logo
episode-header-image
Jan 2023
54m 40s

475 Portable Magic - A History of Books ...

Jacke Wilson / The Podglomerate
About this episode

As we all know, the text of a book can possess incredible powers, transporting readers across time and space. But what about the books themselves? In this episode, Jacke talks to author Emma Smith (This Is Shakespeare) about her new book, Portable Magic: A History of Books and Their Readers, which provides a material history of books and the people who love them.

EMMA SMITH is Professor of Shakespeare Studies at Oxford University, and the author of This Is Shakespeare (2020). She lives in Oxford, England.

Additional listening:

Help support the show at patreon.com/literature or historyofliterature.com/donate. The History of Literature Podcast is a member of Lit Hub Radio and the Podglomerate Network. Learn more at www.thepodglomerate.com/historyofliterature.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Up next
Jul 7
714 The Real Charles Dickens (with Stephen Browning and Simon Thomas) | Dickens and the Theatre
Charles Dickens (1812-1870) led one of the most colorful and interesting lives of any author. But while many of us are familiar with his unforgettable characters and fantastically successful novels, we often don't know the details of his difficult early life, his success as a rep ... Show More
1h 25m
Today
715 How Did George Eliot and the Victorians Respond to Climate Collapse? (with Nathan Hensley) | People at Museums Are Losing Their Brains! | My Last Book with Stephen Browning and Simon Thomas
What does feel like to live helplessly in a world that is coming undone? If you're alive in 2025, you are probably very familiar with this feeling - and if you'd been alive in the age of Victorian literature, you might have felt that way too. In this episode, Jacke talks to autho ... Show More
1h 12m
Jul 3
713 The Odyssey (with Daniel Mendelsohn) | The History of Literature Podcast Tour!
Homer's Odyssey is one of the oldest surviving works of literature - and yet, somehow, it can also feel like one of the newest. The inventive narrative structure, complex hero, and surprisingly modern themes still feel fresh, thousands of years after the poem's genesis. In this e ... Show More
1h 34m
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2023
Magic books: a global history
What are the earliest forms of written magic? How do the stories of magic and religion intersect? And how will these stories’ continued presence in popular culture influence events yet to come? Professor Owen Davies takes Lauren Good on a journey through the twisting history of t ... Show More
26m 3s
Sep 2023
105: Let's Talk About Historical Fiction
Show notes: Let’s just be real with it: we’re very nosy people. It’s why we’ve always been interested in other people’s stories and why we love books so much. And it’s why we’re both drawn to the historical fiction genre. We get to dive into the past in a beautiful way, beyond th ... Show More
23m 18s
May 2024
The Queen of Romance
Over her lifetime, Dame Barbara Cartland would write over 700 books that would sell more than 750 MILLION copies worldwide. Though her books were primarily aimed and read by women, Cartland's messages were strickingly regressive, with an ephasis on purity that seems strange to mo ... Show More
40m 35s
Jul 2024
The Story of London by Henry B. Wheatley ~ Full Audiobook
The Story of London by Henry B. Wheatley audiobook. Immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of history with 'The Story of London' by Henry B. Wheatley, a captivating audiobook that brings the vibrant past of one of the world's most iconic cities to life. With each chapter, Wheatley ... Show More
12h 48m
Aug 2021
#98 - Books for a Horse?! WITH NOELLE GALLAGHER!
The lovely Noelle Gallagher joins us this week! We learn about her favourite authors (she couldn't pick just one!) and she helps us recommend books for a horse, romance reads, and classics with gorgeous writing! Find Noelle here: https://www.youtube.com/noellegallagher Check out ... Show More
1 h
May 2021
#83 - BOOK CLUB: Emma!
Our first time reading a classic for our book club: Emma by Jane Austen! Without spoilers first, discussing the film, and then listening to your voice messages! Unbinding books to get to their heart with Ariel Bissett and Raeleen Lemay! Submit your book requests at booksunboundpo ... Show More
1h 27m
May 2024
Anagnosology (READING) with Adrian Johns
 Clay tablets! Printing presses! Old timey audio books! Speed reading strategies! Attention spans! Dyslexia history! Literacy campaigns! Dr. Adrian Johns is an historian, professor, and author of the book “The Science of Reading” and we have a nice mellow chat about when humans s ... Show More
1h 15m
Nov 2019
#6 - Books All 20 Year Olds Should Read!
Our first podcast episode recorded in the same room! Raeleen rereads a favourite book and Ariel gets another George Orwell book... Submit your book requests to booksunboundpodcast@gmail.com and support the podcast on patreon! https://www.patreon.com/booksunbound Books mentioned: ... Show More
29m 29s
Jul 2024
The best books to read this summer
What should you read on the beach this summer? What about if you’re stuck indoors, or if you need a break from kids? Each June, our literary editor Fred Studemann and deputy books editor Laura Battle put together the FT’s summer books special, and today they give us their recomme ... Show More
23m 25s
Dec 2023
#222 - Reading The Most Depraved Book We've Ever Read
Links mentioned: Fill out the Books Unbound 2023 Reading Survey!: https://forms.gle/9c8xkPG7R7SW15nJ6 Books Unbound Stardew Valley Book Tag -Farmer: a book that doesn’t say much but is good anyway -Grandpa: a book you read a long time ago but still think about -Sebastian: A book ... Show More
1h 8m