In 1773, Phillis Wheatley became the first person of African descent to publish a book of poems in the English language. It was yet another milestone in Wheatley's extraordinary life, which began with a childhood in Africa, a passage on a slave ship, twelve years in Boston living as a slave, and then her unprecedented education and emergence as a poet. She w ... Show More
Today
768 Young James Baldwin (with Nicholas Boggs) | My Last Book with Bruce Robbins
The American writer and civil rights activist James Baldwin (1924-1987) spent the second half of his life as a fixture in American intellectual life. But what formed him? In this episode, Jacke talks to Nicholas Boggs, author of Baldwin: A Love Story, the first major biography of ... Show More
57m 5s
Jan 12
766 Gertrude Stein (with Francesca Wade) | Ruskin on the Only One Way to Get Art | My Last Book with Holly Baggett
Gertrude Stein (1874-1946) has long been one of the most famous - and most polarizing - figures in modernism. Was she a trailblazing genius? Or a literary charlatan? Her bestselling memoir of 1933, The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas, which made her internationally famous, only ... Show More
1h 3m
May 2023
La danza del cóndor y el águila: Etnografías y narrativas del 'despertar muisca'
En la vida, muchas veces adoptamos filosofías, expresiones e incluso comportamientos que no obedecen a nuestros contextos inmediatos; tal vez por mayor empatía con unas u otras, lo cual nos lleva a construir nuestras propias identidades. Otras veces nos quedamos con nuestros pasa ... Show More
59m 48s
Feb 2024
Significant Others: A Sneak Peek at the Woman Behind Benedict Arnold’s Betrayal
<p>It’s been said that history is written by the person at the typewriter. But who did the person who made history depend on? Often, it’s impossible to find out. But once in a while, we get lucky, and the story was not only recorded, it’s really good.<br />Well that’s what this p ... Show More
7m 21s
Aug 2023
Anne Boleyn part 1 for Tudor Week!
Who's that girl? It's Anne! Anne Boleyn is one of the most infamous figures in British history. Her short life is often defined by her marriage to King Henry VIII, her role in the English Reformation, and ultimately, her execution. However, in this episode (part of our Tudor Week ... Show More
58m 36s
Feb 2024
A Very Victorian Scandal
In 1874, the most famous preacher in America, Henry Ward Beecher, was publicly accused of adultery. The story became one of the greatest sex scandals of the 19th century, and led to a shocking trial, in which Beecher’s accuser, Theodore Tilton, sued Beecher for ruining his marria ... Show More
1 h
Nov 2023
Elisa Gabbert on Sylvia Plath ("Lady Lazarus")
What a searching, stimulating conversation this was. Elisa Gabbert joins the podcast to talk about a poem she and I have both long loved, Sylvia Plath's "Lady Lazarus."Elisa is a poet, critic, and essayist—and the author of several books. Her recent titles include Normal Distance ... Show More
1h 42m
Feb 2024
US 2.0: Lincoln's Dilemma
<p>Over the past few weeks, we've been exploring the psychology of partisanship, and how to effectively handle disagreements with those around us. This week, we conclude our US 2.0 series by turning to the past. We talk with journalist <a href="https://www.npr.org/people/4080709/ ... Show More
52m 13s