The Great Political Fictions: The Human Facto...

Today’s great political fiction is a path-breaking work of science fiction: David explores Ursula Le Guin’s The Dispossessed (1974), which imagines a world without the need for government or coercive authority. What makes this the most realistic of all utopias? How was Le Guin’s ...  Show more

In the second of two episodes about Doris Lessing’s The Golden Notebook, David talks to critic and memoirist Catherine Taylor about the novel’s place in the history of feminism. Is its idea of ‘free women’ meant to be ironic? Why are the things that shocked its original readers n ...  Show more

How did the world’s greatest cities become just that – great? Was it location, determination or simple serendipity? This is the question behind History’s Greatest Cities, from HistoryExtra. Join travel writer and history buff Paul Bloomfield for the latest series, as he ventures ...  Show more

Can you imagine being SO smooth-talking and seductive your surname becomes an actual noun in the dictionary to describe someone who has a reputation for being an expert at in the sack?

Well today we’re going to be talking about a man who was just that…Giacamo Casanov ...

Cannae was a crushing victory for Hannibal, but it didn't win the war for him. Why? The answer lies in the nature of the Roman political system, which prioritized resilience, manpower, and the diffusion of authority.

Patrick's book is now available! Get The Verge: Reform ...

From the French Revolution to the social media age, Fara Dabhoiwala charts the surprising history of the idea that people should be able to say what they like From America's founding fathers via John Stuart Mill to today's social media giants, humanity has long wrestled with the ...  Show more