Last month we returned from our 13th Annual Nation Cruise. It was a spirited week of discussion and debate, featuring Nation writers and editors and special guests like Jim Hightower and Judy Collins. The cruise is always a special experience, as cruisers enjoy a full week of seminars, panel discussions, performances and talks from leading progressive voices.

For the first time we’re posting the best of the nation cruise seminars as part of our ongoing "Nation Conversations" podcast series. Starting this week through December, we’ll be posting a new podcast each Wednesday. You can listen online or download and take the conversation on the road. It’s a great series, and we hope you enjoy it.

For information on the 2011 Nation Cruise, click here.

To subscribe to an RSS feed of the whole series, click here.

Here’s the podcast lineup:

ONLINE NOW: The Enthusiasm Gap and Election 2010 Richard Kim & John Nichols on turnout, enthusiasm and next week’s vote. Listen here.

ONLINE NOW: POSTING WEDNESDAY, 11/3: The Moment: Where Our Politics Stand Today Featuring: Jim Hightower, Christopher Hayes, Melissa Harris Lacewell, John Nichols and Katrina vanden Heuvel. Moderated by Calvin Trillin. Listen here.

ONLINE NOW: POSTING WEDNESDAY, 11/10: Obama and the World: Is There a New National Security Policy? Stephen Cohen, Robert Gard, Jeremy Scahill and John Nichols. Moderated by Katrina vanden Heuvel. Listen here.

ONLINE NOW: POSTING TUESDAY, 11/16: Trillin on Trillin A talk with "Deadline Poet" Calvin Trillin. Listen here.

ONLINE NOW: POSTING WEDNESDAY, 11/24: A Talk with Judy Collins Interviewed by John Nichols Listen here.

POSTING WEDNESDAY, 12/1: The Financial Crisis: Where Do We Go From Here Christopher Hayes, John Nichols, Mary Bottari and Melissa Harris-Lacewell

We will post some video excerpts as well.