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Episode details

Sounds,20 Feb 2026,38 mins

The Philosopher and the Handyman: The Race Around the World - Part 1

Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford

Available for over a year

Who will be the first to sail non-stop around the world? In 1968, The Sunday Times announces a trophy and a cash prize for the winner, and the Golden Globe Race is on. Leading the charge are Robin Knox-Johnston, an old-fashioned British patriot, and Bernard Moitessier, an enigmatic French philosopher. As monstrous seas and deadly gales close in, the difference between victory and disaster will come down to just one word.

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