125: Nicholas Nugent and Humphrey Hawksley - The Goldster Magazine Show Podcast
We may think of ‘globalism’ as a recent development, but its origins date back centuries, when courageous seafarers pioneered routes across the oceans with the objectives of exploration, trade and profits. Improvements in ship design, compasses and mapping, enabled navigation across unprecedented distances. The embarkation points were the vibrant ports of the West – Venice, Amsterdam, Lisbon – and their destinations the exotic ports of the East – Malacca, Goa, Bombay – where they tracked down the elusive spices.
This development of maritime communication brought benefits apart from culinary delights: the spread of ideas on art, literature and science. But it was not beneficial for everyone concerned: colonial ambitions could be disastrous for local populations who were often exploited as labour.
Author and journalist, Nick Nugent gives a fascinating insight into this period of the maritime spice trade with stories of how famous ports were developed, what damage was caused and what benefits came out of it that feed into our current system of global supply chains that cross continents to bring us our food, clothes and more.
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124: George Mehok with Humphrey Hawksley - The Goldster Magazine Show Podcast
George Mehok is an exciting mix between thriller author, software designer and angel investor for new companies working on the edge of our technological revolution. His debut novel, Going Dark, skillfully keeps us on the edge of our seats. He weaves today’s most challenging issues with threads back to 1791 and a secret military unit tasked with delivering a secret message to Thomas Jefferson that altered the trajectory of the War of Independence against Britain.
In Going Dark, that same secret unit, generations later, is tasked with an equally pivotal mission. George feeds into his story-telling real-life experiences working with banks, phone companies, the aerospace industry and more, injecting them with innovations that win George and his team awards. The constant theme is how technology whether in the 2020s or 1790s has been pivotal in shaping out history, such that George will also be talking about powerful figures like Elon Musk and Donald Trump. How did they get to be where they are today.
To find out more about what makes the world tick in the way it does, if you have business idea seeking investment, or simply want to meet the author who could become the next great thriller writer of his generation, join George with Humphrey Hawksley on the Goldster Magazine Show Podcast.
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123: TJ Halbertsma and Rosie Stancer - The Goldster Magazine Show Podcast
TJ Halbertsma is the living equivalent of Superman – one moment Clark Kent; in a suit and tie, commuting to work in an office, in his own words, “just an ordinary guy”. Next, spinning through an imaginary revolving door and you find the same person achieving extraordinary feats. From climbing some of the most notoriously dangerous mountains such as the Eiger and Denali, to crossing the English Channel on a stand-up paddleboard, walking to both Poles and ‘escaping’ from Alcatrez.
Success hasn’t always come easily and the author extols the virtues of grit, resilience and commitment. In his book,‘Many Worlds to Conquer’, this remarkable dutchman recounts some of these true life adventures and, in his humility as ‘an ordinary guy doing extraordinary things’, makes his stories all the more inspiring, thrilling – and, relatable.
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122: Michael Hutchinson with Humphrey Hawksley - The Goldster Magazine Show Podcast
The term ‘rat-race’ was coined long before we had smartphones and social media. It has even more meaning today when we’re at risk of becoming rats in a worldwide laboratory, monitored and manipulated by technology giants and artificial intelligence. Therefore, it is even more important to take control of our own minds father than let other do it for you. Michael Hutchinson shows the way through yoga, with a combination of bodywork, breathwork and attention, a concept often referred to as mindfulness.
Michael trained under a late renowned teacher, TKV Desikachar in the 1980s when yoga was just beginning to be recognised in the West. He abandoned a successful career in physics to concentrate on teaching and building awareness of the benefits of yoga. His book, Breath for Health, is based on over thirty years of training and practice. Michael has taught breathing several times at the annual World Yoga Festival and is well-respected for his sensitive approach to the needs of people who are hesitant about working with their breath. He is also Chair of British Council for Yoga Therapy.
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121: Craig Brown and Humphrey Hawksley - The Goldster Magazine Show Podcast
Craig Brown’ latest book A Voyage Around the Queen not only became an immediate best-seller, but also gathered praise for being a unique, deep and thought-provoking portrayal of the late Queen Elizabeth and the monarchy. Craig is best known as a humourist for Private Eye and the Mail whose tools of the trade are usually sharp lines and throwaway wisecracks. Craig has written eighteen books including Ma’am Darling: 99 Glimpses of Princess Margaret and One Two Three Four: The Beatles in Time where he wraps his satirist’s eyes around the iconic treasures of our age.
In A Voyage Around the Queen, we learn how Dirk Bogarde watched Death in Venice with her; Andy Warhol envied her fame; Donald Trump offended her, and E.M. Forster confessed he would have married her, if only she had been a boy. “Though by nature reserved and unassuming, her presence could fill presidents and rock gods with terror.
For close to a century, she inhabited the psyche of a nation,” Craig writes. On Princess Margaret, he says, “Andy Warhol photographed her. Jack Nicholson offered her cocaine. Gore Vidal revered her. John Fowles hoped to keep her as his sex-slave. Dudley Moore propositioned her. Francis Bacon heckled her. Peter Sellers was in love with her.”
On the Goldster Conversations Podcast you hear captivating interviews with best-selling authors, intrepid explorers, former spies and international sports people. We have different shows – Inside Story, Purpose, Passion and Grit, and Author to Author.
Biographer and descendant of Charles Dickens, Lucinda Hawksley; Journalist, thriller writer and Lucinda’s distant cousin, Humphrey Hawksley; Polar explorer Rosie Stancer; and international cricketer and rugby player, Alistair Hignell. We would love to meet you.
Goldster is a compelling new vision that throughout the day brings together physical exercise, mental stimulation and emotional awareness. Our aim is to help everyone stay as healthy, active and involved as can be with sessions range from Tai Chi to Creative Writing, from Singing to Art and much more. Central to all that Goldster does is the legendary Goldster Book Club that is winning plaudits and attention from all around the world.
By joining Goldster you can be part of the live conversation asking our guests directly any question you want -- about their failures, successes and what drives them. So far we have talked to best-selling authors, Ian Rankin, Ely Griffiths and Adele Parks; acclaimed historians, adventurers and travel writers Roger Morehouse, Justin Marozzi and Odd Harald Hague; eagle-eyed commentators, Parag Khanna, Tim Marshall and Geoff Payne; The list goes on.
Join in the Goldster Book Club conversation.
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