A Look at Philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson

By Liane Hansen

Published May 25, 2003 at 12:00 AM EDT

May 25 marks what would be the 200th birthday of Ralph Waldo Emerson, a philospher, poet and essayist who helped define the Transcendentalist movement. NPR's Liane Hansen talks to historian Kenneth Sacks about Emerson's influence in the fields of writing, public speaking and pragmatic thought.

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Liane Hansen

Liane Hansen has been the host of NPR's award-winning Weekend Edition Sunday for 20 years. She brings to her position an extensive background in broadcast journalism, including work as a radio producer, reporter, and on-air host at both the local and national level. The program has covered such breaking news stories as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the capture of Saddam Hussein, the deaths of Princess Diana and John F. Kennedy, Jr., and the Columbia shuttle tragedy. In 2004, Liane was granted an exclusive interview with former weapons inspector David Kay prior to his report on the search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. The show also won the James Beard award for best radio program on food for a report on SPAM.