How do professional athletes unwind? For Olympic gold medalist Tom Daley, the answer is simple: with a needle and some yarn. In today's episode, he speaks to NPR's Elissa Nadworny about why he picked up knitting and crocheting, and how it's become a sort of meditative practice for him. His new book, Made With Love, dives into his passion for the craft, and offers readers tips and patterns to create anything from a scarf to a dog hat.
Author Kevin Powell grew up without much physical affection. He says the first time someone tried to hug him was in college; it felt like a foreign concept to him. In his new book of poetry, Grocery Shopping With My Mother, Powell examines his relationship with the single mother who raised him – the one he now cares for in her older age. He tells NPR's Scott Simon that writing becomes a way to heal and forgive, even if it means confronting a whole lot of hurt.
Bora Chung's collection of short stories, Cursed Bunny, jumps across different characters and genres, but there's something a little sinister in nearly all of them. In this episode, Chung speaks to NPR's Ayesha Rascoe about how bodily autonomy, social stigma and cultural norms played a big part in one particular horror story – which is actually rooted in something the author experienced in real life.
After the horrors of the first world war, many of the nations in the conflict sought to build memorials to honor their dead.
While there were many memorials built, often large and grandiose, the most important memorial in many countries is that of a tomb, oftentimes simple, dedicated to a soldier whose remains could not be identified.
These tombs are often guarded with great pomp and ceremony and have been for over 100 years.
Learn more about the tombs of the unknown soldiers on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.
The rise of the Black Lives Matter movement brought renewed interest in corporate diversity gurus. But Regina Jackson and Saira Rao were ahead of the curve, pursuing their own unique anti-racist education programme.
Tired of talking to individual white women about their racism, they decided to invite a group of them for dinner, and confront them with their bias and bigotry. There was one rule - no crying.
The New Gurus is a series about looking for enlightenment in the digital world.
Written and presented by Helen Lewis
Series Producers: Morgan Childs and Tom Pooley
Story consultant: Geoff Bird
Original music composed by Paper Tiger
Sound design and mix: Rob Speight
Editor: Craig Templeton Smith
A Tempo & Talker production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds
As an author, broadcaster and journalist, Helen Lewis is drowning in deadlines. Join her race against the clock to see if productivity gurus can help her optimise her workflow, change her habits, and consume entire books in 15 minutes.
That is, if she can stop checking her phone long enough to pay attention.
The New Gurus is a series about looking for enlightenment in the digital world.
Written and presented by Helen Lewis
Series Producers: Morgan Childs and Tom Pooley
Story consultant: Geoff Bird
Original music composed by Paper Tiger
Sound design and mix: Rob Speight
Editor: Craig Templeton Smith
A Tempo & Talker production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds
Will Blunderfield grew up, he says, an unhappy, unhealthy kid. Now he feels great — as a “wild naked man” who drinks his own urine.
Across the world, wellness is a multi-billion pound industry, even though some of its practices are unproven, extreme or even harmful. So why are so many people unimpressed with what 21st century medicine can offer them, and turning to internet gurus instead?
The New Gurus is a series about looking for enlightenment in the digital world.
Written and presented by Helen Lewis
Series Producers: Morgan Childs and Tom Pooley
Story consultant: Geoff Bird
Original music composed by Paper Tiger
Sound design and mix: Rob Speight
Editor: Craig Templeton Smith
A Tempo & Talker production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds
