Scenes and Portraits

"Scenes and Portraits" by Frederic Manning is a selection of essays that uses imaginative storytelling to think about what it means to be human. The writing looks at history and big ideas, bringing them to life with detailed characters and situations. One story tells of King Merodach of Uruk as he talks with his priest, Bagoas, about serious topics like death, being remembered after you die, and what power really means. This talk shows how everyone, even powerful kings, wonders about the same important questions. Manning mixes old stories with deep thinking to consider topics such as what makes each person unique, what we leave behind when we die, and our search for something more.