Nicholas Dames, a Columbia University humanities professor and author of *Amnestic Selves*, joins Dan Chaon, renowned for his novel *Ill Will*, to delve into the intricate dance of memory in fiction. They discuss how nostalgia has evolved from a clinical condition to a tool for personal growth, highlighting literary portrayals, especially by Jane Austen. The duo explores memory's fallibility, particularly in the face of trauma and identity, and emphasizes how storytelling shapes our emotional narratives and perceptions of the past.
