The History of Literature 766 Gertrude Stein (with Francesca Wade) | Ruskin on the Only One Way to Get Art | My Last Book with Holly Baggett
Jan 12, 2026
Francesca Wade, a biographer and literary critic known for her insightful works on modernist writers, discusses the enigmatic Gertrude Stein. They explore Stein's desire to break free from 19th-century conventions, her scientific approach to language, and the impact of her memoir, The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas. Wade reveals fresh archival materials that depict Stein's complexity beyond her public persona. Additionally, Holly Baggett shares why she would choose Ulysses as her last read, celebrating its endless layers and depth.
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Ruskin: Enjoyment Produces Great Art
- John Ruskin argued there's only one way to get good art: enjoy it deeply and collectively.
- Societies that feast on art produce lasting greatness, unlike cultures that make art merely to sell.
Killing The 19th Century
- Francesca Wade explains Stein sought to "kill the 19th century" by breaking linear narratives and old literary confines.
- Stein aligned her literary experiments with contemporaneous avant-garde visual art innovations like Cubism.
Stein As Philosopher Of Language
- Wade frames Stein as a philosopher of language probing perception, time, and how words make meaning.
- Stein used repetition and sound to divest words of associations and capture the immediate essence of people and objects.
