Audio books and Lectures

Maurice Tuchman, a Guggenheim curator, engages in a discussion of and comparison between Cubist paintings by Georges Braque and Pablo Picasso. Tuchman introduces what he considers to be the main inspirations of Cubism—Paul Cézanne and what the curator refers to as “primitive” sculpture—and discusses the art movement’s evolution. This lecture took place on March 14, 1964.

Transcript: https://www.guggenheim.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/615213T22_01_On-Cubism.pdf 

"Inaugural Selection" exhibition at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, 1959. Photo: Robert E. Mates © SRGF

Guggenheim Archives

On Cubism by Maurice Tuchman, 1964

What is a pet?  The answer may seem straightforward: they are animals kept in the home for pleasure and companionship. But our interactions with pets are far more complex, rooted as much in ownership and domination as in sentimentality and affection. 

The Cambridge Animal Alphabet series celebrates Cambridge's connections with animals through literature, art, science and society. Here, P is for Pet. Cultural geographer Dr Philip Howell and PhD student Makoto Takahashi examine both the lighter and darker sides of pet keeping as a national obsession.

The scale of contemporary pet keeping is remarkable. In the US, ‘fur babies’ outnumber human babies. In the UK, almost a quarter of households have a dog and almost a fifth owns a cat. Fish (often listed among pets) are even more popular.

The keeping of these pets is one of the most significant of all human-animal relationships. The majority of pets live as part of the family. At the same time, many are poorly treated and animal activists have called into question the legitimacy of keeping pets at all.
- See more at: http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/features/p-is-for-pet#sthash.RU4bwkzl.dpuf

P is for Pet

Roberto Rodriguez, deputy assistant to President Obama for education, examines the intersection of public policy and education, and reflects on a career that brought him from HGSE to the White House.

From HGSE to the White House | Harvard Graduate School of Education

Performed by Neil Gaiman,  Dennis Boutsikaris, Daniel Oreskes, Ron McLarty, and Sarah Jones

First published in 2001, American Gods became an instant classic, an intellectual and artistic benchmark from the multiple-award-winning master of innovative fiction, Neil Gaiman. Now, discover the mystery and magic of American Gods in this 10th anniversary edition. Newly updated and expanded with the author's preferred text, this commemorative volume is a true celebration of a modern masterpiece by the one, the only, Neil Gaiman.

A storm is coming....

Locked behind bars for three years, Shadow did his time, quietly waiting for the magic day when he could return to Eagle Point, Indiana. A man no longer scared of what tomorrow might bring, all he wanted was to be with Laura, the wife he deeply loved, and start a new life. But just days before his release, Laura and Shadow's best friend are killed in an accident. With his life in pieces and nothing to keep him tethered, Shadow accepts a job from a beguiling stranger he meets on the way home, an enigmatic man who calls himself Mr. Wednesday. A trickster and rogue, Wednesday seems to know more about Shadow than Shadow does himself.

Life as Wednesday's bodyguard, driver, and errand boy is far more interesting and dangerous than Shadow ever imagined. It is a job that takes him on a dark and strange road trip and introduces him to a host of eccentric characters whose fates are mysteriously intertwined with his own.

Along the way, Shadow will learn that the past never dies; that everyone, including his beloved Laura, harbors secrets; and that dreams, totems, legends, and myths are more real than we know. Ultimately, he will discover that beneath the placid surface of everyday life, a storm is brewing - an epic war for the very soul of America - and that he is standing squarely in its path.

Relevant and prescient, American Gods has been lauded for its brilliant synthesis of "mystery, satire, sex, horror, and poetic prose" (Washington Post Book World) and as a modern phantasmagoria that "distills the essence of America" (Seattle Post-Intelligencer). It is, quite simply, an outstanding work of literary imagination that will endure for generations.

American Gods (Full Cast Production) by Neil Gaiman

Heist by Howard Sounes on Audible: 
http://www.audible.com/pd?asin=B0129E9VEK&source_code=AUDORWS0826159ERN

Get this audiobook for free when you try Audible:
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Summary:

On 22 February 2006, £53 million was stolen from a cash warehouse belonging to the Securitas company in Tonbridge, Kent. In terms of value, the robbery puts previous British capers, such as the Great Train Robbery, in the shade. This was a crime notable for its audacity, carried out by an unlikely crew of players that included a used car salesman, two Albanian casual workers and a roofer. Five men were convicted at the Old Bailey in January 2008, which attracted nationwide media coverage. A sixth man, Paul Allen, was sentenced in October 2009 for his part.

Having become close to the Tonbridge gang and the police during three years of research, Sounes relates a classic crime caper in irresistible, almost forensic detail. After the robbery comes the exciting, sometimes comical story of the getaway. Money is found, and arrests are made, but key characters slip out of the country, and millions of pounds are still missing.

Heist is the definitive account of these compelling events, is wildly entertaining and a must for all fans of well-written true crime. Since the book has been written, Darren Aronofsky (director of The Wrestler) has announced he will direct a British-made film.

Howard Sounes is known for writing detailed and revelatory biographies of a wide range of extraordinary personalities, including the murderers Fred and Rosemary West (Fred & Rose), the American author Charles Bukowski (Locked in the Arms of a Crazy Life) and the musicians Bob Dylan (Down the Highway) and Paul McCartney (Fab). His new book is Amy, 27 - a study of the life and death of Amy Winehouse and the other iconic stars who died at the same young age. 

Buy on Audible

Heist by Howard Sounes, Narrated by Howard Sounes

ONE DOOMED PRIME MINISTER.
TWO WOULD-BE SUCCESSORS.
BUT WHO’S PULLING THE STRINGS?

The second novel from Britain’s foremost political commentator is a thrillingly intimate look at the inner workings of Whitehall, and who really controls party politics. 

 The Labour Party has unexpectedly won a narrow majority in the 2018 general election. But the new government is weak and divided, its unpopular leader embattled in the House of Commons. A group of eminent figures from the party’s past see an opportunity to re-establish their grip over its future by replacing the prime minister with a figurehead they can manipulate to their own ends. But who will they choose?

Two possible candidates emerge from the recent intake of MPs: David Petrie, a self-made Scot with a working-class background and a troubled personal history; and Caroline Phillips, a high-flying Londoner whose complicated private life could be either her greatest handicap, or her greatest asset.

Against a backdrop of intrigue and betrayal at the Palace of Westminster, both must struggle with the sacrifices and compromises they will have to make if they are to seize the greatest political prize of all.

In his second novel, Andrew Marr draws on his unrivalled inside knowledge of British politics to expose the foibles, duplicities and absurdities of those we elect to govern us.

Children of the Master, By Andrew Marr, Read by Steven Crossley

Call the Midwife meets Dr Barnardo’s in this gritty drama that will appeal to fans of Katie Flynn. St Saviour’s will never turn a homeless child away… 

 When there is nowhere else to turn, St Saviour’s will give them hope…

It’s 1948 and London’s East End is still a bombed-out landscape. Sister Beatrice, who runs the St Saviour’s Children’s Home, knows that life is still a precarious existence for many children and it seems that there is no end to the constant stream of waifs and strays who appear at their door looking for a safe haven.
One such arrival is Mary Ellen whose mother is gravely ill. The one silver lining is her best friend, the tearaway Billy Baggins, also a resident of the home, but Billy seems intent on falling foul of Sister Beatrice’s strict regime.
New arrival on the staff, Angela, admires Sister Beatrice, but can see that the children need love and kindness as well as a strong hand. When an unwelcome face from Billy’s past arrives on the scene, things are brought to a head. Can the two women work together to keep Billy on the straight and narrow – or is it too late?

The Orphans of Halfpenny Street, By Cathy Sharp, Read by Antonia Beamish

Discover how to talk instantly to your subconscious and manifest the life you want. 

 We all have goals and dreams – whether it’s personally or professionally – that we want to achieve, but for reasons we can’t always fathom, our behaviour and actions can hold us back. In her eye-opening and effective new book, MBS expert Liz Dean reveals how the key to transforming those dreams into reality lies not in our conscious actions, but in our subconscious thoughts. By aligning the two, we can unleash our own power to lose weight, organise our lives, work more efficiently in our jobs and so much more. Switch Words is this simple yet incredibly powerful tool to help you get there.

The greatest obstacle in achieving your goals is your subconscious. Whilst your conscious mind knows what you want and how to get it, experience tells us our subconscious mind can often ignore or sabotage our desires through action or inaction. Have you ever created a meal plan to help you lose weight, but then a couple of days later found yourself inching to the fridge for a snack at 9pm? Even though you were desperate to achieve the body image you wanted, part of you, for some reason, resisted.

This is because the words we use when expressing our goals and dreams have unique vibrations which the conscious mind understands – but the subconscious needs a different language in order to respond positively and get with the programme. Through easy-to-follow practices and techniques, Dean guides you to acknowledge the power your sub-conscious can have over everyday actions, how to extract the right switch words to resonate your conscious desire with your subconscious thoughts, and how to use them effectively day to day.

Methodical and verifiably successful, switch words is the effective way to get what you want, and this book will show you how.

Switchwords: How to Use One Word to Get What You Want, By Liz Dean, Read by Helen Duff

The Atlantis Ship by A. C. Hadfield on Audible:
http://www.audible.com/pd?asin=B011D8NDVA&source_code=AUDORWS0902159ETT

Get this audiobook for free when you try Audible:
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Summary:

A legendary enemy attacks....

Galactic peace is threatened....

Unless one man can find and stop the Atlantis ship.

Carson Mach, a former war hero turned freelancer, seeks the biggest payday of his life when he's tasked to hunt down a ghost ship that has echoed through the centuries. The legendary Atlantis ship has become a reality, appearing at the Commonwealth frontier and obliterating an orbital station.

Facing a lack of resources, a ragtag crew, and aliens who want him dead, Mach must use all his leadership skills and experience if he's to beat the overwhelming odds. His mission will take him across the galaxy and to uncharted dark areas of space.

Failure to stop the Atlantis ship will mean not only the death of Mach and his crew but the end of the Commonwealth and all of humanity. Somehow Mach must find a way to solve an ancient mystery if he's to succeed where everyone else before him has failed. 



Buy on Audible 

The Atlantis Ship by A. C. Hadfield, Narrated by Alexander Cendese

Bob Schieffer, Walter Shorenstein Media and Democracy Fellow, veteran CBS reporter and former moderator of “Face the Nation,” discussed his outlook for the 2016 presidential election and the corrosive effects of money in politics.

Bob Schieffer: The 2016 Presidential Election | Shorenstein Center

In episode nineteen we chat with Hugo Larochelle, Ryan introduces us to autoencoders, plus we tackle the question of what is standing in the way of strong AI.

Strong AI and Autoencoders

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas on Audible:
http://www.audible.com/pd?asin=B012BTUEVC&source_code=SCLGB9080WS102913

Get this audiobook for free when you try Audible:
http://www.audible.com/offers/30free?asin=B012BTUEVC&source_code=SCLGB9080WS102913

Summary:

Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she's at last returned to the empire - for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past.... She has embraced her identity as Aelin Galathynius, Queen of Terrasen. But before she can reclaim her throne, she must fight. She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die just to see her again. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen's triumphant return. 

Queen Of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas, Narrated by  Elizabeth Evans

From the author of THE PARENT AGENCY comes a thrilling, funny and touching new adventure. 

 Fred and Ellie are twins. But not identical (because that's impossible for a boy and a girl). They do like all the same things, though. Especially video games. Which they are very good at. They aren't that good, however, at much else – like, for example, football, or dealing with the school bullies.

Then, they meet the Mystery Man, who sends them a video game controller, which doesn't look like any other controller they've ever seen. And it doesn't control any of their usual games. When the twins find out what it does control, though, it seems like the answer to all their problems. And the key to all their wildest dreams. At least it seems like that…

The Person Controller, By David Baddiel, Read by David Baddiel

The powerful new novel from the master storyteller - inspired by the true story of one man who might have stopped World War II. 

 1940. The train is under attacks from German fighters. In the darkness, sheltering in a railway tunnel, the stranger in the carriage with Barney and his mother tells them a story to pass the time.

And what a story. The story of a young man, a young soldier in the trenches of World War I who, on the spur of the moment, had done what he thought was the right thing.

It turned out to have been the worst mistake he ever could have made – a mistake he must put right before it is too late…

An Eagle in the Snow, By Michael Morpurgo, Read by Paul Chequer

Beasts Royal is the second book written by Patrick O’Brian – made available, at last, for the first time since the 1930s and beautifully repackaged. 

 Published when Patrick O’Brian was just nineteen, this is the enchanting, often bloodthirsty collection of twelve tales of animal adventure that would be published in 1934 as the author’s second book. His first, Caesar, had been published in 1930 and was an instant success, seeing O’Brian hailed as the ‘boy-Thoreau’. As with Caesar, Beasts Royal sheds fascinating light on the formation of the literary genius behind the Aubrey-Maturin series of historical adventure tales.

With the dry wit and unsentimental precision O’Brian would come to be loved for, we see the tragedies of …

Beasts Royal: Twelve Tales of Adventure, By Patrick O’Brian, Read by Robert Hardy

With gender equality increasingly a business imperative, in addition to being a human right, many leaders across the sectors wonder how we can get there. In the first WAPPP Seminar of 2015-16, Professor Bohnet discusses her forthcoming book What Works: Gender Equality, By Design (Harvard University Press 2016). Reviewing the impact of what we have been doing to date, including diversity and leadership trainings, networking, and mentorship/sponsorship programs, Bohnet proposes a new approach to leveling the playing field. Building on insights from Behavioral Economics, she argues that to overcome gender bias in organizations and society, we should focus on de-biasing systems—how we evaluate performance, hire, promote, structure tests, form groups—rather than on trying to de-bias people. 

What Works: Gender Equality, By Design

The Women and Public Policy Program hosts a weekly seminar during the academic year focused on understanding and closing gender gaps in the areas of economic opportunity, political participation, health, and education. Harvard faculty and practitioners, rising stars in academia and leading intellectuals, present their pioneering work serving as a first step in translating research into management and policy interventions. Seminars bring together academics, practitioners, students, and thought leaders to share and germinate ideas across disciplinary fields, creating a dynamic dialogue and deeper understanding of the complex factors contributing to gender gaps. These talks take place in the WAPPP Cason Seminar Room on the Harvard Kennedy School campus.

Reserving Time For Daddy: The Short- And Long - Term Consequences Of Fathers' Quotas

In episode seven of Talking Machines we talk with Zoubin Ghahramani, professor of Information Engineering in the Department of Engineering at the University of Cambridge. His project, The Automatic Statistician, aims to use machine learning to take raw data and give you statistical reports and natural languages summaries of what trends that data shows. We get really hungry exploring Bayesian Non-parametrics through the stories of the Chinese Restaurant Process and the Indian Buffet Process (but remember, there’s no free lunch). 

The Automatic Statistician and Electrified Meat

From the University of Cambridge comes ELECTION, our weekly Politics Podcast; asking the questions that no one else is in the run-up to the British General Election with the greatest minds inside and outside the political arena. 

Can democracy adapt to our strained political system? Who (if anyone) will ‘win’ in 2015? What can the lessons of the past teach us about the future? 

Professor David Runciman interviews and puts these questions to philosophers, historians, scientists, and political thinkers – with enlightening results – in a weekly podcast series coming from his office in the Department of Politics and International Studies. 

More information at http://www.cam.ac.uk/election

Audio books and Lectures

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