novelists
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The History of Literature #502 — Persuasion by Jane Austen
Harold Bloom called Persuasion “the perfect novel.” Virginia Woolf said “In Persuasion, Jane Austen is beginning to discover that the world is larger, more mysterious, and more romantic than she supposed.” In this episode, the first of three parts, Jacke takes a look at Jane Austen’s novel of missed opportunities and second chances. Help support the show at patreon.com/literature or historyofliterature.com/donate. Continue reading
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The History of Literature #482 — Moby Dick – 10 Essential Questions (Part Two)
Is Moby-Dick truly the Great American Novel? How did contemporary critics miss it? When (and how) was the book rediscovered? Jacke goes through all this and more, as he continues the countdown of Top 10 Essential Questions about Herman Melville’s 1851 masterpiece. Additional listening: Help support the show at patreon.com/literature or historyofliterature.com/donate. The History of Literature Podcast is a member Continue reading
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The History of Literature #470 — Two Christmas Days – A Holiday Story by Ida B. Wells
Legendary anti-lynching crusader and civil rights activist Ida B. Wells (1862-1931) is best known for her diligent research and brave and compelling journalism. But she was also a feature writer for both black-owned and white-owned newspapers, and her talents were not just limited to nonfiction. In this episode, Jacke reads and discusses a rare example Continue reading
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The History of Literature #469 — A Room with a View by E.M. Forster (with Gina Buonaguro)
Since its publication in 1908, E.M. Forster’s classic novel A Room with a View, which tells the story of a young Englishwoman who finds a romantic adventure during a trip to Florence, has inspired countless travelers to expand their minds and warm their hearts with a tour through Italy. In this episode, Jacke talks to historical Continue reading
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The History of Literature #446 — Percy Bysshe Shelley – The Early Years
Jacke takes a look at the early years of Percy Bysshe Shelley, from his idyllic childhood, to his rebellious student years, to his experiments in free love, radical politics, and Wordsworthian poetry. Works discussed include “Queen Mab,” “Hymn to Intellectual Beauty,” “Alastor, or the Spirit of Solitude,” “Mont Blanc,” “Mutability [“We are as clouds that Continue reading
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The History of Literature #400 – Anniversary Special! (with Mike Palindrome)
Celebrating 400 episodes of The History of Literature, Jacke and Mike respond to a listener poll and choose the Top 10 Episodes We Must Do in the Future. Additional listening suggestions: Episode 83 – Overrated! Top 10 Books You Don’t Need to Read Episode 149 – Raising Readers (aka the Power of Literature in an Continue reading
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The History of Literature #399 – Stephen Crane (with Linda H. Davis)
Stephen Crane (1871-1900) lived fast, died young, and impressed everyone with his prose style and insight into the human condition. While he’s best known today for his novels The Red Badge of Courage and Maggie: A Girl of the Streets (along with some classic short stories like “The Open Boat,” “the Blue Hotel,” and “The Bride Comes to Yellow Continue reading
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The History of Literature #391 – Mark Twain’s Publishing Fiasco | Great Literary Terms and Devices Part 2 (with Mike Palindrome)
Mark Twain was an enormously successful writer and a horrendous businessperson, with a weakness for gadgets and inventions that cost him a fortune. In this episode, Jacke takes a look at his efforts to start his own publishing company, which started off strong but quickly descended into bankruptcy and ruin. What was he trying to Continue reading
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The History of Literature #386 – Gogol’s Ukrainian Nights | HOL Presents “Mysteries of a Merlin Manuscript” (A Book Dreams Podcast)
Jacke takes a look at Nikolai Gogol’s early stories about his native Ukraine, including two famous descriptions of Ukrainian nights. Then Jacke turns things over to Eve and Julie from the Book Dreams Podcast, as they interview a scholar about a surprising find: in 2019, a librarian in Bristol discovered four scraps of parchment bearing the Continue reading
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The History of Literature #352 – Charles Baudelaire (with Aaron Poochigian)
The American poet Dana Gioia calls Charles Baudelaire “the first modern poet,” adding “In both style and content, his provocative, alluring, and shockingly original work shaped and enlarged the imagination of later poets, not only in his native France but across Europe and the Americas.” In this episode, acclaimed translator and poet Aaron Poochigian joins Continue reading
Jacke Wilson 