As is, by now, firmly traditional, the first episode of the new season of the podcast finds Charles Adrian chatting to Vera Chok, who is neither fancy nor a storyteller. They talk relatable self-help, a book to make you cry and an early Renaissance guide to health. Clarification 1: The audio version of Brené Brown’s Rising Strong that Vera mentions having listened to is, in fact, a recording of a talk given by Brené Brown called Rising Strong As A Spiritual Practice. There is also an audio version of the book, Rising Strong, read by Brené Brown. Clarification 2: “The Tacuinum Sanitatis is a richly illustrated guide to health. Made in Padua in the 1450s, it contains 130 miniatures illustrating substances and activities conducive to health and happiness, ranging from food and drink to singing, sleep and sex. Its scribe and artists enjoyed the patronage of a circle of humanists who flourished in the Veneto in the 1450s and 1460s, including the Venetian governer of Padua, Jacopo Antionio M
