Arts
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The History of Literature #380 – Ian Fleming | PLUS The Black James Bond
Ian Fleming (1908-1964) always wanted to be a writer. Not an “author,” as he put it, and not someone in the “Shakespeare stakes,” but someone who wrote for money and pleasure. In developing his enduring character James Bond, he managed to accomplish both. In this episode, Jacke takes a look at the life and career of… Continue reading
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The History of Literature #379 – Gwendolyn Brooks | Bharati Preview 2 (with Mira Sundara Rajan)
When the poet Gwendolyn Brooks “writes out of her heart, out of her rich and living background, out of her very real talent,” said The New York Times, “she induces almost unbearable excitement.” From her “headquarters” in Chicago, Brooks spent her life writing poems about the joys and struggles of the Black Americans on the streets… Continue reading
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The History of Literature #378 – Liu Xinwu and the “Scar Literature” of China (with Jeremy Tiang) | Bharati Sneak Preview (with Mira Sundara Rajan)
In this episode, Jacke talks to Jeremy Tiang about his new translation of The Wedding Party, a Chinese classic contemporary novel written in the early 1980s by Liu Xinwu, one of the originators of what has been termed “scar literature.” PLUS we feature a sneak preview of our conversation with Professor Mira Sundara Rajan, who… Continue reading
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The History of Literature #377 – The Brothers Grimm | Jeremy Tiang Sneak Preview
Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel, Rumpelstiltskin, Cinderella, Hansel and Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood… Oh sure, we all know the stories, but do we know their origins? What do they tell us about the “Germans” of the nineteenth century – and how do they compare with the fairy tales told in France or Italy, or… Continue reading
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The History of Literature #376 – Why John Milton? (with Joe Moshenska)
Yes, John Milton was important, and yes, Paradise Lost has been part of the canon since the 17th century – but why should we read anything by John Milton today? Do we imbibe his poetry like medicine? Is it a slog through cerebral but sterile prose? Or is there something wilder, more compelling, more alive?… Continue reading
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The History of Literature #375 – The Power of Literature | PLUS Reading Boswell’s Life of Johnson (with Margot Livesey)
Jacke had big plans to make this episode all about the poetry of William Butler Yeats…and then listener feedback to the last episode overtook him. So instead of lazing about on the Lake Isle of Innisfree, he returns to the subject of Sophocles and the power of literature, as introduced in the conversation with Bryan… Continue reading
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The History of Literature #374 – Ancient Plays and Contemporary Theater – A New Version of Sophocles’ Oedipus Trilogy (with Bryan Doerries)
As the Artistic Director of Theater of War Productions, Bryan Doerries has joined his colleagues in using dramatic readings and community conversations to confront topics such as combat-related psychological injury, end-of-life care, radicalized violence, incarceration, gun violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, the refugee crisis, and addiction. In this episode, he joins Jacke to talk about his new… Continue reading
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The History of Literature #373 – Roald Dahl
Born in Wales to parents of Norwegian descent, Roald Dahl (1916-1990) grew up to become one of England’s most famous writers. Although Dahl was an accomplished writer of short stories for grownups, he is today known best for his well-loved children’s novels, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Fantastic Mr. Fox, BFG, Matilda, and Danny,… Continue reading
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The History of Literature #372 Dragons! (with Scott G. Bruce)
Dragons! From ancient civilizations to modern-day movies, humans have spent millions of hours imagining these popular mythological creatures – and millions of words describing them. Jacke’s guest, Scott G. Bruce has compiled the best of these words, explaining how dragons have appeared in literature. Avatars of the Antichrist? Servants of Satan? Cuddly pets? Couriers of… Continue reading
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The History of Literature #371 – Robert Hayden and the Nature of Freedom | PLUS Literary Zombies (with Scott G. Bruce)
Poet Robert Hayden (1913-1980) surprised Jacke with his description of freedom in his sonnet “Frederick Douglass”; in this episode, Jacke considers the nature of freedom and attempts to determine exactly what Hayden meant. PLUS Professor Scott G. Bruce stops by to talk about his work editing The Penguin Book of the Undead: Fifteen Hundred Years… Continue reading
Jacke Wilson 