New Books Network

About Gregory Soden

NBN Episodes hosted by Gregory:

Science May 7, 2019

Unleashing Your Dog

A Field Guide to Giving Your Canine Companion the Best Life Possible

Jessica Pierce

Hosted by Gregory Soden
No matter how cushy their lives, dogs live on our terms. They compromise their freedom and instinctual pleasure, as well as their innate strategies for coping with stress and anxiety …
American Studies May 1, 2019

The Collected Letters of Alan Watts

Joan Watts and Anne Watts, eds.

Hosted by Gregory Soden
Alan Watts (1915-1973) was one of the first to interpret Eastern wisdom for a Western audience. Joan Watts, Alan's eldest daughter, is the co-editor (along with her sister, Anne) of …
American Studies April 25, 2019

The Collected Letters of Alan Watts

Joan Watts and Anne Watts, eds.

Hosted by Gregory Soden
Anne Watts is one of the co-editors of the new book, The Collected letters of Alan Watts, released in January 2018 from New World Library. Anne Watts is a facilitator …
Jewish Studies April 17, 2019

Cotton Capitalists

American Jewish Entrepreneurship in the Reconstruction Era

Michael R. Cohen

Hosted by Gregory Soden
Michael R. Cohen is Associate Professor of Jewish Studies at Tulane University, where he holds a Sizeler Professorship. He is the author of the newly published Cotton Capitalists: American Jewish …
Music April 10, 2019

The Devil’s Music

How Christians Inspired, Condemned, and Embraced Rock n’ Roll

Randall Stephens

Hosted by Gregory Soden
I was immediately drawn to the book The Devil’s Music by Dr. Randall Stephens, Associate Professor of British and American Studies at the University of Oslo. Dr. Stephens and I …
Literature April 5, 2019

The Day The Buddha Woke Up

Andrea Miller

Hosted by Gregory Soden
Andrea Miller is the deputy editor of Lion's Roar magazine (formerly the Shambhala Sun) and the author of two picture books: The Day the Buddha Woke Up and My First …
American Studies March 27, 2019

Faith Ed

Teaching About Religion in an Age of Intolerance

Linda K. Wertheimer

Hosted by Gregory Soden
Faith Ed: Teaching About Religion in an Age of Intolerance (Beacon Press, 2017) by Linda K. Wertheimer profiles the beauty and difficulty of teaching about religion in public schools. Teaching …
Literature March 20, 2019

Maps Are Lines We Draw

A Road Trip Through Haiti

Allison Coffelt

Hosted by Gregory Soden
Allison Coffelt lives and writes in Columbia, Missouri. She works as the director of education and outreach for the annual documentary-based True/False Film Festival, as well as hosting the fantastic …
European Studies March 20, 2019

The Magdalene in the Reformation

Margaret Arnold

Hosted by Gregory Soden
Mary Magdalene’s story of conversion from sinner to saint is one of Christianity’s most compelling and controversial stories. The identity of this woman, but more likely women, has been disputed …
Chinese Studies March 13, 2019

The Souls of China

The Return of Religion After Mao

Ian Johnson

Hosted by Gregory Soden
Ian Johnson’s new book, The Souls of China: The Return of Religion After Mao (Pantheon, 2017), was called "a masterpiece of observation and empathy" by The New York Review of …
Buddhist Studies March 6, 2019

The Rinzai Zen Way

A Guide to Practice

Meido Moore

Hosted by Gregory Soden
Meido Moore Roshi is the abbot of Korinji monastery in Wisconsin. He studied under three Rinzai Zen masters: Tenzan Toyoda Rokoji (under whom he also endured training in traditional martial …
American Studies February 28, 2019

Christian

The Politics of a Word in America

Matthew Bowman

Hosted by Gregory Soden
The intersection of religion and politics in the United States is one of the nation's most enduring conversations. Christian: The Politics of a Word in America (Harvard University Press, 2018) …