Free Thinking Folgen

Will Self joins Matthew Sweet to discuss the mind, consciousness, ADHD, Alzheimer’s and PTSD - all woven together in his new novel Phone. Mad to be Normal director, Robert Mullan, talks about the man at the centre of his film, controversial psychiatrist R. D. Laing. Critic Melanie Williams considers Mandy, Alexander Mackendrick's 1952 film about a deaf child learning to find her way in post-war Britain. Mandy was played by the child actress Mandy Miller who recalls her starring role from sixty five years ago. Will Self's new novel, Phone is out now. Mad to be Normal is in selected cinemas, certificate 15. A new restoration of Mandy is out now on Blu-Ray and DVD.Producer: Craig Templeton Smith

Anne McElvoy looks at the style of the election campaign and how it's been reflected by political sketch writers with John Crace and Quentin Letts. As Common by DC Moore opens at London's National Theatre, Simon Jenkins and Jonathan Healey discuss the impact of the Enclosure Acts. New Generation Thinker Emma Butcher from the University of Hull marks 200 years since Branwell Brontë was born. The winner of this year's Pushkin House Russian Book Prize - Rosalind Blakesley - talks to Anne along with one of the judges, writer Charlotte Hobson.Rosalind Blakesley's prize-winning book is The Russian Canvas: Painting in Imperial Russia 1757-1881You can find more information about events including talks and guided walks for the Branwell Brontë anniversary at the Bronte Parsonage Museum and as part of the Bradford Lit Fest where a statue is being unveiled. https://www.bronte.org.uk/https://www.bradfordlitfest.co.uk/New Generation Thinkers is a scheme run by the BBC and the Arts and Humanities Research Council to find academics who can turn their ideas into radio and television. You can find more on the Free Thinking website. Producer: Torquil MacLeod

Matthew Sweet sees a film version of Daphne Du Maurier's novel directed by Roger Michell and looks at revenge in Shakespeare and Greek drama with 2017 New Generation Thinker Islam Issa and classicist and author Natalie Haynes. Andrew O'Hagan discusses his new book of essays exploring his relationship with Wikileaks founder Julian Assange and the Australian web developer who may or not be the inventor of the Bitcoin.Natalie Haynes new novel is called The Children of Jocasta. Andrew O'Hagan's new book is called The Secret Life. My Cousin Rachel starring Rachel Weisz is in cinemas around the UK. Islam Issa is a 2017 New Generation Thinker who teaches at Birmingham City University. He is the author of Milton in the Arab-Muslim World and you can hear him in the Free Thinking Landmark exploring Paradise Lost. New Generation Thinkers is a scheme run by the BBC with the Arts and Humanities Research Council to find academics who can turn their research into radio and television. You can find more on the Free Thinking website. Producer: Fiona McLean