The Essay Episodes Available now
Dr Sue Onslow—Commonwealth Questions
1/5 Exploring the Commonwealth's history. Has it made a difference and does it have a future?
Michael Symmons Roberts—Forgiveness
5/5 Michael Symmons Roberts on why he believes forgiveness has to be accompanied by justice.
David Starkey—Forgiveness
4/5 Dr David Starkey delves into the past as well as the present for examples of forgiveness.
Madeleine Bunting—Forgiveness
1/5 Journalist Madeleine Bunting explains why she believes forgiveness is a choice.
Slate—Cornerstones
4/4 Welsh poet Gillian Clarke counts the human cost of quarrying Snowdonia's ubiquitous slate.
Granite—Cornerstones
3/4 Sculptor Peter Randall-Page describes the obduracy of Dartmoor's granite boulders.
Sandstone—Cornerstones
2/4 Walker and geologist Ronald Turnbull reflects on sandstone's place in our landscapes.
Limestone—Cornerstones
1/4 Sue Clifford, co-founder of Common Ground, reflects on England's limestone landscapes.
Lubna of Cordoba—The Islamic Golden Age
20/20 Kamila Shamsie discusses Lubna of Cordoba, a female intellectual from the 10th century.
Episode 19—The Islamic Golden Age
19/20 Narguess Farzad celebrates the much loved 13th-century Persian poet Al-Rumi.
