If This Be Magic

On this episode, scholar and writer Dr. Grace Hamman helps us understand the medieval concepts of Virtue and Vice. Through elaborate metaphor and compelling (and sometimes disturbing) art the medieval mind was constantly grappling with one's own virtues (and combatting one's own vices). Though these terms can seem abstract, Grace helps us see the eternal relevance to our own lives, today, in 2025,...

AI is shaping every aspect of our lives - how we work, how we think, how we relate to one another. And if you're a writer and creative you are going to have to grapple with the fact that AI is now doing many of your jobs. Is there even any work to be had as a creative in 2025? Is it ethical to use AI? What has changed in the past couple decades when it comes to writing for an audience versus writi...

When Heather's son Milo was a little behind on milestones, she tried not to worry. Boys often take longer, she would reassure herself. But eventually the markers became impossible to ignore. Heather takes us behind the scenes into her son's autism diagnosis and what it's like today, parenting a non-verbal teenager. Heather is vulnerable, raw, and honest about her life's challenges as well as its j...

Why are we so ready to believe the tragedy? Why do sad things seem truer, more real? Is believing in miracles, or believing in God, just a delusion to get us through the day? How can good stories keep us rooted in truth and goodness, even when faced with real tragedy? These and so many other questions will guide our conversation today. Haley Stewart - children's book editor, writer, mother, travel...

"We don't need Shakespeare, Shakespeare needs us!" Shakespeare is demanding: There are so many versions, so many interpretations, so many questions. He is always in flux, and this has sometimes made us uncomfortable. Shakespeare scholar Beth Charlebois takes into the history of the Bard - who he was, his motivations, the tumultuous reality of Early Modern England, as well as his (possibly) secret...

Welcome to If This Be Magic! This podcast is going to explore interpretation, art, theology, and all the big questions we ask about what it means to be a human being. This episode introduces listeners to the pivotal scene from Shakespeare's "A Winter's Tale" that inspired this whole project. Can't wait to share the rest of this series with you! Spread the word!  Find Katie on Substack:  https://bo...