Adam Gopnik seeks enlightenment for our time in Tolstoy's War and Peace, finding parallels in Tolstoy's thinking for today's war in Ukraine. Reflecting on how Russian characters in the book converse in fluent French, Adam considers how mixed identities should not undermine national integrity, writing that the composite nature of Ukrainian identity does not cast doubt on its integrity as a country.   He also explores Tolstoy's debunking of the 'great man' theory of history, and a reminder that 'history lies outside the control of any one hero, or heroine' while conceding that heroism is in itself a plausible concept, and 'if great men and women do not cause history, they surely make history. We seem to be seeing it made in action right now.'  Producer: Sheila Cook
Sound: Peter Bosher
Production Coordinator: Gemma Ashman
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

Tolstoy in Our Time

Personal Journals

Society & Culture

History

Philosophy

Places & Travel

Mark Damazer looks to George Orwell's essay, 'Politics and the English Language', to see if he can be our guide through the fractious language of the next few weeks of the election campaign.  He says Orwell's critique in 1946 of the political slogans, the carefully honed phrases and the rehearsed answers of his day remind us that there's never been a golden age of political language.   A thought to hold on to, perhaps, 'as we enjoy - or endure - the next few weeks'.  Producer: Adele Armstrong 
Sound: Peter Bosher 
Production coordinator: Gemma Ashman
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

Orwell on the Campaign Trail

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

Permanently Restless

Tom Shakespeare calls for new thinking to fix the current crisis in our prisons. Against a backdrop of overcrowding, violence and high rates of reoffending, he says we need a clearer vision of what prisons are really for. "We want them to do lots of rather different things: punish people who have broken our laws; protect the public from violent criminals; rehabilitate offenders and teach them useful employment skills. Yet we are guilty of stigmatising people who have spent some time in prison." Producer: Adele Armstrong
Sound: Peter Bosher
Production coordinator: Gemma Ashman
Editor: Bridget Harney

A Clean Break

Rebecca Stott is on a quest for a decent tasting apple.  Along the way she discovers a revival of interest in wonderful heritage varieties:  the rough textured russets like Ashmeads Kernel, the rich, aromatic Saltcote Pippin or the sharp tanginess of the Alfriston.  Rebecca asks why - given the UK has an impressive two and a half thousand varieties of apple - we can only buy four or five in the average supermarket. Producer: Adele Armstrong 
Sound: Peter Bosher
Production coordinator: Liam Morrey 
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

Apple Days

Megan Nolan on the allure of New York and the city's 'main character' syndrome.  The city is, she says, 'the place that makes me happier to be alive than anywhere else - not in spite but because of its thoroughly human hopelessness.' 'Nature is nature, permanent and without moral taint,' writes Megan, 'but cities are paeans to the marvellous filth of the human spirit.' 'The real challenge is being moved by the effort to remain open to one another despite being consoled by surroundings made not of beauty and relief, but of cement and strife.'  Producer: Adele Armstrong 
Sound: Peter Bosher 
Production coordinator: Liam Morrey 
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

Tolstoy in Our Time

Download our free app to listen on your phone