The Life of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Guest: Nicholas A. Basbanes, author of "Cross of Snow: A Life of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow"

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was propelled to international fame—even Queen Victoria notes in her diary that her staff lined up to catch a glimpse of the famous American. His relationship with his second wife was a marriage of equals and he was brokenhearted by her tragic death, but he never lost his faith. He may have fallen out of favor after his death, but historian Nicholas Basbanes seeks to restore him to his rightful place in American history.  

 

The Mystery of the Magi

Guest: Daniel Peterson, Professor of Arabic, and founder and long-time editor of the Middle Eastern Texts Initiative, Brigham Young University

The Magi have appeared in the traditional Christmas narrative for centuries, bringing their gold, frankincense, and myrrh from faraway lands. But how much do we really know about their origins?