In this week's podcast we look at the enduring human obsession with manipulating life – both its beginning and its end.
Our conversation straddles philosophy and science, stretching back into ancient history and forward to the most advanced reproductive technologies of the modern era, taking in centuries of mad-cap attempts to take control back from nature. John Gray's new book, The Immortalization Commission, takes its title from Soviet attempts to preserve Lenin's body. Philip Ball's Unnatural: the Heretical Idea of Making People traces the desire to make people back to medieval alchemists. Alok Jha's How to Live Forever sets out to give simple answers to some of the most complicated questions raised.
We also talk to novelist Paul Bailey about coming to terms with old age in fiction. Plus, in our very first adventure into audioboo – which enables listeners to make their own voices heard in the podcast – we discuss whether criticism has had its day. Our thanks to the intrepid pioneers who made this possible: PrashanaT, benatkinson1991 and yetanotherdrew. Thanks also to our blogger Sam Jordison and to everyone who joined in the discussion online.
Reading list
The Immortalization Commission: Science and the Strange Quest to Cheat Death by John Gray (Allen Lane)
Unnatural: The Heretical Idea of Making People by Philip Ball (Bodley Head)
How to Live Forever: And 34 Other Really Interesting Uses of Science by Alok Jha (Quercus)
Chapman's Odyssey by Paul Bailey (Bloomsbury)
Next week's audioboo challenge is What are the books that make you feel better and why? We'd love to hear from you
