According to the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889–1951), philosophy is a “battle against the bewitchment of our intelligence by means of language.” This audacious idea changed the way many of its practitioners saw their subject.

Join us with Anthony Gottlieb, author of the new biography Ludwig Wittgenstein: Philosophy in the Age of Airplanes, as we explore the life of one of the most influential philosophers of the twentieth century.

Music in this episode: 

Symphony No.3 Poco Allegretto by Johannes Brahms

Philip Roth (1933–2018) is one of the most celebrated American writers of the 20th century.

Join us with Steven J. Zipperstein, author of the groundbreaking biography Philip Roth: Stung by Life, as we explore Roth’s remarkable life and the astonishing range of his self-reflective writings.

Carole King’s extraordinary career has defined American popular music for more than half a century.

Join us with journalist Jane Eisner, author of the new biography Carole King: She Made the Earth Move, as we explore King’s lasting contributions to the great American songbook.

Franz Boas (1858–1942) is widely acknowledged for his pioneering work in the field of cultural anthropology.

Join us with Noga Arikha, author of the new biography Franz Boas: In Praise of Open Minds, as we explore how urgently relevant his voice and legacy have become again today.

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Join us with Anthony Julius, author of the new biography Abraham: The First Jew, as we explore the origins of a fundamental struggle within Judaism between skepticism and faith, critique and affirmation, thinking for oneself and thinking under the direction of another.

Louis B. Mayer (1884–1957) and Irving Thalberg (1899–1936) were unlikely partners in one of the most significant collaborations in movie history.

Join us with film critic Kenneth Turan, author of the new biography Louis B. Mayer and Irving Thalberg: The Whole Equation, as we explore their extraordinary partnership and role in creating the film industry as we know it.

In this episode, acclaimed author Ruth Franklin explores the transformation of Anne Frank (1929–1945) from ordinary teenager to icon, shedding new light on the young woman whose diary of her years in hiding is the most widely read work of literature to arise from the Holocaust.

With antisemitism once again on the rise, Franklin’s The Many Lives of Anne Frank  takes a fresh and timely look at the debates around Anne Frank’s life and work, including the controversial adaptations of the diary, Anne’s evolution as a fictional character, and the ways her story and image have been politically exploited. Franklin reveals how Anne has been understood and misunderstood, both as a person and as an idea, and opens up new avenues for interpreting her life and writing in today’s hyperpolarized world.

Menasseh ben Israel (1604–1657) was among the most accomplished and cosmopolitan rabbis of his time, and a pivotal intellectual figure in early modern Jewish history.

Join us with Professor Steven Nadler, author of Menasseh ben Israel: Rabbi of Amsterdam, as we explore Menasseh ben Israel’s role leading one of the most vital Jewish communities of early modern Europe.

A powerful hero of the Bible, Jacob is also one of its most complex figures.

Join us with Israel Prize winner Professor Yair Zakovitch, author of Jacob: Unexpected Patriarch, as we explore the many layers of the life of the patriarch—Jacob’s wanderings, revelations, disgraces, disappointments, and ultimate success.

Episode 59: MENACHEM MENDEL SCHNEERSON

Menachem Mendel Schneerson (1902–1994) was the seventh and last rebbe of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, one of the world’s best-known Hasidic groups.

Join us with Ezra Glinter, author of the new Jewish Lives biography Menachem Mendel Schneerson: Becoming the Messiah, as we explore the life and thought of one of the most influential—and controversial—rabbis in modern Judaism.

Ayn Rand (1905–1982) was one of America’s most provocative writers of the 20th century. Her best-selling novels The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged have influenced three generations of Americans.

Join us with Alexandra Popoff, author of the new Jewish Lives biography Ayn Rand: Writing a Gospel of Success, as we explore Rand’s defense of

American capitalism, individualism, and creativity.

Music in this episode: 

George Gershwin - "Rhapsody in Blue"