672 The Little Review (with Holly A. Baggett) | My Last Book with Phil Jones
Jan 23, 2025
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Holly A. Baggett, a history professor and author, dives into the revolutionary impact of 'The Little Review,' the early 20th-century magazine that published works by literary giants while championing feminism, free love, and anarchy. She discusses the scandal surrounding the serialization of Joyce's 'Ulysses' and its subsequent obscenity trial, which reshaped the literary landscape. Phil Jones shares his thoughts on the last book he would ever read, offering a glimpse into the literary legacies that continue to influence today.
The Little Review played a crucial role in modern literature by publishing groundbreaking works and challenging conventional norms, particularly through the serialization of Joyce's Ulysses.
Margaret Anderson and Jane Heap, as editors, showcased contrasting personalities that enriched the magazine's vision while advocating for anarchism, feminism, and modernist artistic expression.
Deep dives
The Influence of Little Magazines
The podcast delves into the significant role that small literary magazines played in shaping modern literature. The Little Review, established by Margaret Anderson and Jane Heap in Chicago, served as a platform for avant-garde writers and artists during the early 20th century. With its publication of notable figures like T.S. Eliot, Gertrude Stein, and James Joyce, it introduced American audiences to modernist ideas and challenged conventional norms in literature. Despite financial struggles and limited subscriptions, the magazine lasted 15 years, marking its importance in a historically transient publishing landscape.
The Legacy of 'Ulysses' and the Obscenity Trial
The discussion highlights the Little Review's controversial serialization of James Joyce's 'Ulysses' and the ensuing obscenity trial, which became a significant episode in American literary history. Despite initial enthusiasm for Joyce's work, the publication faced backlash from authorities when certain chapters were deemed obscene, leading to legal trouble. Although the magazine was found guilty and fined, this moment cemented its legacy in the fight against censorship and established Anderson and Heap as formidable figures in modernist literature. The trial ultimately showcased the cultural clash between evolving artistic expression and rigid moral standards.
Profile of Margaret Anderson and Jane Heap
The podcast provides an in-depth look at the contrasting yet complementary personalities of the Little Review's editors, Margaret Anderson and Jane Heap. Anderson was characterized as enthusiastic and extroverted, while Heap was more introspective and melancholic, creating a dynamic partnership that influenced the magazine's vision. Together, they fostered a diverse literary community in Chicago before moving to Greenwich Village, facilitating a broader cultural exchange. Their differing strengths allowed the magazine to thrive creatively even amid significant challenges and personal struggles.
Gurdjieff's Philosophical Influence
The episode also explores the impact of the philosophical teacher George Ivanovich Gurdjieff on both Anderson and Heap later in their lives. Gurdjieff's teachings emphasized awakening individuals from their 'sleepwalking' state, and both women became dedicated followers, integrating his ideas into their own lives and works. The podcast outlines how this involvement provided them with a deeper spiritual framework that complemented their artistic pursuits. Despite their earlier decisions to move away from purely artistic endeavors, their continued engagement with art and literature remained integral to their journey of self-discovery.
Founded in Chicago in 1914, the avant-garde journal the Little Review became a giant in the cause of modernism, publishing literature and art by luminaries such as T.S. Eliot, Djuna Barnes, William Butler Yeats, James Joyce, Ezra Pound, Pablo Picasso, Max Ernst, Gertrude Stein, Jean Toomer, William Carlos Williams, H.D., Amy Lowell, Marcel Duchamp, Joseph Stella, Hans Arp, Mina Loy, Emma Goldman, Wyndham Lewis, Hart Crane, Sherwood Anderson, and more. Perhaps most famously, the magazine published Joyce's Ulysses in serial form, causing a scandal and leading to a censorship trial that changed the course of literature.
In this episode, Jacke talks to scholar Holly A. Baggett about her book Making No Compromise: Margaret Anderson, Jane Heap, and the Little Review, which tells the story of the two Midwestern women behind the Little Review, who were themselves iconoclastic rebels, living openly as lesbians and advocating for causes like anarchy, feminism, free love, and of course, groundbreaking literature and art. PLUS Phil Jones (Reading Samuel Johnson: Reception and Representation, 1750-1970) stops by to discuss his choice for the last book he will ever read.