Across the Margin: The Podcast

In the latest episode of Across the Margin: The Podcast, host Michael Shields takes a step back from the typical format that regularly comprises the journeys Beyond The Margin, and digs into what it means to be a member of the Osiris Media Group. Osiris is a community of podcasts and podcasters that connects enthusiasts of the arts, culture and music with an eclectic and fascinating array of podcasts and live experiences. In an episode that features three interviews with a trio of seasoned, knowledgeable podcasters, Michael delves into the Osiris podcasts that are not musically focused (an episode dedicated to the music of Osiris is forthcoming!). First up, is an interview with Bob Crawford, co-host of the The Road To Now. The Road to Now explains the history behind important events and outstanding individuals of modern times. Created in 2016 by Dr. Benjamin Sawyer of Middle Tennessee State University and Bob Crawford, a founding member of the Grammy-nominated band The Avett Brothers, The Road to Now has brought historians, politicians, journalists and artists to the table for conversations that illuminate the map that brought us to where we are today. Next, listeners are introduced to Fear Of A Craft Beer Planet, a craft beer podcast hosted by lifelong friends Jay Rose, James “Richard” Rabic, and Rob Forczek, through an interview with Jay Rose. Jay and Rob have been in the NJ beer business for decades and Richard is a seasoned broadcaster, and together they converse upon the business of beer, and discuss at length the parallels between the beer and the music industry. Lastly, a glimpse into the podcast Daddy Unscripted is offered through an interview with host Tim Wheaton. Daddy Unscripted is a podcast about being a dad. Each episode is a loose conversation with the host and his guest talking about their history with their own dad, how they approach being a dad, and how they manage doing so within their walk of life. So, sit back and enjoy a podcast that is All Osiris Everything! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this most recent installment of Beyond the Margin, the stories that are born amid the lines that humans have used to divvy up the planet are explored. In an discussion centered on Borders, a Vox series which examines the human stories behind physical and political borders, one of the most important episodes of Beyond The Margin is birthed. In order to dig deeply into the stories told in Borders, host Michael Shields enlisted the help of the storyteller behind the series, Johnny Harris. Johnny is an Emmy-nominated journalist and filmmaker based in Washington, DC, where he makes web videos for Vox.com, reporting on interesting trends and stories both domestically and around the globe. Johnny's visual style blends motion graphics with cinematic videography to create content that explains complex issues in relatable ways.Throughout their discussion, Michael and Johnny discuss the origin of Borders and then promptly embark on a journey around the globe — from Haiti to Japan, Norway to Guatemala and to Nepal and Spain — as they walk through some of the specifics of each intriguing and eye-opening episode. As stated on Border’s website: “Borders can encourage exchange or instigate violence. They can provide refuge, or they can criminalize those that cross them. Borders symbolize a nation’s anxiety about the world, and as political leaders regulate the lines on the map, there will be human stories at the mercy of those choices.” Listen in on a profoundly meaningful episode, rife with stories that absolutely must be told.Subscribe to Across the Margin: The PodcastCheck out Across the Margin for further amazing stories & much, much more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beyond the Margin explores the making of and significance of two hip-hop related productions, Word is Bond and Rapture (Mass Appeal Productions), with an interview with director and hip-hop icon Sacha Jenkins and director/producer Ben Selkow. In an episode taped in the recording studio at Mass Appeal's offices in lower Manhattan, host Michael Shields had the opportunity to discuss with Sacha and Ben the soon to be released eight-episode Netflix series Rapture. The must-see series is an inside and deeply personal look into the lives and careers of a bevy of hip-hops’ brightest shining stars such as Nas, 2 Chainz, Just Blaze, and Logic, to name a few. Following a discussion about Rapture, Sacha guides listeners into the intricacies of Word is Bond, a documentary he directed that doubles as a love letter to hip-hop lyricism. It’s a film that takes aim at a specific aspect of hip-hop culture, keying in on the poetry that has continuously and purposefully glided over beats as hip-hop music exploded into the mainstream. Join in and dive deep with us into the world of hip-hop, in an episode that not only takes a look behind the scenes of two profound and important hip-hop productions, but allows for the art form’s nuances, genius, and social impact to be more fully understood and appreciated.Subscribe to Across the Margin: The PodcastCheck out Across the Margin for further amazing stories & much, much more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In its latest podcast, Across the Margin welcomes George Guidotti, returning for his third trip Beyond the Margin. In a previous episode, George helped host Michael Shields critically dissect author G. Edward Griffin’s weighty novel, The Creature from Jekyll Island, which promotes undisclosed theories about the motives behind the creation of the United States’ Federal Reserve System. Following that, George and Michael came together for an episode in which they dove deeply into Sebastian Junger’s novel Tribe: On Homecoming & Belonging, a book that examines humanity’s innate attraction to tribal societies and explains why we are stronger when we come together, and how that can be achieved in today’s divided world. Now, they are back with another book-centric episode, this time exploring writer Joseph Campbell’s deeply insightful and affecting book The Power of Myth.The Power of Myth deals with the universality and evolution of myths in the history of the human race and the place of myths in modern society, and in this podcast Michael and George address the book’s greater themes while exploring the importance of myths to humankind, nature's connection to humans as depicted in myths, “The Hero’s Journey,” and much, much more. Join in, as the past, present and future of mythology is assessed, in an episode that acts as a tribute to, and an investigation into, Campbell’s brilliant and enlightened worldview.Subscribe to Across the Margin: The PodcastCheck out Across the Margin for further amazing stories & much, much more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the latest episode of Across the Margin’s podcast, prolific science-fiction author Philip K. Dick’s work is celebrated via a discussion centered on the exciting new anthology series now streaming on Amazon titled Electric Dreams. Electric Dreams is a series based on the writings of Philip K. Dick, and in order to fully discern all the splendor Electric Dreams has to offer, Beyond the Margin host Michael Shields enlisted the help of one of the executive producers and writers of the series (as well as The Man In The High Castle), Kalen Egan. More than just one of the creative minds involved in bringing Electric Dreams to life, Kalen also works with Electric Shepherd Productions, a production company that works in partnership with Philip K. Dick’s daughter, Isa Dick Hackett, and is dedicated to stewarding and adapting Dick’s vast catalog for television and film projects. In this podcast, Michael and Kalen discuss the lengthy process and intricacies behind the spawning of Electric Dreams, as well as the extensive band of creative talents involved in such a dynamic collaboration. As the podcast progresses, Kalen expounds upon an episode of Electric Dreams that he penned with his writing partner Travis Sentell, titled “Safe and Sound” (based on the short story “Foster, You’re Dead!”). Through describing the weighty social, political, and philosophical themes of the episode, Kalen highlights the depth of substance and insight that one encounters when working intamtely with Dick’s source material. So join in as Beyond the Margin unveils all the wonders that Electric Dreams has to offer, an anthology series that acts as a tribute to the genius and legacy of Philip K. Dick.Subscribe to Across the Margin: The PodcastCheck out Across the Margin for further amazing stories & much, much more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the latest episode of Across the Margin’s podcast, award-winning poet, author and teacher Rodger Kamenetz ventures Beyond the Margin to discuss a subject he has devoted his entire life to, dreams. Kamenetz, a prolific and bestselling author of ten books, is best known for The Jew in the Lotus, which follows the story of rabbis making a holy pilgrimage through India to meet with the Dalai Lama. His account of their historic dialogue became an international bestseller, prompting a reevaluation of Judaism in the light of Buddhist thought. But of all of Kamenetz's works, the one that drew in Beyond the Margin host Michael Shields was The History of Last Night's Dream, a novel that delves into a mysterious inner realm and suggests the idea that dreams are not only intensely meaningful, but hold essential truths about who we are.When The History of Last Night's Dream was released in 2007, Oprah Winfrey interviewed Kamenetz on her "Soul Series" program, professing, "What's so exciting about this book is that it talks about how there's a whole other life that we are living when we sleep and that our dreams are there as offerings and gifts to us if we only recognize what the dreams are there to teach us." Building off this idea, Rodger and Michael discuss Rodger's work and their shared passion for dreams, his journey to becoming a dream guide and expert, the study and practice of Natural Dreamwork (“The Wild Medicine!”), the fallacies of dream interpretation, the healing power of dreams, the function and potential of images, the link between poetry and dreams, Rodger’s forthcoming release which is influenced by his dream work (a taste can be found now at Across the Margin!), and much, much more. So journey Beyond the Margin and come face to face with the extraordinary life-changing power of dreams.Subscribe to Across the Margin: The PodcastCheck out Across the Margin the magazine for exciting stories & much, much more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this latest episode of Beyond the Margin, we welcome into the studio author, poet, and award-winning actor and playwright A.B. Lugo to discuss his latest release Spanish Coffee: Black, No Sugar (LCG Press, 2017). Joining in on the podcast are Jonathan Marcantoni, publisher and co-founder of LCG Press, who edited and published Lugo’s latest book, as well as author Patrick Dalton — fashioning the podcast as an author’s roundtable centering on A.B.’s deeply engaging and affecting book.Digging deep into the origins of Spanish Coffee, we learn that A.B.'s book was composed amid an extremely trying time for the author. Deciding to confront the deaths of his parents only months apart from each other, A.B., to cope with his grief, dedicated himself to writing a poem for each week of 2016, his first year without his parents. From birthdays, holidays and anniversaries, to the waves of social strife, upheaval and tragedy affecting the world, A.B. recounts his thoughts and feelings throughout the year, and what is birthed from such a gut-wrenching endeavor is a story about grieving, an exploration of what comes afterward, and ultimately, a beautiful written and heartfelt book of poetry. Join in as Beyond Margin expounds upon the brand of poignant art all too often born against the backdrop of personal loss and formidable pain.Subscribe to Across the Margin: The PodcastCheck out Across the Margin the magazine for exciting stories & much, much more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Beyond the Margin, host Michael Shields welcomes in studio Katherine MacLean, a research psychologist with expertise in studying psychedelics and meditation. Katherine is the founding director of the Psychedelic Program of New York where she leads trainings in psychedelic harm reduction. A true and passionate psychedelic ambassador, Katherine has worked with MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association of Psychedelic Studies), The Center for Optimal Living, and the Brooklyn Psychedelic Society in order to further psychedelic research and offer patients a safe place to receive treatment and education. Her Ted Talk entitled “Open Wide and Say Awe” details the ways in which psychedelics allow for deeply enriching experiences with long lasting improvements in well-being, greater confidence in making life changes, and reductions in psychedelic distress, and .In the podcast Michael and Katherine discuss Katherine’s extensive research background and experiences with psychedelics, the reasons for, and benefits of, psychedelic integration, the stigmas surrounding psychedelics, RAFT meditation (a process she originated), microdosing, “openness to experience,” the potential benefits of psychedelic use, and much, much more. So dive deep as Beyond the Margin examines a tool that could possibly, and profoundly, enrich lives with one of the foremost experts on the topic!Subscribe to Across the Margin: The PodcastCheck out Across the Margin the magazine for exciting stories & much, much more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In its latest podcast, Across the Margin welcomes back in studio George Guidotti, a seasoned and enlightened software executive and sage mind. In the previous episode featuring George, he and Beyond the Margin’s host Michael Shields critically dissected author G. Edward Griffin’s weighty novel, The Creature from Jekyll Island, which promotes undisclosed theories about the motives behind the creation of the Federal Reserve System. Once again using an enlightening book as the source material for the podcast, in this episode George and Michael delve deeply into Sebastian Junger’s Tribe: On Homecoming & Belonging which is a book that examines human's innate attraction to tribal society and explains why we are stronger when we come together, and how that can be achieved in today’s divided world. Expounding about the depth of knowledge that can be found within Tribe, this podcast features discussions about the benefits of close-knit communities, the ability within humans to thrive amid hardships and during tragedies, the reasons people have emigrated from civilized society to tribal communities throughout time, the need for purpose, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and the community soldiers find when at war, the catharsis involved in giving, and the need to re-convince people (specifically in the United States) that their interest have more in common than they have in conflict. George and Michael even find the time to discuss the hope that can be found in British philosopher Alan Watt’s work. So dive deep, as Beyond the Margin explores human beings eternal quest for meaning and connection in life. Subscribe to Across the Margin: The Podcast Check out Across the Margin the magazine for exciting stories & much, much more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode host Michael Shields conducts an interview with author Trevor James Zaple to delve into the latest release from ATM Publishing, Interstitial Burn-Boy Blues. Illuminating listeners as to the unique, but strangely familiar, world of Trevor’s novel, and elaborating on the propulsive plot and the extraordinary characters to be found within, this episode of Beyond the Margin acts as a primer for those curious about the wild, thought-provoking ride that is Trevor’s latest release. Throughout the podcast, Michael and Trevor discuss the various inspirations behind Interstitial Burn-Boy Blues, which range from Bruce Springsteen, Aristotle, and authors John Steinbeck and Margaret Atwood, and they also unpack some of the weightier themes present in the novelette, from income inequality and American restlessness, to vigilante justice, climate change and beyond. Dive deep, as Beyond the Margin takes you on a journey through the impending American West, a land crippled by war and environmental ruin, in an episode that acts as much as a preview to Trevor’s exciting new book as it does a warning about the devastating effects of climate change (or as Margaret Atwood describes it — “everything change!”)Subscribe to Across the Margin: The PodcastCheck out Across the Margin for further amazing stories & much, much more! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.