Night Waves

Matthew Sweet talks to the philosopher, doctor, poet and cultural critic Raymond Tallis about his new book "MIchelangelo's Finger". Tallis explores the significance of the fact that humans are unique in the animal world in being able to point with the index finger, and argues that this seemingly inconsequential ability has been highly significant in human evolution. We also review the first English translation "Desert", of one of the finest novels by J M G Le Clezio, who won the 2008 Nobel Prize for literature for a body of work which the jury described as being characterised by "poetic adventure and sensual ecstasy".