Why are we so fascinated by the ancient world? What can we find in the distant past that is recognizably human — and how do we grapple with the complicated and controversial issues that the past forces us to address? In Episode 812, Jacke talks to…
The Harlem Renaissance, the great flowering of African American arts and culture in the early twentieth century, is hard to define but easy to admire. Coupled with the Great Migration, in which hundreds of thousands of Southern black workers moved t…
Buy the new book by Jacke Wilson! Great Detective! An Adventure for Two People [2-Book Boxed Set] Master Detective...or Master Criminal In Great Detective! An Adventure for Two People, you and a partner race through the streets of foggy Londo…
Pocket Casts has included The History of Literature on its World Book Day collection of podcast recommendations. The History of Literature is now available in Pocket Casts' Discover in-app and on its web player.
The HOL inaugural literary tour in England begins on May 6. We're excited as final plans take shape for our time in London, Oxford and Bath. Guests scheduled to join us on the tour include: Will Tosh, Director of Education at the Globe Theater…
The History of Literature Podcast's list of the 25 Greatest Books of All Time names #1 and #2 in Episode 789. In this episode, Jacke and Mike Palindrome discuss the imperfections of standard lists of great books and recommend other more compelling w…
The Great Gatsby ranks #3 on the History of Literature Podcast's list of the Greatest Books of All Time. Explore The Great Gatsby with HOL host Jacke Wilson who takes a look at the ancient underpinnings of F. Scott Fitzgerald's most famous creation…
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is ranked #4 on the History of Literature Podcast's list of the Greatest Books of All Time. In Episode 761, Jacke places the book in context, offering seven points about the time and circumstances that influen…
The masterpiece One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez is #5 on the History of Literature's list of the 25 Greatest Books of All Time. In Episode 758, Jacke takes a look at this novel, which received global praise and recognition up…
At #6 on the History of Literature's list of 25 Greatest Books of All Time is George Orwell's novel 1984, which was first published on June 8, 1949. Undeniably, it is a compelling and devastating dystopian narrative, and one that persists in its rel…
The Sound and the Fury is #7 on the History of Literature list of 25 Greatest Books of All Time. In Episode 749, Jacke explores the strengths of Faulkner's narrative style in this novel, in which a single day of a family, told from four different pe…
There is a lot to praise about Herman Melville's Moby Dick, which comes in at #8 on the History of Literature's list of 25 Greatest Books of All Time. In Episode 747, Jacke considers this tale that is so much more than a story about a whale. Eager t…
In the History of Literature's list of the 25 Greatest Books of All Time, Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes comes in at #9. In Episode 746, Jacke makes the case for the enduring delight of Don Quixote, which Harold Bloom called the first modern nov…
At #10 on the History of Literature's Greatest Books of All Time is Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. Among the most memorable opening lines of any novel is the one that opens Anna Karenina: Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhap…
The History of Literature's countdown of the greatest books of all time continues! Here's Jacke's list of books 19 to 11, with opening lines that craftily establish the tone and wonder of what comes next. For more about why these works made Jacke's…
What are the qualities of a great book? The History of Literature host Jacke Wilson considers this question as he creates his list of the 25 greatest books of all time. As a teaser, here are the first lines of Jacke's top books, from 25 to 20: 25…
Revisit your favorite animals in literature by listening to an early appearance of Mike Palindrome, the President of the Literature Supporters Club, on the show. In January 2018, Mike joined Jacke for on the podcast to talk the Top 10 Animals in Lit…
Check out Episode 720 in which Jacke takes a special look at The Odyssey, which ranks #24 on his list of the 25 Greatest Books of All Time. The story continues to resonate with new and old readers, with its many different translations. Most recentl…
"It is a fair, even-handed, noble adjustment of things, that while there is infection in disease and sorrow, there is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good-humour." — Charles Dickens Join Jacke and me as we spend time…
What are your top 25 greatest books of all time? On Jacke's list at #25 is The Grapes of Wrath (1939) by John Steinbeck. Steinbeck's portrayal of the Joad family during the Great Depression is among America's finest literary narratives. In Episode …
For the past few years, the History of Literature Podcast has been running the special "My Last Book Series." The idea for the series started with a question in an email from a listener: "Dear Jacke," said the emailer. "What do you want your "last b…
Join the History of Literature Podcast on a literary tour of England! Celebrate iconic authors, explore historic sites and rediscover classic stories. Jacke and I will be channeling the literary dynamic duo Johnson and Boswell as we start the tour …
