The History of Literature

Few writers have achieved the celebrity of the notorious Romantic poet Lord Byron. But what was he like in private? In this episode, Jacke talks to Andrew Stauffer about his new book, Byron: A Life in Ten Letters. PLUS Jonathan van Belle (Henry at Work: Thoreau on Making a Living) stops by to discuss his choice for the last book he will ever read. Music Credits: “⁠Handel – Entrance to the Queen of Sheba⁠” by Advent Chamber Orchestra (From the ⁠Free Music Archive⁠ / ⁠CC by SA⁠). Help support the show at patreon.com/literature or historyofliterature.com/donate. The History of Literature Podcast is a member of Lit Hub Radio and the Podglomerate Network. Learn more at www.thepodglomerate.com/historyofliterature. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1817 and 1818, the discovery of two sets of Czech manuscripts helped fuel the Czech National Revival, as promoters of Czech nationalism trumpeted these centuries-old works as foundational texts of a national mythology. There was only one problem: they were completely forged. In this episode, Jacke talks to David Cooper about his new book, The Czech Manuscripts: Forgery, Translation, and National Myth, which looks at why people were so eager to fall for this hoax - and what happened when the truth was learned. PLUS Jesse Kavadlo, President of the Don DeLillo Society and editor of Don DeLillo in Context, discusses his choice for the last book he will ever read. Help support the show at patreon.com/literature or historyofliterature.com/donate. The History of Literature Podcast is a member of Lit Hub Radio and the Podglomerate Network. Learn more at www.thepodglomerate.com/historyofliterature. Music Credits: “⁠Handel – Entrance to the Queen of Sheba⁠” by Advent Chamber Orchestra (From the ⁠Free Music Archive⁠ / ⁠CC by SA⁠). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pardis Dabashi, Professor of Modern Novel at [university], discusses the abandonment of conventional plots by Modern novelists like Joyce and Woolf. They explore the unique approach to storytelling in 'Nightwood' and the use of myth in modernist literature. Dabashi delves into the significance of narrative modes and the impact of film techniques. The podcast also touches on the parallels between societal chaos and themes in modernist writing. Novelist Anne Enright joins to discuss her book 'The Wren the Wren' and the concept of choosing the last book to read.

Foreign correspondent James MacManus discusses his career, transition to managing director of the Times Literary Supplement, and his new novel based on his experiences covering the war in 1970s Rhodesia. Peter K. Andersson talks about his choice for his last book, Tintin's appeal, and childhood favorites.

Philosopher, poet, playwright, science fiction writer, scientist, and celebrity Margaret Cavendish (1623-1673) was a public and publishing sensation. In this episode, Jacke talks to biographer Francesca Peacock about her new book, Pure Wit: The Revolutionary Life of Margaret Cavendish. PLUS Patrick Whitmarsh (Writing Our Extinction: Anthropocene Fiction and Vertical Science) selects his choice for the last book he will ever read.Help support the show at patreon.com/literature or historyofliterature.com/donate. The History of Literature Podcast is a member of Lit Hub Radio and the Podglomerate Network. Learn more at www.thepodglomerate.com/historyofliterature. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike Palindrome, a superguest, discusses D.H. Lawrence's "Tickets, Please," a modernist story exploring the war of the sexes. The podcast analyzes the story's horror and unexpected ending, while discussing unfair breakups, mob mentality, conflicting desires, and the socioeconomic circumstances of women during World War I.

Michelle P. Brown discusses her book on Bede, the "father of English history." They talk about Bede's contributions to poetry, merging Christianity with pre-Christian tradition, and misconceptions about him. Adrian Edwards selects Chaucer's Canterbury Tales as his last book choice.

The evidence is clear: Henry David Thoreau was an industrious person who worked hard throughout his life. And yet, he's often viewed as a kind of dreamy layabout who dropped out of society so he could sit by his pond and think his thoughts. Can we reconcile these two figures? What did work mean to Thoreau? And what advice did he have for the rest of us? In this episode, Jacke talks to Thoreau scholar Jonathan van Belle about the new book he's co-authored, Henry at Work: Thoreau on Making a Living. PLUS Andrew Pettegree (The Book at War: How Reading Shaped Conflict and Conflict Shaped Reading) stops by to discuss his choice for the last book he will ever read. Music Credits: “Handel – Entrance to the Queen of Sheba” by Advent Chamber Orchestra (From the Free Music Archive / CC by SA). Help support the show at patreon.com/literature or historyofliterature.com/donate. The History of Literature Podcast is a member of Lit Hub Radio and the Podglomerate Network. Learn more at www.thepodglomerate.com/historyofliterature. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bethanne Patrick and Aislyn Greene discuss the new seasons of Missing Pages and Travel Tales by AFAR respectively. Topics include book bands, publishing controversies, censorship, ghostwriting, and the joys of second-hand bookstores and travel.

Nicholas Dames discusses the segmented history of books and the origins of chapters. Hamid Dabashi shares his choice for the last book he will ever read. Topics include the definition and characteristics of chapters, the multinational phenomenon of chaptering, and the significance of Kililavadimna in transcending language barriers.