Norman Stone
Wednesday 11 July 2007 21:45-22:30 (Radio 3)
Rana Mitter interviews historian Norman Stone about his new book on the First World War.
Plus Rana compares two great traditions of cinematic biopics, the French and the American. Which country makes best use of its national heroes at the movies?
Anne Marie Duff in St Joan. Photo by Kevin Cummins
Anne Marie Duff 
Playlist
Norman Stone
Rana Mitter speaks to the acclaimed historian Norman Stone, whose new book condenses the enormous complexity of the First World War into a hundred and fifty-seven pages. The book is a distillation of more than three decades of writing and research by Stone into European history, and he talks to Rana about the new insights his book reveals.
World War One: A Short History by Norman Stone is published by Allen Lane
St Joan
It was the play that many felt assured George Bernard Shaw his place as a Nobel laureate, but more than eighty years on, can Saint Joan still captivate audiences? A new National Theatre production aims to bring contemporary resonance to Shaw's portrayal of the tragic heroine, starring Shameless actress Anne-Marie Duff. The critic Susannah Clapp joins Rana to give the Night Waves verdict.
Saint Joan runs at the National Theatre in London until 4th September
Letter from Bagdad
Another instalment in this week's Night Waves series of letters from around the world, reflecting varied experiences of the setting sun. This letter comes from Bagdad.
American vs French Bio-Pics
How differently do the Americans and the French represent their icons on film? As a new Moliere biopic hits the big screen, critics Michael Goldfarb and Muriel Zagha take to the ring and slug it out over whose biopics reign supreme.
Moliere is released at selected cinemas nationwide from Friday 13th July
Partition
Ahead of the sixtieth anniversary of India's Partition, Rana is joined by two historians to cast an eye over how the study of Partition has undergone a radical transformation in the last few years.
The Great Partition by Yasmin Khan is published by Yale University Press and The Spoils of Partition by Joya Chatterji will be published by Cambridge University Press in September.
