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Nights for Tuesday 18 August 2015

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7:10 Our Own Odysseys: A French Restoration

A couple of years back, TeAra Bergstrom and her husband Seth headed to France (and got paid) to help restore a 300 year old house.

The house looked pretty rough before starting.

The idea was a restoration not a renovation as much as possible so as to retain the character of the old house, I hear it was considered for using in a period film but the houses next door had been too modernised!

It was a very small place to work and with no outside space at all everything could get very messy!

Tiles as close to the origonal were used, sourced from a factory that had been making them the same way for the last 300 years or so.

Tiles as close to the origonal were used, sourced from a factory that had been making them the same way for the last 300 years or so.

The interior doors needed replaceing as many were missing, new doors were made by Seth in the original French style, he has since made some for us and for a bach in the Coromandal.

This door led down to the 'cave' or cellar.

However the stairs were my project, raking out the old lime and loose stones and replacing the stones with new lime, very satisfying!

I'm not one for heights but here I am up the ladder in France poking plaster into gaps in the stonework

7:30 The Sampler

A weekly review and analysis of new CD releases.

8:10 Windows on the World

International public radio documentaries - visit the Windows on the World web page to find links to these documentaries.

8:40 Philosophy

Philosopher at large Ann Kerwin muses often on why we think what we do... Plato has made it to the 92nd Street Y (a cultural centre) on his whirlwind book tour of New York and he'd like to discuss Socrates -  from Plato at the Googleplex by Rebecca Newberger Goldstein.

9:06 The War That Changed The World – Jordan: Redrawing the Map of the Middle East

How did World War One change the face of the Middle East? And, how did this seismic and controversial period shape the century to follow? Lyse Doucet presents a public debate from Amman in Jordan, with a panel of experts - in partnership with the British Council.

The programme considers the impact of World War One and how its aftermath still overshadows the political landscape of the Middle East.

The Arab Revolt, launched by the Hashemite dynasty during World War One, unified resistance to the Ottomans and triggered the end of their rule of the Arab world. Strong hopes of a unified Arab state were dashed. Instead a patchwork of mandates, protectorates and colonial rule followed with a promise from the British prime minister that Jewish people would be given a "national home in Palestine".

The issues are discussed by three historians, Khaled Fahmy from the American University in Cairo, Mouin Rabbani of the Institute of Palestine Studies, and Ali Mahafza of the University of Jordan. Theatre director Lina Attel presents a personal essay on 'redrawing the map'. (BBCWS)

10:00 Late Edition

A review of the news from Morning Report, Nine to Noon, Afternoons and Checkpoint. Also hear the latest news from around the Pacific on Radio New Zealand International's Dateline Pacific.

11:06 The Shed

Award winning former British broadcaster Mark Coles presents his pick of the best new music releases and demos from around the planet. A glorious mix of brand new sounds from all over the world, real conversations with music makers and tales of everyday life as seen from an English garden shed (8 of 13, MCM)