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The History of Literature Podcast

The History of Literature Podcast

Amateur enthusiast Jacke Wilson journeys through the history of literature, from ancient epics to contemporary classics. (Episodes are not in chronological order - feel free to jump in wherever you'd like!)

Recent Episodes

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687 Gatsby Turns 100 (with James West)
March 17, 2025

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 simple and intricately patterned." Months later, he presented the results: the n...
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686 Russian Poetry After the Cold War (with Stephanie Sandler)
March 13, 2025

686 Russian Poetry After the Cold War (with Stephanie Sandler)

For decades, the Soviet Union was unfriendly territory for poets and writers. But what happened when the wall fell? Emerging from the underground, the poets reacted with a creative outpouring that responded to a brave new wor...
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685 Charles Chesnutt (with Tess Chakkalakal) | My Last Book with John Goodby
March 10, 2025

685 Charles Chesnutt (with Tess Chakkalakal) | My Last Book with John Goodby

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 Cleveland to "mixed race" parents, Chesnutt rejected the opportunity to "pass" as ...
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684 The Minister's Black Veil by Nathaniel Hawthorne (with Mike Palindrome)
March 6, 2025

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 wearing it for decades? How will the community respond? What conspiracy theori...
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683 Marianne Moore (with Cristanne Miller)
March 3, 2025

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 her formal innovation, precise diction, and wit - as well as her black tri-...
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682 The Profound Wisdom of Black Life and Literature (with Farah Jasmine Griffin) [Ad-Free Re-Release]
Feb. 27, 2025

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 with Columbia University professor Farah Jasmine Griffin about her book Read...
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