Best Italian Listening Practice Podcasts (2025)

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The best — and worst — ideas of the last six decades 53:58

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2d ago53:58

53:58

Sometimes the universe hands us a gift. Over the past year, our podcast listeners spent a total of 526,915 hours listening to our program. That's 21,954.8 days and that translates to 60 years of listening to us. So what better way to mark IDEAS' 60th year then to look back on the highlights and lowlights of the past six decades. To give you a hint …

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How IDEAS saved a listener from sending a regrettable email 54:08

3d ago54:08

54:08

"IDEAS is often a surprise" says Cathy Pike. It's why she's been a longtime listener. To our delight, IDEAS was there for her just at the right time. After listening to an episode about Friedrich Nietzsche and his philosophy about "the art of passing by," Cathy says she decided not to send an email that she realized she would have regretted. "The p…

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CBC Massey Lecturers reveal how the talks changed them 54:15

5d ago54:15

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This podcast features an all-star, and bestselling, lineup of CBC Massey Lecturers from the past decade: Payam Akhavan (2017) and the police officer who pulled over to the side of the road to keep listening; Sally Armstrong (2019) and the women’s rights groups listening to her talks in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and China; Ron Deibert (2020) and his c…

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The time when a guest said, "I love you!" 54:09

5d ago54:09

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That's not something you expect to hear in an interview. But the Harvard historian and author of All That She Carried, Tiya Miles did not hesitate to say these words to IDEAS host, Nahlah Ayed. What prompted the bold statement comes down to a question — seemingly for Miles the perfect one to ask. Their conversation resonated with many listeners, in…

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How an IDEAS episode on traffic changed a doctor's practice 54:09

6d ago54:09

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Not many people like to think about traffic but Joanna Oda says this very topic on IDEAS in 2005 permanently changed the way she views medical care as a doctor. "It helped me understand how things that make sense for you as an individual contribute to a collective problem." She adds, the episode introduced her to the idea that one car has a big imp…

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Italian listening - I borghi più belli d'Italia - 9 11:39

6d ago11:39

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====> Entra nella Free Library Trovi glossari, testi, esercizi e materiali extra per seguire ogni episodio del podcast. Torna I borghi italiani, il format dedicato ai luoghi più affascinanti e meno conosciuti del Bel Paese. In ogni episodio ti porto a scoprire storie, curiosità, tradizioni e dettagli linguistici che rendono unici i nostri borghi — …

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Bonus Episode 10 - Through the Italian Market Stalls: A Morning Among the Vendors 19:19

5d ago19:19

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Send me a text 🎙 Bonus Episode 10 - A Morning at the Market | Real Italian Listening Practice Welcome to a special bonus episode! View this episode as a video onYouTube here. https://youtu.be/OWUc_xEJqV4 If you'd like the transcript in a clean, readable format, you can find it in the Substack post for this episode, and you’ll also find the version …

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How music transports the Afghan diaspora to their homeland 54:08

7d ago54:08

54:08

For Afghans, listening to a traditional song can bring them back "home." In 2021, when the Taliban seized power again in Afghanistan, orchestras disbanded and musicians fled for their lives. They brought with them their distinctive and storied music, embedded with notes hailing from classical music from Iran and India. IDEAS takes a journey to Afgh…

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Why cities are targeted in wartime (updated) 54:07

8d ago54:07

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In 2022, IDEAS explored how the brutal strategy called "urbicide" — the intentional killing of a city — is used in war to destroy residents' sense of home and belonging. This podcast revisits the original story and includes a brief update from architect Ammar Azzouz. Since the collapse of the Assad regime last year, he has returned to Homs, Syria, …

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Why hospitals stopped being hospitable 54:08

11d ago54:08

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Hospitality — and hospitals. Two words that share a root, but whose meanings often seem at odds with each other. IDEAS traces the historical roots of hospitals, the tension between hospitality and discipline that has defined hospitals throughout their history, and what it means to create a hospitable hospital in the 21st century. *This is the third…

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How guest-host power dynamics shape migration 54:08

12d ago54:08

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In ancient Greece, hospitality (or xenia) was seen as a sacred moral imperative. Someone who defied the obligations placed on both host and guest risked the wrath of the gods, or even outright war. Today, the word xenia has largely fallen out of use, but its opposite, xenophobia, has been a driving factor in contemporary politics for years. IDEAS e…

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Can you ever truly return home again? 54:08

13d ago54:08

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At age 11, writer Andrew Lam fled Vietnam during the Fall of Saigon. Nearly 45 years later, he returned to a radically different city. He believes "you will be cursed with longing" if you continue to search for the feeling of home you had in the past. At a time when more people have been forcibly displaced from their homes than at any other time in…

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Why Ending Violence Against Women and Girls Matters 10:12

13d ago10:12

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In today’s episode of English with Love, we take a moment to slow down and reflect together. November 25 is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and this mini-lesson is dedicated to understanding this important day while practicing slow and clear English. This episode is gentle, thoughtful, and designed to help you t…

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Episode 14 - Before or After? Part A - The Art of Italian Adjectives 32:20

14d ago32:20

32:20

Send me a text Episode 14 – Before or After? The Art of Italian Adjectives (Part A) Podcast: We Learn Italian Step by Step | Impariamo l’italiano piano piano Why does Italian sometimes say una donna anziana but un lungo cappotto scuro? Why la prossima fermata but una sedia comoda? And what’s the difference between bel film and film bellissimo? In t…

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Massey Lecture Part 5 | A human rights agenda for Canada 1:02:53

17d ago1:02:53

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In more than 40 years on the front lines of international human rights Alex Neve has heard Canada described as ‘the land of human rights’ — and seen the profound ways Canada has failed to uphold universal human rights, both at home and abroad. In his final Massey Lecture, he lays out his vision for a way forward.…

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Massey Lecture Part 4 | How people power makes human rights real 1:09:08

18d ago1:09:08

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Eleanor Roosevelt once said that universal human rights begin in “small places, close to home — so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any map of the world.” In his fourth Massey Lecture, Alex Neve reflects on moments when people power won the day. *Read this article to learn about the "most powerful" moment in Alex Neve's 40-year-career…

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Massey Lecture Part 3 | Human rights don’t have to be earned 1:04:42

19d ago1:04:42

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Our inherent human rights belong to us from the moment we are born. There is nothing we need to do to earn them, and they are supposed to apply to us until the day we die. But in his third Massey Lecture, Alex Neve argues the powerful have made human rights a ‘club.’ Visit cbc.ca/masseys for more on this lecture series.…

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Massey Lecture Part 2 | The six years that remade human rights 1:03:31

20d ago1:03:31

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The ideals behind the concept of human rights — such as the sacredness of life, reciprocity, justice and fairness — have millennia-old histories. After the carnage of the Second World War and the Holocaust, these ideas took a new legal form. In his second Massey Lecture, Alex Neve considers six dizzying years that laid out a blueprint for a new wor…

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Massey Lecture Part 1 | Renewing the promise of human rights 1:04:22

21d ago1:04:22

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Universality is the core promise of human rights: these rights extend to everyone, everywhere. But above all else, this is where we have failed. In his first CBC Massey Lecture, Alex Neve explores how to ensure the “lifeboat” of human rights is seaworthy for everyone. Visit cbc.ca/masseys for more details about this lecture series.…

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👀 Bonus Episode 09 Preview – Shadows, Figures, and Hidden Voices – Chap 2 Part 2 5:41

21d ago5:41

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Send me a text 🎧 Bonus Episode 08 Preview – Shadows, Figures, and Hidden Voices – Chap 2 Part 2 In this preview, we take the first steps into Chapter 2, Part 2 of Le Pagine del Passato. Strange meetings in the city, elegant streets, and hidden voices set the atmosphere. You’ll hear: 🏙️ Category 1: City & Places with words like avvocato, pareti, raf…

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🍂 November – A Journey Between Two Worlds 10:16

22d ago10:16

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A journey between two worlds, two seasons, and two lives. 🎧 In this episode of English with Love, discover the magic of the month of November through a story that connects Australia and Italy — the warmth of the Australian summer and the autumn colours of northern Italy. A sweet and reflective tale to train your English listening skills, improve yo…

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The people who inspire Alex Neve to fight for human rights 54:08

24d ago54:08

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When he was eight, 2025 CBC Massey Lecturer Alex Neve watched his mother fight for daycare in Alberta. It’s shaped how he thinks about human rights. Ahead of his Massey Lectures next week, Neve shares the pivotal moments in his life that led to his human rights advocacy — and shines a light on the chorus of people he carries with him.…

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Buttons give the illusion of power but hide the consequences 54:08

24d ago54:08

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Whether mechanical or digital, a button delivers the promise of power — but it's far from simple. The small and mighty technology has a riveting history, a story of control, power, freedom and oppression. From the podcast Media Objects, this episode traces the evolution of the button, and asks what happens when every command is reduced to a single …

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How overlooked veterans make history in their own words 54:09

25d ago54:09

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There’s history, and then there’s oral history. And when it comes to the impacts of war on those who fight them — oral history opens doors to the past that would otherwise stay firmly shut. Michael Petrou, an historian with the Canadian War Museum, argues oral history is especially valuable because it allows us to hear from people "whose voices are…

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4 chiacchiere e 1 caffè - Gli italiani e il caffè 12:37

25d ago12:37

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====> Scarica il glossario Benvenuto in 4 chiacchiere e 1 caffè, la nuova serie podcast di Arkos Academy, pensata per studenti di livello intermedio e avanzato (B2–C1) che vogliono ascoltare l’italiano autentico — quello che si parla davvero. Ogni episodio è una chiacchierata naturale e spontanea, ricca di modi di dire, curiosità e riferimenti cult…

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Why Canadian veterans are conflicted about Remembrance Day 54:08

26d ago54:08

54:08

Remembrance Day. Every year we are called on to remember, to reflect on the sacrifices of those who fought in Canada’s wars. Veterans of those wars have a conflicted relationship with Remembrance Day: sometimes their own acts of remembrance include official ceremonies, while others avoid them altogether. *This the second and last of a two-part seri…

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Not a war story. This is about what comes after for veterans 54:08

27d ago54:08

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Even when wars end, they go on — transforming the people who fought them, their families, and even society. A former war correspondent interviewed more than 200 veterans of all of Canada’s wars for an online oral history project by The Canadian War Museum. The focus is not so much on preserving memories of their combat experiences, but to reflect o…

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Episode 13 - Adverbs of Place - Finding Your Way in Italian 35:47

28d ago35:47

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Send me a text 🎧 Episode 13 - dverbs of Place - Finding Your Way in Italian Today we dive into gli avverbi di luogo — adverbs of place. These small but powerful words like qui, lì, lassù, laggiù, dentro, fuori, and dappertutto help paint a scene and make your Italian sound natural and confident. We return to our story outside the train station. The…

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What it takes to become a ruthless tyrant 54:08

30d ago54:08

54:08

Look back about 3,000 years and you will find the playbook on authoritarianism remains pretty much the same as it is today. Back in the 5th century BCE, when Herodotus travelled the ancient world gathering stories, he became an expert in would-be tyrants. His tome, The History, shared vivid descriptions of autocratic and tyrannical rulers. Herodotu…

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First historian Herodotus knew the power of story 54:09

1M ago54:09

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For someone who died more than 2,400 years ago, Herodotus's voice is still very much alive. "He knows the way [a good story] can elevate but also corrupt and destroy our thinking," says professor Lindsay Mahon Rathnam in this IDEAS episode. The ancient Greek writer observed different cultures first-hand, while capturing the stories they share in an…

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Hope lies in knowing that "we've changed the world before” 54:39

1M ago54:39

54:39

Political analyst Rachel Maddow and author/activist Rebecca Solnit are sharp observers of Trump 2.0. They both share a common ground: opposition to anti-democratic actions taken by the second administration of U.S. President Trump, and where those actions are taking America, if not the world. The two American writers spoke with Nahlah Ayed about th…

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How mind-bending theories could solve mysteries in physics 54:39

1M ago54:39

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Physics has been full of astonishing discoveries over the past century. But they open up even bigger mysteries that scientists are working feverishly to explain. What is dark energy? And why is the expansion of the universe accelerating? In public talks at the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Waterloo, Ontario, two prominent physicist…

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To fix America's caste system, acknowledge it exists: author 54:08

1M ago54:08

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The true story of America is that it was built on a caste system comparable to India’s, says Pulitzer-prize-winning American journalist Isabel Wilkerson. The author argues that it's key to recognize the roots of the U.S. caste "structure" as she calls it, to understand why conflicts relating to race and class persist. Wilkerson delivered the 2025 B…

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Bonus Episode 08 Preview - Dove si trova il pacco? – A Neighborly Mystery of Italian Commands 4:42

1M ago4:42

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Send me a text 🎧 Bonus Episode 8 Preview - Dove si trova il pacco? – A Neighborly Mystery of Italian Commands Elena’s package has disappeared, and the clock is ticking before her nonna’s birthday! Follow the mystery from the very beginning in this preview of our newest Power Up story. In the full version, you’ll practice all types of Italian comman…

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A Tribute to Twilight: 🌙💛 The Enchanting Italian City of Volterra — Home of the Volturi 🏛️✨ 14:11

1M ago14:11

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🖤 Happy 20th Anniversary to the Twilight Series! 🖤 It’s been two decades since Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight first captured our hearts — and today, we celebrate by visiting one of its most mysterious and unforgettable places: Volterra, Italy. 🇮🇹✨ In this episode, we travel to the real city behind the New Moon story — the ancient Tuscan town that becam…

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Mexican fiction turns drug kingpins into vicious vampires 54:08

1M ago54:08

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There’s a burgeoning genre of fiction coming from Mexico — stories that merge socio-political history and the impact of drug-related violence with fantastical stories of eerie ghosts, zombies, and monstrous cannibals. IDEAS explores dozens of gothic, horror and crime fiction novels. *This episode is part of our ongoing series, IDEAS from the Trench…

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Can democracies survive the attacks on the rule of law? 54:08

1M ago54:08

54:08

Even in some of the world’s sturdiest democracies, leaders are deliberately undermining courts to weaken checks on their power. In many cases, the justice system is being sidelined. How much damage has already been done? And how worried should we be about the future of democracies around the world? We'd love to hear from you. Fill in our listener s…

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This lawyer turns real legal cases into page-turners 54:08

1M ago54:08

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War criminals, Nazi fugitives, and a viable threat to American democracy — sounds like a classic page-turner but author and lawyer Philippe Sands isn't making this up. His book, 38 Londres Street is a retelling of legal history that probes the connections between former Nazi leaders and Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet. The payoff isn’t just an in…

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Podcast - Michelangelo - parte 4 11:51

1M ago11:51

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I'm back! 🎉 And as a gift for your patience 💙 free content for you https://arkos-academy.systeme.io/free-library ====> Read the text while you're listening! https://arkosacademy.com/4michelangelo-pod/ Let's summarize some of Michelangelo's most famous works in today's podcast. Then write in the comments: how many of these works did you already know…

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How Indigenous Americans discovered Europe 54:09

1M ago54:09

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Indigenous Americans on European soil can be found throughout historical records, but historian Caroline Dodds Pennock says they have largely been ignored. In her book, On Savage Shores, she traces the history of Indigenous lives in Europe during the 1500s. The author told IDEAS host Nahlah Ayed about her research collecting evidence of the widespr…

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33 years of the campus free speech controversy 54:07

1M ago54:07

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In the early 1990s, “woke” was "politically correct," "DEI" was known as "affirmative action,” and the term “cancel culture” had yet to be coined. The language was different, but the controversies of today were just beginning. In a 1992 episode of IDEAS, journalist Linda Frum took on the issue of free speech on campus. With notable guests like Dine…

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The "Evil" Redhead Boy Named Rosso Malpelo 🇮🇹 | Learn English Through an Italian Story 13:49

1M ago13:49

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In this episode of English with Love, I’ll tell you the story of a young 14-year-old boy who was judged for being different. It’s a touching story about strength, courage, and resilience. 💪✨ The story was written by the Italian author Giovanni Verga in 1878, but I’ve adapted it into simple, modern English for our micro-lesson today — to help you en…

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Episode 12 - Trust Yourself… or Don’t! – Italian Negative Reflexive Commands in Action 19:19

1M ago19:19

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Send me a text 🎧 Episode 12 - Trust Yourself… or Don’t! – Italian Negative Reflexive Commands in Action In this episode of Impariamo l’italiano piano piano – Un impegno quotidiano, we return to Le Pagine del Passato, where Mariella meets a mysterious woman who tells her, “Fidati del tuo istinto.” But what if she wanted to say the opposite - “Non ti…

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Can you have compassion for someone you never agree with? 54:08

1M ago54:08

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Ask yourself: can you? It is a question that George Eliot asks over and over through her characters in Middlemarch, a 19th-century novel that speaks to our own fractious age. Eliot highlights how important it is to see the world from the point of view of others — even characters we don’t like. *This is second episode in our two-part series. It orig…

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George Eliot's invaluable life lessons on confronting reality 54:08

1M ago54:08

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Virginia Woolf called George Eliot's novel, Middlemarch “one of the few English books written for grownups.” It’s a book full of characters asking: is it a good thing to live a life of duty, or is it ridiculous? Even after over 150 years since the book was published, it provides up-to-date lessons in how to live a modern life. *This is part one or …

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Dress Like an Onion! Italian Expressions and Homemade Remedies for the Cold & Flu 10:41

2M ago10:41

10:41

Feeling under the weather? 🍋 In this cozy episode of English with Love, I talk about Italy’s unpredictable weather, the fun Italian expression “vestirsi a cipolla” — which means to dress like an onion — and the traditional homemade remedies that Italian mammas and nonnas swear by when you’ve caught a cold or the flu. In this micro-lesson, you’ll le…

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The real reasons why more young women freeze their eggs 54:08

2M ago54:08

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Egg freezing is one of today’s fastest-growing reproductive technologies. It's seen as a kind of 'fertility insurance' for the future, but that doesn’t address today’s deeper feelings of uncertainty around parenthood, heterosexual relationships, and the reproductive path forward. In this documentary, freelance producer Alison Motluk explores the hi…

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New details on Canada's first documented 'demon possession' 54:08

2M ago54:08

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A demonic possession, a do-it-yourself exorcism, and the execution of an accused witch — welcome to daily life in Quebec City, circa 1660. IDEAS digs into the story of Canada’s earliest reported ‘demon possession caused by witchcraft’ case. *This episode originally aired on June 9, 2023. We appreciate your input. Fill out our listener survey here.…

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Can abolishing all political parties topple fascism? 54:08

2M ago54:08

54:08

In the aftermath of the First World War, French philosopher Simone Weil had a solution to address the fascism that surged across Europe: abolish political parties. She argued political parties were not democratic, they were dangerous. With the help of former politician Michael Ignatieff and other guests, IDEAS producer Nicola Luksic explores the ra…

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Episode 11 - The Rebel Verbs: Mastering Italian's Irregular Commands 32:53

2M ago32:53

32:53

Send me a text 🎧 Episode 11 - The Rebel Verbs: Mastering Italian's Irregular Commands In this episode of Impariamo l’italiano piano piano, Myra and Antonio return to the story “Le Pagine del Passato” to uncover a new set of Italian imperatives—this time, the irregular ones! After revisiting the mysterious encounter under the lamplight, they dive in…