A Big Sur Podcast
A Big Sur Podcast
Magnus Toren, host
A Big Sur PodcastAn ongoing conversation with people from near and far about Big Sur's past, present, and future. A Big Sur Podcast interprets “community” to mean ALL people from around the world who are curious about, and who care about, the preservation and restoration of the wild and rural character of Big Sur. Stories are told by visitors and residents, plumbers and linesmen, musicians and authors, dancers and jugglers and others. Sometimes we drift (way) off-topic into the arts, sciences, personal stories, gossip, politics, philosophy, ornithology, Henry Miller, and our zeitgeist in general. We like that!The opinions expressed here belong to the people who express them. They may or may not line up with yours, mine, or your neighbor’s — and that’s exactly the point. Different perspectives, lived experiences, and even wildly clashing views are what make conversations worth listening to: enriching, infuriating, life-affirming, and sometimes all three at once.If you are planning a visit to Big Sur and you listen to some of the folks on this Podcast talk about their love of the place your visit will probably be a lot more rewarding. Please email [email protected] with any comments, critique & suggestions. Music intro clip courtesy John Holm: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DZ06evO0Rh2QU Sound editing software by Hindenburg: https://hindenburg.com/Please support the podcast by making a donation to the Henry Miller Library, a 501(c)3 nonprofit arts organization. Thank you!
# 128 From Tehran to the Akasha: Rohini Moradi on grief, ancient wisdom, and the search for meaning
Send us Fan Mail From Tehran to the Akasha: Rohini Moradi on grief, ancient wisdom, and the search for meaning Raised in a Hindu temple in Tehran before emigrating to the United States, Rohini Moradi brings an unusually personal perspective to ideas that are often presented only as modern spirituality. Meet Rohini Moradi at the Henry Miller Library on July 14 for a book reading. Reserve your spot here. Our conversation ranges from her childhood in Iran, her family's connection to India and t...
Jun 26
1 hr 23 min
# 127 Letting People In on the Secret: Stuart Thornton on Big Sur, Guidebooks & the Crowds They Create
Send us Fan Mail Travel writer, guidebook author, former Big Sur ranger, and old friend, Stuart Thornton, returns to Big Sur—at least in spirit—to reflect on a career spent encouraging people to visit the very places he sometimes wishes they would leave alone. We talk about discovering California's coast, writing guidebooks, the challenge of over tourism, and whether AI will help travelers find deeper experiences or simply send more people to the same beautiful places. Along the way, S...
Jun 14
1 hr 46 min
# 126 What Are We Really Protecting? Carol Olson, Wilderness, and the Future of Big Sur
Send us Fan Mail In this episode Magnus has a conversation with Carol Olson, Executive Director of the Ventana Wilderness Alliance, about wilderness, responsibility, and the increasingly difficult art of protecting a place people love. GOOD LINKS: Big Sur Wilderness and Conservation Act Full text — Congress.govPublic Law details — GovInfoSummary — Ventana Wilderness AllianceVentana Wilderness Alliance Official websiteWikipediaBig Sur LUP Download Big Sur LCP Defense Committee — download pag...
Jun 1
1 hr 10 min
# 125 OUT OF THE SKY by Matti Friedman
Send us Fan Mail In this episode of A Big Sur Podcast, I speak with the writer and journalist Matti Friedman about his remarkable book Out of the Sky — a work that begins with four words from the Bible, “Out of the sky,” and unfolds into a meditation on fear, memory, survival, aviation, mythology, Jewish history, and the strange psychological atmosphere that has surrounded Israel since October 7, 2023. We carry Matti Friedman's books at the Henry Miller Library. Important links: Matti Frie...
May 16
1 hr 5 min
# 124 The Language of Trees — and the World We’ve Forgotten How to Read
Send us Fan Mail A conversation with artist Katie Holten about life and art, climate and action, walking and inaction! Katie's website Announcement for her new book! Support the show _________________________________________________ This podcast is a production of the Henry Miller Memorial Library with support from The Arts Council for Monterey County! Let us know what you think! SEND US AN EMAIL! 😊 [email protected] FaceBook Instagram
Apr 26
1 hr 35 min
# 123 "Condors: Guardians of the Wild" with Joe Burnett
Send us Fan Mail "At intervals the condor passed, huge as an ocean liner.” Henry Miller in Big Sur and the Oranges Besides marveling at the exceptional beauty and almost mysterious power of these amazing birds Joe Burnett and I discuss work in Big Sur and Monterey. We talk about the rebuilding of the Ventana Wildlife Sanctuary after the 2020 Dolan Fire, how the sanctuary supports releasing, feeding, monitoring and recapturing condors to test for lead poisoning—the leading mortality thr...
Apr 1
1 hr 27 min
# 122 Help Kelp: The Mysterious World of the Bull Kelp Forest with Josie Iselin
Send us Fan Mail The Mysterious World of the Bull Kelp Foresta New Heyday Book The Mysterious World of the Bull Kelp Website I sit down with artist, photographer, and author Josie Iselin, and what begins as a conversation about kelp opens into an exploration of the intricate world in the waters just off our coast. Josie traces her own path into that world—from artist to something closer to a naturalist of the shoreline—guided by curiosity, attention, and a willingness to look closely at what...
Mar 23
1 hr 12 min
# 121 Love, Love, Love: Alison van Diggelen on 'The Love Project.'
Send us Fan Mail Alison van Diggelen – Journalist, interviewer, and author of The Love Project: A Journey of Intimate Conversations. Photo is of Alison and her Mom. Alison's website. Buy "The Love Project" at your local bookstore. May we suggest the Henry Miller Library. >>>>>>>>>>>>> Topics in This Episode The origins of The Love ProjectLove across generationsThe power of listeningStorytelling as connectionLove as a verb (and noun)A Quote from the Epi...
Mar 11
1 hr 23 min
# 120 Shamergence by Rob Somers
Send us Fan Mail Shamergence The skeptic asks, “Is it real?” The shaman asks, “Did it help?” COME MEET ROB SOMERS ON SATURDAY, MARCH 21 >>>>>>>>>> Carlos Castaneda Joseph Campbell The Samples Ozymandias >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Shaman, Skeptic, and the Voice in the Belly Support the show _________________________________________________ This podcast is a production of the Henry Miller Memorial Library with su...
Mar 7
1 hr 42 min
# 119 Walking Toward the Stars — A Conversation with Brita Ostrom (Öström)
Send us Fan Mail In this episode of A Big Sur Podcast, I sit down with Brita Ostrom — longtime Esalen resident and author of Steeped: A Big Sur Elixir of Sulfur and Sage. Brita’s life bridges several revolutions at once: the islands of the Pacific Northwest, the Haight-Ashbury explosion of 1966–67, the psychedelic and political turbulence of the Summer of Love, and the early, formative years of the Esalen Institute. We talk about Haight Street — the overwhelming beauty of it all: the posters,...
Feb 20
1 hr 42 min
Load more