In the settling of the West, farmers struggled to protect their livestock from predators — until, that is, the invention of barbed wire. The fencing quickly covered the Western landscape, marking settlements and controlling not only animals, but also people. Our guests today, the writers Lyn Ellen Bennett and Michelle Nijhuis, join us to discuss the history of barbed wire and the notion of removing it.
GUESTS
- Lyn Ellen
- Bennett | Professor and co-author of “The Perfect Fence: Untangling the Meanings of Barbed Wire.” [Amazon | Bookshop]
- Michelle Nijhuis | Writer, journalist. Her essay is“Free the American West From Barbed Wire.”
Airdate: Thursday, Nov. 30, at 9 a.m. and Saturday, Dec. 2, at 11 a.m.