The TLS Podcast

This week, Alicia Rix charts Henry James's return to an unrecognisable homeland; and David Horspool on a Victorian conman and a contemporary swimmer.'Henry James Comes Home: Rediscovering America in the Gilded Age', by Peter Brooks'On Writers and Writing: Selected Essays', by Henry James, edited by Michael Gorra'Swimmingly: Adventures in Water', by Vassos AlexanderProduced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Michael LaPointe celebrates a century of The Great Gatsby; and Miranda France on an epistolary novel by Natalia Ginzburg.'The Cambridge Centennial Edition of The Great Gatsby', by F Scott Fitzgerald, edited by James LW West III, with an introduction by Sarah Churchwell'The Annotated Great Gatsby', by F Scott Fitzgerald, edited by James LW West III, with an introduction by Amor Towles'The Great Gatsby and Stories from All the Sad Young Men', by F Scott Fitzgerald, edited by Philip McGowan, with an introduction by Min Jin Lee'The Bloomsbury Handbook to F Scott Fitzgerald', edited by Laura Rattray and Linda Wagner-Martin'The City and the House', by Natalia Ginzburg, translated by Dick DaviesProduced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Nicola Shulman is staggered by Sarah Vine's account of Westminster rivalry; and James Clackson on the irresistible rise of Indo-European.'How not to be a political wife: A memoir', by Sarah Vine'Proto: How one language went global', by Laura Spinney'The Indo-Europeans rediscovered: How a scientific revolution is rewriting their story', by JP MalloryProduced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

... thinking about tomorrow. This week, Michael Caines on a musical inspired by a classic album; and Toby Lichtig talks to Mike Berners-Lee about the future of cliimate action at the Guernsey Literary Festival.'Sterophonic', by David Adjmi, Duke of York’s Theatre, until October 11'A Climate of Truth: Why We Need It and How to Get It', by Mike Berners-LeeProduced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, what TLS contributors are reading this summer; and Catherine Taylor on a trio of novels highlighting the growing pains of adolescence.'Back in the Day', by Oliver Lovrenski, translated by Nichola Smalley'Fun and Games', by John Patrick McHugh'Girl, 1983', by Linn Ullmann, translated by Martin AitkenProduced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Sara Lodge counts the ways that mathematics influenced writers from Byron to Trollope; and Russell Williams on the transformative power of rites and rituals.'The Number Sense of Nineteenth-Century British Literature', by Stefanie Markovits'The Moon and Serpent Bumper Book of Magic', by Alan Moore and Steve MooreProduced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, a special podcast from the Hay Festival ranges from the ancient world to the 16th-century, taking in the art of criticism, the centrality of religion and eco-catastrophe. With Stephanie Merritt, Edith Hall, Toby Lichtig and a guest appearance from TLS crossword compiler Praxiteles.'Traitor's Legacy', by SJ Parris'Epic of the Earth: Reading Homer's "Iliad" in the Fight for a Dying World', by Edith HallProduced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Magna Carta experts David Carpenter and Nicholas Vincent tell us how they discovered a rare original of the document; and Michael Caines on a spritely new staging of a Shaw play starring mother and daughter Imelda Staunton and Bessie Carter.'Mrs Warren's Profession', by George Bernard Shaw, Garrick Theatre, London, until August 16Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this discussion, Eimear McBride, a celebrated novelist, delves into Richard Ellmann's biography of James Joyce, shedding light on Joyce's complex work and its accessibility to readers. Mark Naylor, a keen writer, explores the intriguing themes of Adam Weymouth's 'Lone Wolf,' examining human-wolf interactions and conservation tensions. Their conversation weaves between literature and nature, sparking thought on legacy, societal prejudices, and the delicate dance between wildlife and humanity.

Vanessa Curtis, an esteemed author and Virginia Woolf specialist, joins writer Claire Lowdon, who has extensively surveyed Helen Garner's works. They celebrate the centenary of Woolf's 'Mrs. Dalloway,' delving into its themes and Woolf's literary evolution. The conversation also highlights Garner's impactful diaries and novels like 'Monkey Grip,' exploring her portrayal of relationships and trauma in 1970s Melbourne. With insights into gender dynamics and the creative process, this discussion captures the lasting relevance of both authors in shaping contemporary literature.