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Seen & Unseen Aloud
1 min read

Seen & Unseen Aloud: people, politics and purpose

A summer box set special. Emerson Csorba's three articles on purpose and character.

Natalie Garrett

Natalie produces and narrates The Seen & Unseen Aloud podcast. She's an Anglican minister and a trained actor.

Two men in seats adress a pyjamap-clad Ronald Regan.
James Baker, left, briefs a recovering Ronald Reagan, right, in hospital .
White House via Wikimedia Commons.

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Over the last few month Emerson Csorba's written for us on character and purpose  He takes us through US politics with a focus on James Baker a reluctant recruit to the Reagan team; he asks what's the point of purpose and how do we find it? and he contemplates the power of supposedly random encounters with people - looking at the career of Fiona Hill from mining village to Durham University, via the White House.

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3 min read

Most popular 2024: Belle Tindall

From wildness to digital hurting, Belle's top takes of the year.

Nick Jones

Nick is the senior editor of Seen & Unseen.

On a TV chat show, guests look to one of their own talking to the audience.
Mirnada regales a chat show.

We’re wrapping up the year reviewing what articles were most popular with Seen & Unseen readers. Our second analysis is of Belle Tindall’s takes on the year’s events. What did our staff writer, well,  write about?

Musical highlights old and new featured prominently.  As Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah hit the Big Four-Oh, Belle captured its appeal to so many artists and listeners. The new musical highlight was the release of Nick Cave’s Wild God album. What of wildness? Several of Belle’s articles tacked this key theme of 2024.  She also returned to the hold live music has on a crowd. As well as reporting on Cave’s tour, her analysis of the appeal of Jack White’s stripped-back tour is excellent.

Did I forget to mention Taylor Swift? Sorry, Belle.

But life is not one big sing-a-long. It hurts. From the digital slight of ghosting to the true horrors of Nigeria’s violence, trauma was a recurring theme too.

Finally, Belle conduct some literary detective work after reading Miranda Hart’s new biography.

In reverse order

10 – The holy or the broken: Hallelujah at 40

What’s the magic sauce Leonard Cohen mixed into his masterpiece?

Explore more articles on themes in this article: Music, Sin, Suffering.

The holy or the broken: Hallelujah at 40

9 - Nigeria’s terror survivors share their stories

This violence is not gruesome fiction, it’s reality.

Explore more articles on themes in this article: Freedom of Belief, Trauma.

Nigeria’s terror survivors share their stories

8 – Did Nick Cave’s tour just take thousands to church?

He’s picking holes in the idea that religion is where freedom goes to die.

Explore more articles on themes in this article: Belief, Music, Wildness.

Did Nick Cave’s tour just take thousands to church?

7 - The Wild God we can't coerce

Weird and increasingly encountered beyond the wilderness.

Explore more articles on themes in this article: Belief, Music, Wildness.

The Wild God we can't coerce

6- Ghosting is not immature, it’s plain cruel

The dehumanising behaviour hiding in plain sight.

Explore more articles on themes in this article: Attention, Digital, Psychology.

Ghosting is not immature, it’s plain cruel

5 - The utter miracle of disliking an election result

Voting is a profound act of love.

Explore more articles on themes in this article: America, Politics.

The utter miracle of disliking an election result

4 - Taylor Swift proves Mr Bennet right

Romanticism: ruining lives since 1800. And we love it.

Explore more articles on themes in this article: Music, Resurrection, Romance, Taylor Swift.

Taylor Swift proves Mr Bennet right

3 - Nick Cave’s Wild God challenges a too comfortable culture

Eavesdrop on profound discomfort and raw wonder.

Explore more articles on themes in this article: Belief, Joy, Weirdness.

Nick Cave’s Wild God challenges a too comfortable culture

2- Jack White’s breaking the biggest rule in rock 'n' roll

What if the greatest cultural moments were the ones barely anyone saw?

Explore more articles on themes in this article: Music.

Jack White’s breaking the biggest rule in rock 'n' roll

1 - Miranda Hart's diagnosis of the unseen

Beyond a medical illness she's on to something supernatural.

Explore more articles on themes in this article: Books, Comedy, Trauma.

Miranda Hart's diagnosis of the unseen

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