This hour we take your calls about anything you want to talk about.

Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.

This hour we take your calls about anything you want to talk about.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.

The Colin McEnroe Show is public radio’s most eclectic, eccentric weekday program. The best way to understand us is through the subjects we tackle: Neanderthals, tambourines, handshakes, the Iliad, snacks, ringtones, punk rock, Occam’s razor, Rasputin, houseflies, zippers. Are you sensing a pattern? If so, you should probably be in treatment. On Fridays, we try to stop thinking about what kind of ringtones Neanderthals would want to have and convene a panel called The Nose for an informal roundtable about the week in culture.

<a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/the-colin-mcenroe-show/about">The Colin McEnroe Show</a> is public radio’s most eclectic, eccentric weekday program. The best way to understand us is through the subjects we tackle: Neanderthals, tambourines, handshakes, the Iliad, snacks, ringtones, punk rock, Occam’s razor, Rasputin, houseflies, zippers. Are you sensing a pattern? If so, you should probably be in treatment. On Fridays, we try to stop thinking about what kind of ringtones Neanderthals would want to have and convene a panel called <a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/tags/the-nose">The Nose</a> for an informal roundtable about the week in culture.

The Colin McEnroe Show

All calls: Reacting to Trump's presidency, football, the genius of younger generations, and more

What would it mean if we treated rivers as alive? That's the question that nature writer Robert Macfarlane wrestles with in his latest book. What would happen if we took that aliveness seriously? How would we know what a river would want? Who would speak for it? These are questions that communities around the world are dealing with as they work to figure out how to protect rivers and the ecosystems that rely on them. This hour, Macfarlane joins us to talk about his book, Is a River Alive?, and the stories we tell about the natural world.

GUEST: 


Robert Macfarlane: Writer whose books include Underland: A Deep Time Journey, The Lost Words: A Spell Book, and The Old Ways: A Journey on Foot. His new book is Is a River Alive?

Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.

The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!

Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.

Colin McEnroe, Dylan Reyes, and Eugene Amatruda contributed to this show, which originally aired on June 11, 2025.

What would it mean if we treated rivers as alive? That's the question that nature writer Robert Macfarlane wrestles with in his latest book. What would happen if we took that aliveness seriously? How would we know what a river would want? Who would speak for it? These are questions that communities around the world are dealing with as they work to figure out how to protect rivers and the ecosystems that rely on them. This hour, Macfarlane joins us to talk about his book, Is a River Alive?, and the stories we tell about the natural world.
GUEST:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>
Robert Macfarlane: Writer whose books include <a href="https://wwnorton.com/books/9780393242140">Underland: A Deep Time Journey</a>, <a href="https://www.thelostwords.org/lostwordsbook/">The Lost Words: A Spell Book</a>, and <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/305206/the-old-ways-by-robert-macfarlane/">The Old Ways: A Journey on Foot</a>. His new book is <a href="https://wwnorton.com/books/9780393242133">Is a River Alive?</a>
</li>
</ul>
Join the conversation on&nbsp;<a href="https://facebook.com/ColinMcShow">Facebook</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/colinmcshow">Twitter</a>.
The Colin McEnroe Show&nbsp;is available as a podcast on&nbsp;<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-colin-mcenroe-show/id714179884">Apple Podcasts</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/0AXtqrzWounIoJyIqz003p">Spotify</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9b6b3cee-f69b-4729-a78b-181f851d80e8/the-colin-mcenroe-show">Amazon Music</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/News--Politics-Podcasts/The-Colin-McEnroe-Show-p1208473/">TuneIn</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-colin-mcenroe-show-connecticut-public-lXR08dxQSM5/">Listen Notes</a>, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
<a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/newsletters">Subscribe to&nbsp;The Noseletter</a>, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by&nbsp;The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe, Dylan Reyes, and Eugene Amatruda contributed to this show, which originally aired on June 11, 2025.

The animating power of rivers with writer Robert Macfarlane

Biblical scholar James Tabor says that Mary – the mother of Jesus – is “the best known, least known woman in history.” This hour, we’ll get to know Mary a little better and talk about why some people are obsessed with preserving her purity at the expense of her humanity. And, we talk with (The Reverend) Amey Victoria Adkins-Jones from Emory University about Mary mythology, Black Madonnas and the myriad ways Mary is depicted in art and culture.

GUESTS:


James D. Taboris a biblical scholar, and a retired professor of religious studies at the University Of North Carolina at Charlotte. He’s the author of The Lost Mary: Rediscovering the Mother of Jesus.


(The Rev.) Amey Victoria Adkins-Jonesis Assistant Professor of Theology and Africana Studies at Emory University. She’s a constructive theologian and scholar of Black religion specializing in Mariology, Black feminist and womanist thought, and theological anthropology. She’s the author of Immaculate Misconceptions: A Black Mariology. 

MUSIC FEATURED (in order):


Mary On A Cross – Ghost


Along Comes Mary – The Association


The Wind Cries Mary – Jimi Hendrix


Mary Rock the Baby – Jarell Smalls


Like a Prayer – Madonna
Lady Madonna (Theme from Grace Under Fire) – Aretha Franklin


Mary, Did You Know? – The Braxtons

Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.

The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!

Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.

Colin McEnroe, Robyn Doyoon-Aitken and Dylan Reyes contributed to this episode.

Biblical scholar James Tabor says that Mary &ndash; the mother of Jesus &ndash; is &ldquo;the best known, least known woman in history.&rdquo; This hour, we&rsquo;ll get to know Mary a little better and talk about why some people are obsessed with preserving her purity at the expense of her humanity. And, we talk with (The Reverend) Amey Victoria Adkins-Jones from Emory University about Mary mythology, Black Madonnas and the myriad ways Mary is depicted in art and culture.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://jamestabor.com/">James D. Tabor</a> is a biblical scholar, and a retired professor of religious studies at the University Of North Carolina at Charlotte. He&rsquo;s the author of <a href="https://jamestabor.com/books/">The Lost Mary: Rediscovering the Mother of Jesus</a>.
</li>
<li>
(The Rev.)&nbsp;<a href="https://adkinsjones.com/">Amey Victoria Adkins-Jones</a> is Assistant Professor of Theology and Africana Studies<a href="https://candler.emory.edu/faculty-profiles/amey-victoria-adkins-jones/"> at Emory University</a>. She&rsquo;s a constructive theologian and scholar of Black religion specializing in Mariology, Black feminist and womanist thought, and theological anthropology. She&rsquo;s the author of <a href="https://global.oup.com/academic/product/immaculate-misconceptions-9780198950042?cc=us&amp;lang=en&amp;">Immaculate Misconceptions: A Black Mariology</a>.&nbsp;
</li>
</ul>
MUSIC FEATURED (in order):
<ul data-pm-slice="3 3 []">
<li>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=us9plufTqks">Mary On A Cross</a> &ndash; Ghost
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqDfi7HfxdM">Along Comes Mary</a> &ndash; The Association
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhqVPrGnQfY">The Wind Cries Mary</a> &ndash; Jimi Hendrix
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgy_clcavTQ">Mary Rock the Baby</a> &ndash; Jarell Smalls
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79fzeNUqQbQ">Like a Prayer</a> &ndash; Madonna
</li>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/wxGNGMkY134">Lady Madonna (Theme from Grace Under Fire)</a> &ndash; Aretha Franklin</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIgu0dVmV8U">Mary, Did You Know?</a> &ndash; The Braxtons
</li>
</ul>
Join the conversation on&nbsp;<a href="https://facebook.com/ColinMcShow">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/colinmcshow">Twitter</a>.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-colin-mcenroe-show/id714179884">Apple Podcasts</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/0AXtqrzWounIoJyIqz003p">Spotify</a>, <a href="https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9b6b3cee-f69b-4729-a78b-181f851d80e8/the-colin-mcenroe-show">Amazon Music</a>, <a href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/News--Politics-Podcasts/The-Colin-McEnroe-Show-p1208473/">TuneIn</a>, <a href="https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-colin-mcenroe-show-connecticut-public-lXR08dxQSM5/">Listen Notes</a>, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe, Robyn Doyoon-Aitken and Dylan Reyes contributed to this episode.

Shedding light on the mystery of Mary

We’ve been doing these shows where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls, calls about anything, everything. These shows are fun for us, and they seem to be fun for you, too. So we did another one.

This hour, the conversation winds around to musicians, politics, jobs, journalism, planning for the future … Anything. (Seemingly) everything.

MUSIC FEATURED (in order):
The World Is A Ghetto – George Benson
Desire – Kurt Elling, WDR Big Band
Sambadouro – Ivan Lins
Kindness Isn’t Common Sense – Katie Pruitt
In the Still of the Night – Lauren Henderson, Sullivan Fortner
Bags (Live at Electric Lady Studios) – Clairo
CUT FOR TIME Blues Be Gone – Hayes Carll
Next Spring – Lucy Yeghiazaryan

We&rsquo;ve been doing these shows where we don&rsquo;t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls, calls about anything, everything. These shows are fun for us, and they seem to be fun for you, too. So we did another one.
This hour, the conversation winds around to musicians, politics, jobs, journalism, planning for the future &hellip; Anything. (Seemingly) everything.
MUSIC FEATURED (in order):
<ul>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/mJ4USEMH_PQ">The World Is A Ghetto</a>&nbsp;&ndash; George Benson</li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8APbdvnnhU">Desire</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Kurt Elling, WDR Big Band</li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgkIccJyuHM">Sambadouro</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Ivan Lins</li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0LpRewGwGU">Kindness Isn&rsquo;t Common Sense</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Katie Pruitt</li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rl6nf9vrQ4U">In the Still of the Night</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Lauren Henderson, Sullivan Fortner</li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeA92xqw-QI">Bags (Live at Electric Lady Studios)</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Clairo</li>
<li>CUT FOR TIME&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKbjaQqXRkU">Blues Be Gone</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Hayes Carll</li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqk-QzilChQ">Next Spring</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Lucy Yeghiazaryan</li>
</ul>

All calls: Reacting to Trump's presidency, football, the genius of younger generations, and more

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