Episodes
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Ep. 5: Two Ways Of Thinking About The Past
In which an examination of M.R. James’ approach to writing ghost stories leads to a distinction between two ways of thinking about the past, the first being a parallel to Edward Said’s Orientalism – a way of treating the past as an exotic and mysterious ‘Other’ – the second, viewing the past as...
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Ep. 4: Fictional Magic And Real Magic
In which the enchanting music of The Pied Piper, the natural magic of The Secret Garden, and other fictional portrayals of magic are examined and some are shown to convey aspects of the preternatural magic we can find in the world.
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Ep. 3: Magic, Mystery And A Sense Of Wonder
In which the idea that the sense of wonder we are born with automatically diminishes as we mature is brought into question. The factors that erode our sense of wonder are examined and the possibility of reaching adulthood with a sense of wonder intact is argued for.
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Ep. 2: The Magic Of Place
In which a return to Mid Wales triggers a kind of charged and magical experience that feels like a portal onto a more intense world. What's going on here?
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Ep. 1: Magic And The Preternatural
In which the concept of the preternatural is introduced and the importance of a preternatural realm lying between the natural and the supernatural is argued for.