A Brief History of Cunning
American writer and satirist Joe Queenan traces the history of cunning, from Odysseus to Karl Rove, via Machiavelli, Richard Nixon and Margaret Thatcher.
American writer and satirist Joe Queenan traces the history of cunning, from Odysseus to Karl Rove, via Machiavelli, Richard Nixon and Margaret Thatcher. He talks to experts, observers and practitioners of the dark arts, from Professor of Classics Edith Hall to Tim Parks, translator of Machiavelli's The Prince.
In Italy he meets a commentator who describes cunning as a pathology of intelligence, while former Conservative party treasurer Lord McAlpine sees it more as a 'little nudge here, a little nudge there'.
Other contributors include writer Kathy Lette, Italian journalist Beppe Severgnini, law professor Don Herzog, and actor Ian Richardson, prime minister in the 成人论坛's House of Cards.
Last on
More episodes
Broadcasts
- Sun 10 Aug 2008 21:30成人论坛 Radio 3
- Sun 14 Jun 2009 21:30成人论坛 Radio 3
What was really wrong with Beethoven?
Georgia Mann and neurosurgeon Henry Marsh explore the puzzle of Beethoven鈥檚 poor health.
Classical music in a strongman's Russia 鈥� has anything changed since Stalin's day?
What composer Gabriel Prokofiev and I found in Putin's Moscow...
Six Secret Smuggled Books
Six classic works of literature we wouldn't have read if they hadn't been smuggled...
Grid
Seven images inspired by the grid
World Music collector, Sir David Attenborough
The field recordings Attenborough of music performances around the world.