Our Inside Belief podcast this week asks, "How do our fictional narratives interact with our real, lived experiences?". . . . . . . ."Easygoing" Music by Podington Bear | soundofpicture.com

Inside BELIEF | Utopias and Dystopias

Nov 2nd, 2017 10m 42s

Our Inside Belief podcast this week asks, "how do you maintain a space for utopian thinking -- or the possibility of change -- in a world that feels kind of...dystopian?" . . . . . . . ."Easygoing" Music by Podington Bear | soundofpicture.c

CHF Podcast | Preview of Fallfest: BELIEF

Oct 17th, 2017 8m 31s

Can faith, in a spiritual sense, be separated out from trust in the societal sense?

Between the World and Me: Ta-Nehisi Coates

Nov 19th, 2015 53m 44s

2015 MacArthur Fellow and writer for The Atlantic Ta-Nehisi Coates discusses his latest book, “Between the World and Me.” Taking the form of a series of letters addressed to his teenage son, the book explores what it means to inhabit a black ma

Amy Klobuchar

Jun 30th, 2015 58m 32s

Amy Klobuchar is a trailblazer. As the first woman elected from Minnesota to serve in the United States Senate, the Democrat is known for her commitment to bringing together politicians from both sides of the aisle. A graduate of the University

Cookie Love with Mindy Segal

Jun 25th, 2015 58m 46s

Chicago is a mecca for foodies of all types, whether in search of our famed hot dogs, delicious tacos, or the latest in high-end gastronomy. But if Mindy Segal has her way, the city will soon be known for cookies! The intrepid founder of Buckto

Nick Offerman: Relighting the Torch of Freedom

Jun 11th, 2015 1h 4m

As a former star of the hit TV show “Parks and Recreation” and as a touring comedian, Nick Offerman is best known for his humor and acting. However, he is also a passionate american patriot and talented woodworker. In his new book, “Gumption: R

Steve Schmidt, David Axelrod, & Steve Edwards talk politics

Jun 7th, 2015 59m 46s

Steve Schmidt, a nationally recognized GOP political strategist, has advised candidates such as George W. Bush, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and John McCain. David Axelrod is an equally well-recognized Democratic political consultant, who engineered

Jessye Norman: Stand Up Straight and Sing!

Jun 1st, 2015 56m 11s

Opera legend Jessye Norman had an extraordinary journey from a childhood in segregated Augusta, Georgia, to star of the world’s grandest stages. Her memoir “Stand Up Straight and Sing!” deepens our appreciation for her stunning musical gifts. O

Martin Amis: "The Zone of Interest"

May 26th, 2015 53m 39s

The “zone of interest” refers to the outer perimeter of the Auschwitz concentration camp. But in the hands of Martin Amis, one of the greatest authors in the English language, it becomes the terrain for a love story—though one with a violently

Anne Rice: Vampire Chronicler

May 15th, 2015 54m 47s

A stunning departure—and compelling return. From Anne Rice, perennial best-selling author and inventor of the modern vampire genre, comes a chilling, hypnotic new novel. Hear the author of "Interview with the Vampire" on her next classic, "Prin

Ukraine: From Propaganda to Reality

May 11th, 2015 58m 53s

Since February 2014, the world’s eyes have been on Ukraine as Ukrainians rebelled against rising authoritarianism in their own country and were met in return with a Russian invasion of Ukraine's southern and eastern provinces. Yale University’s

Beautiful Voice: A Conversation with Renée Fleming

May 1st, 2015 53m 55s

One of the world’s greatest opera stars, Renée Fleming is also a Chicago treasure. The creative consultant for the Lyric Opera of Chicago, she has become an ambassador for arts education in the city. She is also the force behind one of Lyric’s

Marshall Sahlins: Anthropology

Apr 26th, 2015 59m 32s

Marshall Sahlins embodies the modern history of anthropology. From early work on “stone age economics” to a brilliant theory on who killed Captain Cook to a recent, revolutionary approach to kinship, he has repeatedly reset the agenda for the d

Jamaica Kincaid on writing, her life, and The New Yorker

Apr 22nd, 2015 56m 27s

Born in Antigua, Jamaica Kincaid arrived in the United States as a seventeen-year-old au pair. Working her way through college, she eventually became a staff writer at the New Yorker and one of our most renowned novelists. Her Caribbean birthpl

Scott Simon: "Unforgettable: A Son, a Mother, and the Lessons of a Lifetime"

Apr 17th, 2015 54m 44s

Scott Simon’s weekly show, Weekend Edition Saturday, has been called “the most literate, witty, moving, and just plain interesting news show.” So when he began tweeting from his mother’s hospital bedside in July 2013, was it any wonder his 1.2

Cristina Henríquez: "The Book of Unknown Americans"

Apr 11th, 2015 59m 38s

"The Book of Unknown Americans" by Cristina Henríquez follows the journeys of two families—one Panamanian, one Mexican—from Latin America to their adopted homeland of the United States. At its heart, though, this is a love story, one by turns s

Kim Gordon: "Girl in a Band"

Apr 9th, 2015 54m 28s

Is there anyone cooler than Kim Gordon? The founding member of the seminal band Sonic Youth is also a talented musician, artist, writer, and role model to a generation of women. Now she’s written a memoir recounting her life as a musician and a

Scott McCloud: Comics, Superpowers & "The Sculptor"

Apr 3rd, 2015 53m 29s

In "Understanding Comics" Scott McCloud made it cool to take comics seriously. Now the man hailed by graphic icons from Neil Gaiman to Alan Moore is back with a brand new graphic novel, five years in the making! "The Sculptor" reworks the class

Leonard Nimoy: Photography and Spirituality

Mar 3rd, 2015 42m 37s

Leonard Nimoy was best known for his work as an actor and director, but he was also a critically acclaimed photographer. In 2001, he took to the CHF stage to discuss his lifelong passion for photography, his spiritual beliefs, and how the two i

2014 Chicago Humanities Festival Recap

Dec 8th, 2014 10m 48s

Karen Shimmin & Willy Nast from the literary podcast “All Write Already!” reflect on their experiences at the 2014 Chicago Humanities Festival, Journeys. They speak with presenters Marc Walton, Johari Jabir, Davis Schneiderman, Anne Waldman, an

Cathy Cohen: Race and Participatory Politics

Dec 2nd, 2014 1h

Nelson Mandela famously said that “education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” But what are the best strategies for our place and time? This annual lecture in partnership with the Spencer Foundation presents ex

A Real-Life Mr. Ripley

Nov 13th, 2014 59m 21s

Here is a stunning true story from the author of Up in the Air, Walter Kirn. For 15 years, the acclaimed journalist and novelist fell for the pedigreed charms of one Clark Rockefeller. Then in July 2008, authorities pursued “Rockefeller” for ki

David Brooks: A Moral Journey

Nov 6th, 2014 59m 33s

Political and cultural commentator David Brooks kicks off the 25th anniversary celebration of the Chicago Humanities Festival by sharing his observations on the cultural shifts the United States has undergone since World War II. Brooks explains

The Art of Simple Food: Alice Waters in Conversation with Ruth Reichl

Oct 23rd, 2014 48m 7s

Legendary Chez Panisse restaurateur and Slow Food icon Alice Waters and one of our greatest living food writers, Ruth Reichl, came together for a rare and intimate conversation about culinary culture. The two dished on Waters’ latest cookbook,