The Big Interview

The Nobel Foundation’s executive director tells us about its 125th anniversary, what it’s like to organise a peace prize in the era of Donald Trump and plans for a new home for Nobel laureates in Stockholm.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Long before The White Stripes shook the music world with its unique garage sound, Jack White was honing his artistic skills in Detroit. ‘Jack White: These Thoughts May Disappear’ at London’s Newport Street Gallery marks his first major exhibition, connecting craftsmanship and the visual language of the American Midwest. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why musician Billy Bragg has outsourced his memoir. More than 600 friends, associates, collaborators and fans collaborate in ‘Billy Bragg: A People’s History’, a book about the life and works of a songwriter whose work has become a soundtrack to people’s lives.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pioneer of behavioural economics Richard Thaler discusses the arc of his career, from ‘heretic’ to Nobel Prize winner, and why it was so difficult to convince economists that behaviour and human nature contradict their theories. Also: his rules for a better way to play Scrabble.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vladimir Kara-Murza, a Russian politician and journalist known for his fierce opposition to Putin, shares his harrowing experiences of surviving poisoning and imprisonment. He reflects on the psychological toll of solitary confinement and the strategies he used to cope, including learning Spanish. Kara-Murza discusses his belief in the resilience of Russian democracy despite his lengthy sentence, and he emphasizes the importance of transparency and accountability in a post-Putin future. He also counters stereotypes about Russians and democracy, advocating for a society ready for reform.

New Zealand’s former prime minister Jacinda Ardern speaks to Andrew Mueller about her new memoir and the role that empathy plays in leadership, especially in times of crisis. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andrew Ross Sorkin, a journalist and bestselling author known for 'Too Big to Fail,' explores the intricate world of the Great Depression in his new book '1929.' He contrasts the financial responses of 1929 and 2008, revealing insights from archival research that reveal human emotions behind historic decisions. Sorkin discusses the rise of consumer credit, the shadow banking menace, and parallels between current AI excitement and past financial bubbles. He emphasizes the journalist's role in warning against systemic risks, shedding light on today's complex financial landscape.

The long-time anchor of BBC World News America on becoming a US citizen the day after Donald Trump’s election and how her family’s history of slave ownership led her to apologise and offer reparations.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, founded after the Cold War, discusses Ukraine’s rebuilding and the institution’s newfound purpose in an age of retrenching from foreign aid.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jen Easterly led the agency keeping the US safe from cyber attacks for four years. She’s worried about where things have gone over the past few months. Emma Nelson discusses her life of service.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.