Published in 1854, 'Walden; Or, Life in the Woods' is a series of 18 essays that reflect Thoreau's experiences living in a small cabin near Walden Pond from July 1845 to September 1847. The book is a personal declaration of independence, a social experiment, and a voyage of spiritual discovery. Thoreau details his life in the woods, discussing the construction of his cabin, his daily activities, and his philosophical reflections on economy, social relations, and the importance of living in harmony with nature. The work is considered a cornerstone of American literature and a foundational text in the Transcendentalist movement, emphasizing the benefits of a simplified lifestyle and the importance of individual freedom and self-reliance[2][4][5].
This book details the almost two-year struggle for survival of the 28-man crew of the Endurance, which was beset and eventually crushed by ice floes in the Weddell Sea during the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition of 1914-1917. The crew drifted on ice floes, salvaged lifeboats, and eventually reached Elephant Island. Shackleton then led a perilous journey to South Georgia Island to secure rescue, culminating in one of the most remarkable survival stories in history. Lansing's narrative is based on extensive research, including interviews with surviving crew members and access to their diaries and personal accounts[4][5][3].
In 'Mr. Popper's Penguins', Mr. Popper, a house painter from Stillwater, receives a surprise gift of a penguin named Captain Cook from Admiral Drake. When Captain Cook becomes ill due to loneliness, Mr. Popper receives another penguin, Greta. As Greta lays eggs, the penguin family grows, and Mr. Popper must find creative ways to care for them, including training them for a theater act. The story follows the Popper family's adventures and challenges as they raise the penguins and eventually decide to send them to the North Pole with Admiral Drake.
Meet Doug Quin, sound designer and naturalist who makes field recordings all over the world. Hear what Doug heard when he got up close to emperor penguins, lions and vultures. (R)
Sound designer and naturalist Doug Quin has been highly attuned to sound since he was a young child growing up in Algeria under the threat of bombing.
Through his family’s travels and his years at a Scottish boarding school, Doug fell in love with the outdoors, and especially with wintery landscapes.
He later transformed his deep curiosity about nature and skills in music and art into a prolific career.
Since the early 1980s Doug has been making field recordings in every corner of the Earth, and putting them to use in work spanning all media.
His extensive credits include designing sound for films such as Jurassic Park 3 and countless nature documentaries, collaborating with the Kronos Quartet, composing soundscapes for museums and art galleries, releasing albums, and contributing planetary ambiences to the score of the game Spore.
This episode of Conversations touches on the natural world, Jurassic Park 3, animals, nature, silence, Antarctica, origin stories, Scotland, Algeria, birding, birdsong, war, bombing, resilience and family.
Conversations 
