The Essay Episodes Available now
Granite—Cornerstones
3/4 Sculptor Peter Randall-Page describes the obduracy of Dartmoor's granite boulders.
Sandstone—Cornerstones
2/4 Walker and geologist Ronald Turnbull reflects on sandstone's place in our landscapes.
Limestone—Cornerstones
1/4 Sue Clifford, co-founder of Common Ground, reflects on England's limestone landscapes.
Lubna of Cordoba—The Islamic Golden Age
20/20 Kamila Shamsie discusses Lubna of Cordoba, a female intellectual from the 10th century.
Episode 19—The Islamic Golden Age
19/20 Narguess Farzad celebrates the much loved 13th-century Persian poet Al-Rumi.
Salah al-Din—The Islamic Golden Age
18/20 Historian Jonathan Phillips reassesses the influence of 12th-century hero Saladin.
Cities of Learning—The Islamic Golden Age
17/20 Dr Amira Bennison considers the intellectual powerhouses of Baghdad and Cairo.
Ibn Rushd—The Islamic Golden Age
16/20 Professor Charles Burnett considers the philosopher Ibn Rushd.
Al-Ghazali—The Islamic Golden Age
15/20 Professor Mona Siddiqui discusses religious thinker and mystic Al-Ghazali.
Al Hakim—The Islamic Golden Age
14/20 Dr Simonetta Calderini discusses Al Hakim, the controversial Egyptian imam-caliph.
