Episodes

Memoirs of a cranky old New York Gen X'er: Christian Lorentzen on the half-life of a literary critic in our digital age of cultural decay and disinformation
137
Oct. 23, 2023

Memoirs of a cranky old New York Gen X'er: Christian Lorentzen on the half-life of a literary critic in our digital age of cultural decay and disinformation

EPISODE 1815: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Christian Lorentzen, author of the new Liberties Quarterly essay "In Dreams Begin Responsibilities: a Memoir", about the half-life of a literary critic in our digital age of cultural decay and disinformation Christian Lorentzen's writing has appeared in the London Review of Books, Harper’s Magazine, Bookforum, Artforum, n+1, the Times Literary Supplement, the New Republic, the Paris Review, the Baffler, the New York Times, Slate, the Literary R...
What makes humans so special? John Parrington on how human brains, unlike those of all other species, can turn matter into meaning
136
Oct. 23, 2023

What makes humans so special? John Parrington on how human brains, unlike those of all other species, can turn matter into meaning

EPISODE 1814: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to John Parrington, author of CONSCIOUSNESS, about how human brains, unlike those of all other species, can turn matter into meaning John Parrington is an Associate Professor in Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology and a Tutorial Fellow in Medicine at the University of Oxford. He is the author of three previous books and over 110 peer reviewed articles. His research focuses on how chemical signals regulate important processes in the body. Named as ...
What the data tells us about the cancellation of the American mind: Greg Lukianoff on why today's cancel culture is as much of a threat to free speech as the McCarthyite Red Scare of the 1950s
135
Oct. 23, 2023

What the data tells us about the cancellation of the American mind: Greg Lukianoff on why today's cancel culture is as much of a threat to free speech as the McCarthyite Red Scare of the 1950s

EPISODE 1813: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Greg Lukianoff, co-author of THE CANCELING OF THE AMERICAN MIND, about why today's cancel culture might be as much of a threat to American free speech as the McCarthyite Red Scare of the 1950s Greg Lukianoff is an attorney, New York Times best-selling author, and the President and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). He is the author of Unlearning Liberty: Campus Censorship and the End of American Debate, Freedom ...
Why an elite establishment economist is calling bullsh*t on the promise of the American dream: Jeff Fuhrer reveals the existential crisis of economic inequality now threatening the United States
134
Oct. 22, 2023

Why an elite establishment economist is calling bullsh*t on the promise of the American dream: Jeff Fuhrer reveals the existential crisis of economic inequality now threatening the United States

EPISODE 1812: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Jeff Fuhrer, author of THE MYTH THAT MADE US, about the the existential crisis of economic inequality now threatening the United States Jeff Fuhrer is a Non-Resident Fellow at the Brookings Institution and a Foundation Fellow at the Eastern Bank Foundation. He was previously Executive Vice President and Director of Research at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, where he was also responsible for the bank’s diversity and inclusion functions. Nam...
Why Poland is still in therapy over its "complex" World War II history: Roger Moorhouse on the forgotten story of a Polish diplomatic rescue operation to save the lives of Polish Jews
133
Oct. 22, 2023

Why Poland is still in therapy over its "complex" World War II history: Roger Moorhouse on the forgotten story of a Polish diplomatic rescue operation to save the lives of Polish Jews

EPISODE 1811: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Roger Moorhouse, author of THE FORGERS, about the forgotten story of a Polish diplomatic rescue operation to save the lives of Polish Jews Roger Moorhouse is a historian and author specialising in modern German and Central European history, with particular interest in Nazi Germany, the Holocaust and World War Two in Europe. A visiting professor at the College of Europe in Warsaw, he is also the author of a number of books on modern German histo...
How "responsible" was Benjamin Netanyahu for the events of October 7? Israel novelist Noa Yedlin on the worst thing that has happened to the Jewish people since the Holocaust
132
Oct. 22, 2023

How "responsible" was Benjamin Netanyahu for the events of October 7? Israel novelist Noa Yedlin on the worst thing that has happened to the Jewish people since the Holocaust

EPISODE 1810: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Noa Yedlin, the Israeli writer and author of STOCKHOLM: A NOVEL, about the events of October 7, Benjamin Netanyahu, and how winning the Nobel prize might and might not change us Noa Yedlin is a bestselling Israeli author, the recipient of the Sapir Prize (the Israeli Man Booker) and the Prime Minister’s Literature Award. Yedlin is also the creator of a prize-winning television series based on her bestselling novel Stockholm. Another of her bes...
Broken bodies, broken homes, broken families & broken work: Alissa Quart reveals life on the edge in the world's richest country
131
Oct. 21, 2023

Broken bodies, broken homes, broken families & broken work: Alissa Quart reveals life on the edge in the world's richest country

EPISODE 1809: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Alissa Quart, an editor of GOING FOR BROKE and Executive Director of the Economic Hardship Reporting Project, about living on the edge in the world's richest country Alissa Quart is the author of five acclaimed books of nonfiction including Bootstrapped: Liberating Ourselves from the American Dream (Ecco, 2023). They are Squeezed, Republic of Outsiders, Hothouse Kids, and Branded. She is the Executive Director of the non-profit the Economic Har...
How to resurrect the World's Greatest Detective: Sophie Hannah on her latest Agatha Christie sanctioned murder mystery HERCULE POIROT'S SILENT NIGHT
130
Oct. 21, 2023

How to resurrect the World's Greatest Detective: Sophie Hannah on her latest Agatha Christie sanctioned murder mystery HERCULE POIROT'S SILENT NIGHT

EPISODE 1808: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Sophie Hannah, author of HERCULE POIROT'S SILENT NIGHT, about how to recreate the World's Greatest Detective. Sophie Hannah is a Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling writer of crime fiction, published in forty-nine languages and fifty-one territories. Her books have sold millions of copies worldwide. In 2014, with the blessing of Agatha Christie’s family and estate, Sophie published a new Poirot novel, The Monogram Murders, which was a b...
In Defense of Place: Seth Kaplan on how to repair American society, one zip code at a time
129
Oct. 20, 2023

In Defense of Place: Seth Kaplan on how to repair American society, one zip code at a time

EPISODE 1807: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Seth Kaplan, author of FRAGILE NEIGHBORHOODS, on how to repair American society, one zip code at a time Seth D. Kaplan is a leading expert on fragile states. He is a Professorial Lecturer in the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University, Senior Adviser for the Institute for Integrated Transitions (IFIT), and consultant to multilateral organizations such as the World Bank, U.S. State Department, U....
Should we celebrate or mourn technological abundance? Keith Teare weighs up the costs and benefits of abundant artificial intelligence
128
Oct. 20, 2023

Should we celebrate or mourn technological abundance? Keith Teare weighs up the costs and benefits of abundant artificial intelligence

EPISODE 1806: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Keith Teare, publisher of the THAT WAS THE WEEK tech newsletter, about the costs and benefits of abundant artificial intelligence Keith Teare is the founder and CEO of SignalRank Corporation. Previously, he was executive chairman at Accelerated Digital Ventures Ltd., a U.K.-based global investment company focused on startups at all stages. Teare studied at the University of Kent and is the author of “The Easy Net Book” and “Under Siege.” He wri...
Why Oliver Wendell Holmes' book "Common Law" is most uncommon: Peter Slen on the 1881 legal classic that has profoundly shaped America
127
Oct. 20, 2023

Why Oliver Wendell Holmes' book "Common Law" is most uncommon: Peter Slen on the 1881 legal classic that has profoundly shaped America

EPISODE 1805: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Peter Slen, Executive Producer of the CSPAN series BOOKS THAT SHAPED AMERICA, about Oliver Wendell Holmes' classic text "Common Law", the 1881 book about the law that has most shaped America Peter Slen is the senior executive producer and a host at C-SPAN, a television and radio network known for its unbiased coverage of government proceedings. Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's best ...
What is it about scientists that makes many of them so consensual and collaborative? Lorraine Daston explains how scientists have learned to cooperate with each other
126
Oct. 20, 2023

What is it about scientists that makes many of them so consensual and collaborative? Lorraine Daston explains how scientists have learned to cooperate with each other

EPISODE 1804: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Lorraine Daston, author of RIVALS, about how scientists have learned to cooperate with each other over the last 300 years Professor Lorraine Jenifer Daston is the Executive Director of the Max Planck Institute of the History of Science and an Honorary Professor at Humboldt Universitaet. She has done countless research on the history of the natural and human sciences from 16th-19th centuries. She has published on the history of probability and s...
Why the American Dream has turned into a nightmare for many Americans: Andrea Dobynes Wagner on life in the United States as a black woman with an invisible disability
125
Oct. 19, 2023

Why the American Dream has turned into a nightmare for many Americans: Andrea Dobynes Wagner on life in the United States as a black woman with an invisible disability

EPISODE 1803: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Andrea Dobynes Wagner, a contributor to GOING FOR BROKE, on life in America as a black woman with an invisible disability Twenty-six years ago, Andrea Dobynes Wagner didn’t pass her preschool vision test. She was later diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a group of genetic eye disorders that lead to peripheral vision loss and difficulty seeing at night. Growing up legally blind, doctors warned Andrea that she’d never lead a normal life. They r...
Listening Once Again to Prozac: Peter D. Kramer offers a thirty year history of antidepressants and the remaking of the American self
124
Oct. 19, 2023

Listening Once Again to Prozac: Peter D. Kramer offers a thirty year history of antidepressants and the remaking of the American self

EPISODE 1803: In this KEEN ON show, Peter D. Kramer, author of LISTENING TO PROZAC, offers a thirty year perspective on the history of antidepressants and the remaking of the American self Peter D. Kramer is the author of eight books, including Against Depression, Should You Leave?, Ordinarily Well, the novels Spectacular Happiness and Death of the Great Man, and the international bestseller Listening to Prozac. His essays, op-eds, and book reviews have appeared in the New York Times, Washington...
The Impact of Small Things: Best-selling writer and Hollywood actress Annabelle Gurwitch on her experience of taking in a homeless couple in Los Angeles
123
Oct. 19, 2023

The Impact of Small Things: Best-selling writer and Hollywood actress Annabelle Gurwitch on her experience of taking in a homeless couple in Los Angeles

EPISODE 1802: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to best-selling writer and Hollywood actress Annabelle Gurwitch on her experience of taking in a homeless couple in Los Angeles ANNABELLE GURWITCH is a New York Times Bestselling author, actress and activist whose most recent collection of essays "You're Leaving When? Adventures in Downward Mobility" is a 2021 New York Times Favorite Book for Healthy Living, a Good Morning America Must Read and a finalist for The Thurber Prize for American Humor W...
Are handheld video games a valuable kind of art or are they a worthless technological curse? Jon Doyle celebrates the glory years of video gaming when handheld devices provided their users with a simultaneously social and intimate experienc
122
Oct. 18, 2023

Are handheld video games a valuable kind of art or are they a worthless technological curse? Jon Doyle celebrates the glory years of video gaming when handheld devices provided their users with a simultaneously social and intimate experienc

EPISODE 1801: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Jon Doyle, CEO of LOST IN CULT, about the glory years of video gaming when handheld devices provided their users with a simultaneously social and intimate experience. Jon Doyle is an award-winning creative director and designer specializing in product concept and development. Creator of the smash hit gaming journal [lock-on], Jon Doyle has coordinated projects with clients such as PlayStation, SEGA, Walt Disney, HarperCollins, Netflix, and more...
Didn't we learn anything from COVID? Joe Nocera on why American capitalism needs to be radically reformed if it is to successfully confront the next pandemic
121
Oct. 18, 2023

Didn't we learn anything from COVID? Joe Nocera on why American capitalism needs to be radically reformed if it is to successfully confront the next pandemic

EPISODE 1800: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Joe Nocera, the co-author of THE BIG FAIL, about why he believes American capitalism needs to be radically reformed if it is to successfully confront the next pandemic Joe Nocera is an op-ed columnist for The New York Times. His previous books include All the Devils Are Here (with Bethany McLean), Good Guys and Bad Guys, and A Piece of the Action. He has won three Gerald Loeb Awards for excellence in business journalism and was a finalist for a...
Burn Baby Burn: M.R. O'Connor on the life-giving force of fire to regenerate nature
120
Oct. 18, 2023

Burn Baby Burn: M.R. O'Connor on the life-giving force of fire to regenerate nature

EPISODE 1799: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to M.R. O'Connor, author of IGNITION: LIGHTING FIRES IN A BURNING WORLD, about the life-giving force of fire to regenerate nature M.R. O’Connor is a journalist who writes about the politics and ethics of science, technology, and conservation. Her work has appeared in The New Yorker, The Atavist, Slate, Foreign Policy, Nautilus, UnDark and Harper’s. Her first book, Resurrection Science: Conservation, De-Extinction and the Precarious Future of Wild ...
Ten Years that Didn't Change the World: Vincent Bevins on the global mass protests of 2010-2020 that failed to change anything
119
Oct. 17, 2023

Ten Years that Didn't Change the World: Vincent Bevins on the global mass protests of 2010-2020 that failed to change anything

EPISODE 1798: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Vincent Bevins, author of IF WE BURN, about the global mass protests between 2010 and 2020 that mostly failed to bring about radical change Vincent Bevins is an award-winning journalist and correspondent. He covered Southeast Asia for the Washington Post, reporting from across the entire region and paying special attention to the legacy of the 1965 massacre in Indonesia. He previously served as the Brazil correspondent for the Los Angeles Times...
The Canceling of the American Mind: Rikki Schlott on why she believes cancel culture is an existential threat to the free speech of both conservatives and progressives
118
Oct. 17, 2023

The Canceling of the American Mind: Rikki Schlott on why she believes cancel culture is an existential threat to the free speech of both conservatives and progressives

EPISODE 1797: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Rikki Schlott, co-author of THE CANCELING OF THE AMERICAN MIND, about how she believes cancel culture threatens the free speech of both conservatives and liberals Rikki Schlott is a New York Post columnist, News Features reporter, and author of "The Canceling of the American Mind." Schlott completed a research fellowship with the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) and co-hosts the Lost Debate podcast. She covers higher educa...
The American Ant King who transformed our understanding of animal behavior: Richard Rhodes on E.O. Wilson and his scientific life in nature
117
Oct. 17, 2023

The American Ant King who transformed our understanding of animal behavior: Richard Rhodes on E.O. Wilson and his scientific life in nature

EPISODE 1796: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Richard Rhodes, author of SCIENTIST, about E.O. Wilson and the great biologist's life in nature Richard Rhodes is the author or editor of 22 books, including The Twilight of the Bomb, the last volume in a quartet about nuclear history. The first, The Making of the Atomic Bomb, won the Pulitzer Prize, a National Book Award, and a National Book Critics Circle Award. He has received numerous fellowships for research and writing, including grants ...
Being less anxious about today's epidemic of anxiety: David Rosmarin on why anxiety is both normal and healthy and how we can thrive with it
116
Oct. 16, 2023

Being less anxious about today's epidemic of anxiety: David Rosmarin on why anxiety is both normal and healthy and how we can thrive with it

EPISODE 1795: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to David H. Rosmarin, PhD, author of THRIVING WITH ANXIETY, about why anxiety is healthy and how to thrive with it David H. Rosmarin, PhD, is an associate professor at Harvard Medical School, a program director at McLean Hospital, and founder of Center for Anxiety, which services over one thousand patients per year in multiple states. Dr. Rosmarin is an international expert on spirituality and mental health whose work has been featured in Scienti...
The Big Fail or A Big Success? Bethany McLean on what the Covid pandemic reveals about strengths and weaknesses of American healthcare, innovation and capitalism.
115
Oct. 16, 2023

The Big Fail or A Big Success? Bethany McLean on what the Covid pandemic reveals about strengths and weaknesses of American healthcare, innovation and capitalism.

EPISODE 1794: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to the co-author of THE BIG FAIL, Bethany McLean, about what the Covid pandemic reveals about American healthcare, innovation and capitalism Bethany McLean is a writer for Vanity Fair and the coauthor of The Smartest Guys in the Room. She was previously editor at large of Fortune and spent three years working at Goldman Sachs. She lives in Chicago. Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's best...
It's a Horrible Situation..... I Wish I Could Sound More Cheerful: Former British Ambassador Alexander Hall Hall on Israel, Gaza and the New Global Disorder
114
Oct. 16, 2023

It's a Horrible Situation..... I Wish I Could Sound More Cheerful: Former British Ambassador Alexander Hall Hall on Israel, Gaza and the New Global Disorder

EPISODE 1793: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Alexander Hall Hall, the co-host of the Global Disorder podcast, about Israel, Gaza, the Ukraine, Brexit and her long career as a British diplomat Ambassador Alexandra Hall Hall is a former British diplomat with over 30 years’ experience, including as the British Ambassador to Georgia from 2013 to 2016, and as Brexit Counsellor at the British Embassy in Washington, before resigning from the Foreign Service in December 2016 due to a conflict of ...