The Great Political Fictions: Midnight’s Children

Past Present Future

EpisodeJun 16, 202456m

The Great Political Fictions: Midnight’s Children

Past Present Future

EpisodeJun 16, 202456m

In the penultimate episode of the current part of our Fictions series, David explores Salman Rushdie’s 1981 masterpiece Midnight’s Children, the great novel about the life and death of Indian democracy. How can one boy stand in for the whole of India? How can a nation as diverse as India ever have a single politics? And how is a jar of pickle the answer to these questions? Plus, how does Rushdie’s story read today, in the age of Modi?Next time: Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s TaleComing next week on PPF: The Ideas Behind UK General ElectionsSign up now to PPF+ to get 2 bonus episodes every month and ad-free listening www.ppfideas.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Past Present Future is a bi-weekly History of Ideas podcast with David Runciman, host and creator of Talking Politics, exploring the history of ideas from politics to philosophy, culture to technology. David talks to historians, novelists, scientists and many others about where the most interesting ideas come from, what they mean, and why they matter.Ideas from the past, questions about the present, shaping the future.New episodes every Wednesday and Sunday.

www.ppfideas.com

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