Podcast Episodes
Back to Search688 Georges Simenon
The Belgian-born French writer Georges Simenon (1903-1989) was astonishing for his literary ambition and output. The author of something like 400 nov…
1 year, 2 months ago
687 Gatsby Turns 100 (with James West)
"I want to write something new," American author F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote in a letter to his editor, "something extraordinary and beautiful and simp…
1 year, 2 months ago
686 Russian Poetry After the Cold War (with Stephanie Sandler)
Episode 686
For decades, the Soviet Union was unfriendly territory for poets and writers. But what happened when the wall fell? Emerging from the underground, th…
1 year, 2 months ago
685 Charles Chesnutt (with Tess Chakkalakal) | My Last Book with John Goodby
Episode 685
Complex and talented, Charles W. Chesnutt (1858-1932) was one of the first American authors to write for both Black and white readers. Born in Clevel…
1 year, 2 months ago
684 The Minister's Black Veil by Nathaniel Hawthorne (with Mike Palindrome)
What happens when a respected church leader shows up one day wearing a mysterious veil that conceals his eyes, offering no explanation - and keeps we…
1 year, 2 months ago
683 Marianne Moore (with Cristanne Miller)
Marianne Moore (1887-1972) achieved something rare in American letters: a modernist poet who was popular with both critics and the public. Famous for…
1 year, 2 months ago
682 The Profound Wisdom of Black Life and Literature (with Farah Jasmine Griffin) [Ad-Free Re-Release]
As America closes out this year's Black History Month, Jacke dives into the archives for one of his favorite episodes, which featured a conversation …
1 year, 3 months ago
681 The Jolly Corner by Henry James - Part 3 | My Last Book by Colm Tóibín
It's the conclusion to "The Jolly Corner"! Spencer Brydon lived in Europe for 33 years (as did his creator, Henry James) before returning to his chil…
1 year, 3 months ago
680 The Jolly Corner by Henry James - Part 2
Episode 680
After spending decades in Europe, the American Henry James felt haunted by the idea that he'd given up something essential. Inspired by a trip home t…
1 year, 3 months ago
679 The Jolly Corner by Henry James - Part 1
Episode 679
Although the writer Henry James (1843-1916) was born in New York City's Washington Square, he spent most of his adulthood in Europe, where he wrote s…
1 year, 3 months ago