Intelligence Squared

Cultural Favourites from the Archives – Letters That Changed The World

Jan 1, 2023

Simon Sebag Montefiore, an award-winning historian, teams up with bestselling novelist Kate Mosse to explore powerful letters from history. They discuss emotional correspondences from iconic figures like Michelangelo and Rosa Parks, emphasizing the unique storytelling within letters. The conversation highlights the poignant letter of a soldier during the WWI Christmas truce and a heart-wrenching note from a Holocaust survivor. Themes of resilience, love, and the transformative power of written words offer deep insights into our shared humanity.

01:30:25

Episode guests

Kate Mosse

Simon Sebag Montefiore

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Intro

2min

The Lost Art of Letters

6min

A Christmas Truce: Humanity Amidst War

4min

Letters That Shaped History

17min

A Mother's Heartbreak

7min

Letters of Struggle and Resilience

6min

Maternal Wisdom: Letters of Concern Amidst Royal Turmoil

3min

Letters of Passion and Reflection

19min

A Letter from Turing: Justice and Legacy

16min

10.

The Dual Nature of Letters

3min

11.

A Heartfelt Farewell: Leonard Cohen's Letter to Marianne

3min

Letters grant us a glimpse into fascinating lives, whether through the eyes of a genius, a monster or of an ordinary person. For this archive event, we matched up award-winning historian Simon Sebag Montefiore and No 1 bestselling novelist Kate Mosse to discuss the letters of Michelangelo, Catherine the Great, Sarah Bernhardt, Rosa Parks, Nelson Mandela, Virginia Woolf, Alan Turing and more. A cast of performers including Young Vic director Kwame Kwei-Armah, plus actors Jade Anouka, Jack Lowden and Tamsin Greig provided readings live onstage.

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