Podcasts about Modern literature

In a world competing for our attention, our guest this week admits: “It's probably harder to read novels now than it ever was.” But their value cannot be overstated. The novel's unique humanity, its careful and open treatment of the human experience, helps us to develop a sympathetic imagination, tuning our hearts and minds in a way that non-fiction argument simply cannot. Christopher Scalia, author of 13 Novels Conservatives Will Love (but Probably Haven't Read), makes the case that it is a distinctly conservative interest to explore the Western tradition through fiction. Recommendations in hand, he invites adults to refresh their reading list with novels—from the very inception of the form up to the present. Chapters: 1:47 The great book rut 4:11 Novels: the medium of recent Western tradition 5:30 The 18th-century bildungsroman 9:47 “Conservative” themes 16:18 The American dream in My Ántonia 22:39 Miraculous realism in Peace Like a River 29:02 Acknowledging the existence of evil 31:44 Wonder and encounter over strict interpretation 37:03 Revisiting works from your school years 38:47 Why narrative works 42:01 Books that nearly made the cut Links: 13 Novels Conservatives Will Love (but Probably Haven't Read) by Christopher Scalia Christopher J. Scalia at American Enterprise Institute The History of Rasselas by Samuel Johnson (1759) Evelina by Frances Burney (1778) Waverley by Sir Walter Scott (1814) The Blithedale Romance by Nathaniel Hawthorne (1852) Daniel Deronda by George Eliot (1876) My Ántonia by Willa Cather (1918) Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston (1937) The Girls of Slender Means by Muriel Spark (1963) The Children of Men by P. D. James (1992) Peace Like a River by Leif Enger (2001) Gilead by Marilynne Robinson (2004) The Road by Cormac McCarthy (2006) How I Won a Nobel Prize: A Novel by Julius Taranto (2023) Also on the Forum: Heights Forum Book Reviews On Reading Literature by Joseph Bissex Some Summer Reading Recommendations for Teachers by Tom Cox Modern Literature: On Curating the Contemporary featuring Mike Ortiz Guiding Our Boys through Modern Literature featuring Joe Breslin and Lionel Yaceczko Featured opportunities: Teaching Essentials Workshop at The Heights School (June 16-20, 2025) Convivium for Teaching Men at The Heights School (November 13-15, 2025)

To mark the 80th anniversary this week, we explore British culture around VE Day in 1945, reflecting on the music, books, films and theatre that defined the moment and the complex emotional landscape that followed the war's end. Songwriter and pianist Kate Garner joins us at the piano.Guests: Michael Billington, theatre critic; Ian Christie, film historian; Kevin Le Gendre, music journalist and broadcaster; Lara Feigel, Professor of Modern Literature, King's College London; Kate Garner, singer and songwriterPresenter: Samira Ahmed Producer: Simon Richardson

Steve speaks with ARX-Han, an anonymous writer, about his book "Incel."(00:00) - Introduction (02:09) - Discussing the Novel 'Incel' (06:08) - Character Analysis and Literary Influences (13:32) - Themes of Evolutionary Psychology and Nihilism (18:38) - Historical Context and Modern Inceldom (26:18) - Impact of Dating Apps on Modern Relationships (32:47) - Representation and Character Dynamics (40:21) - Literary Comparisons and Philosophical Depth (45:38) - Philosophical Underpinnings of Meaning (48:14) - The Hard Problem of Consciousness (50:38) - Free Will and Determinism (52:53) - Darwinian Nihilism and Nick Land (58:17) - Historical Perspectives on East Asian Civilization (01:03:11) - The State of Literary Fiction (01:16:45) - AI and Literature (01:19:44) - AI and Human Meaning Music used with permission from Blade Runner Blues Livestream improvisation by State Azure.–Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU. Please send any questions or suggestions to manifold1podcast@gmail.com or Steve on X @hsu_steve.

The right to free expression is severely threatened in many places in the world, yet it has also never been so passionately defended. This lecture focuses on the recent history of banned literature. It considers the changing nature of literary censorship, arguments in defence of free expression, why literary writers have so frequently pushed the boundaries of the acceptable, and the impact of technology on censorship and free speech.This lecture was recorded by Rachel Potter on 12th March 2025 at Barnard's Inn Hall, London.Rachel Potter is Professor of Modern Literature at the University of East Anglia. She writes on literature and censorship, free expression and writers organisations, modernist literature and early twentieth century culture.Rachel completed her PhD at King's College, Cambridge, where she also studied for her undergraduate degree. Prior to her PhD she took the MA in 'Critical Theory' at the University of Sussex. Before joining UEA in September, 2007, she taught for seven years at Queen Mary, University of London. The transcript of the lecture is available from the Gresham College website: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/banned-booksGresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham College's mission, please consider making a donation: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/get-involved/support-us/make-donation/donate-today Website:  https://gresham.ac.ukX: https://x.com/GreshamCollegeFacebook: https://facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: https://instagram.com/greshamcollegeBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/greshamcollege.bsky.social TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@greshamcollegeSupport Us: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/get-involved/support-us/make-donation/donate-todaySupport the show

We began this literary podcast episode by welcoming listeners into April with a playful nod to April Fool's Day. This theme paved the way for our new monthly focus: tricksters and fools in literature. Meaghan and Arthur introduced this concept by discussing how these characters appear in stories across the globe and throughout history.We explored how tricksters often challenge societal norms through cleverness, mischief, and rule-bending behavior. From mythical gods to fairytale creatures, these figures have captivated readers and listeners for centuries.The hosts announced that April's episodes would focus on examining tricksters through various cultural lenses, exploring their evolution from oral storytelling traditions to their presence in modern literature. We emphasized that tricksters are not a recent invention but rather a long-standing narrative archetype found in myths, legends, and folk tales around the world.These characters use their intelligence and cunning to manipulate situations, often with humorous or chaotic outcomes. We framed this theme as both fascinating and fun, promising a deeper dive into specific examples as the month progresses.Origins of the Trickster ArchetypeOnce we launched into the heart of the discussion, we clarified what defines a trickster. Tricksters are beings - sometimes gods, spirits, or animals - that defy expectations and operate outside the usual rules. They often disrupt the established order, using their intellect and creativity to challenge norms. These characters aren't always malicious; sometimes, they are simply playful or seek to illuminate hidden truths.We explored how tricksters are morally ambiguous and boundary-pushing, which can make them simultaneously entertaining and unsettling.We then turned to cultural interpretations of tricksters, beginning with First Nations folklore. Figures like Coyote and Raven are often humorous pranksters, but their stories also carry deeper spiritual or philosophical lessons. We discussed how laughter and humor are considered important in many Indigenous cultures, as they can cleanse the soul and precede prayer.The tales passed down orally were sometimes used to explain natural phenomena or convey moral teachings.From there, we moved into how these oral traditions transitioned into written stories. We noted that many of the myths and folktales that feature tricksters were eventually documented, preserving them for future generations. This shift allowed trickster characters to become part of broader literary traditions. Meaghan and Arthur reflected on how grateful we are that so many cultures made the effort to record these tales, preventing them from fading into obscurity.Tricksters Across Cultures and BooksThe next section of the conversation focused on specific trickster figures across various mythologies and how they've persisted or evolved.Loki from Norse mythology was our launching point. We highlighted his popularity - particularly due to Marvel's portrayal - and his complicated personality. Sometimes, Loki is a playful trickster; other times, he's more malicious. His ability to shapeshift and deceive is core to his character, and Arthur brought up The Gospel of Loki by Joanne Harris as a unique retelling from Loki's sarcastic perspective.Next, we examined Anansi, the spider trickster from African folklore. Anansi's confidence in his wit often becomes his downfall, demonstrating the moral lessons embedded in many of his tales. On the European front, we touched on the fair folk from Celtic mythology - small, mischievous beings who have evolved in modern media into something quite different, like the fae in fantasy novels.In Japanese mythology, we discussed the kitsune, fox spirits known for shapeshifting and disregarding societal rules. We also talked about trickster characters in North American folklore, including Brer Rabbit - a clever figure from African American traditions used to critique power structures through wit. Dionysus from Greek mythology and Hermes (or Mercury in Roman tales) were also identified as possessing trickster qualities through shapeshifting and manipulation.One particularly fun character mentioned was Stingy Jack from old All Hallows' Eve stories, said to have inspired the modern jack-o'-lantern. We highlighted how many of these characters, even those with niche or local origins, have had a lasting impact due to the universality of their themes and appeal.Why Tricksters Still Resonate In LiteratureIn the final section of our conversation, we considered why tricksters continue to appear in contemporary literature and media. Meaghan and Arthur pointed out that these characters allow writers to critique institutions, traditions, and authority figures without being overly direct. Historically, jesters were the only ones allowed to mock kings without consequence, and tricksters have inherited that role in fiction.We explored how trickster characters often serve as unreliable narrators, adding complexity and unpredictability to narratives. This perspective allows authors to disrupt traditional storytelling, injecting surprise and challenging the reader's assumptions. Characters like Loki, the Joker, and the Cheshire Cat exemplify this method, each adding an element of chaos or philosophical questioning to their stories.We agreed that people enjoy reading about characters who operate outside the norm - especially those who use cunning to succeed rather than brute strength. The enduring popularity of myths and fairy tales demonstrates our ongoing fascination with the fantastical and the morally gray.Meaghan made a point about how supernatural elements like magic provide narrative freedom, allowing authors to use tricksters in unexpected ways. Arthur added that even when tricksters aren't explicitly supernatural, their rebellious nature makes them compelling. In some cases, these characters start as tricksters and evolve into villains, depending on their motivations and how far they take their rule-breaking.Book Recommendations and Closing ThoughtsTo wrap up, we offered several book recommendations that feature trickster figures. These included:Rumpelstiltskin, the classic Grimm fairy tale with a dark deal and clever escape.Puck from A Midsummer Night's Dream, who mischievously meddles with human affairs to comedic effect.Greengrass Running Water by Thomas King, which features the coyote trickster in a narrative that breaks the fourth wall.Trickster: Native American Tales, a graphic anthology that includes various trickster figures from multiple tribes.The Joker as a modern trickster-turned-villain archetype in comic books.Fool by Christopher Moore, a humorous retelling of King Lear from the fool's perspective.We wrapped up the episode by emphasizing that tricksters are present in stories from every culture. They challenge conventions, blur the line between right and wrong, and often act as mirrors to societal values. While we only scratched the surface in this introductory episode, we plan to dive deeper into unreliable narrators and modern-day tricksters in upcoming installments.

Today we present the first episode of a miniseries on audiobooks by getting into the history and theory of the medium. Audiobooks are having a moment—and it only took them over a century to get here. Dr. Matthew Rubery, a Harvard PhD and Professor of Modern Literature at Queen Mary University of London, pioneered the study of the audiobook, its history, and its affordances.  Among his other works, Dr. Rubery is the author of The Untold Story of the Talking Book (2016, Harvard University Press). He's also the editor of Audiobooks, Literature, and Sound Studies (2011, Routledge). Matt's latest book is titled Reader's Block: A History of Reading Differences (2022, Stanford University Press).  In this fascinating conversation, we discuss the long history of recorded literature; the weird shame around audiobook reading and its cultural roots; the interplay between disability, neurodivergence, and alternate forms of reading; and what an audiobook criticism might look like.  And for our patrons, we'll have our What's Good segment at the end of the show, where Matt will tell us something good to read, something good to listen to. Something good to do. You can become a patron of the show at patreon.com/phantompower. Today's show was edited by Mack Hagood. Transcription by Katelyn Phan. Music by Graeme Gibson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Today we present the first episode of a miniseries on audiobooks by getting into the history and theory of the medium. Audiobooks are having a moment—and it only took them over a century to get here. Dr. Matthew Rubery, a Harvard PhD and Professor of Modern Literature at Queen Mary University of London, pioneered the study of the audiobook, its history, and its affordances.  Among his other works, Dr. Rubery is the author of The Untold Story of the Talking Book (2016, Harvard University Press). He's also the editor of Audiobooks, Literature, and Sound Studies (2011, Routledge). Matt's latest book is titled Reader's Block: A History of Reading Differences (2022, Stanford University Press).  In this fascinating conversation, we discuss the long history of recorded literature; the weird shame around audiobook reading and its cultural roots; the interplay between disability, neurodivergence, and alternate forms of reading; and what an audiobook criticism might look like.  And for our patrons, we'll have our What's Good segment at the end of the show, where Matt will tell us something good to read, something good to listen to. Something good to do. You can become a patron of the show at patreon.com/phantompower. Today's show was edited by Mack Hagood. Transcription by Katelyn Phan. Music by Graeme Gibson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

Today we present the first episode of a miniseries on audiobooks by getting into the history and theory of the medium. Audiobooks are having a moment—and it only took them over a century to get here. Dr. Matthew Rubery, a Harvard PhD and Professor of Modern Literature at Queen Mary University of London, pioneered the study of the audiobook, its history, and its affordances.  Among his other works, Dr. Rubery is the author of The Untold Story of the Talking Book (2016, Harvard University Press). He's also the editor of Audiobooks, Literature, and Sound Studies (2011, Routledge). Matt's latest book is titled Reader's Block: A History of Reading Differences (2022, Stanford University Press).  In this fascinating conversation, we discuss the long history of recorded literature; the weird shame around audiobook reading and its cultural roots; the interplay between disability, neurodivergence, and alternate forms of reading; and what an audiobook criticism might look like.  And for our patrons, we'll have our What's Good segment at the end of the show, where Matt will tell us something good to read, something good to listen to. Something good to do. You can become a patron of the show at patreon.com/phantompower. Today's show was edited by Mack Hagood. Transcription by Katelyn Phan. Music by Graeme Gibson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literary-studies

Today we present the first episode of a miniseries on audiobooks by getting into the history and theory of the medium. Audiobooks are having a moment—and it only took them over a century to get here. Dr. Matthew Rubery, a Harvard PhD and Professor of Modern Literature at Queen Mary University of London, pioneered the study of the audiobook, its history, and its affordances.  Among his other works, Dr. Rubery is the author of The Untold Story of the Talking Book (2016, Harvard University Press). He's also the editor of Audiobooks, Literature, and Sound Studies (2011, Routledge). Matt's latest book is titled Reader's Block: A History of Reading Differences (2022, Stanford University Press).  In this fascinating conversation, we discuss the long history of recorded literature; the weird shame around audiobook reading and its cultural roots; the interplay between disability, neurodivergence, and alternate forms of reading; and what an audiobook criticism might look like.  And for our patrons, we'll have our What's Good segment at the end of the show, where Matt will tell us something good to read, something good to listen to. Something good to do. You can become a patron of the show at patreon.com/phantompower. Today's show was edited by Mack Hagood. Transcription by Katelyn Phan. Music by Graeme Gibson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/communications

Today we present the first episode of a miniseries on audiobooks by getting into the history and theory of the medium. Audiobooks are having a moment—and it only took them over a century to get here. Dr. Matthew Rubery, a Harvard PhD and Professor of Modern Literature at Queen Mary University of London, pioneered the study of the audiobook, its history, and its affordances.  Among his other works, Dr. Rubery is the author of The Untold Story of the Talking Book (2016, Harvard University Press). He's also the editor of Audiobooks, Literature, and Sound Studies (2011, Routledge). Matt's latest book is titled Reader's Block: A History of Reading Differences (2022, Stanford University Press).  In this fascinating conversation, we discuss the long history of recorded literature; the weird shame around audiobook reading and its cultural roots; the interplay between disability, neurodivergence, and alternate forms of reading; and what an audiobook criticism might look like.  And for our patrons, we'll have our What's Good segment at the end of the show, where Matt will tell us something good to read, something good to listen to. Something good to do. You can become a patron of the show at patreon.com/phantompower. Today's show was edited by Mack Hagood. Transcription by Katelyn Phan. Music by Graeme Gibson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/science-technology-and-society

Today we present the first episode of a miniseries on audiobooks by getting into the history and theory of the medium. Audiobooks are having a moment—and it only took them over a century to get here. Dr. Matthew Rubery, a Harvard PhD and Professor of Modern Literature at Queen Mary University of London, pioneered the study of the audiobook, its history, and its affordances.  Among his other works, Dr. Rubery is the author of The Untold Story of the Talking Book (2016, Harvard University Press). He's also the editor of Audiobooks, Literature, and Sound Studies (2011, Routledge). Matt's latest book is titled Reader's Block: A History of Reading Differences (2022, Stanford University Press).  In this fascinating conversation, we discuss the long history of recorded literature; the weird shame around audiobook reading and its cultural roots; the interplay between disability, neurodivergence, and alternate forms of reading; and what an audiobook criticism might look like.  And for our patrons, we'll have our What's Good segment at the end of the show, where Matt will tell us something good to read, something good to listen to. Something good to do. You can become a patron of the show at patreon.com/phantompower. Today's show was edited by Mack Hagood. Transcription by Katelyn Phan. Music by Graeme Gibson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sound-studies

Today we present the first episode of a miniseries on audiobooks by getting into the history and theory of the medium. Audiobooks are having a moment—and it only took them over a century to get here. Dr. Matthew Rubery, a Harvard PhD and Professor of Modern Literature at Queen Mary University of London, pioneered the study of the audiobook, its history, and its affordances.  Among his other works, Dr. Rubery is the author of The Untold Story of the Talking Book (2016, Harvard University Press). He's also the editor of Audiobooks, Literature, and Sound Studies (2011, Routledge). Matt's latest book is titled Reader's Block: A History of Reading Differences (2022, Stanford University Press).  In this fascinating conversation, we discuss the long history of recorded literature; the weird shame around audiobook reading and its cultural roots; the interplay between disability, neurodivergence, and alternate forms of reading; and what an audiobook criticism might look like.  And for our patrons, we'll have our What's Good segment at the end of the show, where Matt will tell us something good to read, something good to listen to. Something good to do. You can become a patron of the show at patreon.com/phantompower. Today's show was edited by Mack Hagood. Transcription by Katelyn Phan. Music by Graeme Gibson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/technology

Today we present the first episode of a miniseries on audiobooks by getting into the history and theory of the medium. Audiobooks are having a moment—and it only took them over a century to get here. Dr. Matthew Rubery, a Harvard PhD and Professor of Modern Literature at Queen Mary University of London, pioneered the study of the audiobook, its history, and its affordances.  Among his other works, Dr. Rubery is the author of The Untold Story of the Talking Book (2016, Harvard University Press). He's also the editor of Audiobooks, Literature, and Sound Studies (2011, Routledge). Matt's latest book is titled Reader's Block: A History of Reading Differences (2022, Stanford University Press).  In this fascinating conversation, we discuss the long history of recorded literature; the weird shame around audiobook reading and its cultural roots; the interplay between disability, neurodivergence, and alternate forms of reading; and what an audiobook criticism might look like.  And for our patrons, we'll have our What's Good segment at the end of the show, where Matt will tell us something good to read, something good to listen to. Something good to do. You can become a patron of the show at patreon.com/phantompower. Today's show was edited by Mack Hagood. Transcription by Katelyn Phan. Music by Graeme Gibson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some of our favorite stories have roots in the writings of the Greeks and Romans. In this episode of Rostra, Annabelle Bremer talks with us about those influences and where we see them in modern literature.

Dan Corder is joined by Dr. Ally Louks, the English literary academic whose ground-breaking PhD dissertation, Olfactory Ethics: The Politics of Smell in Modern and Contemporary Prose, went viral on social media. Dr. Louks shares the unexpected journey of her research gaining public attention and unpacks why scent, often overlooked in literary analysis, holds deep political and cultural significance.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Send us a textIn the final chapter of Climbing Parnassus, Tracy Lee Simmons distinguishes between the "skills" and the "content" arguments for classical study, and says that the skills argument is in fact the stronger. Content, Simmons says, can be learned by reading translations - or even from scanning Wikipedia (or asking A.I.!). What is irreplaceable about true classical study is the formation of the mind and the skills acquired from long years of intense training in reading and writing in Greek and Latin. The death of this educational program caused European literary culture to rot, just as critics and poets like W.H. Auden, T.S. Eliot, and C.S. Lewis had warned: they were the last generation to receive this education, and so it should be no surprise that they were the last generation of Anglophone writers even to approach greatness.Tracy Lee Simmons' Climbing Parnassus: https://bookshop.org/a/25626/9781933859507New Humanists episode on Albert Jay Nock: https://newhumanists.buzzsprout.com/1791279/episodes/10528217-should-everyone-be-educated-episode-22 J.R.R. Tolkien's Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics: https://jenniferjsnow.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/11790039-jrr-tolkien-beowulf-the-monsters-and-the-critics.pdfPlato's The Last Days of Socrates: https://bookshop.org/a/25626/9780140449280Seamus Heaney's translation of Beowulf: https://bookshop.org/a/25626/9780393320978ALI's Latin for Kids program: https://ancientlanguage.com/latin-for-kids/New Humanists is brought to you by the Ancient Language Institute: https://ancientlanguage.com/Links may have referral codes, which earn us a commission at no additional cost to you. We encourage you, when possible, to use Bookshop.org for your book purchases, an online bookstore which supports local bookstores.Music: Save Us Now by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the author of 'I, Claudius' who was also one of the finest poets of the twentieth century. Robert Graves (1895 -1985) placed his poetry far above his prose. He once declared that from the age of 15 poetry had been his ruling passion and that he lived his life according to poetic principles, writing in prose only to pay the bills and that he bred the pedigree dogs of his prose to feed the cats of his poetry. Yet it's for his prose that he's most famous today, including 'I Claudius', his brilliant account of the debauchery of Imperial Rome, and 'Goodbye to All That', the unforgettable memoir of his early life including the time during the First World War when he was so badly wounded at the Somme that The Times listed him as dead. WithPaul O'Prey Emeritus Professor of Modern Literature at the University of Roehampton, LondonFran Brearton Professor of Modern Poetry at Queen's University, BelfastAndBob Davis Professor of Religious and Cultural Education at the University of GlasgowProducer: Simon TillotsonRobert Graves (ed. Paul O'Prey), In Broken Images: Selected Letters of Robert Graves 1914-1946 (Hutchinson, 1982)Robert Graves (ed. Paul O'Prey), Between Moon and Moon: Selected letters of Robert Graves 1946-1972 (Hutchinson, 1984)Robert Graves (ed. Beryl Graves and Dunstan Ward), The Complete Poems (Penguin Modern Classics, 2003)Robert Graves, I, Claudius (republished by Penguin, 2006)Robert Graves, King Jesus (republished by Penguin, 2011)Robert Graves, The White Goddess (republished by Faber, 1999)Robert Graves, The Greek Myths (republished by Penguin, 2017)Robert Graves (ed. Michael Longley), Selected Poems (Faber, 2013)Robert Graves (ed. Fran Brearton, intro. Andrew Motion), Goodbye to All That: An Autobiography: The Original Edition (first published 1929; Penguin Classics, 2014)William Graves, Wild Olives: Life in Majorca with Robert Graves (Pimlico, 2001)Richard Perceval Graves, Robert Graves: The Assault Heroic, 1895-1926 (Macmillan, 1986, vol. 1 of the biography)Richard Perceval Graves, Robert Graves: The Years with Laura, 1926-1940 (Viking, 1990, vol. 2 of the biography)Richard Perceval Graves, Robert Graves and the White Goddess, 1940-1985 (Orion, 1995, vol. 3 of the biography)Miranda Seymour: Robert Graves: Life on the Edge (Henry Holt & Co, 1995)In Our Time is a BBC Studios Audio Production

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the author of 'I, Claudius' who was also one of the finest poets of the twentieth century. Robert Graves (1895 -1985) placed his poetry far above his prose. He once declared that from the age of 15 poetry had been his ruling passion and that he lived his life according to poetic principles, writing in prose only to pay the bills and that he bred the pedigree dogs of his prose to feed the cats of his poetry. Yet it's for his prose that he's most famous today, including 'I Claudius', his brilliant account of the debauchery of Imperial Rome, and 'Goodbye to All That', the unforgettable memoir of his early life including the time during the First World War when he was so badly wounded at the Somme that The Times listed him as dead. WithPaul O'Prey Emeritus Professor of Modern Literature at the University of Roehampton, LondonFran Brearton Professor of Modern Poetry at Queen's University, BelfastAndBob Davis Professor of Religious and Cultural Education at the University of GlasgowProducer: Simon TillotsonRobert Graves (ed. Paul O'Prey), In Broken Images: Selected Letters of Robert Graves 1914-1946 (Hutchinson, 1982)Robert Graves (ed. Paul O'Prey), Between Moon and Moon: Selected letters of Robert Graves 1946-1972 (Hutchinson, 1984)Robert Graves (ed. Beryl Graves and Dunstan Ward), The Complete Poems (Penguin Modern Classics, 2003)Robert Graves, I, Claudius (republished by Penguin, 2006)Robert Graves, King Jesus (republished by Penguin, 2011)Robert Graves, The White Goddess (republished by Faber, 1999)Robert Graves, The Greek Myths (republished by Penguin, 2017)Robert Graves (ed. Michael Longley), Selected Poems (Faber, 2013)Robert Graves (ed. Fran Brearton, intro. Andrew Motion), Goodbye to All That: An Autobiography: The Original Edition (first published 1929; Penguin Classics, 2014)William Graves, Wild Olives: Life in Majorca with Robert Graves (Pimlico, 2001)Richard Perceval Graves, Robert Graves: The Assault Heroic, 1895-1926 (Macmillan, 1986, vol. 1 of the biography)Richard Perceval Graves, Robert Graves: The Years with Laura, 1926-1940 (Viking, 1990, vol. 2 of the biography)Richard Perceval Graves, Robert Graves and the White Goddess, 1940-1985 (Orion, 1995, vol. 3 of the biography)Miranda Seymour: Robert Graves: Life on the Edge (Henry Holt & Co, 1995)In Our Time is a BBC Studios Audio Production

If you're enjoying the Hardcore Literature Show, there are two ways you can show your support and ensure it continues: 1. Please leave a quick review on iTunes. 2. Join in the fun over at the Hardcore Literature Book Club: patreon.com/hardcoreliterature Thank you so much. Happy listening and reading! - Benjamin

When East Asia opened itself to the world in the nineteenth century, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean intellectuals had shared notions of literature because of the centuries-long cultural exchanges in the region. As modernization profoundly destabilized cultural norms, they ventured to create new literature for the new era. Satoru Hashimoto offers a novel way of understanding the origins of modern literature in a transregional context, drawing on Chinese-, Japanese-, and Korean-language texts in both classical and vernacular forms. He argues that modern literature came into being in East Asia through writerly attempts at reconstructing the present's historical relationship to the past across the cultural transformations caused by modernization. Hashimoto examines writers' anachronistic engagement with past cultures that were deemed obsolete or antithetical to new systems of values, showing that this transnational process was integral to the emergence of modern literature. A groundbreaking cross-cultural excavation of the origins of modern literature in East Asia featuring remarkable linguistic scope, Afterlives of Letters: The Transnational Origins of Modern Literature in China, Japan, and Korea (Columbia UP, 2023) bridges Asian studies and comparative literature and delivers a remapping of world literature. Satoru Hashimoto is assistant professor of comparative thought and literature at the Johns Hopkins University. He has published in English, Japanese, Chinese, and French on topics in comparative literature, aesthetics, and thought engaging East Asian and European traditions. He is on the editorial board of the Journal of World Literature. Li-Ping Chen is a teaching fellow in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of Southern California. Her research interests include literary translingualism, diaspora, and nativism in Sinophone, inter-Asian, and transpacific contexts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

When East Asia opened itself to the world in the nineteenth century, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean intellectuals had shared notions of literature because of the centuries-long cultural exchanges in the region. As modernization profoundly destabilized cultural norms, they ventured to create new literature for the new era. Satoru Hashimoto offers a novel way of understanding the origins of modern literature in a transregional context, drawing on Chinese-, Japanese-, and Korean-language texts in both classical and vernacular forms. He argues that modern literature came into being in East Asia through writerly attempts at reconstructing the present's historical relationship to the past across the cultural transformations caused by modernization. Hashimoto examines writers' anachronistic engagement with past cultures that were deemed obsolete or antithetical to new systems of values, showing that this transnational process was integral to the emergence of modern literature. A groundbreaking cross-cultural excavation of the origins of modern literature in East Asia featuring remarkable linguistic scope, Afterlives of Letters: The Transnational Origins of Modern Literature in China, Japan, and Korea (Columbia UP, 2023) bridges Asian studies and comparative literature and delivers a remapping of world literature. Satoru Hashimoto is assistant professor of comparative thought and literature at the Johns Hopkins University. He has published in English, Japanese, Chinese, and French on topics in comparative literature, aesthetics, and thought engaging East Asian and European traditions. He is on the editorial board of the Journal of World Literature. Li-Ping Chen is a teaching fellow in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of Southern California. Her research interests include literary translingualism, diaspora, and nativism in Sinophone, inter-Asian, and transpacific contexts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/east-asian-studies

When East Asia opened itself to the world in the nineteenth century, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean intellectuals had shared notions of literature because of the centuries-long cultural exchanges in the region. As modernization profoundly destabilized cultural norms, they ventured to create new literature for the new era. Satoru Hashimoto offers a novel way of understanding the origins of modern literature in a transregional context, drawing on Chinese-, Japanese-, and Korean-language texts in both classical and vernacular forms. He argues that modern literature came into being in East Asia through writerly attempts at reconstructing the present's historical relationship to the past across the cultural transformations caused by modernization. Hashimoto examines writers' anachronistic engagement with past cultures that were deemed obsolete or antithetical to new systems of values, showing that this transnational process was integral to the emergence of modern literature. A groundbreaking cross-cultural excavation of the origins of modern literature in East Asia featuring remarkable linguistic scope, Afterlives of Letters: The Transnational Origins of Modern Literature in China, Japan, and Korea (Columbia UP, 2023) bridges Asian studies and comparative literature and delivers a remapping of world literature. Satoru Hashimoto is assistant professor of comparative thought and literature at the Johns Hopkins University. He has published in English, Japanese, Chinese, and French on topics in comparative literature, aesthetics, and thought engaging East Asian and European traditions. He is on the editorial board of the Journal of World Literature. Li-Ping Chen is a teaching fellow in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of Southern California. Her research interests include literary translingualism, diaspora, and nativism in Sinophone, inter-Asian, and transpacific contexts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literary-studies

When East Asia opened itself to the world in the nineteenth century, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean intellectuals had shared notions of literature because of the centuries-long cultural exchanges in the region. As modernization profoundly destabilized cultural norms, they ventured to create new literature for the new era. Satoru Hashimoto offers a novel way of understanding the origins of modern literature in a transregional context, drawing on Chinese-, Japanese-, and Korean-language texts in both classical and vernacular forms. He argues that modern literature came into being in East Asia through writerly attempts at reconstructing the present's historical relationship to the past across the cultural transformations caused by modernization. Hashimoto examines writers' anachronistic engagement with past cultures that were deemed obsolete or antithetical to new systems of values, showing that this transnational process was integral to the emergence of modern literature. A groundbreaking cross-cultural excavation of the origins of modern literature in East Asia featuring remarkable linguistic scope, Afterlives of Letters: The Transnational Origins of Modern Literature in China, Japan, and Korea (Columbia UP, 2023) bridges Asian studies and comparative literature and delivers a remapping of world literature. Satoru Hashimoto is assistant professor of comparative thought and literature at the Johns Hopkins University. He has published in English, Japanese, Chinese, and French on topics in comparative literature, aesthetics, and thought engaging East Asian and European traditions. He is on the editorial board of the Journal of World Literature. Li-Ping Chen is a teaching fellow in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of Southern California. Her research interests include literary translingualism, diaspora, and nativism in Sinophone, inter-Asian, and transpacific contexts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/intellectual-history

When East Asia opened itself to the world in the nineteenth century, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean intellectuals had shared notions of literature because of the centuries-long cultural exchanges in the region. As modernization profoundly destabilized cultural norms, they ventured to create new literature for the new era. Satoru Hashimoto offers a novel way of understanding the origins of modern literature in a transregional context, drawing on Chinese-, Japanese-, and Korean-language texts in both classical and vernacular forms. He argues that modern literature came into being in East Asia through writerly attempts at reconstructing the present's historical relationship to the past across the cultural transformations caused by modernization. Hashimoto examines writers' anachronistic engagement with past cultures that were deemed obsolete or antithetical to new systems of values, showing that this transnational process was integral to the emergence of modern literature. A groundbreaking cross-cultural excavation of the origins of modern literature in East Asia featuring remarkable linguistic scope, Afterlives of Letters: The Transnational Origins of Modern Literature in China, Japan, and Korea (Columbia UP, 2023) bridges Asian studies and comparative literature and delivers a remapping of world literature. Satoru Hashimoto is assistant professor of comparative thought and literature at the Johns Hopkins University. He has published in English, Japanese, Chinese, and French on topics in comparative literature, aesthetics, and thought engaging East Asian and European traditions. He is on the editorial board of the Journal of World Literature. Li-Ping Chen is a teaching fellow in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of Southern California. Her research interests include literary translingualism, diaspora, and nativism in Sinophone, inter-Asian, and transpacific contexts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/chinese-studies

When East Asia opened itself to the world in the nineteenth century, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean intellectuals had shared notions of literature because of the centuries-long cultural exchanges in the region. As modernization profoundly destabilized cultural norms, they ventured to create new literature for the new era. Satoru Hashimoto offers a novel way of understanding the origins of modern literature in a transregional context, drawing on Chinese-, Japanese-, and Korean-language texts in both classical and vernacular forms. He argues that modern literature came into being in East Asia through writerly attempts at reconstructing the present's historical relationship to the past across the cultural transformations caused by modernization. Hashimoto examines writers' anachronistic engagement with past cultures that were deemed obsolete or antithetical to new systems of values, showing that this transnational process was integral to the emergence of modern literature. A groundbreaking cross-cultural excavation of the origins of modern literature in East Asia featuring remarkable linguistic scope, Afterlives of Letters: The Transnational Origins of Modern Literature in China, Japan, and Korea (Columbia UP, 2023) bridges Asian studies and comparative literature and delivers a remapping of world literature. Satoru Hashimoto is assistant professor of comparative thought and literature at the Johns Hopkins University. He has published in English, Japanese, Chinese, and French on topics in comparative literature, aesthetics, and thought engaging East Asian and European traditions. He is on the editorial board of the Journal of World Literature. Li-Ping Chen is a teaching fellow in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of Southern California. Her research interests include literary translingualism, diaspora, and nativism in Sinophone, inter-Asian, and transpacific contexts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/korean-studies

When East Asia opened itself to the world in the nineteenth century, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean intellectuals had shared notions of literature because of the centuries-long cultural exchanges in the region. As modernization profoundly destabilized cultural norms, they ventured to create new literature for the new era. Satoru Hashimoto offers a novel way of understanding the origins of modern literature in a transregional context, drawing on Chinese-, Japanese-, and Korean-language texts in both classical and vernacular forms. He argues that modern literature came into being in East Asia through writerly attempts at reconstructing the present's historical relationship to the past across the cultural transformations caused by modernization. Hashimoto examines writers' anachronistic engagement with past cultures that were deemed obsolete or antithetical to new systems of values, showing that this transnational process was integral to the emergence of modern literature. A groundbreaking cross-cultural excavation of the origins of modern literature in East Asia featuring remarkable linguistic scope, Afterlives of Letters: The Transnational Origins of Modern Literature in China, Japan, and Korea (Columbia UP, 2023) bridges Asian studies and comparative literature and delivers a remapping of world literature. Satoru Hashimoto is assistant professor of comparative thought and literature at the Johns Hopkins University. He has published in English, Japanese, Chinese, and French on topics in comparative literature, aesthetics, and thought engaging East Asian and European traditions. He is on the editorial board of the Journal of World Literature. Li-Ping Chen is a teaching fellow in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of Southern California. Her research interests include literary translingualism, diaspora, and nativism in Sinophone, inter-Asian, and transpacific contexts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/japanese-studies

When East Asia opened itself to the world in the nineteenth century, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean intellectuals had shared notions of literature because of the centuries-long cultural exchanges in the region. As modernization profoundly destabilized cultural norms, they ventured to create new literature for the new era. Satoru Hashimoto offers a novel way of understanding the origins of modern literature in a transregional context, drawing on Chinese-, Japanese-, and Korean-language texts in both classical and vernacular forms. He argues that modern literature came into being in East Asia through writerly attempts at reconstructing the present's historical relationship to the past across the cultural transformations caused by modernization. Hashimoto examines writers' anachronistic engagement with past cultures that were deemed obsolete or antithetical to new systems of values, showing that this transnational process was integral to the emergence of modern literature. A groundbreaking cross-cultural excavation of the origins of modern literature in East Asia featuring remarkable linguistic scope, Afterlives of Letters: The Transnational Origins of Modern Literature in China, Japan, and Korea (Columbia UP, 2023) bridges Asian studies and comparative literature and delivers a remapping of world literature. Satoru Hashimoto is assistant professor of comparative thought and literature at the Johns Hopkins University. He has published in English, Japanese, Chinese, and French on topics in comparative literature, aesthetics, and thought engaging East Asian and European traditions. He is on the editorial board of the Journal of World Literature. Li-Ping Chen is a teaching fellow in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of Southern California. Her research interests include literary translingualism, diaspora, and nativism in Sinophone, inter-Asian, and transpacific contexts.

In this episode of Venice Talks, Monica sits down with the accomplished dancer and educator, Isabella Moro. As a founding member of the Danzastorie Association in Venice, Isabella brings a wealth of experience and passion for dance, theater, and education. Here are the key notes from their conversation:Show Kew Notes: - Isabella's journey from studying Modern Literature at the University of Cà Foscari to becoming a professional dancer. The influence of her academic background on her dance and theater practices. - The founding story of the Danzastorie Association and its initial motivations and goals. Overview of the association's current activities and projects.- Challenges and rewards of staging dance/theater performances for children. Bringing dance into prestigious museums like the Solomon Guggenheim Foundation and Palazzo Grassi.- Promoting the democracy of dance and engaging diverse audiences. Integration of Italian Sign Language (LIS) into workshops and performances.- The main message Isabella aims to convey through her work and the Danzastorie Association.Don't miss this enlightening conversation with Isabella Moro. Listen to the full episode to explore the transformative power of dance and its role in education and society. CreditsHosted by Monica CesaratoProduced by Monica Cesarato, Sentire MediaGuest: Isabella Moro from Danzastorie AssociationThank you for listening to Venice Talks. Stay tuned for more episodes where we uncover the magic and mysteries of Venice! Subscribe to Venice Talks on your favorite podcast platform to stay updated on future episodes!

Send us a Text Message.In this episode of Englishway RD, we explore how literature and reading can significantly boost your English skills. Join [Your Name] as we discuss the benefits of reading, practical tips for using books to learn English, and how modern literature can enhance your language learning journey. Plus, we share a curated list of book recommendations that are perfect for English learners. Tune in to discover how you can make reading your most powerful tool in mastering EnglishSupport the Show.Conecta con nosotros:▶▶ Une a nuestro grupo para practicar inglés en WHATSAPP: https://bit.ly/34VOPQ9Visita nuestro Blog: https://WWW.ENGLISHWAYRD.COM para mas contenido.Descarga nuestra guía de conversación gratis: DESCARGA TU EBOOK AQUÍ:https://expert-artisan-3877.ck.page/4669e62644

President Higgins was conferred with the Degree of Doctor of Letters honoris causa by the Chancellor of the University of Manchester, Nazir Afzal OBE, in recognition of his extensive and significant contributions to literature and public life. The citation was read by Professor John McAuliffe, Reader in Modern Literature and Creative Writing and Co-Director of the New Writing Centre at the University. The conferral ceremony, with a dinner in the President's honour, took place place at the Whitworth Art Gallery, which forms part of the University. The ceremony was attended by the President and Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell.

The impact of light bulbs on cities like New York and Paris at the turn of the twentieth century and the way modernist poets like Mina Loy and Lola Ridge depicted this, is at the heart of research being done by Dr Nicoletta Asciuto. For this New Thinking conversation hosted by Dr Sophie Coulombeau, she joins Dr Jaqueline Yallop, whose book Into the Dark looks at living in dark places and at experiences including "sundowning" - experienced by some people diagnosed with dementia, this is a change in behaviour that occurs in the evening, around dusk as darkness grows, causing agitation and anxiety. When Jacqueline Yallop's father was diagnosed with dementia, he began experiencing exactly that, which prompted Jacqueline's profound self-reflection on the world's relationship to the dark. Dr Jacqueline Yallop is an award-winning author of fiction and creative non-fiction, and her book Into the Dark explores darkness in science, literature, art, philosophy and history. She teaches creative writing at Aberystwyth University. Dr Nicoletta Asciuto is a Senior Lecturer in Modern Literature at the University of York. She is currently working on her first monograph, Brilliant Modernism: Cultures of Light and Modernist Poetry, 1909-1930 which discusses the impact of new lighting technologies on the birth of new avant-garde and modernist poetics. Dr Sophie Coulombeau is an author and academic based at the University of York, and was chosen as a 2014 New Generation Thinker on the scheme run by the BBC and AHRC to put research on the radio.This New Thinking episode of the Arts and Ideas podcast was made in partnership with the Arts and Humanities Research Council, part of UKRI. You can find more on BBC Sounds and in a collection on BBC Radio 3's Free Thinking programme website under the title New Research including conversations about music and disability, language learning, sign language, green thinking and neglected women artists.Producer in Salford: Lola Grieve

Matthew Rubery's book Reader's Block: A History of Reading Differences (Stanford UP, 2022) explores the influence neurodivergence has on the ways individuals read. This alternative history of reading is one of the few books which tells the stories of "atypical" readers and the impact had on their lives by neurological conditions affecting their ability to make sense of the printed word: from dyslexia, hyperlexia, and alexia to synesthesia, hallucinations, and dementia. Rubery's focus on neurodiversity aims to transform our understanding of the very concept of reading. Drawing on personal testimonies gathered from literature, film, life writing, social media, medical case studies, and other sources to express how cognitive differences have shaped people's experiences both on and off the page, Rubery contends that there is no single activity known as reading. Instead, there are multiple ways of reading (and, for that matter, not reading) despite the ease with which we use the term. Pushing us to rethink what it means to read; Reader's Block moves toward an understanding of reading as a spectrum that is capacious enough to accommodate the full range of activities documented in this fascinating and highly original book. Matthew Rubery is Professor of Modern Literature at Queen Mary University of London. His earlier books include The Novelty of Newspapers: Victorian Fiction after the Invention of the News (Oxford, 2009) and The Untold Story of the Talking Book (Harvard University Press, 2016). He has also edited or co-edited Audiobooks, Literature, and Sound Studies (Routledge, 2011), Secret Commissions: An Anthology of Victorian Investigative Journalism (Broadview, 2012), and Further Reading (Oxford, 2020). Currently, he is working on a history of “projected reading”, a form of assisted reading that involves projecting books on ceilings which a patient can read while lying in bed. This was first used to help World War 2 soldiers injured on duty who could not read conventionally. Matthew also likes to collaborate with charities and other organisations to think about ways of reading more suited to people with disabilities or neurodivergent readers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Matthew Rubery's book Reader's Block: A History of Reading Differences (Stanford UP, 2022) explores the influence neurodivergence has on the ways individuals read. This alternative history of reading is one of the few books which tells the stories of "atypical" readers and the impact had on their lives by neurological conditions affecting their ability to make sense of the printed word: from dyslexia, hyperlexia, and alexia to synesthesia, hallucinations, and dementia. Rubery's focus on neurodiversity aims to transform our understanding of the very concept of reading. Drawing on personal testimonies gathered from literature, film, life writing, social media, medical case studies, and other sources to express how cognitive differences have shaped people's experiences both on and off the page, Rubery contends that there is no single activity known as reading. Instead, there are multiple ways of reading (and, for that matter, not reading) despite the ease with which we use the term. Pushing us to rethink what it means to read; Reader's Block moves toward an understanding of reading as a spectrum that is capacious enough to accommodate the full range of activities documented in this fascinating and highly original book. Matthew Rubery is Professor of Modern Literature at Queen Mary University of London. His earlier books include The Novelty of Newspapers: Victorian Fiction after the Invention of the News (Oxford, 2009) and The Untold Story of the Talking Book (Harvard University Press, 2016). He has also edited or co-edited Audiobooks, Literature, and Sound Studies (Routledge, 2011), Secret Commissions: An Anthology of Victorian Investigative Journalism (Broadview, 2012), and Further Reading (Oxford, 2020). Currently, he is working on a history of “projected reading”, a form of assisted reading that involves projecting books on ceilings which a patient can read while lying in bed. This was first used to help World War 2 soldiers injured on duty who could not read conventionally. Matthew also likes to collaborate with charities and other organisations to think about ways of reading more suited to people with disabilities or neurodivergent readers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literary-studies

Matthew Rubery's book Reader's Block: A History of Reading Differences (Stanford UP, 2022) explores the influence neurodivergence has on the ways individuals read. This alternative history of reading is one of the few books which tells the stories of "atypical" readers and the impact had on their lives by neurological conditions affecting their ability to make sense of the printed word: from dyslexia, hyperlexia, and alexia to synesthesia, hallucinations, and dementia. Rubery's focus on neurodiversity aims to transform our understanding of the very concept of reading. Drawing on personal testimonies gathered from literature, film, life writing, social media, medical case studies, and other sources to express how cognitive differences have shaped people's experiences both on and off the page, Rubery contends that there is no single activity known as reading. Instead, there are multiple ways of reading (and, for that matter, not reading) despite the ease with which we use the term. Pushing us to rethink what it means to read; Reader's Block moves toward an understanding of reading as a spectrum that is capacious enough to accommodate the full range of activities documented in this fascinating and highly original book. Matthew Rubery is Professor of Modern Literature at Queen Mary University of London. His earlier books include The Novelty of Newspapers: Victorian Fiction after the Invention of the News (Oxford, 2009) and The Untold Story of the Talking Book (Harvard University Press, 2016). He has also edited or co-edited Audiobooks, Literature, and Sound Studies (Routledge, 2011), Secret Commissions: An Anthology of Victorian Investigative Journalism (Broadview, 2012), and Further Reading (Oxford, 2020). Currently, he is working on a history of “projected reading”, a form of assisted reading that involves projecting books on ceilings which a patient can read while lying in bed. This was first used to help World War 2 soldiers injured on duty who could not read conventionally. Matthew also likes to collaborate with charities and other organisations to think about ways of reading more suited to people with disabilities or neurodivergent readers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/psychology

Matthew Rubery's book Reader's Block: A History of Reading Differences (Stanford UP, 2022) explores the influence neurodivergence has on the ways individuals read. This alternative history of reading is one of the few books which tells the stories of "atypical" readers and the impact had on their lives by neurological conditions affecting their ability to make sense of the printed word: from dyslexia, hyperlexia, and alexia to synesthesia, hallucinations, and dementia. Rubery's focus on neurodiversity aims to transform our understanding of the very concept of reading. Drawing on personal testimonies gathered from literature, film, life writing, social media, medical case studies, and other sources to express how cognitive differences have shaped people's experiences both on and off the page, Rubery contends that there is no single activity known as reading. Instead, there are multiple ways of reading (and, for that matter, not reading) despite the ease with which we use the term. Pushing us to rethink what it means to read; Reader's Block moves toward an understanding of reading as a spectrum that is capacious enough to accommodate the full range of activities documented in this fascinating and highly original book. Matthew Rubery is Professor of Modern Literature at Queen Mary University of London. His earlier books include The Novelty of Newspapers: Victorian Fiction after the Invention of the News (Oxford, 2009) and The Untold Story of the Talking Book (Harvard University Press, 2016). He has also edited or co-edited Audiobooks, Literature, and Sound Studies (Routledge, 2011), Secret Commissions: An Anthology of Victorian Investigative Journalism (Broadview, 2012), and Further Reading (Oxford, 2020). Currently, he is working on a history of “projected reading”, a form of assisted reading that involves projecting books on ceilings which a patient can read while lying in bed. This was first used to help World War 2 soldiers injured on duty who could not read conventionally. Matthew also likes to collaborate with charities and other organisations to think about ways of reading more suited to people with disabilities or neurodivergent readers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/language

Matthew Rubery's book Reader's Block: A History of Reading Differences (Stanford UP, 2022) explores the influence neurodivergence has on the ways individuals read. This alternative history of reading is one of the few books which tells the stories of "atypical" readers and the impact had on their lives by neurological conditions affecting their ability to make sense of the printed word: from dyslexia, hyperlexia, and alexia to synesthesia, hallucinations, and dementia. Rubery's focus on neurodiversity aims to transform our understanding of the very concept of reading. Drawing on personal testimonies gathered from literature, film, life writing, social media, medical case studies, and other sources to express how cognitive differences have shaped people's experiences both on and off the page, Rubery contends that there is no single activity known as reading. Instead, there are multiple ways of reading (and, for that matter, not reading) despite the ease with which we use the term. Pushing us to rethink what it means to read; Reader's Block moves toward an understanding of reading as a spectrum that is capacious enough to accommodate the full range of activities documented in this fascinating and highly original book. Matthew Rubery is Professor of Modern Literature at Queen Mary University of London. His earlier books include The Novelty of Newspapers: Victorian Fiction after the Invention of the News (Oxford, 2009) and The Untold Story of the Talking Book (Harvard University Press, 2016). He has also edited or co-edited Audiobooks, Literature, and Sound Studies (Routledge, 2011), Secret Commissions: An Anthology of Victorian Investigative Journalism (Broadview, 2012), and Further Reading (Oxford, 2020). Currently, he is working on a history of “projected reading”, a form of assisted reading that involves projecting books on ceilings which a patient can read while lying in bed. This was first used to help World War 2 soldiers injured on duty who could not read conventionally. Matthew also likes to collaborate with charities and other organisations to think about ways of reading more suited to people with disabilities or neurodivergent readers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jane Eyre and Shirley by Charlotte Bronte both refer to the unrest in Yorkshire which took place in the early years of the nineteenth century as new technology threatened jobs in the mills. Literary historian Sophie Coulombeau discusses parallels between the Luddites and concerns over AI now, and looks at what is real and what is fictional in the novels studied by Jonathan Brockbank of the University of York. Tania Shew shares some of the accounts of strikes outside the workplace which she has uncovered in her research. These include a charity worker strike and school strikes organised by pupils in 1911. How far do they strike a chord with more modern strike action? Dr Jonathan Brockbank is a Lecturer in Modern Literature at the University of York who is exploring Luddite protests and their depiction in literature. Dr Tania Shew is the holder of the Isaiah Berlin Junior Research Fellowship at Wolfson College, Oxford researching the women's suffrage movement. You can hear her discussing her work on suffrage sex strikes in this episode of New Thinking called Women's History https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0bsjyr8 Dr Sophie Coulombeau teaches literature at the University of York and has published articles on the writing of Frances Burney, Elizabeth Montagu, William Godwin and Jeremy Bentham. She is editing a volume of essays, Mary Hamilton and Her Circles, alongside colleagues working on the “Unlocking the Mary Hamilton Papers” project at the John Rylands Library and is a BBC/AHRC New Generation Thinker on the scheme which promotes research on the radio. This New Thinking episode of the Arts & Ideas podcast was made in partnership with the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), part of UKRI. You can find more collected on the Free Thinking programme website of BBC Radio 3 under New Research or if you sign up for the Arts & Ideas podcast you can hear discussions about a range of topics.

Radicals in Conversation in-haus is a podcast series collaboration between Pluto Press and Bookhaus, an independent bookshop in Bristol. RIC in-haus is recorded on location at Bookhaus. The bookshop's ‘in-haus' events programme features authors of some of the most exciting radical nonfiction being published today. Episode 10 was recorded in May 2023. Sarah Shin talks about her new co-edited collection, Space Crone, which brings together Ursula K. Le Guin's writings on feminism and gender. The book is published by Silver Press, and offers new insights into Le Guin's imaginative, multispecies feminist consciousness: from its roots in deep ecology and philosophies of non-violence to her self-education about racism and her writing on motherhood and ageing. Sarah is in conversation with Samantha Walton, an author and Reader in Modern Literature at Bath Spa University. Find out more about the book: bookhausbristol.com/shop

It's the last stretch of our Slow Down Summer with The Odyssey, and for this week's discussion, we're sharing final thoughts on The Odyssey's staying power and impact on modern literature. We dive into talking about what we noticed in our full read-though of Emily Wilson's translation. We also share themes to consider when reading, thoughts on reading a text symbolically, and guesses for why the story of a complicated man like Odysseus has staying power—in scholarship, public discussion, and as an inspiration of countless retellings and allusions. Finally, if you need some more #MythologyGirl energy in your reading life, we share additional titles for discovery. If you enjoyed today's episode and would love to get even nerdier with us, we have a wealth of extra content for all our listeners. Our Patreon is the place to be for our listeners who want to feel like they're back in English class without the homework. Head on over to patreon.com/novelpairings and sign up for instant access to all our recorded classes, webinars, and bonus episodes. In addition to all our recorded content, we host monthly book discussions and for August we'll be discussing Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma by Claire Dederer. We'd love to have you join the discussion.    Further Reading:  Claire North (Ithaca and House of Odysseus) Madeline Miller (Song of Achilles and Circe)  Stephen Fry (Mythos, Heroes, and Troy) Olympus, Texas by Stacy Swan Island of Forgetting by Jasmine Sealy Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes

Eric, Wendy, and Shinjini discuss some excellent questions at length. If you want to pick and choose questions and answers to listen to, consult the timestamps below. Question Timestamps: Jonathan: What's so great specifically about the Gabler edition? (16:01-41:42) Terry: Can you sympathize with Stephen if you don't know A Portrait? (41:42-59:57) Terry: Tell me, why do I enjoy hearing you talk about the book more than reading it? It stymies me! I would love to hear you all talk about how the  novice reader can best reap the benefits of this almost-impossible book. (59:57-1:18:56) Jonathan: If you could go back and tell yourself one thing prior to first reading Ulysses to help you navigate the text, what would it be? (1:18:56-1:28:05) Terry: Why is "Oxen" like that? I loved what Wendy said about it being like the gestation. More on that? (1:28:05-1:35:17) Rick: Lacking a specific love/hate/don't-get passage, I'll share what I may like  most about the episode: that it brings all of Bloom's characteristics to their utmost. Here, he is most defensive of perceived quirks and faults; most expansive of his proposals to improve society; and, of course, most  immersed in his sexual and other idiosyncrasies. (1:35:17-1:42:09) Mentions: Michael Groden, “Perplex in the Pen-and in the Pixels: Reflections on ‘The James Joyce Archive,' Hans Walter Gabler's ‘Ulysses,' and ‘James Joyce's ‘Ulysses' in Hypermedia.' Journal of Modern Literature, 1998, vol. 22, no. 2, pp. 225-44. JSTOR, jstor.org/3831733. Various editions of Ulysses: the Gabler, Jeri Johnson's OUP 1922 Text, Catherine Flynn's The Cambridge Centenary Ulysses, and Sam Slote, Mark A. Mamigonian, and John Turner's Ulysses: Annotated Edition Joyce's Ulysses: Philosophical Perspectives (especially Wendy's chapter!) Margot Norris, Virgin and Veteran Readings of Ulysses Ulysses in 80 online reading group (@Ulysses80 on Twitter) Terence Killeen, Ulysses Unbound: A Reader's Companion to James Joyce's Ulysses Joseph Heller, Catch-22 Billy Collins, "Introduction to Poetry" Libations: Eric: Movie Snacks Sour (TrimTab Brewing Company, Birmingham, AL) Wendy: Stella Artois (pilsner, Leuven, Belgium) Shinjini: Earl Grey tea See our website and contact us on Twitter or at tipsyturvyulysses@gmail.com. Theme song: “Come on Over” by Scalcairn, via Blue Dot Sessions Special thanks to Carin Goldberg, whose cover design for the Gabler edition of Ulysses inspired our logo.

I've been waiting for a chance to talk about an Emily Dickinson poem on the podcast, and no one better to do it with than my friend Johanna Winant. She chose "My Life had stood — a Loaded Gun —" for our conversation. (If you're curious, you can find an image of Dickinson's manuscript here.)Johanna is an assistant professor in the Department of English at West Virginia University, where she works on transatlantic modernism, twentieth-century American literature, philosophy and literature, and transhistorical poetry and poetics. She is completing a book manuscript with the working title "Lyric Logic: American Modernism and the Problem of Induction," and her articles and reviews have appeared in James Joyce Quarterly, Paideuma, Journal of Modern LIterature, Modernism/modernity, and elsewhere. You can follow Johanna on Twitter.As ever, please follow, rate, and review the podcast if you like what you hear, and share an episode with a friend. Subscribe to my Substack, and you'll get (eventually!) a newsletter to go with each episode.

Happy 40th episode! On this portentous fortnight Michelle and Katherine proselytize for media literacy, discuss delicious food and glittering poop, as well as more Kurt Vonnegut and much more! *Plus* they have a special guest! Smitten Kitchen's recipe for “cheddar, beer, and mustard pull-apart bread” https://smittenkitchen.com/2012/02/cheddar-beer-and-mustard-pull-apart-bread/ Poopsie Music Video MyPoops https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlAck9bsMqc Wired, “Jonathan Coulton Explains How Glee Ripped Off His Cover Song – And Why He's Not Alone” by Laura Hudson https://www.wired.com/underwire/2013/01/jonathan-coulton-glee-song/ Pyrophone Video via rattelientje https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DaSVOhx2lc The Daily Mail, “Inside the wild rumors Liam Hemsworth is suing his ex Miley Cyrus for defamation: ‘Leaked documents' show the actor making a complaint about her song Flowers – here's why the story is bogus” by Savanna Young https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-11814065/Wild-rumours-Liam-Hemsworth-suing-ex-wife-Miley-Cyrus-defamation.html The Journal of Modern Literature (vol 46, no 1, Fall 2022) “American Fascism and the Historical Underpinnings of Kurt Vonnegut's Mother Night” by Susan Farrell https://muse.jhu.edu/article/875036 “Theory of the Gimmick: Aesthetic Judgement and Capitalist Form” by Sianne Ngai https://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674984547

In this episode, we are joined by Emily Golding, Executive Director of Amplifier, a nonprofit design lab that builds art and media experiments to amplify the most important movements of our times. Together, we explore the Gratitude Blooming theme of Choice, represented by the spring rose. Emily shares her journey of embodying choice, teaching the joy of choice, and leaning into how ideas incubate in young people.  She also discusses the concept of time dignity and how it impacts our well-being with a focus on the importance of setting boundaries and saying "no" in order to create space for our "yes." Emily shares her personal story with balancing work and motherhood, and the importance of taking time for ourselves to nurture our well-being. She also explores the challenges faced by the younger generation, including eco-anxiety and the pressure to constantly be "doing," and offers insights into how we can create a more fulfilling and purposeful life. Read more about Emily and her work here:As an Irish/Latina native of the eastside of Los Angeles, Emily is keenly interested in how the stories we tell shape our collective identity. In her 10+ years in the social impact space, she has collaborated with philanthropists, artists, activists, technologists, journalists, and scholars to launch large-scale media, art, theatre, dance, and film projects that expand our notion of public life. To date, Emily has secured over 17 million in funding from over 100 grantors spanning from the Knight Foundation, the Hewlett Foundation, the Kresge Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the U.S. Department of State, and global brands like Johnson & Johnson, The North Face, and Louis Vuitton for projects across the United States and Latin America. Program partners have included the U.N., the J. Paul Getty Museum, the Guggenheim Museum, Facebook, and ViacomCBS.Emily is the Executive Director of Amplifier, a design lab that amplifies the most important social movements of our times. Prior to Amplifier, Emily spent seven years running the national grantwriting and comms firm Girasol Consulting, and served as a writing professor at Occidental College. She has served as a panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts' Folk and Traditional Arts grants program and spoken about narrative shift and culture change work at Johns Hopkins University, George Washington University, and on ABC and FOX news. Her writings on politics and culture have been published by Zocalo Public Square and by Harvard University and New York University journals. Emily holds a master's degree in Journalism from Georgetown University and an undergraduate degree in Modern Literature from UC Santa Cruz. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, creative writing, vegan nachos, and adventures in revolutionary motherhood!Check out Amplifier's social media toolkit for the Well + Being campaign!We are co-creating the world we want to live in, and we want to hear from you! Share your feedback with this survey (only takes 30 seconds to complete.)If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to leave us a 5-star rating and review. Your feedback is valuable to us and helps us grow.You can also share your thoughts and comments by emailing us at hello@gratitudeblooming.com. We love hearing from our listeners.And don't forget to check out our shop at www.gratitudeblooming.com to help us sustain this podcast (our labor of love). Thank you for your continued support. We appreciate you!

In this episode, I'm chatting with Dr. Paula Marantz Cohen about empathy, Shakespeare, teaching, and her book Of Human Kindness: What Shakespeare Teaches Us About Empathy.Paula Marantz Cohen is Distinguished Professor of English at Drexel University where she teaches courses in literature, film, and creative writing. She is the recipient of the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching and is a co-editor of jml: Journal of Modern Literature.Cohen is the author of four nonfiction books and five novels and is the producer of the documentary film, Two Universities and the Future of China. Her play, The Triangle, about John Singer Sargent, Henry James, and Edith Wharton, was a finalist in the Julie Harris Playwriting Competition. Her essays, stories, and reviews have appeared in The Yale Review, The American Scholar, The Southwest Review, the Times Literary Supplement, Raritan, The Hudson Review, and other publications. She writes a weekly online column, “Class Notes,” for The American Scholar and is the host of The Drexel Interview, a  TV show based in Philadelphia that is broadcast on over 350 local stations, including 150 PBS stations, throughout the country.         Cohen holds a B.A. in French and English from Yale College and a Ph.D. in English Literature from Columbia University.Paula Marantz CohenOf Human Kindness: What Shakespeare Teaches Us About Empathy, Paula Marantz CohenMr. B: George Balanchine's 20th Century, Jennifer HomansPlato's Republic, PlatoThick: And Other Essays, Tressie McMillan CottomDaniel Deronda, George EliotMiddlemarch, George Eliot  Support the show

In this episode, Catherine Coinçon talks about methods of relaxation and visualization to support and enhance our health and well-being. She describes the importance of staying connected to a sense of joy and vitality, and leads a practice to help us connect with our deeper self. Listen in as she shares the history and practice of Sophrology, which is a wellness promoting set of practices developed in the mid 20th Century. Catherine Coinçon studied Modern Literature at the Sorbonne and holds a Master's degree in Caycedian Sophrology. She has been practicing sophrology for more than 20 years. In 2018, she created Sophro-Mobile, a business where she practices Sophrology with clients on the Telephone. She helps her clients understand their stress and emotions, and teaches relaxation and visualization practices to enhance their well-being. She works with clientele of all ages, from childhood through adulthood, as well as business leaders, managers, and people with ADHD or highly sensitive persons. In 2005, an ependymoma surgery left Catherine with disabling symptoms. She was able to use sophrology to aid her healing, and is passionate about sharing this process with others. She also integrates positive psychology and mindful self-compassion into her work. Noble Mind explores the intersections of mindfulness, meditation, self-compassion, and spiritual practice. Join our free Facebook group at www.facebook.com/groups/noblemind. For past episodes, show details, and to join our email list, visit www.noblemindpodcast.com.

Samuel Smiles' Self-Help isn't just an advice manual. It represents the invention of a genre, and not a moment too soon. Smiles was writing at a time when work conditions were extremely poor, and people were looking for ways to educate themselves and improve their conditions. Although Smiles may have written Self-Help with one particular society's troubles in mind, his advice swiftly travelled around the globe to places like Japan and Egypt. Beth Blum is an assistant professor of English at Harvard University. She specializes in modernist and contemporary literature. She is the author of The Self-Help Compulsion: Searching for Advice in Modern Literature. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

In this week's episode, we discuss science fiction with Mr. Joe Breslin, fifth grade teacher and soon-to-be published author of Other Minds: 13 Tales of Wonder and Sorrow. Surveying the wide umbrella of literature and film termed “sci-fi,” Mr. Breslin helps us understand what makes this genre of literature valuable, interesting, and beautiful. As Mr. Breslin explains, science fiction done well offers a celebration of the human person, showing us in often strange ways what is possible for us as thinking beings. Moreover, by removing us from the humdrum of our ordinary lives and instilling a sense of awe as we experience another world, science fiction can provide new insights into old problems, helping us rediscover the wonder of our own everyday lives. And this is often much needed–for although our world may never be lacking in wonders, we may at times find our weary selves lacking in the wonder to see it. Chapters  1:40 What is science fiction? 2:20 Science fiction vs. fantasy  4:30 Kinds of science fiction Space opera Hard sci-fi Dystopia  Post-apocalyptic  Steampunk  Military  Horror  Classic 11:30 Insights from different genres 13:03 Personal favorites of Mr. Breslin  16:10 Why is science fiction valuable? 17:37 Perception vs. reality  18:27 Anthropology through another lens 19:19 Science fiction as a humanistic kind of literature  22:13 Challenges of writing science fiction  28:45 Mr. Breslin's own writing 30:30 A common thread: strange encounters 32:32 Self-publishing  34:35 Good fiction infused with Faith  38:38 Why read science fiction?  40:25 A caveat: the danger of focusing on man under a single aspect 42:43 Literature: utility and enjoyment  44:50 Learn more about Mr. Breslin's work Also on The Forum Modern Literature: On Curating the Contemporary with Michael Ortiz Guiding Our Boys through Modern Literature with Joe Breslin and Lionel Yaceczko Exploring and Expressing the Human Condition through Literature with Michael Ortiz Forum Reviews Additional Resources  Joey Breslin Writes, Mr. Breslin's writing website

The word 'reading' may appear to describe something specific and universal, but in reality it's more of an umbrella term, covering a huge range of ways in which people interact with text. Dyslexia and hyperlexia may be two of the more obvious departures from normative ideas of reading, but whether we're neurodivergent or not we all read in different ways that can vary significantly depending on what we're reading and why we're reading it. Matthew Sweet is joined by Matt Rubery, Louise Creechan and poets Debris Stevenson and Anthony Anaxagorou. Matt Rubery, Professor of Modern Literature at Queen Mary, University of London has worked on books including The Untold Story of the Talking Book; Audiobooks, Literature, and Sound Studies, Further Reading and Reader's Block: A History of Reading Differences. You can hear more from him in an episode about the history of publishing called Whose Book is it Anyway? https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b080xzm6 Dr Louise Creechan is studying is a Lecturer in Literary Medical Humanities at Durham University and a New Generation Thinker on the scheme run by the BBC and the Arts and Humanities Research Council to showcase academic research. You can hear her discuss Dickens' Bleak House in an episode called Teaching and Inspiration https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00169jh Debris Stevenson describes herself as 'Dyslexic educator, Grime-poet and Dancehall raving social activist'. Anthony Anaxagorou's latest collection of poetry is Heritage Aesthetics, published on 3rd November 2022. Free Thinking has a playlist featuring discussions about prose and poetry https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p047v6vh The theme of this year's National Poetry Day is the Environment and you can hear Radio 3's weekly curation of readings and music inspired by that topic on Sunday at 5.30pm and then on BBC Sounds for 28 days https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006x35f Producer: Torquil MacLeod.

The former President of the Supreme Court Baroness Brenda Hale joins Emma Barnett to give her reaction to the overturning of Roe vs Wade in the United States. She also talks about abortion law here in the UK, the upcoming barristers' strike and whether rape trials should get priority for court time. A new campaign is being launched today, exclusively on Woman's Hour, aiming to help more women who are being underpaid their state pension. Mothers' Missing Millions is specifically aimed at women who spent time out of paid work bringing up children, mainly in the 1980's and 1990's – but did not receive credits for this on their National Insurance record as they should have done. According to the Department for Work and Pensions' annual report which came out in July, this is now ‘the second largest' source of error on state pensions. Emma is joined by Steve Webb, the former pensions minister who now works at the corporate consulting firm LCP, which is offering a free guide to how women can fix this for themselves. Listener Hannah got in touch asking us to talk about being motherless when you're about to become a mother yourself. In 2017 her mum was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer when Hannah was 24 weeks pregnant with her first child, and she sadly passed away when her grandchild turned one. Emma speaks to Hannah, as well as consultant perinatal psychologist Julianne Boutaleb. In her new book, Look! We Have Come Through! Living with D.H. Lawrence, Lara Feigel, Professor of Modern Literature and Culture at King's College London, tells the story of a pandemic year spent in the company of her partner, her two children and D.H Lawrence. Lara joins Emma to talk about D.H Lawrence and how an author can inform and change your life.

In this episode, Karin welcomes Ken Capobianco, music critic, and recovered author to the show for the newest episode of Recovery Bites, “The Ballad of a Thin Man.”Join Karin and Ken for a conversation on shame and detail for men with eating disorders, the harm of specific gender focused treatment, the challenges of treating all genders, how food and sexuality intertwine, the medical complications of an eating disorder, the misperception of “scaring people straight,” the liberation of sharing one's story of recovery, and much more.Ken Capobianco is a music critic who has written about pop music and the arts for over thirty years after receiving his M.A. in Literature from Tufts University. His award-winning work has appeared in numerous publications, including The Boston Globe, Billboard, The New York Times, The Cape Cod Times, and The Journal of Modern Literature. After recovering from acute anorexia, which spanned three decades, resulting in a stroke at the age of 45 years old, Ken wrote, “Call Me Anorexic: The Ballad of a Thin Man.” Ken is also a former instructor of writing and literature at Northeastern University and instructor of journalism at Emerson College. Follow Ken @kcapo45_writer