Arts
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Sneak Preview: A Conversation with Ronica Dhar
This is awesome! Tomorrow on the History of Literature podcast we’ll be posting my conversation with Ronica Dhar, who selects Five Works to Lower Your Blood Pressure. In the meantime, you should all check out Ronica’s novel, Bijou Roy, a simply beautiful book. From Amazon.com: “Ronica Dhar captures the struggles of family and cultural identity… Continue reading
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The History of Literature Episode 34 – Borges and the Search for Meaning
When times are tough, what does literature have for us? Jacke takes a break from the history of literature to reflect on a death in his family, the loss of Sir George Martin, and some thoughts on the meaning of life from Umberto Eco and Jorge Luis Borges. Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration:… Continue reading
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History of Literature Episode 33 – The Bhagavad Gita
Written over the span of 800 years from ca. 400 B.C. to ca. 400 A.D, the Mahabharata tells a riveting tale of disputed kingship and warring families. But just as the action-packed narrative reaches its climax, the story pauses to convey a dialogue between the reluctant warrior Arjuna and his charioteer Krishna, who dramatically reveals himself as… Continue reading
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A Literary Quiz: Who Invented the Cliffhanger?
To which author does this sentence refer? The term “cliffhanger” is considered to have originated with the serialised version of this early novel, in which Henry Knight, one of the protagonists, is left literally hanging off a cliff. Edgar Allan Poe Bram Stoker Wilkie Collins Thomas Hardy The answer is #4. Thomas Hardy. I did not know he… Continue reading
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HoL 32 The Best Debut Novels of All Time (A Conversation with the President of the Literature Supporters’ Club)
What makes a great first novel? Which do we prefer: the freshness of a new style (even if it contains mistakes), or the demonstration of competence (even if it breaks no new ground)? Does it matter if the book is the best (or only) novel by that author? Or do we prefer the debuts that initiated a long, distinguished… Continue reading
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Proust as a Graphic Novel
Is Proust on your bucket list? Do you suspect he’ll stay there forever? Maybe this is the answer… That’s right – Swann’s Way as a graphic novel. Here’s a sample in French: And here’s one from the translated version: Is it as good as the original? Well, of course not. But if you can’t make it to… Continue reading
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Paul McCartney and the Love Mojis
Ah, well, what do you do after you’ve conquered the music industry on vinyl, CDs, and digital downloads; mastered the rock-and-roll film; released an oratorio; recorded a James Bond theme; composed the most covered song of all time; and completely dominated the making-mashed-potatoes-video genre? What does one do after climbing Everest AND landing on the moon… Continue reading
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Virginia Woolf Speaks
Ah, this is EXACTLY what I would have guessed her voice sounds like. This extended metaphor is a little long, but it earns its length. Enjoy! Happy Thursday! Continue reading
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HoL Episode 30 – More Conspiracy!
What do Edgar Allan Poe, J.K. Rowling, William Shakespeare, Stephen King, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Justice Antonin Scalia have in common? Jacke Wilson connects the dots with another look at conspiracy literature, literary conspiracies, and the people who love them. (Part 2 of 2.) Continue reading
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History of Literature Episode 29: Conspiracy!
Who runs things? Well, okay, sure…but who really runs things? Conspiracy theories fascinate us with their possibilities, thrill us with their sense of unveiling secrets, and tap into some of our deepest anxieties and psychological needs. And sometimes, they turn out to be true. Jacke Wilson takes a break from the history of literature to… Continue reading
Jacke Wilson 