Josh Cohen & Paul Holdengräber

What do a psychoanalyst and a legendary interviewer have in common? For Paul Holdengräber, founder of LIVE from the New York Public Library, and psychoanalyst and author Josh Cohen, the answer lies in their shared devotion to the art of listening.
On this special evening, Holdengräber and Cohen will explore the nuances of active listening—examining the power of silence, the unspoken elements of conversation, and the subtle art of drawing people out. Both have made listening their craft—one in the therapeutic realm, the other in public dialogue.

Josh Cohen, based in London, is a psychoanalyst, literary critic, and author whose works delve into contemporary issues such as privacy, work, performance culture, and anger, all viewed through the lenses of psychoanalysis, culture, and personal experience. His acclaimed books include How to Read Freud (2005), Not Working: Why We Have to Stop (2019) and All the Rage. Why Anger drives the World (2024).

Our hosts of the “Ways of Listening” festival are the legendary interviewer Paul Holdengräber and renowned Hannah Arendt scholar Samantha Rose Hill.

Paul Holdengräber is a distinguished intellectual and the founding director of Onassis Los Angeles. Known for his captivating and insightful conversations, he previously led a celebrated cultural series at the New York Public Library, where he engaged with luminaries such as Patti Smith and Werner Herzog, among many others. His ability to draw out deep, meaningful dialogues makes him a masterful host and a true curator of ideas.

Samantha Rose Hill is the acclaimed author of Hannah Arendt (2021) and Hannah Arendt’s Poems (2023). A respected scholar and instructor at both the Brooklyn Institute for Social Research and the University of the Underground, Hill’s work delves into the complexities of political thought and human experience. Her writings have been featured in the Los Angeles Review of Books, Aeon, and LitHub.

Language: English

Part of the “Ways of Listening” festival

In collaboration with the Villa Aurora & Thomas Mann House association