From ancient empires to modern metropolises, what do rivers tell us about the way humans build, worship, and fight for their worlds?

In this episode, historian Vanessa Taylor joins host Caroline Dodds Pennock to explore the powerful role rivers have played in shaping human history, culture, and identity. Drawing from her new book, Seven Rivers, Vanessa takes us on a journey down the Nile, Danube, Niger, Mississippi, Ganges, Yangtze, and Thames to explore the empires built along their banks, the spiritual and cultural significance these waterways hold, and how they’ve been used — and abused — throughout history.

Vanessa Taylor is a leading environmental historian and expert on the politics of water. Her book, Seven Rivers: A Journey Through the Currents of Human History, is available now.

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