Obelisks
b'Cleopatra\'s Needles
Guest:\\xa0Bob Brier, Senior Research Fellow at Long Island University and author of "Cleopatra\\u2019s Needles: The Lost Obelisks of Egypt"
Bob Brier,\\xa0affectionately known as Mr. Mummy, explains how France\\u2019s obsession with Egyptian history set off obelisk mania in Paris, London, and New York City. Obelisks had been painstakingly hand-hewn with stone tools and then, in the 1800s, shipped abroad at great cost and sacrifice\\u2014one was nearly lost at sea in a hurricane. We find out what drove the obsession.
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The Mythical and Historical Origins of the Famous Paris River
Guest:\\xa0Elaine Sciolino,\\xa0contributing writer and former Paris bureau chief for "The New York Times," and author of "The Seine: The River That Made Paris"
Parisians have a mythical connection with the Seine.\\xa0It was named after the forgotten goddess Sequana, played a major role in French conflicts, and even helped save the Notre Dame cathedral in 2019.'