Delve into the influences and beliefs of Alexander Pope, exploring his rebellious nature shaped by societal turmoil. Reflect on Quranic ideals of social class and equality of happiness, contrasting Pope and Johnson's views on poverty. Analyze Pope's metaphors on family dynamics and nature's nurturing aspects, and explore responsibility, agriculture, and the chain of being. Reflect on societal evolution, divine rights, and the interconnectedness of nature in 'An Essay on Man'. Finally, contemplate themes of order and chaos from Shakespeare to modern warfare.

Tom Jones, an extreme athlete and Marine veteran, shares his incredible journey of overcoming adversity to become a personal development coach. He emphasizes developing a 'quit-proof' mindset, highlighting mental resilience and self-awareness techniques like box breathing. Jones discusses the importance of purpose in endurance and how it drives his extreme challenges. He explores the nuances of trauma, the significance of community support, and encourages embracing optimism in the face of fear, inspiring listeners to push their limits and pursue growth.

Experienced astronauts Chris Hadfield and Tom Jones discuss their transition into writing, sharing stories from their space exploration. They explore their journey as astronaut turned writers, their books and TV adaptations, the importance of taking risks, and collecting personal stories from their astronaut colleagues.

Today we’ll hear Rick Rubin talk to one of his all-time favorite vocalists, Tom Jones. With his soulful baritone and unique interpretation of the American R&B and gospel, Jones became a mainstay at hip venues in London, New York and Las Vegas with now-timeless hits like “It’s Not Unusual,” and “Green Green Grass Of Home.” On today’s episode, Tom Jones shares stories with Rick from his remarkable career, including the first time he met Elvis on a movie set in Hollywood—and the night he turned down an invitation to join Little Richard on stage out of fear he’d be deported. Tom also talks about why he thought Burt Bacharach’s lyrics to “What’s New Pussycat” were a joke the first time he heard them. Subscribe to Broken Record’s YouTube channel to hear all of our interviews: https://www.youtube.com/brokenrecordpodcast and follow us on Twitter @BrokenRecord. You can also check out past episodes here: https://brokenrecordpodcast.com. Hear a playlist of all of our favorite Tom Jones songs HERE. If you’d like to keep up with the most recent news from this and other Pushkin podcasts be sure to sign up for our email list at Pushkin.fm.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tom Jones’ booming baritone has led him to sell over 100 million records in his nearly six-decade career. He had a string of hits in the mid-1960s including “It’s Not Unusual,” “What’s New Pussycat?” “She’s A Lady,” “Green, Green Grass Of Home,” “I’ll Never Fall In Love Again,” and “Delilah.” Now in his early 80s, Tom Jones is still going strong with a new album out and an upcoming tour. Tom Jones talks with Alec about growing up in a small town in Wales, how contracting tuberculosis changed his life and the secret to his nearly six-decade marriage to his middle-school sweetheart Linda and how he's been managing since her death in 2016.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.