Reading Between the Lives

Bossed in Translation

For the season finale, we sit down with Sherilyn Nicolette Hellberg, an up-and-coming American translator of Scandinavian fiction and non-fiction. After falling in love with Danish literature at school, she swapped Long Island for Copenhagen — and hasn’t looked back. From deciphering Danish idioms to navigating Copenhagen's literary "hothouse," Sherilyn shares her translation journey. You'll hear about learning a language that can sound like "French underwater", translating books that blur poetry and prose, and why AI can't match the human touch for capturing nuance. Whether you’re a bookworm or a language lover, this episode is a delightful deep dive into the art and joy of bringing Danish stories to the world. Links: Sherilyn’s official website [https://www.sherilynhellberg.com/] Waist Deep [https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/469479/waist-deep-by-ernst-linea-maja/9781787335646] by Linea Maja Ernst After the Sun [https://www.lollieditions.com/books/after-the-sun] by Jonas Eika Deficit [https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/468871/deficit-by-holten-emma/9780753561461] by Emma Holten The Employees [https://www.lollieditions.com/books/the-employees] by Olga Ravn My Work [https://www.lollieditions.com/books/my-work] by Olga Ravn Visit www.archipelagoaudio.com for more information.

The Man Who Rebuilt Graceland

Henrik Knudsen is the Elvis Presley superfan who built Memphis Mansion — a brick-for-brick replica of Graceland in the Danish city of Randers. From his 148 pilgrimages to America to the legal showdown with Elvis Presley Enterprises, Henrik's story is a rollercoaster of obsession, risk, and rock history.  This episode is a love letter to fandom, a testament to following your wildest ideas, and a reminder that sometimes, the craziest dreams make the best stories. Visit https://www.memphismansion.dk/ for more. Visit www.archipelagoaudio.com for more information.

Reading Between the Lives

The Human Library is a groundbreaking initiative founded in Copenhagen in 2000, where instead of borrowing books, visitors "borrow" people — volunteers who share their personal stories and experiences to challenge prejudice and foster understanding. In this episode, founder Ronni Abergel shares the origins of the project, its global expansion to over 80 countries, and the careful process of selecting and supporting "books" to ensure a safe, respectful environment for both storytellers and readers. The episode delves into the transformative power of these encounters, both for the volunteers and the public, and discusses the challenges of maintaining the project in a changing social and corporate landscape. This is the extraordinary story of an ongoing mission to break down barriers, one conversation at a time. Find out more about the Human Library at https://humanlibrary.org/. Visit www.archipelagoaudio.com for more information.

Play School

What if your school week involved colonizing planets, fleeing Nazis, or negotiating with fantasy kingdoms—all while studying history and science? In this episode, we meet Mathias Granum, the founder of EPOS, a groundbreaking Danish boarding school where students learn through live-action role-play (LARP). Granum explains how EPOS transforms traditional subjects into immersive experiences that teach not just academic knowledge, but critical life skills like empathy, public speaking, and conflict resolution. He also shares the school’s journey from idealism to realism, the importance of structure in creative education, and the surprising things he learned from Britain’s strictest school. It’s a story of costumes, creativity, and the courage to reimagine what learning can be. Visit epos.dk for more information. Visit www.archipelagoaudio.com for more information.

Rocket Men

Copenhagen Suborbitals is the world’s only volunteer-run, crowdfunded space program. Based in Copenhagen, the group's 70 volunteers are building a DIY spacecraft to send a person to suborbital space. In this episode, we meet the group's parachute systems lead, Mads Stenfatt, who shares the project’s origins, its shoestring budget (“10% of NASA’s coffee budget”), and the challenges of launching from international waters. He reflects on his journey from skydiver to potential astronaut. The conversation highlights creativity, community, and Denmark’s unique culture of volunteerism, proving even audacious dreams can begin in unlikely places. Visit copenhagensuborbitals.com for more information. Visit www.archipelagoaudio.com for more information.