2025-02-07
32 分钟Welcome to Intelligence Squared, where great minds meet.
I'm producer Mia Sorrenti.
On the show today, ABC News chief international correspondent James Longman.
Having reported from over 60 countries, from the front lines of war in Ukraine and Syria to the wilds of the Antarctic,
James has witnessed the extremes of human existence firsthand.
But the story that has stayed with him the longest is closer to home.
In his new memoir, the Inherited Mind,
James applies his journalistic skills to explore a family legacy marked by mental illness
and the science and people that shape us.
James was just a preteen at boarding school when his father,
who struggled with depression and schizophrenia, ended his own life.
As James grew older,
his own battles with depression led him to examine how his father's mental health might have influenced his own.
Drawing on conversations with leading experts, he delves into the science of inheritance,
the impact of environment on genetic predispositions,
and how one can overcome a familial history of mental illness trauma.
James joined us recently on stage at the Kiln Theatre in London for a powerful discussion on family resilience
and frontline reporting.
He was joined in conversation with longtime friend, barrister and broadcaster Rob Barinder.
This episode is coming to you in two parts.