What is pain? You know it when you feel it, but it’s almost impossible to properly describe. And it turns out, our idea of what that suffering is and means has changed significantly over the centuries. Wednesday, Doug’s guest is British historian Joanna Bourke, who has written a book that investigates “The Story of Pain.” We’ll explore how knowing the history of pain helps us acknowledge our own sorrows and the suffering of others.
Joanna Bourke is a Professor of History at Birkbeck College, University of London. She's the author of eleven books, including The Story of Pain: From Prayer to Painkillers [Independent Booksellers|Amazon] and her forthcoming War and Art: A Visual History of Modern Conflict from Virago Press.
