Eleven years ago biblical archeologists were enthused over the discovery of the container that had held the bones of the brother of Jesus. Two of the leading scholars of New Testament research reported the find and the way that it deepened our “knowledge” of the historical Jesus. Here in 2003 they discuss what 200 years of that search have yielded.

John James Audubon was rumored to be the Dauphin of France who would have succeeded to the French throne but for the revolution. Wrong. But of course he invented and perfected the new art of bird portraiture and lived a life full of adventure and invention. Rhodes, a two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize, did a great biography of Audubon and gave us this great discussion in 2005 before we went on to discuss his totally different preceding book about the Nazi killing squads.

Is gravitation a key to history so that everything that goes up must come down? Daniel Garrison, professor of the History of Classical Antiquity at Northwestern University, examines the fall of Rome, asking whether the West is now going through the same stages of decline.

The African origin of our species was scientifically established by Louis Leakey and his family, which is represented in this vigorous conversation by his daughter-in-law, paleo-anthropologist Maeve Leakey. Two other distinguished researchers on the evolutionary emergence of the “talking, walking, thinking” relative of the higher apes join us in this 2003 conversation. Jonathan Kingdon is from Oxford University and Robert Martin is from the Field Museum.

Drawing upon all the available evidence Steven Greenblatt, professor of English at Harvard and Shakespeare scholar, paints a vivid picture of “Will in his world” and provides revealing commentary on the nature of his genius. We also present many recorded scenes from some of the great plays.