5x15

5x15 brings together five outstanding individuals to tell of their lives, passions and inspirations. There are only two rules - no scripts and only 15 minutes each. Catherine Coldstream grew up in London and converted to Catholicism in her early twenties. She was a Carmelite nun for twelve years. Since leaving the monastery, she took an undergraduate degree as a mature student, at the University of Oxford, and taught theology, philosophy and ethics for ten years. She has never stopped thinking about her life as a nun and wrote about it as a way of understanding the experiences that shaped her. In her striking memoir Cloistered, she describes life as a contemplative nun in the 1990s, and the dramatic events which led to her flight from the monastery on the brink of the Millennium. Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

5x15 brings together five outstanding individuals to tell of their lives, passions and inspirations. There are only two rules - no scripts and only 15 minutes each. Colum McCann’s seven novels and three collections of short stories have been published in over forty languages and received some of the world’s most prestigious literary awards and honours, including the National Book Award for his novel Let the Great World Spin in 2013. TransAtlantic was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize in 2013, and his most recent novel, Apeirogon, also longlisted for the Man Booker Prize, is an international bestseller on four continents. In his new book, McCann tells the story of Diane Foley, mother of American journalist James Foley, who was kidnapped in northern Syria, and murdered by ISIS in a public beheading that would ricochet in video around the world. A testament to the power of radical empathy and moral courage, American Mother takes us inside one woman’s extraordinary journey to find connection in a world torn as

5x15 brings together five outstanding individuals to tell of their lives, passions and inspirations. There are only two rules - no scripts and only 15 minutes each. Vincent Deary is professor of applied health psychology at Northumbria University, where his research focuses on the development of new psychosocial interventions for people with a variety of health complaints, including cancer survivors and fear of falling in older adults. As a clinician he works in the UK's first trans-diagnostic Fatigue Clinic, to help people for whom fatigue is a disabling symptom. He is the author of How We Are. His highly acclaimed new book, How We Break: Navigating the Wear and Tear of Living, explores what happens when our minds and bodies are pushed beyond their limits, and makes a bold case for the power of rest and recuperation. Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

5x15 brings together five outstanding individuals to tell of their lives, passions and inspirations. There are only two rules - no scripts and only 15 minutes each. After a career in journalism and publishing, Chris Anderson became the curator of the TED Conference in 2001 and has developed it as a global platform for identifying and disseminating ideas worth spreading. His TED mantra – ‘ideas worth spreading’ – continues to blossom on an international scale, with more than one billion TED Talks viewed annually. He lives in New York City and London.Blending cutting-edge psychological research with a wealth of inspiring stories, Infectious Generosity: The Ultimate Idea Worth Spreading is a playbook for how to embark on our own generous acts. Whether giving gifts of money, time, talent, connection or kindness, Anderson teaches readers how to harness the power of the internet to have a transformative impact on the world. Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Faceboo

5x15 brings together five outstanding individuals to tell of their lives, passions and inspirations. There are only two rules - no scripts and only 15 minutes each. Emma Tarlo is an anthropologist, writer and curator and an Emeritus Professor at Goldsmiths, University of London. Having authored numerous highly regarded academic titles, she published her first trade title, the prize-winning Entanglement: The Secret Lives of Hair (Oneworld), to great acclaim in 2016. In her new book, Under the Hornbeams, Tarlo follows the seasons of a single year in Regent's Park, where she meets two men living under the trees without shelter and discovers the precarious networks of giving and receiving that exist undetected in London’s streets. The result is a life-affirming story that pays homage to the power of human connection and upturns many of our preconceptions about home, family, work and community. Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stori

5x15 brings together five outstanding individuals to tell of their lives, passions and inspirations. There are only two rules - no scripts and only 15 minutes each. John Vaillant is the international bestselling author of The Tiger: A True Story of Vengeance and Survival and The Golden Spruce: A True Story of Myth, Madness, and Greed. He has written for, among others, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, National Geographic and the Guardian. His latest book, Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World, is a page-turning account of a brutal urban wildfire, and a sweeping exploration of our rapidly changing relationship with fire. It won the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction 2023. Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

5x15 brings together five outstanding individuals to tell of their lives, passions and inspirations. There are only two rules - no scripts and only 15 minutes each. Cathy Newman is one of Channel 4 News' main studio presenters. She joined Channel 4 News as political correspondent in January 2006 after seven years writing for the Financial Times. Cathy is an award-winning investigative journalist whose scoops have included allegations of sexual harassment in Westminster, an investigation into a British paedophile who abused vulnerable boys in Kenya; and allegations of violent abuse by the British barrister John Smyth. She was the only broadcast journalist to travel with Angelina Jolie and the then foreign secretary William Hague to the Congo as part of their campaign against sexual violence. Cathy also hosts her own show on Times Radio, which has inspired her new book The Ladder, bringing together discussions between women – about work, love, growth, challenge, the big decisions and the stories of their lives

5x15 brings together five outstanding individuals to tell of their lives, passions and inspirations. There are only two rules - no scripts and only 15 minutes each. Jackie Morris is an award-winning British writer and illustrator. Morris studied at the Bath Academy of Art and started her career as an illustrator by working for magazines including Radio Times, New Statesman, New Society and Country Living. She has illustrated over 60 books, and is best known for the stunning The Lost Words (2017), co-written with Robert Macfarlane – a love song to many increasingly rare words pertaining to nature and the natural world. These illustrations earned Morris the Kate Greenaway Medal in 2019. Morris and Macfarlane’s second collaboration, The Lost Spells, was published in October 2020, and they are currently working on a third, The Book of Birds. Morris is nominated for the 2024 Andersen Award by the International Board of Books for Young People. Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com

5x15 brings together five outstanding individuals to tell of their lives, passions and inspirations. There are only two rules - no scripts and only 15 minutes each. Paula Byrne is the author of the bestselling biographies The Adventures of Miss Barbara Pym, Perdita, Mad World, The Real Jane Austen, Belle, Kick and The Genius of Jane Austen. She is founder and chief executive of ReLit, the Bibliotherapy Foundation, a charity devoted to the mental health benefits of reading. Her new book, Hardy Women, re-examines Thomas Hardy’s life through the eyes of the women who made him—mother, sisters, girlfriends, wives, muses. In this highly innovative work, Byrne reveals that it is through hardy women that we can enter into the heart of the great novelist and poet. Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

Building upon Kew's commitment to re-examine the history of its collections, this discussion explores the colonial legacies of botany and botanic gardens, featuring a panel of leading writers and thinkers in this area. All too often history shows us that the origins of botanic gardens are intertwined with the histories of colonialism, imperialism and enslavement. How can understanding these connections pave the way to a more inclusive future? Given this legacy, what is the role that botanic gardens play today in supporting and addressing climate justice? Speakers Sathnam Sanghera is a journalist and best-selling author. His acclaimed books include The Boy with the Topknot and Empireland, which inspired the Channel 4 series Empire State of Mind. His highly anticipated new book, Empireworld, traces the legacies of the British empire around the world. Andrea Wulf is an award-winning author of several books, including The Brother Gardeners: Botany, Empire and the Birth of an Obsession and the international bes

5x15 and The Writers' Prize present a powerhouse line-up of international writing talent to speak with host, literary critic, and journalist Alex Clark about their recent works, all in contention for this year's Prize. Paul Murray, The Bee Sting Paul Murray, born in Dublin in 1975, authored An Evening of Long Goodbyes, Skippy Dies, The Mark and the Void, and The Bee Sting. An Evening of Long Goodbyes was shortlisted for the Whitbread First Novel Award. Skippy Dies was shortlisted for the Costa Novel award, the National Book Critics Circle Award, and longlisted for the Booker Prize. The Mark and the Void won the Everyman Wodehouse Prize 2016. The Bee Sting was shortlisted for the Booker Prize 2023. Paul Murray lives in Dublin. Zadie Smith, The Fraud Zadie Smith, born in northwest London, authored White Teeth, The Autograph Man, On Beauty, NW, Swing Time, The Embassy of Cambodia, and collections of essays and short stories. The Fraud is her first historical novel. Laura Cumming, Thunderclap Laura Cumming

5x15 is thrilled to announce a special event with multi-award-winning writer and biologist Merlin Sheldrake, author of the smash-hit bestseller Entangled Life, in conversation Gaia Vince. The more we learn about fungi, the less makes sense without them. They can change our minds, heal our bodies and even help us avoid environmental disaster; they are metabolic masters, earth-makers and key players in most of nature's processes. In Entangled Life, Merlin Sheldrake takes us on a mind-altering journey into their spectacular world. Winner of the Royal Society Science Book Prize and the Wainwright Prize, and named a Book of the Year in The Times, Daily Telegraph, Sunday Times, New Statesman and Time, among others, Entangled Life has been translated into twenty languages since its publication. It has now been reissued in a brand new illustrated edition, with over 100 spectacular full-colour images showcasing this wondrous lifeform as never before. Join us in December to hear Merlin Sheldrake live in conversation

5x15 is delighted to announce a special event with Nina Stibbe, the 'funniest person who owns a computer' (in the words of Ann Patchett), in conversation with acclaimed memoirist Cathy Rentzenbrink. This is not to be missed! Ten years after her beloved and multi-award winning book Love, Nina, Nina is back with Went to London, Took the Dog, a diary of her return to London in her sixty-first year. After two decades away, Nina is back in the city she used to call home, with her dog, Peggy. Together they take up lodging in Camden for a 'year-long sabbatical'. It’s a break from married life back in Cornwall, or even perhaps a fresh start altogether. Nina is not quite sure yet... By turns hilarious and irreverent, joyful as well as poignant, Went to London, Took the Dog is 'like spending an endless afternoon in the most sparkling company' (Frank Cottrell-Boyce). Join us for a sparkling evening in Nina's company, and an enlightening conversation on motherhood, independence, the menopause, branching out and growing

5x15 is delighted to announce the second event is our new events partnership with Rathbones, in collaboration with Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew on the theme of Regeneration. No discussion about climate change and biodiversity loss is complete without acknowledging the importance of children, adolescents and young adults. While activists look to involve and encourage new generations, many young people are themselves leading the way as instigators of change, faced with the urgency of the global crises. For this intergenerational conversation, we invite a range of speakers to share their perspectives, from those closely working with young people to the campaigners, naturalists and writers who inspire hope for a better future. Tori Tsui (she/they) is a climate justice organiser and writer from Hong Kong now based in Bristol. Her work focuses on the intersections between (environ)mental health and climate change, culminating in her debut book, It’s Not Just You. She is an organiser with Unite for Climate Action,

David Grann is a staff writer at The New Yorker. He has written about everything from New York City's antiquated water tunnels to the hunt for the giant squid. His stories have appeared in several anthologies. He has written for the New York Times Magazine, the Atlantic Monthly, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal and the New Republic. He lives in New York with his wife and two children. His books include the international best-seller Killers of the Flower Moon, and his new book, The Wager, tells a mesmerising story of shipwreck, mutiny and murder. With thanks for your support for 5x15 online! Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

As plant-based diets gain popularity and outdoor activities like hiking and wild swimming become more advocated for wellness, the crucial link between nature and human health is gaining recognition. But what does it entail to derive nutrients, physical, and mental health benefits from the natural world? While the significance of dietary choices is well-established, can we also enhance agricultural practices to foster fertile soils, better health, and a deeper connection to the land? David R. Montgomery, a geomorphologist, delves into how Earth's surface processes shape ecological systems and human societies. His research spans from landslide impacts on mountain heights to soil's role in civilizations. Anne Biklé, a science writer, merges biology and environmental planning to explore humanity's complex bond with nature, focusing on agriculture, soil, and food. Their collaboration produced acclaimed works like "The Hidden Half of Nature" and "What Your Food Ate," examining soil health's influence on crops, ani

5x15's new season kicks off in January with a special conversation about consciousness and the world of psychedelics with two highly acclaimed authors, neuropsychologist Andy Mitchell and neuroscientist Anil Seth. The 'psychedelic renaissance' is upon us. While psychedelic drugs were once demonised, and are still largely illegal, they are now officially a 'breakthrough therapy' used to treat mental health disorders and enhance well-being. But there is a risk that making them safe or normal might ultimately destroy what makes them potent. What is at stake in normalising substances that alter our consciousness? In his book Ten Trips, Andy Mitchell argues that we should embrace what is strange and valuable about these drugs, less as a prescribed antidote for certain conditions than as a way to rethink mental health itself, and re-enchant us with the world. The psychedelic experience is, after all, part of the rich tapestry of consciousness, which is also not as simple as it once seemed. In his 'exhilarating' b

Kassia St Clair studied the history of women's dress and the masquerade during the eighteenth century at Bristol and Oxford. She has since written about design and culture for the Economist, House & Garden, TLS, Quartz and New Statesman, and has had a column about colour in Elle Decoration since 2013. Her first book The Secret Lives of Colour was a top-ten bestseller, a Radio 4 Book of the Week and has been translated into over a dozen languages; her second, The Golden Thread, was a Sunday Times Book of the Year and was shortlisted for the Somerset Maugham Award. She lives in London. Her new book,The Race to the Future, tells the incredible true story of a quest against the odds that shaped the world we live in today. With thanks for your support for 5x15 online! Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

Paul Caruana Galizia became a reporter after his mother Daphne was assassinated and since then has won a British Journalism Award, a Media Excellence Award from the Association of International Broadcasters, a silver medal at the British Podcast Awards, and a bronze medal at the Radio Academy ARIAs. With his two brothers, he won a Magnitsky Human Rights Award and an Anderson-Norman-Lucas Award for. His book A Death in Malta is a spellbinding account of the shocking murder of his muckraking mother and the search for justice that has reverberated far beyond their tiny homeland. With thanks for your support for 5x15 online! Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

Rosamund Young is the bestselling author of The Secret Life of Cows - named a Times book of the year - and the recently published The Wisdom of Sheep & Other Animals. Alongside her brother Richard and her partner Gareth she runs Kite’s Nest Farm on the edge of the Cotswold escarpment, where nature is left to itself as much as possible and the animals receive exceptional kindness and consideration. The farm produces beef and lamb from 100% grass-fed animals which are sold in the farm shop. Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories