logo
episode-header-image
Dec 2023
1h 4m

575 A History of the Fool (with Peter An...

Jacke Wilson / The Podglomerate
About this episode

Shakespeare helped to make the Fool a common literary character. But what about the real-life fools who served in actual courts? Who were they and what kind of lives did they lead? In this episode, Jacke talks to author Peter K. Andersson about his book Fool: In Search of Henry VIII's Closest Man, which tells the story of Will Somer, an unusual man with a very strange job. PLUS Milton expert Ed Simon (Heaven, Hell, and Paradise Lost) selects his choice for the last book he will ever read.

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
Today
728 The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain (#20 GBOAT) | Lorraine Hansberry - RECLAIMED
As part of the "25 for '25" series, Jacke starts the episode with a look at #20 on the list of Greatest Books of All Time, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain. Then he reclaims a previous episode devoted to Lorraine Hansberry, author of A Raisin in the Sun, a brilli ... Show More
1h 30m
Aug 21
727 Earthly Paradise in Old French Verse (with Jacob Abell) | My Last Book with Victorian Literature Expert Allen MacDuffie | A Dueling Neapolitan Passionate for Poetry
What happened to Eden? While today we might view the story of Adam and Eve as metaphorical, for many generations of Christians, the Earthly Paradise was a vibrant symbol at the heart of the cosmos. In this episode, Jacke talks to Jacob Abell about his book Spiritual and Material ... Show More
1h 4m
Aug 18
726 England vs France - A Literary Battle Royale (with Mike Palindrome) - RECLAIMED
“Our dear enemies,” a French writer once called the English. Englishman John Cleese called the French “our natural enemies” and joked “if we have to fight anyone, I say let’s fight the French.” With the exception of some (very important) twentieth-century alliances, the French an ... Show More
1h 3m
Recommended Episodes
Jun 2024
Heracles
Tristan Hughes continues the Greek Gods and Goddesses series with today’s deity; the most popular mythical hero of them all: Heracles, or Hercules. Same hero. His story has never faded, reimagined in various media formats from Hollywood and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, to Disney, t ... Show More
52m 27s
Jun 2024
Dynasty: The Rise and Fall of the House of Caesar (Extract)
To coincide with the re-release of Dynasty in audiobook, now with Tom Holland himself narrating, we have the book’s introduction for you to enjoy. Dynasty, the sequel to Rubicon, is a dazzling portrait of Rome's first imperial dynasty, tracing the full astonishing story of its ru ... Show More
33m 58s
May 2023
William Burns, America's Sherlock Holmes (1934)
It’s May 21st. This day in 1934, William Burns resigns from the Bureau of Investigations in scandal, replaced by J Edgar Hoover. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss how Burns had gained the reputation as “America’s Sherlock Holmes” as an independent investigator, then eventually was b ... Show More
16m 58s
Jun 2024
Rubicon: The Triumph and Tragedy of the Roman Republic (Extract)
To coincide with the re-release of Rubicon in audiobook, now with Tom Holland himself narrating it, we have the book’s introduction for you to enjoy.Rubicon is a story of incomparable drama. This was the century of Julius Caesar, the gambler whose addiction to glory led him to th ... Show More
25m 31s
Jun 2024
Sex Life of Henry VIII
When we think of Henry VIII we think of a big, blood thirsty tyrant. But was there more to this caricature of a king then we give him credit for? Joining Kate today to help us get to know this man better is the fantastic Tracy Borman, author of Henry VIII and the men who made him ... Show More
46m 21s
Jun 2024
The Ark of the Covenant
The Ark of the Covenant is one of the most famous, yet mysterious, objects mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. This special box that held the sacred 10 Commandments, written by God himself. But what exactly was it? What stories are told about it? And, most intriguingly of all, what ha ... Show More
47m 1s
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
Sep 2023
Great Reputations: Napoleon
In the latest in our series charting the contested reputations of key historical figures, Laura O’Brien and David Andress discuss the life and afterlife of Napoleon Bonaparte, and explore why his story – including his rise to power and his role as the driving force in the bloodsh ... Show More
1h 2m
Jun 2024
458. Helen of Troy: A Family of Blood (Part 2)
In 1870 the German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann - a man of remarkable energy, desperately fascinated with Helen of Troy - discovered in Turkey the burnt remains of what he claimed to be the legendary city of Troy, and with it, a horde of gold and treasure which he attributed ... Show More
51m 4s