Dia dhuit! That means "hello!" in Old Irish. This episode is the first in a two-part series on the world's most famous book: The Book of Kells. Part I focuses on the uncertain history of the book, a history that may (or may not, but probably does...) go back 1,200 years. That's real old, y'all. Come for the into-the-weeds tramp through the book's history, st ... Show More
Oct 31
Episode 45: The Gardner Heist, Part II
**busts through wall** SHE’S BACK WITH A HALLOWEEN TREAT! That is, if you’re into 3.5-hour podcast episodes about stolen art. It’s the gift that keeps on giving, mostly because it never ends. This episode covers all 13 works stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Marc ... Show More
3h 43m
Jul 2025
Episode 44: The Gardner Heist, Part I
**PART II is still coming! It'll be worth the wait. Should be up by late September-ish** IT’S HAPPENING. That’s right. I’m (finally) doing it. You asked, and I have answered. Put on your cop costumes, stick on that wax mustache, and buzz that buzzer. We’ve got some heistin’ to do ... Show More
2h 22m
Sep 2020
Episode 78: The Book of Acts
<p>The story of Christianity's first missionaries is a sweeping , intercontinental narrative, filled with danger, strange encounters, and the hope for a better future.<br /> <br /> Episode 78 Quiz<br /> <a href= "https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-078/">https://literatureandhi ... Show More
2h 15m
Dec 2023
574 The Book at War (with Andrew Pettegree) | My Last Book with Robin Lane Fox
Books are often viewed as the pinnacle of civilization; war, on the other hand, is where civilization breaks down. What happens when these two forces encounter one another? In this episode, Jacke talks to esteemed literary historian Andrew Pettegree about his new book, The Book a ... Show More
52m 1s
Mar 2024
Exiled: Irish Writers in the 1930s
<p><br></p><p>The 1930s stood out as one of the most dramatic decades in modern history. Fascism was on the rise, and Europe was hurtling towards the Second World War.</p><p>However, it was a peculiar time in Ireland. The Revolutionary Era was firmly in the rearview, and the opti ... Show More
28m 1s
Dec 2023
573 A Conversation with Anne Enright, Winner of the Man Booker Prize | My Last Book with Christopher Morash
After taking a look at Emily Dickinson's Poem #269 ("Wild Nights - wild nights!"), Jacke talks to novelist Anne Enright about growing up in Ireland, her writing career, and her new book The Wren, The Wren. PLUS Dublin literary historian Christopher Morash (Dublin: A Writer's City ... Show More
57m 56s
Jan 2023
304-Celtic Folklore: Among Us
<div>Two stories from Celtic folklore of the things that lurk among us: witches that live in our home town, trolls that hold dance parties on the frozen wastes, and tiny, 1000-year-old fairy creatures who are buying drinks after work.<br>
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The creature this week is the Giant ... Show More
37m 42s