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The Amazons

Tom Sutcliffe discusses wilderness and freedom with Sarah Hall, Adrienne Mayor and John Gray.

On Start the Week Tom Sutcliffe talks to Adrienne Mayor about the Amazons, the legendary warrior women who glorified in fighting, hunting and sexual freedom. The Greeks described these wild barbarian archers, and Mayor reveals new archaeological discoveries which prove these women were not merely figments of their imagination. Five hundred years ago wolves roamed throughout Britain's wilderness and in her latest novel, The Wolf Border, Sarah Hall considers the possibility of re-wilding the countryside. Such freedom would have its limits and the wolves' movements would have to be managed and contained, a condition which John Gray considers in his book on human freedom: The Soul of the Marionette.

Producer: Katy Hickman.

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43 minutes

Last on

Mon 6 Apr 2015 21:30

Adrienne Mayor

is an independent folklorist/historian of science who investigates natural knowledge contained in pre-scientific myths and oral traditions.

The Amazons: Lives & Legends of Warrior Women Across the Ancient World is published by Princeton University Press.

Sarah Hall

is an author.

The Wolf Border is published by Faber & Faber.

John Gray

is a philosopher.

The Soul of the Marionette: A Short Inquiry into Human Freedom is published by Allen Lane.

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Tom Sutcliffe
Interviewed Guest Adrienne Mayor
Interviewed Guest Sarah Hall
Interviewed Guest John Gray
Producer Katy Hickman

Broadcasts

  • Mon 6 Apr 2015 09:00
  • Mon 6 Apr 2015 21:30

Podcast