Why are we obsessed with the ancient world, even the most ordinary parts of it? Mary Beard tackles that question in her new book Talking Classics: The Shock of the Old. Her personal interest in antiquity began with a 4,000 year-old piece of bread displayed at the British Museum. Now, she’s an academic who has spent her career studying ancient Greece and Rome. In today’s episode, Beard chats with NPR’s Scott Simon about how the Greeks and Romans were “brutal” but also "unfailingly interesting" – and how contemporary culture replicates aspects of the classical world.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedaySee pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.