility of ourselves.
* The role Political Leaders play in political ideologies
* The escalating war between Isreal & Palestine.
* Have lessons truly been learnt?
* The psychology of terrorism, why does it happen? and what can be done to prevent it?
* Some of the 7 Codes we ca…
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Feb 6, 2023
#40: Mindful Cognitive Behavioural Therapy: A Simple Path to Healing, Hope, and Peace with Seth J. Gillihan
Seth Gillihan is a licensed psychologist who specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). He was a full-time faculty member at the University of Pennsylvania from 2008 to 2012, and taught in the Psychology Department at Haverford College from 2012-2015. He has been in private practice since 2012.
Seth completed a doctorate in psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. He is the author of multiple books on mindfulness and CBT, Therapy Advisor with the self-therapy app *Bloom*, a medical reviewer for *Everyday Health*, and host of the Think Act Be podcast.
I spoke with Seth about his book, *Mindful Cognitive Behavioural Therapy: A Simple Path to Healing, Hope, and Peace.
*Some of the topics we discussed includes:
* Speaking about Mindful CBT from the perspective of a someone who has helped others, and benefiting personally from it.
* How does the three components of 'Think, Act, Be' work together in giving us Leverage.
* How we can find Leverage when it comes to willpo…
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Jan 30, 2023
#39: Standoff: Why Reconciliation Fails Indigenous People and How to Fix It with Bruce McIvor
Dr. Bruce McIvor, lawyer and historian, is a partner at First Peoples Law LLP, a law firm dedicated to defending and advancing Indigenous Peoples’ inherent and constitutionally protected title, rights and treaty rights. His work includes both litigation and negotiation on behalf of Indigenous Peoples.
Bruce is recognized nationally and internationally as a leading practitioner of Aboriginal law in Canada.
I had the pleasure of speaking with him about his book, *Standoff: Why Reconciliation Fails Indigenous People and How to Fix It .
*Some of the topics we discussed includes:
* The process of putting the book together
* The Doctrine of Discovery and how it's at the foundation of how Indigenous People across the Americas have been displaced from their lands.
* The Duty to Consult & Accommodate Indigenous People: what is it and what are its shortcomings.
* The case of Daniels v Canada (Indian Affairs and Northern Development) and the importance of its decision (Daniels Decis…
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Jan 23, 2023
#38 The Recollections of Sokrates with Frank Marrero
Frank Marrero has lived different lives in this grace of abundant years. He was in the newspapers and on TV at the age of two, going off of high-dives; he was the only kid he knew who built his own flying machine and survived several 'flights'. He was an original 'parkour' madman; did 'free climbing' in Yosemite; mastered rope-swinging; did cliff diving for tourists;
He also owned a hardware store, started a very successful restaurant, lived on a farm, was a school-teacher and forester. He is a proud father of two young adults and is the author of some 10 books, ranging from pre-Sokratic mysteries to biographies, from curricula for teaching children character education and writing skills to a science text on fasting, et cetera.
I had the pleasure of speaking with him about his book, *Recollections of Sokrates.
*Some of the topics we discussed includes:
* The unique way in which the book tells the story of Sokrates.
* The motives behind his execution.
* Did the prophecy Sokrat…
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Jan 9, 2023
#37: Race, Monogamy, and Other Lies They Told You, Second Edition Busting Myths about Human Nature (second edition) with Agustín Fuentes
Prof. Fuentes is an anthropologist whose research focuses on the biosocial, delving into the entanglement of biological systems with the social and cultural lives of humans, our ancestors, and a few of the other animals with whom humanity shares close relations.
From chasing monkeys in jungles and cities, to exploring the lives of our evolutionary ancestors, to examining human health, behaviour, and diversity across the globe, Professor Fuentes is interested in both the big questions and the small details of what makes humans and our close relations tick.
I had the pleasure of speaking with him about his book, *Race, Monogamy, and Other Lies They Told You: Busting Myths about Human Nature (second edition)
*Some of the topics we discussed includes:
* Why is busting myths about human nature something that requires so much effort? and why are they so resilient?
* Is science the best way to test for knowledge and explanations?
* Why is the view that humans 'are just the way we ar…
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Jan 2, 2023
#36: Is Remote Warfare Moral? Weighing Issues of Life and Death from 7,000 Miles with Joseph O. Chapa
Joseph Chapa is a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force and holds a PhD (DPhil) in philosophy from the University of Oxford. His areas of expertise include just war theory, military ethics, and especially the ethics of remote and autonomous weapons. His doctoral research investigates an individual rights-based account of just war theory.
He is a senior pilot with more than 1,400 pilot and instructor pilot hours, many of which were flown in support of major U.S. combat and humanitarian operations. He currently serves as the Department of The Air Force’s first-ever Chief Responsible AI Ethics Officer.
I had the pleasure of speaking with him about his book, *Is Remote Warfare Moral? Weighing Issues of Life and Death from 7,000 Miles
*Some of the topics we discussed includes:
* The events in the late 90s and early 2000s that led to the introduction of Remote Warfare.
* What are the usual narratives regarding Remote Warfare?
* Does there have to be an immediate threat to life…
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Dec 19, 2022
#35: TUTANKHAMUN: Pharaoh, Icon, Enigma. Lost for Three Thousand Years, Misunderstood for a Century with Joyce Tyldesley
Joyce Tyldesley is professor of Egyptology in the Department of Classics, Ancient History, Archaeology and Egyptology (CAHAE), within the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures. She studied the archaeology of the Eastern Mediterranean at Liverpool University, then obtained a D.Phil in prehistoric archaeology from Oxford University.
Joyce has also published a series of books and articles on ancient Egypt: these include three television tie in books and Cleopatra, Last Queen of Egypt, which was a Radio 4 "Book of the Week".
In this episode I sat with Joyce and discussed her latest book, *TUTANKHAMUN: Pharaoh, Icon, Enigma. Lost for Three Thousand Years, Misunderstood for a Century.
*Some of the talking points include:
* The conflict is between how Tutankhamun is often remembered and how he wanted to be remembered.
* Why Tutankhamun's Amana background is integral to understanding who he was.
* The widely shared and misunderstood theories of how he died.
* The discovery of Tuta…
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Dec 12, 2022
#34: She’s In CTRL: How women can take back tech – to communicate, investigate, problem-solve, broker deals and protect themselves in a digital world with Anne-Marie Imafidon
Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon MBE is a prodigy in every sense of the word. Aged 11, she was the youngest girl ever to pass A-level computing, and was just 20 years old when she received her Master’s Degree in Mathematics and Computer Science from the University of Oxford.
She is also the co-founder of Stemettes, an award-winning social initiative dedicated to inspiring and promoting the next generation of young women in the STEM sectors. Since its inception 10 years ago, it has exposed 60,000 young people across Europe to Anne-Marie’s vision for a more diverse and balanced science and tech community.
In this episode I sat with Anne-Marie and discussed her book *She's In CTRL: How women can take back tech – to communicate, investigate, problem-solve, broker deals and protect themselves in a digital world
*Some of the talking points include:
* Her childhood and how much her early curiosity inquisitiveness shaped her in being the person she is today
* Why its crucial for more women…
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Dec 5, 2022
#33: Understandable Economics: Because Understanding Our Economy Is Easier Than You Think and More Important Than You Know with Howard Yaruss
Howard Yaruss is an economist, professor, attorney, businessman, and activist who greatly enjoys explaining complex issues in a clear, interesting and easily accessible way. He graduated from Brown University, studied at the London School of Economics and earned a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania.
He has taught a variety of courses on economics and business, and currently teaches at New York University.
His book is titled * Understandable Economics: Because Understanding Our Economy Is Easier Than You Think and More Important Than You Know
*Some of the topics we discussed includes:
* Why have people lost faith in the economic system?
* Why and how the current economic system is creating greater inequality
* Why Howard made the conscious effort not to focus on terms such as 'capitalism and socialism' in the book.
* How us believing in money is perhaps the greatest opinion in mankind
* How the coverage of national debt has been so misleading
* How 'human ca…
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Nov 28, 2022
#32: Misinformation Nation: Foreign News and the Politics of Truth in Revolutionary America with Jordan E. Taylor
Jordan E. Taylor is a historian, writer, editor, and teacher.
His book is* *titled* Misinformation Nation: Foreign News and the Politics of Truth in Revolutionary America
*Some of the topics we discussed includes:
* How was news being circulated in Revolutionary America?
* The known phrase of 'knowledge is power' but how 'power' controlled 'knowledge' at the time.
* How were people able to judge back then that the news they were receiving was real and accurate?
* The big consequence of the American Revolution resulting in an increase of trading with nations all over the world and a large increase of newspapers being consumed.
* the complicated relationship between America and French news at the time.
* How the Americans were careful of how the Haitian revolution was being reported as they did not want to encourage slave revolts in their own land
The Book and Audiobook: *Misinformation Nation: Foreign News and the Politics of Truth in Revolutionary America *is out now.…
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Nov 21, 2022
#31: The Genetic Age: Our Perilous Quest To Edit Life by Matthew Cobb
Matthew Cobb is a is professor of Zoology at the University of Manchester.
His latest book is* The Genetic Age: Our Perilous Quest To Edit Life
*Some of the topics we discussed includes:
* What were his worries of genetic engineering (GE) that led him to writing the book?
* The business of GE and what the influx of money changed.
* Why was the year 1980 pivotal for GE?
* How did GE change cultural agriculture?
* What is CRISPR?
* Why must the dreams and nightmares of GE go hand in hand?
The Book and Audiobook: *The Genetic Age: Our Perilous Quest To Edit Life *is out now.
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*You can also follow him on twitter @matthewcobb
As of now, my podcast is biweekly.
Please don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast so you’re in the loop whenever a new episode comes out… and also connect with me on Instagram or email so we can keep the conversation going and share with each other fascinating content.
*www.instagram.com/SoundsAboutPod *
Are you an author that will like to…
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Nov 14, 2022
#30: If It's Smart, It's Vulnerable with Mikko Hyppönen
Mikko Hyppönen is a global security expert, speaker and author. He works as the Chief Research Officer at WithSecure and as the Principal Research Advisor at F-Secure. He has written on his research for the New York Times, Wired and Scientific American and he appears frequently on international TV. He has lectured at the universities of Stanford, Oxford and Cambridge.
He was also selected among the 50 most important people on the web by the PC World magazine and was included in the FP Global 100 Thinkers list.
His latest book is* If It's Smart, It's Vulnerable.* *
*Some of the topics we discussed includes:
* How has the internet changed the world for the better and for the worst?
* When did virus writers begin making money from their attacks?
* The time he did an experiment where he purchased the items being advertised in spam emails.
* What is a Cyber Crime Unicorn? & what is Hyppönen's Law?
* Considering that we are living in the technological revolution, why do barel…
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Nov 7, 2022
#29: The Neuroscience of You: How Every Brain Is Different and How to Understand Yours with Chantel Prat
*Chantel Prat, PhD * is a Professor at *the University of Washington* with appointments in the Departments of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Linguistics, and at the Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences, the Center for Neurotechnology, and the* Institute for Neuroengineering*. A cognitive neuroscientist by training, her interdisciplinary research investigates the biological basis of individual differences in cognition, with an emphasis on understanding the shared neural mechanisms underpinning language and higher-level executive functions.
I had the pleasure of speaking with her about her book *The Neuroscience of You: How Every Brain Is Different and How to Understand Yours
*Some of the topics we discussed includes:
* How does the functionality of the brain depend on the environment and context it's operated in?
* Why is it important to look at the brains computation to then understand its function and what are the distinctions between the two?
* The take-them-yourself tes…
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Oct 31, 2022
#28: Spellbound: Modern Science, Ancient Magic, and the Hidden Potential of the Unconscious Mind with Daniel Z. Lieberman
*Daniel Z. Lieberman, M.D. *is a clinical professor of *Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at George Washington University*. He is also a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, a recipient of the Caron Foundation Research Award, and he has published over 50 scientific reports on behavioral science. He has provided insight on psychiatric issues for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the US Department of Commerce, and the Office of Drug and Alcohol Policy, and has discussed mental health in interviews on CNN, C-SPAN, and PBS.
He is also coauthor of the international bestseller *The Molecule of More*, which has been translated into 20 languages.
His latest book is* **Spellbound: Modern Science, Ancient Magic, and the Hidden Potential of the Unconscious Mind**.*
*
*Some of the topics we discussed includes:
* Why has the unconscious historically been perceived as a supernatural force and why is magic and the supernatural still so compelling to us?…
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Oct 24, 2022
#27: Who’s Raising the Kids?: Big Tech, Big Business, and the Lives of Children with Susan Linn
As well as being an author, Susan Linn is a psychologist, award-winning ventriloquist and a world-renowned expert on creative play and the impact of media and commercial marketing on children.
Her latest book is *Who’s Raising the Kids?: Big Tech, Big Business, and the Lives of Children*.
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*Some of the topics we discussed includes:
* The oversized and unregulated role Big Tech plays in children's lives.
* The deregulation of children's television.
* How these companies fulfil their objective of having children buy their toys by intentionally undermining parents as gatekeepers
* What are the dangers of the 'collectable toys' business model?
* Being skeptical of the intent of corporations.
* What is branded learning?
* What have governments done to try and regulate this?
The Book and Audiobook: *Who’s Raising the Kids?: Big Tech, Big Business, and the Lives of Children* is out now.
You can also find out more about Susan on her website *https://www.consumingkids.…
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Oct 17, 2022
#26: Death Interrupted: How Modern Medicine Is Complicating the Way We Die with Blair Bigham
*Dr Blair Bigham* an award-winning journalist, scientist and physician who trained in emergency and critical care medicine at *McMaster* and *Stanford* Universities. He was a *Global Journalism Fellow at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Associate Scientist at St Michael’s Hospital*. His work has appeared in newspapers, magazines, newscasts, podcasts and medical journals. He is co-host of the CMAJ Podcast and deputy editor at healthydebate.ca.
I sat with Dr Bigham and discussed with him his first book, *Death Interrupted: How Modern Medicine Is Complicating the Way We Die. * In the book, he shares his first-hand experiences of how medicine has complicated the way we die and offers a road map for dying in the modern era.
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*Some of the topics we discussed includes:
* How too much medicine has caused this new grey zone area
* Did Dr Bigham's outlook on what it means to be alive change once he transitioned from being a paramedic to a ICU Physician?
* What contributed to us…
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Oct 9, 2022
#25: Murderous Minds: Exploring the Criminal Psychopathic Brain: Neurological Imaging and the Manifestation of Evil with Dean A. Haycock
*Dean A. Haycock*, is a science and medical writer who earned a Ph.D. in neurobiology from Brown University and a fellowship at The Rockefeller University.* *He is the author of several books including:
* Tyrannical Minds, Psychological Profiling, Narcissism and Dictatorship,
* Characters on the Couch, Exploring Psychology Through Literature and Film,
* The Everything Health Guide to Adult Bipolar Disorder and The Everything Health Guide to Schizophrenia.
His book we discussed in this episode is titled *Murderous Minds: Exploring the Criminal Psychopathic Brain: Neurological Imaging and the Manifestation of Evil.
*Some of the topics we discussed include the wide range of tools used to measure psychopathy and the problem defining it. What is the Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCLR) test and why have some academics been critical of it? Could you develop psychopathic traits? Or could your child be psychopathic? The limitations of judging psychopathy through brain activity vi…
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Oct 3, 2022
#24: I Don't Talk to Dead Bodies: The Curious Encounters of a Forensic Psychiatrist with Dr Rhona Morrison
In this episode, I sat down with *Dr Rhona Morrison, *she is retired doctor (consultant forensic psychiatrist) from Scotland, who spent more than 30 years working in the NHS with mentally disordered offenders.
She is also the author of the book titled* I Don't Talk to Dead Bodies: The Curious Encounters of a Forensic Psychiatrist. * The book delves into the minds of real people, whose actions may shock and stun you, but who's stories have the power to challenge your assumptions and the stigma that surrounds mental illness.
Some of the discussion points in the episode includes:
* How much her upbringing contributed towards her career path
* Why was it important to open up about grief in the book
* The stigma around mental illness and it not being something that happens to 'other people' it happens to everyone from all walks of life
* The improvised techniques used to gain a patients trust
* What is a vital component in forensic care? and is being right for the job down to…
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Sep 26, 2022
#23: Getting China Wrong with Aaron L Friedberg
In this episode, I sat down with *Aaron L Friedberg*, he is *Professor of Politics and International Affairs at Princeton University. *Over the past two decades he has written numerous books and articles warning of the dangers of an intensifying economic, military, and ideological rivalry between China and the West, including :
* A Contest for Supremacy: China, America, and the Struggle for Mastery in Asia,
* Beyond Air-Sea Battle: The Debate Over U.S. Military Strategy in Asia,
* Partial Disengagement: A New U.S. Strategy for Economic Competition with China.
His latest book is titled *Getting China Wrong *and some of topics in the episode we discussed includes:
* When did China get the confidence to grow as a competitor to the USA rather than a partner?
* Why did the USA's policy of engagement with China fail to meet its objectives?
* What actions did Xi Jinping and his predecessor in the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) do to meet its consistent strategic objectives: to p…
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Sep 18, 2022
#22: Eating While Black: Food Shaming and Race in America with Psyche Williams-Forson
In this episode, I sat down with *Psyche A. Williams-Forson*, she is *Associate Professor and Chair of American Studies at the University of Maryland *and author of the book *Eating While Black: Food Shaming and Race in America.
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Some of topics in the episode we discussed includes:
* How this book is about: 'worrying about yourself' and its purpose is also to give the reader/listener a window into thinking.
* Why do African Americans food culture and eating habits elicit so much commentary from others and where does this stem from?
* Linking the subject matter of the book with the occurrences of the Black Americans experience i.e. the killings of unarmed black men at the hands of the police and incident of a young man having the police called on him while waiting for his friend in a coffee shop
* How easy it is to blur the truth by starting a story with 'secondly'
* How much has Sacralization been used to justify the treatment of African Americans?
* Why must we always co…
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Sep 4, 2022
#21: The Illusion of Control: Why Financial Crises Happen, and What We Can (and Can’t) Do About It with Jon Danielsson
In this episode, I sat down with *Jon Danielsson* the author of the book *The Illusion of Control: Why Financial Crises Happen, and What We Can (and Can’t) Do About It.*
Jon Danielsson is Reader in Finance at LSE and Co-Director of the Systemic Risk Centre. His research interests cover systemic risk, financial risk, econometrics, economic theory and financial crisis. He has written two other books,* Financial Risk Forecasting *and *Global Financial Systems: Stability and Risk* and published a number of articles in leading academic journals
Some of topics in the episode we discussed includes:
* How we have the best intentions with short term ideas in regulating financial systems however the desired outcome isn't always the case.
* How the banks have abused their power because of the publics lack of understanding of how finance works and how this has been at the root of many financial scandals
* Why it's important for us to have political leaders at moment of financial crises…
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Aug 22, 2022
#20: It's a Continent: Unravelling Africa's History One Country at a Time with Astrid Madimba and Chinny Ukata
In this episode, I sat down with Astrid and Chinny, they are the authors of the book It's a Continent: Unravelling Africa's History One Country at a Time
Some of topics in the episode we discussed includes:
* What influenced their decisions regarding the topics they wanted to write about for each country
* Whether their views on countries such as the UK, France and Belgium has changed since starting their podcast as well as writing the book
* The impact the Berlin Conference in 1884 had on the African Continent with its disregard of existing ethnic groups.
* Since the independence of most of the countries in the continent following World War II, can any of them truly say they are independent?
The Book and Audiobook: It's a Continent: Unravelling Africa's History One Country at a Time is out now.
For more details such as a link their website, to buy the book and to listen to their podcast: https://linktr.ee/itsacontinent
Its a Continent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/i…
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Aug 8, 2022
#19: Scorpions' Dance The President, the Spymaster, and Watergate with Jefferson Morley
In this episode, I sat down with *Jefferson Morley*, author of the book S*corpions' Dance The President, the Spymaster, and Watergate
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Some of the things we discussed includes:
* The process of putting the book together and the 50th anniversary of the Watergate Scandal.
* The relationship between President Richard Nixon and head of the CIA, Richard Helms.
* The CIA's handling of JFKs alleged assassin and the agency's secrets around the information it had on Lee Harvey Oswald
* How Richard Helms was willing to allow the expansion of Operation CHAOS (the domestic espionage project targeting the American people) following the request of President Nixon.
* The CIAs attempt to create an American version of James Bond in hope of improving the agency's public image.
The Book and Audiobook: Scorpions' Dance The President, the Spymaster, and Watergate is out now.
As of now, this podcast is biweekly and prior to an episode I’ll let you know what audiobook I’ll be listening to b…
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Jul 25, 2022
#18: Understanding How Science Explains the World with Kevin McCain
In this episode, I sat down with Kevin McCain, Professor & author of the book Understanding How Science Explains the World.
Some of topics in the episode we discussed includes:
* The process of getting the book published, including creating the manuscript and the helpful feedback from peer review.
* The challenges to perspectives that the book can bring.
* How a false theory can lead to an accurate explanation.
* The question of how much science holds a key to us understanding ourselves and whether one can believe in science while still being devoutly religious.
The book Understanding How Science Explains the World is out now in the UK and is scheduled to be released in the US on 13th October 2022.
As of now, the podcast is biweekly and prior to an episode I’ll let you know what book/audiobook I’ll be listening to before the next show so we can delve into it together!
Please don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast so you’re in the loop whenever a new episode comes…
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Jul 11, 2022
#17: Paul Morland & Tomorrow's People: The Future of Humanity in Ten Numbers
In this episode, I sat down with Paul Morland, author of the book Tomorrow's People: The Future of Humanity in Ten Numbers
We discussed:
The driving role education plays in demography and its link to decreased infant mortality and agricultural productivity.
How technology is making people more productive but still: A Bookkeeper has more to worry about than a Dustbin man if robots ever take over.
How 25% of Japanese under the age of 40 have never had heterosexual sex and whether this may happen in the UK/US in the near future considering the younger generation spends more time on technology rather than engaging with each other through more traditional social means (face to face!)
And finally the average age of a population and the link between this and their appetite for war/ revolution.
The Book and Audiobook: Tomorrow's People: The Future of Humanity in Ten Numbers is out now.
As of now, the podcast is biweekly and prior to an episode I’ll let you know what book/audiobook I’…
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Jun 27, 2022
#16: Nazi Billionaires: The Dark History of Germany’s Wealthiest Dynasties with David de Jong
In this episode, I sat down with David de Jong, author of the book Nazi Billionaires: The Dark History of Germany’s Wealthiest Dynasties.
We discussed the businessmen who's wealth grew exponentially during the Third Reich and Nazism, the forced slave labour and horrific working conditions in their factories, why the Allies let them get away with it and how to this day, some of these businessmen's children and grandchildren remain one of the wealthiest families in Germany: owning some of the best known companies in the world from Volkswagen, BWM and Porsche to Allianz, Krispy Kreams and Pret A Manger.....yes Pret A Manger.`
The Book and Audiobook: Nazi Billionaires: The Dark History of Germany’s Wealthiest Dynasties is out now
David de Jong can be found on twitter https://twitter.com/davidthejong
As of now, the podcast is biweekly and prior to an episode I’ll let you know what book/audiobook I’ll be listening to before the next show so we can delve into it together!
Please…
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