Yesterday

820 Irish Radical Poet Eva Gore-Booth (with Sonja Tiernan)

After reading an email from a listener in Ghana, Jacke talks to Sonja Tiernan about her book Eva Gore-Booth: Irish Radical Poet, Rebel, and Reformer, which tells the story of a young woman who cast aside her aristocratic origins to champion the causes of barmaids, circus performe ... Show More

55m 31s

Jul 27

819 Robert Louis Stevenson (with Glenda Norquay) | The Rise of HOT Literati | My Last Book with Olivia Wolfgang-Smith

After discussing a news article detailing the rise of "hot literati," Jacke talks to biographer Glenda Norquay (Robert Louis Stevenson: A Critical Life) about the amazing life of Robert Louis Stevenson, the Scottish author of classic works like Kidnapped and Treasure Island. PLUS ... Show More

1h 4m

Jul 20

818 Muriel Spark (with James Bailey) | My Last Book with J. Michael Lennon

Jacke talks to author James Bailey about his critically acclaimed biography Like a Cat Loves a Bird: The Nine Lives of Muriel Spark. PLUS J. Michael Lennon, friend and biographer of Norman Mailer ( Norman Mailer: A Double Life), stops by to discuss his choice for the last book he ... Show More

1h 13m

Oct 2025

William Shakespeare: life of the week

William Shakespeare is one of history’s most famous names – but how much do we really know about the man himself? And how did his family, education and marriage shape his works and influence his worldview? Speaking to Emily Briffett, Dr Paul Edmondson charts Shakespeare’s story, ... Show More

44m 57s

Oct 2009

Wordsworth's eye and ear

In Wordsworth's poetry, external nature embodies a living mind. This discussion highlights how Wordsworth's creative process utilised his lifelong sensual development and aesthetic sensibilities.

8m 14s

May 2020

#51 - The Sentimentality of William Tavener

<p>A sweet slice-of-life story by Willa Cather about a family in the American West at the turn of the 19th century. </p><p>For a searchable, tagged index of all the episodes or to make a request, go to <a href="https://www.listentosleep.com/">https://www.listentosleep.c ... Show More

19m 22s

Jan 2022

Mother Nature’s Nurture in Wordsworth’s “Tintern Abbey” (Part 1)

After an absence of five years, the poet William Wordsworth returned to the idyllic ruins of a medieval monastery along the River Wye. The spot was perhaps not so very different from his last visit, but Wordsworth found that he had undergone a significant transformation in the in ... Show More

51m 12s

Jul 2023

Take A Walk On The Wild Side

This week, AE Stallings, the new Oxford professor of poetry, on the lives of poets; and Ann Kennedy Smith considers the different faces of Cornwall.'Sleeping on islands: A life in poetry', by Andrew Motion'The American poet laureate: A history of US poetry and the state', by Amy ... Show More

1h 1m

Aug 2024

47: William Blake • On Vision's Wing • Part 1: The Marriage of Heaven & Hell

William Blake is considered one of the greatest artists and poets of the English language, yet he lived most of his life in poverty. Why? Many of his acquaintances considered him mad while friends who knew his art considered him 'brilliantly mad'. What was so different about Blak ... Show More

1h 28m

Jul 2018

William Morris

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the ideas of William Morris, known in his lifetime for his poetry and then his contribution to the Arts and Crafts movement, and increasingly for his political activism. He felt the world had given in to drudgery and ugliness and he found inspirati ... Show More

53m 10s

Apr 2021

Feed Drop: The History of Literature - Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

This isn't an episode of Overdue, it's a Feed Drop! We wanted to share with you an episode of The History of Literature, a podcast about great stories and why we love them.To use host Jacke Wilson's words, the show "takes a fresh look at some of the most compelling examples of cr ... Show More

1h 1m

Mar 2018

Oscar Wilde

Even as a child, Oscar Wilde dreamed of becoming famous. We dive deep into the life of the now notorious playwright, artist, and celebrated author. He is celebrated for his passionate writing, sharp wit, and taste for art. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.co ... Show More

54m 43s

591 William Wordsworth