James Madison's Notes

This weekend, we talk about conversation. Columnist Enuma Okoro explores what makes certain conversations feel good. Lilah and US Managing Editor Peter Spiegel chase the mystery of who actually wrote the US constitution along with esteemed historian William Ewald. And Ruby Wax, the iconic celebrity interviewer of the 90s, tells us how she got stars good and bad—from the members of the Spice Girls to Bill Cosby—to open up and show us who they really are.

Links from the episode: 

— The FT’s best books of 2021 (paywall): https://www.ft.com/booksof2021

— Enuma Okoro on the art of conversation: https://www.ft.com/content/7ea1d669-a490-418e-a4a0-5aa04175657a 

— Watch Lilah’s full conversation with Ruby Wax: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E317YWBFyws 

— Watch a lecture by UPenn law and philosophy professor William Ewald, on forgotten founding father James Wilson: https://vimeo.com/521928817

— Ewald’s published articles about Wilson: https://scholarship.law.upenn.edu/do/search/?q=author_lname%3A%22Ewald%22%20AND%20author_fname%3A%22William%22 

Want to say hi? Email us at ftweekendpodcast@ft.com. We’re on Twitter @ftweekendpod, and Lilah is on Instagram and Twitter @lilahrap. 

If you want a great discount on an FT subscription or a $1/£1/€1 month-long trial, we’ve got you: http://ft.com/weekendpodcast 

Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner, with original music by Metaphor music. ‘Yankee Doodle’ was performed by Carrie Rehkopf. Clips of Ruby Wax are from BBC.

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