Why do we read John Keats and not one of his well-regarded peers? Why do some authors disappear into the sands of time - while others, virtually unknown in their day, become posthumous household names? In this episode, Jacke talks to Harvard law professor Cass Sunstein (How to Become Famous: Lost Einsteins, Forgotten Superstars, and How the Beatles Came to B ... Show More
Nov 2
840 A History of the Romance Novel (with Dale DeBakcsy)
Dale DeBakcsy is an author, illustrator, essayist, instructor, and the creative mind behind the popular Women in Science column. He's also a lifelong fan of romance novels. In this episode, Jacke talks to Dale about his book A History of Romance Novels: From Trembling Innocents t ... Show More
34m 27s
Oct 26
839 Elizabeth Barrett Browning (with Fiona Sampson) | My Last Book with David Medina
In 1845, Edgar Allan Poe wrote, in a review of Elizabeth Barrett Browning's work, "Her poetic inspiration is the highest - we can conceive of nothing more august. Her sense of Art is pure in itself." Later that year, he dedicated his collection The Raven and Other Poems to her, c ... Show More
1h 25m
Oct 22
838 The Emerson Circle (with Bruce Nichols) | Life Hack! Could This Simple Trick Help You Read More?
What did Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Louisa May Alcott, Bronson Alcott, Margaret Fuller, the Peabody sisters, and Nathaniel Hawthorne have in common? In addition to being literary luminaries who've been famous for nearly two hundred years, they all lived in Concord, ... Show More
1h 11m
Aug 2022
The Most Famous Poet No One Remembers
Rod McKuen sold multiple millions of poetry books in the 60s and 70s. He released dozens of albums, was a regular on late night, and was even nominated for an Oscar. So, how did the most salable poet in American history simply disappear? On today’s episode, Slate writer Dan Kois ... Show More
43m 12s
May 2022
Why You Can't Say "MacBeth" in a Theater
As one of history's most well-known, highly-regarded writers, it's no secret that Shakespeare's life and work is full of strange stories -- but did you know one of his most famous plays is considered cursed? In today's episode, the guys are joined by special guest, award-winning ... Show More
53m 51s
Mar 2018
#5: Literally, Don’t Judge the Book By Its Cover
Jess and Trisha talk about who’s losing with Audible’s romance subscription service, consider some of what makes romance unique in the world of self-publishing, deliver news about a couple of publishers, and – as always – recommend books.
This episode is sponsored by Raw Power by ... Show More
1h 6m
Oct 2022
The Yukio Mishima Story, Part One: Confessions of a Mask
In his heyday, Japanese author Yukio Mishima was one of the most well-known writers in the world. But where did he come from -- and what on Earth led to his strange demise? In part one of this two-part episode, Ben, Noel and Max welcome research associate Zach Williams in his fir ... Show More
46m 4s