In the future, Britain is partly submerged by rising seas. What do people remember of the past? NPR's Scott Simon talks to author Ian McEwan about his novel, "What We Can Know."

https://www.npr.org/2025/12/27/nx-s1-5289956-e1/ian-mcewan-discusses-his-new-novel-what-we-can-know

Craig Mod in conversation with Liz Danzico at 3rd Place Books in Seattle, chatting for sixty-three minutes on May 13, 2025

Liz Danzico — Vice President of Design at Microsoft and Founding Chair of the MFA Interaction Design Program at SVA in NYC — and Craig discuss his experiences walking Japan. He shares the impact walking has had on his life, including his immersive walks in the Japanese countryside and other parts of the world like the Camino de Santiago. Mod also delves into personal stories, such as his friendship with a childhood friend, Bryan, who was murdered shortly after graduation, and his complex relationship with his estranged father. He touches on the cultural nuances between Japan and other countries, the unexpected media attention he's received in Japan, and his philosophical approach to writing and creativity. The conversation also includes a 'fun' 'speed round' of questions about walking essentials and audience queries about his future writing plans and experiences with vipassana meditation.

https://craigmod.com/books/things_become_other_things/tourpod/05-3rd_place_books-liz_danzico/

Craig Mod in conversation with Robin Sloan at Booksmith in San Francisco, chatting for sixty-eight minutes on May 10, 2025

Robin Sloan — bestselling author of 'Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore' and Fat Gold olive oil micro magnate — and Craig discuss his evolution as a writer, photographer, designer, and 'athlete,' diving deep into his creative processes, the significance of his walks, and his membership program. He recounts the impact of being rejected by the publishing industry and how that propelled him to find alternative ways to share his work, leading to the success of his membership program and his latest book, 'Things Become Other Things.' Mod also opens up about his adoption story and recent meeting with his birth mother, shedding light on how these personal experiences have influenced his work. The discussion is rich with insights on the value of craftsmanship, the importance of quiet and rest, and the dynamics of balancing solo and collaborative efforts in creative projects.

https://craigmod.com/books/things_become_other_things/tourpod/04-booksmith-robin_sloan/

How do you tell the entire history of humanity in a single book? Whatever you do, do not open a browser window.

https://podcastaddict.com/if-books-could-kill/episode/211075460

Kate Crawford’s Long Now Talk traces an historical arc from Renaissance perspective to AI image models, illustrating how shifts in representational power shape empires, economies—even our shared sense of reality. During the talk, Crawford gives a tour through her detailed artwork Calculating Empires. Through examples ranging from Liebig’s critique of agriculture “robbing” soil nutrients, to Faraday’s latex insulation that devastated rubber forests, Crawford shows how technologies have long created “metabolic rifts”: systems that extract more than they regenerate. Don't miss the closing Q&A, where host Kevin Kelly asks Crawford what responsible, non-extractive AI might look like.

https://longnow.org/podcast.xml

Jail awaits - Klaus Fuchs is going down. But will he take Ursula with him? British intelligence wants names. As Fuchs is forced to face his past, Ursula tries to run from hers. Presenter Rosa Ellis questions how their actions have shaped today's nuclear tensions. #thebomb

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0csr5cv

A double life implodes. Fuchs faces judge and jury, but will he confess? A future as an eminent physicist is slipping away. And the friends who took him in as a young scientist are blindsided - they want answers. But first he must face the court. #thebomb

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0csr109

The spy catchers close in. Klaus Fuchs is caught in the crosshairs. Spymaster Ursula has outwitted the interrogators - but can he? As he settles down in England, British intelligence services are following him at every turn. He is caught in a web of surveillance - and his faith in the Soviets is faltering. How long can he run for? #thebomb

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0cq4bs7

The interrogation of a spymaster. Ursula is questioned as Klaus Fuchs returns to England. Secrets threaten to be spilled and loyalties are tested. The war has ended, and the physicist could have a promising future. But will his past catch up with him? Could British intelligence services be on to him? #thebomb

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0cq47nn

Lives on the line. The Fuchs family is drawn into the espionage as the atomic bomb project takes a deadly turn. Klaus is at the covert Manhattan Project laboratory in Los Alamos, New Mexico. In this desert terrain, he has lost contact with the Soviets. As the countdown to detonation begins, there's only one person who can be trusted. #thebomb

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0cq469b