William Shakespeare dedicated many of his sonnets to someone known only as the Dark Lady. Novelist Mary McMyne imagines that this was maybe a witch named Rose in her new novel, A Rose by Any Other Name. Mary joins us to talk about her book, and Shakespeare, in this week's episode!
Click here to buy a copy of A Rose By Any Other Name.
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Mar 11
Margaret Beaufort, The Original Tudor Icon
Margaret Beaufort was one of the most important women in Medieval England. Her story has been twisted to make her a villain, even a murderer, but who was she really? Lauren Johnson joins us to discuss Margaret Beaufort's remarkable life - and bust some of the most pervasive myths ... Show More
1h 4m
Feb 25
Regency Era Spy Grace Dalrymple Elliott
Grace Dalrymple Elliott was a courtesan in London, a spy in French Revolutionary Paris, the lover of two of history's most annoying Princes, and finally, a memoir-writer in the Regency Era. Our guest today, Gavin Whitehead (from The Art of History podcast) joins us to talk about ... Show More
1h 42m
Oct 2025
744 Love, Sex, and Frankenstein (with Caroline Lea) | #10 Greatest Book of All Time | My Last Book with Geoffrey Turnovsky | A Letter from a Middle School Teacher and Mom
The year is 1816, and 18-year-old Mary Shelley has fled London with her lover, Percy Shelley, and her sister, Claire. They're on their way to visit Lord Byron's villa in Lake Geneva, Switzerland - and to change the course of literary history. In this episode, Jacke talks to Carol ... Show More
1h 26m
Sep 2025
Anne Boleyn: Myths vs Reality
The life of Anne Boleyn has intrigued audiences for centuries. Everyone knows something about her time as Queen of England, and of course, her betrayal and execution. But her formative years in France remain a bit of a mystery.Joining us today is Estelle Paranque, an Associate Pr ... Show More
1h 1m
Jun 2023
519 Shakespeare's First Folio (with Emma Smith) | My Last Book with Luke Parker
The compilation of Shakespeare's plays known as the First Folio is one of the most important books in the history of literature. In this episode, Jacke talks to Shakespeare scholar and First Folio expert Emma Smith about the origins, importance, status, and legacy of this essenti ... Show More
1h 3m
Nov 2025
746 Wild Jane Austen (with Devoney Looser) | #9 Greatest Book of All Time
Author Devoney Looser may be a mild-mannered English professor to most people, but roller derby fans know her as Stone Cold Jane Austen, her smashmouth alter ego. In this episode, Devoney tells Jacke about her new book Wild for Austen: A Rebellious, Subversive, and Untamed Jane, ... Show More
1h 4m
Oct 2025
743 Fairy Tales (with Jack Zipes) [RECLAIMED] | Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky (#11 GBOAT) | Chaucer News
An early encounter with one of the most famous people in the world initiated Jack Zipes into the world of fairy tales - and he never looked back. In this episode, Jacke talks to the fairy tale expert about his book Buried Treasures: The Power of Political Fairy Tales, which profi ... Show More
1h 2m