Literature
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The History of Literature #481 — Moby Dick – 10 Essential Questions (Part One)
Here we go! Moby-Dick; or, the Whale (1851) by Herman Melville is one of the greatest – and strangest – novels you will ever read. Call it what you will – a literary leviathan, an intellectual chowder, an early entry in the Great American Novel sweepstakes – or don’t call it anything, just call the narrator Ishmael… Continue reading
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The History of Literature #478 — The Diaries of Franz Kafka (with Ross Benjamin)
Kafka! The avatar of anxiety! He’s long been one of our favorites here at the History of Literature Podcast. In this episode, Jacke talks to translator Ross Benjamin about the new edition of The Diaries of Franz Kafka, published by Schocken Books, which includes some material available in English for the first time. “Readers will welcome… Continue reading
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The History of Literature #477 — Does Edith Wharton Hate You? (Part 2 – “The Vice of Reading”)
Does Edith Wharton hate us? That’s a provocative question – but perhaps one that Wharton herself provoked, with her essay on the readers who damaged literature and her fiction satirizing the same. In this two-part series, Jacke takes a look at the type of readers targeted by Wharton: not the readers of trash fiction, whom… Continue reading
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The History of Literature #476 — Does Edith Wharton Hate You? (Part 1 – “Xingu”)
Does Edith Wharton hate us? That’s a provocative question – but perhaps one that Wharton herself provoked, with her essay on the readers who damaged literature and her fiction satirizing the same. In this two-part series, Jacke takes a look at the type of readers targeted by Wharton: not the readers of trash fiction, whom… Continue reading
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The History of Literature #475 — Portable Magic – A History of Books and Their Readers (with Emma Smith)
As we all know, the text of a book can possess incredible powers, transporting readers across time and space. But what about the books themselves? In this episode, Jacke talks to author Emma Smith (This Is Shakespeare) about her new book, Portable Magic: A History of Books and Their Readers, which provides a material history of… Continue reading
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The History of Literature #474 — Herman Melville
In this episode, Jacke takes a look at the life of Herman Melville, author of Moby-Dick and many other works. Melville experienced ups and downs, from a fancy Manhattan childhood to financial ruin and back again. Once a literary celebrity, heralded for his early novels based on his experiences living on tropical islands with cannibals, he was… Continue reading
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The History of Literature #473 — A Hemingway Short Story (with Mark Cirino)
Jacke is joined by Professor Mark Cirino, host of the One True Podcast and editor of One True Sentence: Writers & Readers on Hemingway’s Art, for a discussion of Hemingway’s classic short story about World War I and recovery in an Italian hospital, “In Another Country.” (If you haven’t read the story in a while don’t worry – we… Continue reading
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The History of Literature #472 — The Art of Not Knowing
In this special episode, Jacke pays tribute to a friend, including a consideration of endings and beginnings, mystery and grace, and two powerful works: John Berger’s The Shape of a Pocket and James Joyce’s masterpiece “The Dead.” Continue reading
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The History of Literature #471 — Angels of War (with Ariel Lawhon, Kristina McMorris, and Susan Meissner
In this episode, Jacke talks to three bestselling authors – Susan Meissner, Kristina McMorris, and Ariel Lawhon – who came together to write When We Had Wings, a historical novel about a trio of World War II nurses who waged their own battle for freedom and survival. PLUS we hear what Charlie Lovett, bibliophile and Lewis… 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
Jacke Wilson 