Fiction
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The History of Literature #151 – Viking Poetry – The Voluspa (with Noah Tetzner)
http://traffic.megaphone.fm/ADL8697090331.mp3 The Vikings! Sure, they had helmets and hammers, but did they also have… poetry? Indeed they did! In this episode, we talk to Noah Tetzner, host of The History of Vikings Podcast, about the collection of Old Norse verses called the Poetic Edda – and in particular, we look at the first of these, the… Continue reading
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The History of Literature #149 – Raising Readers (aka The Power of Literature in an Imperfect World)
http://traffic.megaphone.fm/ADL7657488110.mp3 Jacke and Mike respond to an email from a listener who is about to become a father and wondering about the role of literature in the life of a young child. Works and authors discussed include J.K. Rowling, Phillip Pullman, Andrew Motion, Dr. Seuss, Sandra Boynton, The Great Brain series, Bedtime for Frances,… Continue reading
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The History of Literature #148 – Great Literary Hoaxes
http://traffic.megaphone.fm/ADL7458632764.mp3 What can we count on? What do we know is true? In this episode, host Jacke Wilson takes a look at a motley crew of inventive liars who set out to fool the literary world – and often did, at least for a while. From the ancient pseudo-Sappho to the escapee from a debauched… Continue reading
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The History of Literature #147 – Leo Tolstoy
http://traffic.megaphone.fm/ADL7511162268.mp3 When asked to name the three greatest novels ever written, William Faulkner replied, “Anna Karenina, Anna Karenina, Anna Karenina.” Nabokov said, “When you are reading Turgenev, you know you are reading Turgenev. When you read Tolstoy, you are reading because you just cannot stop.” And finally, there’s this compliment from author Isaac Babel: “If… Continue reading
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The History of Literature #146 – Power Ranking the Nobel Prize for Literature
http://traffic.megaphone.fm/ADL5546404287.mp3 The Nobel Prize for Literature has a special place in the literary landscape. We revere the prize and its winners – and yet we often find ourselves puzzled by the choices. The list of fantastic writers who never won a Nobel Prize is as long and distinguished as the list of those who did.… Continue reading
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144 Food in Literature
http://traffic.megaphone.fm/ADL1061991560.mp3 Food, glorious food! We all know its power for nourishment, pleasure, and comfort — and we’ve all felt the sharp pangs of its absence. How has this essential part of being alive made its way into novels, short stories, and poetry? Our guest Ronica Dhar, author of the novel Bijou Roy, joins us for a… Continue reading
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The History of Literature #142 – Comedian Joe Pera Talks With Us
http://traffic.megaphone.fm/ADL8120951432.mp3 Comedian Joe Pera has been hailed as one of the top “Comedians Under 30,” “20 of the Most Innovative Comedians Working Today,” and the “Cozy Sweater of Comedy.” His lovable, pleasantly awkward delivery style has made him a breakout star on the standup circuit and on late-night shows like Conan and Late Night with Seth Meyers. In… Continue reading
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The History of Literature #141 – Kurt Vonnegut (with Mike Palindrome)
http://traffic.megaphone.fm/ADL2248778305.mp3 “The year was 2081,” the story begins, “and everyone was finally equal.” In this episode of the History of Literature, Jacke and Mike take a look at Kurt Vonnegut’s classic short story, “Harrison Bergeron.” In this 1961 story, Vonnegut imagines a world of the perfectly average, where no one is allowed to be… Continue reading
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History of Literature #139 – “A Hunger Artist” by Franz Kafka
http://traffic.megaphone.fm/ADL1087999791.mp3 In 1922, the miserable genius Franz Kafka wrote a short story, Ein Hungerkünstler (A Hunger Artist), about another miserable genius: a man whose “art” is to live in a cage and display his fasting ability to crowds that don’t always appreciate what he is trying to do. Inspired by actual historical figures, though suffused… Continue reading
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History of Literature Episode #137 – Haruki Murakami
http://traffic.megaphone.fm/ADL4372276419.mp3 Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | Email | Google Play | Stitcher | RSS | More Haruki Murakami (b. 1949) is one of the rare writers who combines literary admiration with widespread appeal. Host Jacke Wilson is joined by lifelong Murakami fan Mike Palindrome to discuss what makes his novels so compelling, so mysterious, and so popular. Works discussed include The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, Norwegian Wood, Kafka on the Shore,… Continue reading
Jacke Wilson 