Writ Large

On Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 14:56:00 -0000

Ayn Rand's 1957 novel Atlas Shrugged explores the question: What happens when the creators of a society refuse to create?

Her answer was a work that is equal parts dystopian warning, philosophical manifesto, and cultural Rorschach test. Though critics panned it, the book's characters, symbols, and moral vision continue to reverberate through American political life.

Our guest is Jennifer Burns, Edgar E. Robinson Professor in United States History at Stanford University. Burns is one of the world’s leading scholars of Ayn Rand and the history of American conservatism. In this episode, we explore Rand’s dramatic life—from her family’s business being seized by Bolsheviks, to her improbable career in Hollywood, to the fervent intellectual circle that formed around her—and unpack the philosophical and political legacy of Atlas Shrugged.

Atlas Shrugged has never gone out of print. It persists because it captures an enduring American anxiety: fear of an overreaching state, of a society that punishes excellence, and of a world where individual freedom might fall under collective control. It has became a continual source of inspiration for libertarians, business leaders, and generations of young conservatives.

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On Martin Heidegger's "Being and Time"

Wed, 21 Dec 2022 09:00:00 -0000

Martin Heidegger did not like small thoughts. He was fascinated by the most expansive questions humans can ask themselves. Questions like: Why are we here at all? Why do things exist as they do? What does it mean to be in the world? Heidegger came to believe that many of the modern answers to these questions were based on old, unexamined assumptions. Instead of accepting those assumptions, Heidegger wanted to return to the great philosophical texts of the past and see if he could recover and reveal deep truths that had been obscured or forgotten. The result of this intellectual treasure-hunting is his most well known work, Being and Time, published in 1927. Despite its dark context, Being and Time remains essential reading for engaging with the vexing challenges presented by modernity. Peter Gordon is the Amabel B. James Professor of History, Faculty Affiliate in the Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures, and Faculty Affiliate in the Department of Philosophy at Harvard University. He is a critical theorist and an historian of modern European philosophy and social thought, specializing in Frankfurt School critical theory, phenomenology, existentialism, and Western Marxism. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm.

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On Samuel Beckett's "Waiting for Godot

Tue, 20 Dec 2022 09:00:00 -0000

In Paris in 1953, one of the strangest and most popular plays of the 20th century premiered, Waiting for Godot, written by the Irish writer Samuel Beckett. Since the premier, people have been trying to figure out what this play means. It’s been interpreted in countless ways, with no definitive confirmation from Beckett one way or another. Waiting for Godot is famous as a play about nothing, but it has endured because it is in fact a play about life. For what is life but a sequential collection of waitings? Waiting for school to end. Waiting to find someone to love. Waiting to know what to do. Waiting to feel better. Waiting for money or recognition. And ultimately, the last waiting, waiting for death. And yet, between all these waitings, we find meaning to continue on. Peter Connor is a professor of French and Comparative Literature at Barnard College. He is the author of Georges Bataille and the Mysticism of Sin (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins U.P., 2000). See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On William Shakespeare's "Hamlet"

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 09:00:00 -0000

William Shakespeare is the greatest writer in history, and Hamlet is his greatest work. In Hamlet, Shakespeare gave us one of the first modern characters in literature. We are invited into the mind of Hamlet, to see how he thinks and acts in the face of love, grief, and revenge. It is a work of deep psychological complexity, and has inspired many writers to explore and reveal the inner lives of their characters. Part of what keeps Hamlet alive is its delicate balance of textured specificity and capacious vagueness. It is specific enough for Hamlet to feel real while also inviting endless interpretations. Michael Dobson is the director of the Shakespeare Institute in Stratford-upon-Avon. He is the author of “Cutting, interruption, and the end of Hamlet” See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On Miguel de Cervantes' "Don Quixote"

Fri, 16 Dec 2022 09:06:00 -0000

Don Quixote was written by Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes. He wrote it in two parts. Part one was published in 1605, and part two ten years later, in 1615. The story is centered around a middle aged guy named Alonso Quijano who is obsessed with stories of brave medieval knights—so obsessed that he decides to create a new persona for himself and live in a fictitious world of his own creation as Don Quixote. Don Quixote goes on all sorts of misguided adventures; fighting a windmill, jousting with a flock of sheep, and usually losing these battles in humiliating fashion. Timothy Hampton is a professor of comparative literature and French at the University of California at Berkeley. He is the author of Fictions of Embassy: Literature and Diplomacy in Early Modern Europe See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On Marcel Proust's "In Search of Lost Time"

Thu, 15 Dec 2022 09:00:00 -0000

The French writer Marcel Proust was fascinated by life. But he was even more interested in how we perceive life. In 1908, when he was in his late 30s, he began to write a novel that explored themes of memory, identity, and the passage of time. This project consumed him until he died in 1922. By the end, his novel came out at more than 1.2 million words—that’s 3,000-4,000 pages depending on the edition. Much of the work was inspired directly from his life, sometimes memories of the past, and sometimes experiences that were unfolding in the present. In English, the novel goes by the title In Search of Lost Time. Although it does have a plot of sorts, this book is more about ideas, and less about a storyline. Elisabeth Ladenson is Professor of French and Comparative Literature and General Editor of Romanic Review at Columbia University. She is the author of Proust’s Lesbianism. Michael Lucey is Professor in the French department at University of California Berkeley. He is the author of What Proust Heard: Novels and the Ethnography of Talk See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On Voltaire's "Candide"

Wed, 14 Dec 2022 09:00:00 -0000

Many people made the European Enlightenment, but probably nobody better represents the movement’s spirit than the French writer and philosopher Voltaire. He was a man of letters and strong critic of the Catholic Church. In 1759 Voltaire published one of his best known works, Candide. In this satirical fable, Voltaire used current events of the day—like the 7 Years War and the 1755 Lisbon earthquake—to explore larger philosophical questions, such as how there could be evil in a world created by a benevolent god. In Candide, Voltaire frees us from the naive optimism that there is a perfect order to things. Carla Hesse is the Peder Sather Professor of History at the University of California, Berkeley. She is the author of The Other Enlightenment: How French Women Became Modern See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On Gabriel García Márquez's "One Hundred Years of Solitude"

Tue, 13 Dec 2022 09:00:00 -0000

In 1967, Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez published his masterpiece, One Hundred Years of Solitude. Because of that book, he won the Nobel Prize in literature in 1982. One Hundred Years of Solitude is a story about life, death, endings, and beginnings. It is a novel that invites its readers to think about their own past, and accept the complex and mysterious forces that have shaped them. It calls into question our relationship to nostalgia, and the role memory plays in shaping our futures. Héctor Hoyos is an Associate Professor of Latin American literature and culture at Stanford University. He is the author of Beyond Bolaño: The Global Latin American Novel. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On James Joyce's "Ulysses"

Mon, 12 Dec 2022 09:00:00 -0000

Perhaps more than any other book, Ulysses has the reputation of being difficult—it is dense, allusive, and often hard to follow. But Joyce wasn’t trying to be challenging for its own sake, or because he sadistically wanted to punish future students assigned his book. Quite the contrary. With Ulysses, Joyce wanted to explore and convey what it is to be alive. And just like his book, life is difficult and confusing, but also thrilling and joyful. Catherine Flynn is Associate Professor, Affiliate of the Program in Critical Theory, Director of Berkeley Connect in English, and Director of Irish Studies at the University of California Berkeley. She is the author of James Joyce and the Matter of Paris. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On Hans Blumenberg's "The Legitimacy of the Modern Age"

Fri, 09 Dec 2022 13:00:00 -0000

Those of us living today generally think of ourselves as modern, that we live in modern times, and that we are very different from the people of the past. But there is an important thing that we share with all humans who have come before—we ask ourselves big, hard questions about life, questions like how we should live and why the world is so full of suffering. Each era comes up with answers to these questions. And although sometimes the answers last a long time, they are never permanent. As times change, people demand new answers. In his 1966 book The Legitimacy of the Modern Age, German philosopher Hans Blumenberg explores the evolution of humanity's answers to our perennial questions. Martin Jay is the Ehrman Professor of European History Emeritus at UC Berkeley. He is the author of Discussing Modernity: A Dialogue with Martin Jay. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On Virginia Woolf’s "Mrs Dalloway"

Thu, 08 Dec 2022 09:00:00 -0000

In the early 20th century, Europe and North America were undergoing a radical transformation. Scientific, technological, and political changes disrupted many traditional forms of life. The growth of cities opened up new freedoms and opportunities and scientists like Sigmund Freud and Ernst Mach were developing new theories about how we perceive the world and construct reality. These cultural changes gave birth to a form of art that reflected the new sensibilities of this era—modernism. The modernist literary movement was characterized in particular by its interest in revealing the inner psychology of its characters. And few texts were as successful in this goal as Virginia Woolf’s 1925 novel Mrs Dalloway. Dora Zhang is Associate professor of English and Comparative Literature at UC Berkeley. She is the author of Strange Likeness: Description and the Modernist Novel. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On "Genesis"

Wed, 07 Dec 2022 09:00:00 -0000

In a podcast about books that have changed the world, I bring you the book that I think changed the world the most: The Hebrew Bible. Specifically, the first book of the Hebrew Bible: Genesis. The Book of Genesis is an account of the origins of the world, human beings, and the Jewish people. It is a foundational text for three world religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. For thousands of years, Genesis has given its readers a foundation, a story that helps give an account of why the world exists, who we are, and how we should act. In a chaotic and unpredictable world, Genesis, this ancient set of stories, offers grounding, continuity, and deep meaning. Ronald Hendel is the Norma and Sam Dabby Professor of Hebrew Bible and Jewish Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. He is the author of The Book of Genesis: A Biography See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On "1001 Nights"

Tue, 06 Dec 2022 09:00:00 -0000

Humans love stories. And no collection of stories is more beloved worldwide than the Middle Eastern folk tales known as One Thousand and One Nights. The original collection only contained about 40 stories. It was compiled into a manuscript sometime between the 8th century and the 14th century during the Islamic Golden Age. The stories were made popular in the West by the French translator Antoine Galland who got a hold of this original manuscript in the 1690s. Galland began translating and publishing these stories in French. They were an instant hit. But some of the most popular stories, such as Aladdin and Ali Baba didn’t appear in that original manuscript. Paulo Lemos Horta is an associate professor of literature at New York University Abu Dhabi. He is the author of Marvellous Thieves: Secret Authors of the Arabian Nights See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On James Baldwin's "The Fire Next Time"

Mon, 05 Dec 2022 09:00:00 -0000

The writer and activist James Baldwin grew up in a majority white America that saw white American lives as standard and universal, and Black American lives as different and particular. But in his 1963 book The Fire Next Time, Baldwin showed that his life as a Black man in America was universally human. Josef Sorett is the Professor of Religion and African American and African Diaspora Studies at Columbia University. He is also chair of the Department of Religion and directs the Center on African-American Religion, Sexual Politics and Social Justice. He is the author of Spirit in the Dark: A Religious History of Racial Aesthetics. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On Charlotte Brontë's "Jane Eyre"

Fri, 02 Dec 2022 09:00:00 -0000

The Victorian era is known for its class rigidity and moral strictness. In her 1847 novel Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë gave us a robust, layered character who pushes against cultural norms and fully embraces her complexity. She’s crabby, difficult, and gets depressed. But she’s also smart and passionate. And she claims the right to love and be loved because she is all these things—fully human. Sharon Marcus is the Orlando Harriman Professor of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University. She is the author of Apartment Stories: City and Home in Nineteenth-Century Paris and London and Between Women: Marriage, Desire, and Friendship in Victorian England. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On John Rawl's "A Theory of Justice"

Thu, 01 Dec 2022 09:00:00 -0000

How do you create a fair society? Who deserves to rule? What rights do citizens have? How are those rights protected? What does it mean to act morally within society? These are the kinds of questions political philosophers furrow their brows and scratch their chins trying to answer. In 1971, an American philosopher named John Rawls introduced a new answer: justice as fairness. Michele Moody-Adams is the Joseph Straus Professor of Political Philosophy and Legal Theory at Columbia University. She is the author of Fieldwork in Familiar Places: Morality, Culture and Philosophy. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On Dante Alighieri's "Divine Comedy"

Wed, 30 Nov 2022 09:00:00 -0000

When he was in his late 30s, the Italian poet Dante Alighieri got himself into some serious political trouble and was exiled from his beloved Florence. While in exile, he wrote one of the world’s greatest literary works, the Divine Comedy. In the story, Dante, the main character, must pass through the nine circles of Hell, climb Mount Purgatory, and ascend to Heaven to reach salvation. Along the way he meets all sorts of characters including the Roman poet Virgil, various politicians of his time, teachers from his school, and his one true love. Nassime Chida is a Core Lecturer in Literature Humanities at Columbia University. She is the author of Local Power in Dante’s Inferno. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On Frantz Fanon's "The Wretched of the Earth"

Tue, 29 Nov 2022 09:00:00 -0000

In 1925, on the French occupied island of Martinique, one of the most prominent voices in post colonial theory was born, Frantz Fanon. He was born to parents of both African and French descent, and was brought up in the ways of French culture. For most of Fanon’s life, he identified with French nationality. He even fought for France in WWII. But despite his initial loyalty to France, the French colonizers didn’t see Fanon as equal. In his early adulthood, Fanon began to see colonialism for what it really was. He became a vocal critic of colonialism. In his 1961 text The Wretched of the Earth, Fanon wrote about the psychological effects of colonialism, and the psychological hurdles of decolonization. Manan Ahmed is a historian and associate professor at Columbia University. He is the author of A Book of Conquest: The Chachnama and Muslim Origins in South Asia See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On George Orwell's "1984"

Mon, 28 Nov 2022 09:00:00 -0000

In 1948, English author George Orwell wrote what would become one of the defining novels of the 20th century, 1984. He was writing in the years following WWII and the beginning of The Cold War. It was a tense time, full of uncertainty and the spectre of Soviet communism loomed. In 1984, Orwell introduced all kinds of terms to describe the dystopian society of his novel, such as “thought police”, “memory hole”, “big brother”, and “unperson.” And in his view, Orwell wasn’t attempting to describe a fantastical world with no correspondence to our own, or even just satirizing the excesses of the Soviet regime. He was sounding a warning to his own society. Priya Satia is the Raymond A. Spruance Professor of International History Professor of History at Stanford University. She is the author of Empire of Guns: The Violent Making of the Industrial Revolution and Time’s Monster: How History Makes History See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On George Eliot's "Middlemarch"

Fri, 25 Nov 2022 09:00:00 -0000

By the time we reach middle age, our lives have taken certain paths. Sometimes these paths are close to what we imagined in our youth. But more often, they’re dramatically different. We come to realize that there are larger, invisible forces that tend to have just as much a say, or more, in how our lives go as we do. In her 1871 novel Middlemarch, the English writer George Eliot explored this experience of ‘middleness’—a time halfway between what has already happened, and what has yet to happen. A time when we feel more sharply our own limitations. Nicholas Dames is Theodore Kahan Professor in the Humanities at Columbia University. He is the author of Amnesiac Selves: Nostalgia, Forgetting, and British Fiction, 1810-1870, and The Physiology of the Novel: Reading, Neural Science, and the Form of Victorian Fiction. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On "The Mahābhārata"

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 09:10:00 -0000

When it comes to epic poetry, there’s a strong case to be made that the Ancient Indian story the Mahābhārata is the most epic. Clocking in at around 100,000 verses, the Mahābhārata is roughly seven times The Iliad and The Odyssey combined. This foundational Hindu text tells the story of a war between two sets of cousins who are fighting over who gets to rule their kingdom. The text is said to contain the universe, but it is best to leave it unfinished. Bad things are said to befall those who read it from beginning to end. Nell Shapiro Hawley is the Preceptor in Sanskrit at Harvard University and is the co-editor of Many Mahābhāratas (forthcoming from SUNY Press), a collection of eighteen essays on retellings of the Mahābhārata across South Asian languages and literary genres. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On Michel Foucault's "Discipline and Punish"

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 09:23:00 -0000

We moderns often tell ourselves a story that goes something like this: The past was barbaric, especially when it came to punishing criminals or persecuting minorities. Legal punishment used to include hanging, chopping off a head, burning at the stake, quartering, stoning, drowning, and crushing. Eventually, we tell ourselves, we learned to be more humane. But the 20th century French philosopher Michel Foucault didn’t believe this story modern people told themselves. He didn’t accept that modern punishment was any more humane than it used to be. In his 1975 text Discipline and Punish, Foucault makes his point by tracing the evolution of punishment and power through history. Camille Robcis is associate professor of French and history at Columbia University. She is the author of The Law of Kinship: Anthropology, Psychoanalysis, and the Family in France. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On Matteo Maria Boiardo's "Orlando Innamorato"

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 09:07:00 -0000

The Italian Renaissance was an era of rebirth in the arts, sciences, engineering, anatomy, and architecture. But also for literature. One of the most influential works from this period was Matteo Maria Boiardo’s epic poem Orlando innamorato. While read by the literate upper classes, Boiardo’s incredible story of knights-errant, adventure, justice, chivalry, and true love became popular among the public through puppet theatre in Sicily. Boiardo combined genres to create a beloved work of art that continues to influence Italian culture today. Jo Ann Cavallo is a professor of Italian at Columbia University. Professor Cavallo has adapted episodes from Orlando innamorato that have been performed in various regions of Italy and New York City. She is also the author of Orlando Innamorato per ragazzi. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On Sigmund Freud's "Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality"

Fri, 18 Nov 2022 09:00:00 -0000

Sigmund Freud is probably best known as the founder of psychoanalysis. In his clinical practice, he established theories on how the human psyche develops and behaves, and his 1905 text Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality is an analysis of humans’ relationship to sex. At the time, doctors and researchers were curious how “non-normative” sexualities and genders developed. Instead of looking for biological or hereditary traits, Freud looked at the development of the human psyche, eventually questioning our relationship to notions of normativity and perversion. His questions laid a foundation for the later development of queer theory. George Paul Meiu is an associate professor of anthropology and African American studies at Harvard University. He is the author of Ethno-erotic Economies: Sexuality, Money, and Belonging in Kenya and the upcoming book Queer Objects: Intimacy, Citizenship, and Rescue in Kenya. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On Victor and Edith Turner's "The Forest of Symbols"

Thu, 17 Nov 2022 09:00:00 -0000

In the mid-20th century, British anthropologists Victor and Edith Turner studied the Ndembu people of present-day Zambia. They wrote about their findings in their 1967 book The Forest of Symbols. The Turners were interested in rituals and focused their studies on Ndembu rites of passage because they wanted to understand the role of symbols in societies. And through the study of one culture, the Turners helped change the way anthropologists and other scholars understand humans everywhere. Matthew Engelke is a professor of religion at Columbia University. He is the author of A Problem of Presence: Beyond Scripture in an African Church, God’s Agents: Biblical Publicity in Contemporary England, and Think Like an Anthropologist. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On Boethius' "The Consolation of Philosophy"

Wed, 16 Nov 2022 09:00:00 -0000

For much of his life, the Roman philosopher Boethius was exceptionally fortunate. But towards the end of his life, his luck ran out. He was accused of treason, thrown in jail, and sentenced to death. While he was awaiting execution, he began to reflect on his life and how luck had played such an important part. He wrote his thoughts in what would later become one of the most influential philosophical works in history, The Consolation of Philosophy. John Marenbon is a Fellow of the British Academy, Senior Research Fellow, and Honorary Professor of Medieval Philosophy at Trinity College in the University of Cambridge. He is the author of Medieval Philosophy: An Historical and Philosophical Introduction and editor of The Cambridge Companion to Boethius, among other works. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On H. G. Well's "The Time Machine"

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 09:00:00 -0000

When H.G. Wells was growing up in England in the 1860s, science wasn’t part of education or everyday life the way it is now. Even though the 19th century was an era of dramatic technological invention, the professionalization of science was still developing. Wells viewed science as an incredibly powerful force. He knew it could either help or hurt humanity--even with that risk, he believed society should fully embrace science. When Wells wrote his first novel, The Time Machine, in 1895, he kicked off a 50-year-long writing career. He was a pioneer in the science fiction genre, and his stories have inspired generations of audiences, artists, filmmakers, and other writers around the world. Sarah Cole is the Parr Professor of English and Comparative Literature and Dean of Humanities at Columbia University. She is the author of Inventing Tomorrow: H.G. Wells and the Twentieth Century and At the Violet Hour: Modernism and Violence in England and Ireland, among other works. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On Aimé Césaire's "Discourse on Colonialism"

Mon, 14 Nov 2022 09:00:00 -0000

Aimé Césaire was born in 1913 on the island of Martinique, which was colonized by the French in the 1600s. He received a scholarship to complete his education in Paris, and by 1935, he’d fallen in with a crowd of brilliant scholars, intellectuals, and activists through his studies. In 1944, Césaire gave a series of lectures in Haiti, inspiring his students to organize a massive strike a few years later. In 1946, he negotiated the transformation of Martinique from a colony of France into a Department of France, which it remains to this day. And in 1950, he wrote Discourse on Colonialism. Many of his earlier writings were directed to those being colonized. This text was specifically for the French. Kaiama Glover is the Ann Whitney Olin Professor of French and Africana Studies at Barnard College of Columbia University. She is the author of Haiti Unbound: A Spiralist Challenge to the Postcolonial Canon and A Regarded Self: “Caribbean Womanhood and the Ethics of Disorderly Being. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel's "Elements of the Philosophy of Right"

Fri, 11 Nov 2022 09:00:00 -0000

The notion of freedom and how to ensure it for all has occupied the minds of many modern thinkers. In his text Elements of the Philosophy of Right, German philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel explored the nature of individual freedom and how society and the government can guarantee it for all citizens. Hegel argued that protecting basic rights wasn’t enough. Governments needed to support a more robust conception of individual freedom. He also believed we need other people in order to help us fully realize our individual freedom. Axel Honneth is a professor of philosophy at Columbia University and Director of the Institute for Social Research at Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main. He’s the author of The Pathologies of Individual Freedom: Hegel's Social Theory and Pathologies of Reason: On the Legacy of Critical Theory, among other books. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On Thucydides' "History of the Peloponnesian War"

Thu, 10 Nov 2022 09:00:00 -0000

Sometime around 450 BC in ancient Greece, a young Thucydides went with his father to hear the historian Herodotus speak. After the lecture, Thucydides announced that writing history was his life’s calling. He later wrote History of the Peloponnesian War, a chronicle of the 27-year civil war between the Athenians and the Spartans. Thucydides believed that history is cyclical, and he saw written history as more than just record keeping. He wanted to know why certain events unfolded as they did. In fact, Thucydides is one of the first Western historians to document a historical event year by year. Professor Richard Billows is a professor of History at Columbia University. He specializes in Ancient Greek and Roman history. He is the author of Before and After Alexander and Marathon: The Battle that Changed Western Civilization, among other books. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On Toni Morrison's "Beloved"

Wed, 09 Nov 2022 09:00:00 -0000

In 1987, Toni Morrison published her fourth novel, Beloved, based on the story of Margaret Garner, a woman who escaped slavery with her child. Garner and her daughter were discovered by slave catchers. Rather than have her return to slavery, Garner killed her child. In Beloved, Morrison’s character Sethe has a similar story, but years later she meets a young girl who is the incarnation of the daughter she had killed. When Beloved came out, it immediately became Morrison’s most acclaimed work. It was nominated for the National Book Award and won a Pulitzer Prize in 1988. Beloved examines community, motherhood, identity, slavery, freedom, and our relationship to the past. Amy Hungerford is the Vice President for Arts and Sciences as well as Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Columbia University. She is a professor of English and the author of Making Literature Now and The Holocaust of Texts: Genocide, Literature, and Personification. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On Edward Said's "Orientalism"

Tue, 08 Nov 2022 09:00:00 -0000

Beginning in the 17th century, European countries began colonizing countries east of Europe. They imposed their own ideas over local cultures and extracted free labor and resources. One way that European colonizers justified this exploitation was through an academic discipline called Orientalism. In 1978, Edward Said, a professor of literature at Columbia University, published a book of the same name, Orientalism. In his critique, he challenged Europeans’ construction of the so-called “East,” laid bare the biases of Orientalist study, and transformed the course of humanities scholarship. Stathis Gourgouris is a professor of classics, English, and comparative literature at Columbia University. He is the author of books such as Dream Nation: Enlightenment, Colonization, and the Institution of Modern Greece and Does Literature Think?: Literature as Theory for an Antimythical Era. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On "The U.S. Constitution"

Mon, 07 Nov 2022 09:00:00 -0000

The story of the Constitution of the United States began long before the American Revolutionary War. This document was influenced by centuries old English law, and the final product was the result of months of debate, arguing, and compromises from representatives of 12 states, including its essential recognition of slavery, leading to further debates and conflict after the document was signed. Interpretation of the U.S. Constitution remains a fundamental part of U.S. politics. We ask ourselves: Do we move forward, or must we return to our roots? How can we remember the origins of the Constitution while we live in a society that would have been unimaginable when it was written? Jonathan Gienapp is an assistant professor of History at Stanford University. He specializes in Revolutionary and early republican America, and he is the author of The Second Creation: Fixing the American Constitution in the Founding Era. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On John Milton's "Paradise Lost"

Fri, 04 Nov 2022 08:00:00 -0000

As a young student at Christ’s College Cambridge, John Milton announced to the world that he was going to write the greatest poem that the world has ever seen. He didn’t want to sit among the epic geniuses Homer and Virgil, he wanted to surpass them. Decades later, Milton wrote Paradise Lost, reworking and embellishing the stories of Adam and Eve’s fall from paradise and Satan’s fall from heaven to create what is unquestionably the greatest epic poem written in English. Erik Gray is a professor of English and comparative literature at Columbia University. His books include The Art of Love Poetry, Milton and the Victorians, and The Poetry of Indifference: from the Romantics to the Rubáiyát. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On Jean-Jacques Rousseau's "The Social Contract"

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 08:00:00 -0000

The 18th century philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau argued that humans are born good, but society corrupts them. He was unimpressed with the fixation on wealth that he saw in the French society. In fact, he felt it was evidence of a self-interested, degenerate society. He endeavored to write the formula for a more civically minded society, and in 1762, he published The Social Contract, a treatise in which he argues that the people should run the government. Harvard Professor James Kloppenberg discusses how Rousseau’s ideas on government and society have inspired thinkers and leaders ever since. James Kloppenberg is the Charles Warren Professor of American History at Harvard University. He is the author of Reading Obama: Dreams, Hope, and the American Political Tradition and Toward Democracy: The Struggle for Self-Rule in European and American Thought, among other works. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On "Grimms' Fairytales"

Wed, 02 Nov 2022 08:00:00 -0000

You probably already know the story of Snow White—as well as Little Red Riding Hood, Briar Rose, The Frog Prince, and so many others. These tales have a rich history of oral storytelling. They’ve travelled through culture, adapted and readapted in each retelling and reaching as far as the popular Disney movies that our kids watch over and over. Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm saw the power of this folklore and made it their life’s mission to compile and preserve it. But while we tend to think of Grimms’ Fairy Tales as stories for children, the themes found in Jacob and Wilhelm’s book can be pretty mature…and a little dark. Columbia professor Annie Pfeifer discusses how the Grimm brothers ended up creating a whole new literary genre and their stories have been shaped and molded throughout history. Annie Pfeifer is an Assistant Professor of Germanic Languages at Columbia University. She has published articles in The New German Critique, German Life and Letters, and the peer-reviewed volumes Que(e)rying Consent and Iran and the West and edited a collection of essays titled “Walk I absolutely Must” in 2019. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On Thomas Mann's "The Magic Mountain"

Tue, 01 Nov 2022 08:00:00 -0000

When Thomas Mann published The Magic Mountain in 1924, tuberculosis had a deadly hold on Europe and the United States, killing one in seven adults in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. If that wasn’t enough, Mann’s writing was interrupted by the First World War, so it took him twelve years to finish the book. Mann was a modern, experimental writer who wrote about the major issues of his time—not only the war and the pandemic, but also industrialization, class resentment, and rising nationalism. The characters of The Magic Mountain live in a sanitorium, recovering from tuberculosis. The experiences they have and the people they meet there symbolize many of the big ideas circulating Europe at the time. Professor Pericles Lewis of Yale University discusses Thomas Mann’s literary legacy and the encyclopedic nature of The Magic Mountain. Pericles Lewis is the Douglas Tracy Smith Professor of Comparative Literature and Professor of English at Yale University. His works include Modernism, Nationalism, and the Novel and Religious Experience and the Modernist Novel. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On Augustine's "Confessions"

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 08:00:00 -0000

What is freedom? If we are free, why do we feel anxiety? How do I relate to the world? Saint Augustine of Hippo asked himself these questions around 400 AD as he wrote Confessions—indeed, as he lived his life. At various points in his life, Augustine was a Manichaean, a Platonist, an academic, a father, and a thief. He was on a quest for truth, an understanding of himself as an individual and a human being. Augustine wrote this text in his forties when he was a bishop. Formally speaking, it is a prayer, a confession to God, but it also an extremely influential philosophical text and one of the earliest ever autobiographies. Columbia Professor Dhananjay Jagannathan discusses the huge existential questions that Augustine tackled and the conclusions he drew that have influenced modern philosophy. Dhananjay Jagannathan is an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Columbia University. His research focuses on ancient Greek and Roman philosophy and the history of ethics, and he is currently writing a book on Aristotle’s moral epistemology. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On Cicero's "On Friendship"

Fri, 28 Oct 2022 08:00:00 -0000

There’s nothing better or more important in life than a good friend. For Roman statesman and philosopher Cicero, the emphasis was on “good.” Cicero lived through the assassination of Caesar, one of the most famous examples of betrayal between friends in history. But according to Cicero’s treatise On Friendship, you must be virtuous to be a good friend, and, he argues, bad people cannot really be friends. In this text, Cicero examines true friendship, tough love, social transaction, and affection. Professor Katharina Volk of Columbia University discusses the role of friendship in ancient Rome and how this text in particular has kept Latin alive. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On Franz Kafka's "The Trial"

Thu, 27 Oct 2022 08:00:00 -0000

When reading a crime novel, we usually learn the crime within the first few page turns; the trick is discovering the perpetrator. Perhaps this is what makes Franz Kafka’s 1914 book The Trial so haunting—the crime itself is never revealed. Kafka was born in the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1883 and died in 1924, never experiencing the Nazis or Hitler’s totalitarian rise to power. Yet his book seems to prophesize the most dangerous aspects of unchecked bureaucracy, legal systems, and arbitrary power. Columbia University Professor Mark Anderson discusses the legacy of Franz Kafka and how his brutal and terrifying novel helped birth the term “Kafkaesque.” Mark Anderson is the Director of Undergraduate Germanic Studies and a Professor of Germanic Languages at Columbia University. He is the author of books such as Kafka’s Clothes and Reading Kafka: Prague, Politics and the Fin de Siecle. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm.

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On Samuel Smiles' "Self-Help"

Wed, 26 Oct 2022 08:00:00 -0000

Samuel Smiles’ Self-Help isn’t just an advice manual. It represents the invention of a genre, and not a moment too soon. Smiles was writing at a time when work conditions were extremely poor, and people were looking for ways to educate themselves and improve their conditions. Although Smiles may have written Self-Help with one particular society’s troubles in mind, his advice swiftly travelled around the globe to places like Japan and Egypt. Beth Blum is an assistant professor of English at Harvard University. She specializes in modernist and contemporary literature. She is the author of The Self-Help Compulsion: Searching for Advice in Modern Literature. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On Simone de Beauvoir's "The Second Sex"

Tue, 25 Oct 2022 08:00:00 -0000

In her diary, Simone de Beauvoir once wrote “I did not think of myself as a 'woman.' I was me.” Then, in 1949, de Beauvoir published The Second Sex, laying bare the widely accepted gender inequalities of her time and questioning the idea of man as “universal.” Her book incited both outrage and inspiration, and her ideas were quickly adapted by the Second-wave feminist movement. Although feminist ideas have changed over time, de Beauvoir’s vision of a just and equal society in which men and women respect each other as free and responsible subjects was remarkable for her time. Professor Toril Moi is the James B. Duke Distinguished Professor of Literature at Duke University. She is the author of books such as Revolution of the Ordinary Literary Studies After Wittgenstein, Austin, and Cavell and Sex, Gender, and the Body: The Student Edition of What Is a Woman? See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis' "The Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas"

Mon, 24 Oct 2022 08:00:00 -0000

The Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas is such a complex and clever allegory of Brazilian society that many readers didn’t initially understand just how searing its critique really was. Its author, Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis, was the grandson of former slaves writing to and about the slaveholding class at the time and is widely regarded as the most prominent Brazilian writer of all time. His writing is noted for its formal experimentation, and while this book is certainly funny and self-aware, it also communicates the cruelty of the Brazilian elite. Flora Thomson-DeVeaux is the translator of a new English version of The Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas, as well as many other texts. Sidney Chalhoub is a professor of History and of African and African American Studies at Harvard University. His books include Machado de Assis, historiador, about the literature and ideas of Machado de Assis and A força da escravidão: ilegalidade e costume no Brasil oitocentista on illegal enslavement in nineteenth-century Brazil. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On Harriet Beecher Stowe's "Uncle Tom's Cabin"

Fri, 21 Oct 2022 08:00:00 -0000

By the early 19th century, slavery was still a brutal reality in southern U.S. states, and a growing movement to abolish slavery nationwide was taking hold. In 1851, Harriet Beecher Stowe published her first novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin. It was intended to be an anti-slavery book, to provide a positive view of Black people in America. But it also has another, more complicated legacy, unintentionally birthing new racist stereotypes. Professor Robin Bernstein is a Professor of African and African American Studies and of Studies of Women, Gender and Sexuality at Harvard University. She is the author of Racial Innocence: Performing American Childhood from Slavery to Civil Rights as well as Cast Out: Queer Lives in Theater and a children’s book titled Terrible, Terrible! See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On Fyodor Dostoevsky’s "The Brothers Karamazov"

Thu, 20 Oct 2022 08:00:00 -0000

The Brothers Karmazov is Fyodor Dostoevsky’s last novel. In it, he presents his ideas about culture, the human soul, and God, and he uses his characters, the brothers Ivan, Dimitri, and Alyosha, as examples of his philosophical ideas. These brothers have to reconcile with the past, but also for their part in it. This book was a response to the conditions in Russia at the time it was written. And since then, it’s continued to shape philosophy itself. Yuri Corrigan is an Associate Professor of Russian and Comparative Literature at Boston University. He studies the intersections of philosophy, religion, and psychology in modern Russian and European literature. He is the author of Dostoevsky and the Riddle of the Self and is working on two new books, titled Soul Wars and Chekhov as a Moral Thinker. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On Adam Smith's "The Wealth of Nations"

Wed, 19 Oct 2022 08:00:00 -0000

In 1776, Adam Smith published The Wealth of Nations, an investigation into the nature of wealth. Smith is now considered the Father of Capitalism or the Father of Modern Economics. In fact, many people think of him as an economist and only an economist, but scholars tend to think of him as a moral philosopher. Smith lived in an era of great change, and the moral questions of the time were closely linked to developing politics and economies. Glory Liu is a College Fellow in Social Studies at Harvard University. She is currently working on an intellectual history of Adam Smith’s reception in American politics and political economy from the eighteenth century to the present. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On Carl von Clausewitz's "On War"

Tue, 18 Oct 2022 08:00:00 -0000

Carl von Clausewitz wrote On War in 1832 after experiencing the Napoleonic wars. The eight books of this text contain Clausewitz’s theory of war. In it, he addresses the relationships between war and policy, tactics and strategy. A basic textbook in military academies, this book is read by both military strategists and political scientists. And it can be interpreted in two very different, but accurate ways. Gil-li Vardi is a military historian and visiting scholar at Stanford University where she teaches about military history, particularly the First and Second World Wars. She has published articles in War in History and the Journal for Strategic Studies. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On Immanuel Kant's "Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals"

Mon, 17 Oct 2022 08:00:00 -0000

Immanuel Kant’s early work wasn’t much to write home about. But as his career developed, Kant published incredible works of philosophy that continue to challenge and influence our greatest thinkers. In 1785, he published the Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals and challenged the foundations of human value. Professor Richard Bourke untangles this complex work and discusses how Kant—whether we realize it or not—has permeated our culture. Richard Bourke is a professor of the History of Political Thought at the University of Cambridge. He is the author of Empire and Revolution: The Political Life of Edmund Burke and Peace in Ireland: The War of Ideas. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness"

Fri, 14 Oct 2022 08:00:00 -0000

Joseph Conrad, who published 20 books and several best-sellers by the time of his death, was also a sailor. Heart of Darkness follows seaman Charles Marlow’s journey down a river in Africa. It is Conrad’s most well-known book today. This tale of colonialism in Africa is shrouded in mystery, and the book itself has fallen in and out of favor since its publication. Harvard professor Maya Jassanoff discusses why Heart of Darkness is an exemplar of what it means to read a text within its historical context. Maya Jassanoff is a Harvard professor of History. Her book The Dawn Watch: Joseph Conrad in a Global World won the Cundill Prize in History. She is also the author of Liberty’s Exiles: American Loyalists in the Revolutionary World and Edge of Empire: Lives, Culture, and Conquest in the East, 1750-1850. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm.

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On Thomas Hobbes' "Leviathan"

Thu, 13 Oct 2022 08:00:00 -0000

In 1651, the English Civil Wars were ending, and Thomas Hobbes published Leviathan. He used the book to advocate his ideal government: an absolute, monarchical sovereign. He also highlighted the problems that will inevitably arise in a democracy, the kinds of division and inaction that challenge us today. Professor Susanna Siegel discusses the way Hobbes’ Leviathan shaped the way we understand our everyday relationship to political institutions. Susanna Siegel is a professor of Philosophy at Harvard University. She is the author of The Rationality of Perception and The Contents of Visual Experience. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm.

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On Niccolò Machiavelli's "The Prince"

Wed, 12 Oct 2022 08:00:00 -0000

You may know the term “Machiavellian,” but where does the word really come from? Niccolò Machiavelli was an Italian diplomat who worked firsthand with Italy’s most powerful politicians. He wrote his famous book, The Prince, as a sort of instruction manual for the Medici princes of Florence. And while Machiavelli’s ideas were shocking to many—and repugnant to some—the influence of his ideas has been profound. James Hankins is a professor at Harvard University where he teaches History, focusing particularly on Renaissance intellectual history and political thought. He is the author of Virtue Politics: Soulcraft and Statecraft in Renaissance Italy. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm.

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On Hannah Arendt's "Origins of Totalitarianism"

Tue, 11 Oct 2022 08:00:00 -0000

In 1951, following the Holocaust and Second World War, Hannah Arendt wrote The Origins of Totalitarianism. Arendt’s aim was in part to document and reflect on the atrocities that had occurred. But more importantly, she wanted to expose the elements of the human condition that enabled those atrocities to happen as well as the tools societies can use to fight totalitarian regimes. Amir Eshel is a professor of German Studies and Comparative Literature at Stanford University. He is the author of Poetic Thinking Today and Futurity: Contemporary Literature and the Quest for the Past. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm.

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On Henrik Ibsen's "A Doll's House"

Mon, 10 Oct 2022 08:00:00 -0000

Watching our favorite TV shows and movies today, it’s easy to take the relatable characters and familiar settings for granted. But when Henrik Ibsen debuted his play A Doll’s House, realism was a shocking, new approach. Professor Derek Miller discusses what realism can teach us about our reality and how A Doll’s House rocked the 19th century theatre scene. Derek Miller is the John L. Loeb Associate Professor of the Humanities at Harvard University. He teaches in the English department as well as courses in theater, dance, and media. He is the author of Copyright and the Value of Performance, 1770-1911 and is currently working on a project titled Visualizing Broadway. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm.

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On John Hersey's "Hiroshima"

Fri, 07 Oct 2022 08:00:00 -0000

In August of 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on two Japanese cities, Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Less than a year later, American journalist John Hersey traveled to Hiroshima and interviewed survivors of the bombing. The subsequent article was published by The New Yorker in 1946. Hiroshima was published as a book two months later. MIT Professor Christopher Capozzola discusses why he thinks every American should read Hiroshima. Christopher Capozzola is a professor of History at MIT. He is the author of Uncle Sam Wants You: World War I and the Making of the Modern American Citizen and Bound by War: How the United States and the Philippines Build America’s First Pacific Century. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod. Join the conversation on the Lyceum app.

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On Murasaki Shikibu's "The Tale of Genji"

Thu, 06 Oct 2022 08:00:00 -0000

We don’t even know the real name of the 11th century author Murasaki Shikibu. But we do know that her book, The Tale of Genji, is arguably one of the most influential Japanese texts to date. Genji quickly captured its readers’ imaginations with political intrigue and court drama, but it can also be read as an astute critique of Japanese elite society. Reginald Jackson is an associate professor of Pre-modern Japanese Literature and Performance at the University of Michigan. He is the author of Textures of Mourning.

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On Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's "Faust"

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 08:00:00 -0000

Selling your soul to the devil in exchange for your deepest desire is a common theme in many western stories. The origins of this theme can be traced back to the German legend of Faust. The most well known version today is an epic poem, Faust, written by German poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Part of the reason Faust continues to resonate with audiences is that everyone can relate to this feeling of striving against our own human limitations. John Hamilton is a professor of Comparative Literature in German at Harvard. He is the author of the books Music, Madness, and the Unworking of Language, Philology of the Flesh, and more. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm.

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On Abd al-Qāhir al-Jurjānī's "Indications of Inimitability"

Tue, 04 Oct 2022 08:00:00 -0000

Great poetry or beautiful prose if often capable of challenging and delighting readers far more than dry, bland language. But why is that? Dalā’il al-Iʿjaz, or Indications of Inimitability, is a hugely influential Arabic text about exactly what it is that makes beautiful language beautiful. Its author, Abd al-Qāhir al-Jurjānī, used a theoretical, almost scientific method to demystify poetry and its lasting effects. Professor Alexander Key discusses why he’s working on the first English translation of this text and the huge impact that Jurjānī’s work has had on Arabic literary criticism. Alexander Key is an associate professor of Arabic and Comparative Literature at Stanford University. His studies focus on the intellectual history of the Arabic and Persian-speaking worlds. He is the author of Language Between God and the Poets. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm.

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On Thomas Paine's "Common Sense"

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 08:00:00 -0000

In the 1770s, the American colonies were working up to a revolution. But while the colonists were increasingly dissatisfied with British rule, there was no general consensus on what to do about it. Thomas Paine saw a clear solution. In 1776, he published Common Sense. Caroline Winterer discusses Common Sense, a pamphlet that uses the language of the people to denounce monarchical rule and advocate for a new, independent government. Caroline Winterer is a professor of History at Stanford where she teaches early American history, particularly the history of ideas, political theory, and the history of science. She co-edited Time in Maps: From the Age of Discovery to Our Digital Era and is the author of American Enlightenments: Pursuing Happiness in the Age of Reason, among other works. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod. Join the conversation on the Lyceum app.

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On David Hume's "A Treatise of Human Nature"

Fri, 30 Sep 2022 08:00:00 -0000

In 1739, Scottish philosopher David Hume set out to chart the nature and limits of human knowledge. He published his theories and findings in what would become one of philosophy’s most influential works, A Treatise of Human Nature. Professor Edward Hall is the Department Chair of Harvard University’s Department of Philosophy. His work focuses on metaphysics and epistemology, overlapping with philosophy of science. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm.

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On Einstein's Discoveries

Thu, 29 Sep 2022 08:00:00 -0000

Before Albert Einstein, our understanding of space, time, and gravity hadn’t really shifted from the theories that Sir Isaac Newton developed in the 1700s. But in 1905, Einstein published his theory of special relativity; he’d discovered that time can warp in the universe. Then, he published his theory of general relativity and gave us a completely new understanding of gravity. These theories liberated scientists, artists, and the public to think in radical new ways. Peter Galison is a professor at Harvard University in Physics, History of Science, and related areas of Philosophy. Some of his works include the film Ultimate Weapon: The H-bomb Dilemma (2000, Director), and books Einstein’s Clocks and Poincaré’s Maps. His current work focuses on the relationship between the self and modern technologies. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod. Join the conversation on the Lyceum app.

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On Charles Darwin's "On the Origin of Species"

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 08:00:00 -0000

Charles Dawin’s 1859 book The Origin of Species introduced his famous theory of evolution. Darwin developed his theories of life and evolution after a historic voyage circumnavigating the globe on the H.M.S. Beagle. Most people at the time believed what the naturalist theologians believed: that God had created organisms perfectly adapted to their environments. Darwin, however, saw life in a different way. He saw organisms as constantly evolving to better fit their environments. Robert Proctor is a professor of History of Science and, by courtesy, Pulmonary Medicine at Stanford University. His work focuses on the history of scientific controversy. He has published works such as Packaged Pleasures: How Technology and Marketing Revolutionized Desire and is now working on a book titled Darwin in the History of Life. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod. Join the conversation on the Lyceum app.

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On Victor Hugo's "Les Miserables"

Tue, 27 Sep 2022 08:00:00 -0000

Over 150 years later, Les Miserables is a story that still resonates with readers and audiences around the world. The story highlighted the unjust social class system of 19th century France by moving the underrepresented lives of the poor and miserable to center stage. But this wasn’t something unique to France. It was, and still is, a global issue. Victor Hugo knew this story had worldwide relevance and he wanted it to be accessible to all readers. Professor David Bellos is a Professor of French and Comparative Literature at Princeton University. He is a well-known translator and author of the translation studies text Is That A Fish in Your Ear? His teaching interests include modern and contemporary European fiction and translation studies. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby"

Mon, 26 Sep 2022 08:00:00 -0000

“America” means something different to everyone. American novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald published The Great Gatsby, his account of the roaring twenties, the decade of economic growth and social change that followed the devastation of World War I. It’s a text that powerfully describes a country in flux, but it also captures something deeper and more enduring about American culture. David Alworth is a professor at Stony Brook University (SUNY), Associate of the Department of English at Harvard University, and Research Associate in the Harvard Kennedy School. He has written Site Reading: Fiction, Art, Social Form and The Look of the Book: Jackets, Covers, and Art at the Edges of Literature. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm.

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On Karl Marx's "The Communist Manifesto"

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 08:00:00 -0000

1848 was the Year of Revolutions in Europe. It was also the year that Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels published The Communist Manifesto, proposing a new, classless society. As revolutions erupted across the globe, many turned to the ideals of Communism to replace old and fast-crumbling feudal systems. But Communism didn’t take off everywhere. Harvard professor Louis Menand explains the successes and failures of Marx & Engels’ vision since the publication of the manifesto. Louis Menand is the Lee Simpkins Family Professor or Arts and Sciences and the Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Professor of English at Harvard, where he also holds the title Harvard College Professor, in recognition of his teaching. He is the author of books such as The Marketplace of Ideas: Reform and Resistance in the American University and The Metaphysical Club, which won the Pulitzer Prize for History. He is a staff writer at The New Yorker. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod. Join the conversation on the Lyceum app.

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On "The Universal Declaration of Human Rights"

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 08:00:00 -0000

In 1948, the United Nations presented a document outlining human rights for every person in the world. This document was called the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This document has inspired human rights movements around the globe and gave the world something tangible to strive for. Mathias Risse is the Lucius Littauer Professor of Philosophy and Public Administration, as well as the Director of the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He is the author of On Global Justice and On Justice: Philosophy, History, Foundations. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On Jorge Luis Borges' "Fictions"

Wed, 21 Sep 2022 08:00:00 -0000

Fictions is a collection of short stories by Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges. In the mid-20th century, Latin American literature gained a worldwide audience, in part thanks to Borges. His works popularized the idea that literature coming from Latin America cannot be reduced to tropical fantasies or realist depictions of exotic worlds. Mariano Siskind is a professor of Romance Languages and Literatures and Comparative Literature at Harvard University. Some of his research interests include 19th and 20th century Latin American Literature, theories of globalization, and psychoanalysis. He has written books such as Deseos cosmopolitas and Historia del Abasto. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On Daniel Defoe's "Robinson Crusoe"

Tue, 20 Sep 2022 08:00:00 -0000

When it was first published in 1719, many people believed Robinson Crusoe was a true story. Crusoe provides readers with a close look at not only the isolated human on an individual level, but also humanity on the international level through its depictions of global trade and economics. Professor Stephanie DeGooyer is the Fredrick Burkhart fellow at UCLA. She is an associate professor of English, and her current project is titled “Acts of Naturalization: Immigration and the Early Novel.” See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On Plato's "Apology"

Mon, 19 Sep 2022 08:00:00 -0000

In 399 BC, the Greek philosopher Socrates was on trial. He believed in free-thought and sought truth by questioning everything, including society. And the Athenian government decided he was dangerous. Plato’s Apology is a first-person account of Socrates’ trial written in the form of a “dialogue,” an exploration of philosophical ideas through real and imagined conversations. Steven Smith is a professor of Political Science and Political Philosophy at Yale University. His research focuses on the problem of the ancients and moderns, and he is the author of books such as Modernity and Its Discontents and Reading Leo Strauss. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On Giovanni Boccaccio’s "The Decameron"

Fri, 16 Sep 2022 08:00:00 -0000

From roughly 1346 to 1353, Europe was paralyzed by the most fatal pandemic in recorded human history; the bubonic plague. The plague killed more than 60% of the total population in Eurasia. This is the backdrop of Giovanni Boccaccio’s The Decameron, a collection of short novellas completed in 1353. Robert Pogue Harrison is a professor of French and Italian Literature at Stanford University. He is author of the books The Dominion of the Dead and Gardens: An Essay on the Human Condition. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On Jean-Jacques Rousseau's "Confessions"

Thu, 15 Sep 2022 08:00:00 -0000

Jean-Jacques Rousseau led an interesting life. He was a philosopher, writer, and music composer in the 18th century. Rousseau believed that society has an enormous influence on human development and behavior. In his later years, he wrote a detailed account of his life to help explain how his own experiences shaped his personality, views, neuroses, and imperfections. This autobiography was called Confessions. Professor David Avrom Bell is a professor of History at Princeton University. He focuses on early modern and modern Europe and is the author of Men on Horseback: The Power of Charisma in the Age of Revolution, as well as six other books. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On Victor Frankl's "Man's Search for Meaning"

Wed, 14 Sep 2022 08:00:00 -0000

Victor Frankl was a leader in 20th century psychiatry. In 1942, Frankl was sent to a concentration camp in the Czech Republic. Frankl was already influential in the field of psychiatry by the time World War II started, but his experiences in the camps would come to define his work. When the war ended, he returned back to Vienna, where he wrote his best-selling book, Man’s Search for Meaning, a reflection on his time in the concentration camps. Arthur Kleinman is an anthropologist and a psychiatrist. He has been a professor at Harvard for 43 years where he teaches about global mental health, social medicine, and social suffering. He is a leader in the field of medical anthropology, and author of many books, such as Patients and Healers in the Context of Culture and What Really Matters. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On "The Book of Mormon"

Tue, 13 Sep 2022 08:00:00 -0000

In 1827 a young farmer named Joseph Smith was visited by an angel. The angel led him to a hillside where he uncovered a set of ancient gold plates written in strange characters in an ancient language. The translation of these plates became The Book of Mormon, a sacred text revered by members of the Latter-Day Saint movement, often known as Mormons. The Book of Mormon is a text with many similarities to the Bible. But it emerged in a very different context—19th century America. David Holland is a professor of American Religious History at Harvard Divinity School. He is also the author of Sacred Borders: Continuing Revelation and Canonical Restraint in Early America. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm.

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On Plato's "The Republic"

Mon, 12 Sep 2022 08:00:00 -0000

Imagine you could start from scratch and create the ideal city. How would you design it? Who would be in charge? This thought experiment was explored almost 2,400 years ago in the Republic, a text written by the ancient Greek philosopher Plato. Plato poses this hypothetical in order to get a deeper understanding of justice and human behavior and what it would look like to create a more just society. Demetra Kasimis is an assistant professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago. She teaches on democratic theory and the history of political thought, particularly in classical Athens. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On Maciej Miechowita's "Treatise on the Two Sarmatias"

Fri, 09 Sep 2022 08:00:00 -0000

In Treatise on the Two Sarmatias, Polish scholar Maciej Miechowita argued that two mountain ranges that were described on maps dating back to antiquity did not, in fact, exist. This was the 1500s, and Europeans’ understanding of the world was changing. When they looked at the old maps, things didn’t always line up. New mapmakers were pushing back against ancient maps that showed a world they didn’t see or didn’t believe in. Michael Tworek is an associate professor in the History Department at Harvard University. His research and teaching focuses on early modern Europe, particularly central and eastern Europe. Some of his current book projects explore Europe’s role in early modern globalization.

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On Thomas Kuhn's "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions"

Thu, 08 Sep 2022 08:00:00 -0000

In 1962, American philosopher of science Thomas Kuhn published The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. Kuhn was struck by Aristotle’s beliefs about motion. Actually, he thought that those theories didn’t make any sense. But he also knew that Aristotle was one of the smartest philosophers of the ancient world. Kuhn realized that if Aristotle was stuck within his own way of seeing the world, then so are we. His ideas about scientific revolutions changed the way we perceive and teach science. Samuel J. Gershman is an associate professor in the Department of Psychology at Harvard University. His research focuses on environmental knowledge and adaptive behavior, memory, and computational neuroscience. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On Immanuel Kant's "Critique of Pure Reason"

Wed, 07 Sep 2022 08:00:00 -0000

Scottish philosopher David Hume thought that rationalism didn’t work at all. German philosopher Immanuel Kant thought rationalism didn’t work by itself. Critique of Pure Reason, the first in a three-part project, is Kant’s attempt to join the beliefs of Hume with the beliefs of the rationalists. In his system, thoughts, experience, physics, morality, political and religious questions all exist in relation to one another. It wasn’t a takedown of reason; it was an investigation. Professor Michael Rosen is a professor of Ethics in Politics and Government at Harvard University. His work includes philosophy, social theory, and the history of ideas. He is well known for his work on 19th and 20th century European philosophy. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm.

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On Sigmund Freud's "Civilization and Its Discontents"

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 08:00:00 -0000

In 1930, Sigmund Freud wrote Civilization and its Discontents and laid out his theory of civilization: civilization’s a problem, and it makes us unhappy. Freud felt humans were aggressive creatures by nature, that we delight in exercising our aggression and hurting one another. He claimed that civilization, with its laws and mores, prevents us from gratifying that aggressiveness. Elizabeth Lunbeck is a professor in the History of Science Department and Director of Graduate Studies at Harvard University, specializing in the history of psychoanalysis, psychiatry, and psychology. Her written works include The Psychiatric Persuasion: Knowledge, Gender, and Power in Modern America and The Americanization of Narcissism. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm.

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On John Maynard Keynes’ "General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money"

Mon, 05 Sep 2022 08:00:00 -0000

John Keynes’ book, General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money, was published in England at the tail end of the Great Depression. This text is responsible for a massive shift in economic theory. It challenged existing beliefs about supply and demand and introduced new ideas about the value of governmental intervention. Larry Summers is President Emeritus of Harvard University and a current professor of Economics in The Harvard Kennedy School of Government. He is also the former director of the National Economic Council in the Obama administration. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm.

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On "Encyclopédie"

Fri, 02 Sep 2022 08:00:00 -0000

One of the earliest modern encyclopedias was printed in France in the 18th century. Unlike many encyclopedias that came before it, this text was written in French instead of Latin, which was the language of the elite. Its authors aimed to compile all the knowledge in the world. They were also trying to disseminate that knowledge to the general public. James Engell is a professor of English and Comparative Literature at Harvard University. He has directed dissertations in American Studies and Romance Languages and Literature (French) and is author of The Creative Imagination: Enlightenment to Romanticism. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On Filippo Tomasso Marinetti's "Manifesto of Futurism"

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 08:00:00 -0000

The Manifesto of Futurism was published in 1909, on the front page of Le Figaro, the oldest daily newspaper in France. Its author was Filippo Tomasso Marinetti, a 33-year-old Italian writer who was born in Alexandria, Egypt, in 1876 and was educated in Egypt and France. With his Manifesto of Futurism, Marinetti launched a new artistic movement that opposed what he called pastism, the worship of the past. Jeffrey Schnapp is a Carl A. Pescosolido Professor of Romance Languages and Literatures and of Comparative Literature at Harvard University. He specializes in Italian language and culture, art, and media. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm.

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On Johann Friedrich von Schiller’s "Letters on the Aesthetic Education of Man"

Wed, 31 Aug 2022 08:00:00 -0000

Play is an essential part of childhood. But according to German philosopher Johann Friedrich von Schiller’s treatise “On the Aesthetic Education of Man,” play was a key part of adulthood, too. In fact, in this collection of letters, Schiller claimed that the only way we could achieve utopia was by making play a central aspect of society. Professor Doris Sommer is a professor of Romance Languages and Literatures and African American Studies at Harvard University and Director of the Cultural Agents Initiative. Her books include The Work of Art in the World: Civic Agency and Public Humanities and Bilingual Aesthetics: A New Sentimental Education. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm.

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On Homer's "The Iliad"

Tue, 30 Aug 2022 08:00:00 -0000

The Iliad is among the oldest surviving works of literature, but for a long time The Iliad wasn’t written down. It’s a story that has influenced the world for over three thousand years, but for the ancient Greeks, it was history. One man, Homer, is credited with writing The Iliad, but it’s more likely that The Iliad was composed by many ancient storytellers—a lot of whom were women. Gregory Nagy is the Francis Jones Professor of Classical Greek Literature and Professor of Comparative Literature and Director of the Center for Hellenic Studies at Harvard University. His books include Homer: The Preclassic and The Ancient Greek Hero in 24 Hours. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm.

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On Herman Melville's "Moby Dick"

Mon, 29 Aug 2022 08:00:00 -0000

It makes sense that historian Nathanial Philbrick calls Moby-Dick the “American Bible.” Along with being a story of adventure and danger, it’s also a celebration of pluralism and a critique of social and religious hierarchies. In this episode, Yale professor John Peters takes a deep dive into the many facets of this iconic tale. John Durham Peters is the María Rosa Menocal Professor of English and of Film & Media Studies at Yale University. He is the author of Speaking into the Air: A History of the Idea of Communication, Courting the Abyss: Free Speech and the Liberal Tradition, and more. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm.

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On Edmund Burke's "Reflections on the Revolution in France"

Fri, 26 Aug 2022 08:00:00 -0000

Edmund Burke was a British government official who saw the French Revolution as a mob action. He wrote a book called Reflections on the Revolution in France. It was published in 1790—one year after the French Revolution officially began. David Bromwich is a Sterling Professor of English at Yale. Some of his written works include the books The Intellectual Life of Edmund Burke and How Words Make Things Happen. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm.

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On Inazō Nitobe's "Bushido: The Soul of Japan"

Thu, 25 Aug 2022 08:00:00 -0000

Nitobe Inazō wanted to explain Japan to Westerners, particularly morality as it is taught in Japanese society. He was born a Samurai in 1862. In his book Bushido: The Soul of Japan, Inazō Nitobe explains the moral foundations of traditional Japanese society to a Western audience through “the way of the warrior,” Bushido. Harvard Professor David Howell is the Robert K. and Dale J. Weary Professor of Japanese History and Professor of History at Harvard University and the Chair of the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations. He’s also author of the books Capitalism from Within and Geographies of Identity in Nineteenth-Century Japan. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm.

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On Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein"

Wed, 24 Aug 2022 08:00:00 -0000

Frankenstein is a name we all know, even for those who haven’t read Mary Shelley’s novel. But the monster you might imagine is quite different from the one Shelley wrote about in Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. In fact, Shelley’s writing has much more to say about ethics, philosophy, and modern scientific advancement than many ghost story enthusiasts would guess. In this episode, Professor Deidre Lynch discusses the wisdom and warnings found in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Deidre Lynch teaches in the English department at Harvard University. Some of her works include Janeites: Austen's Disciples and Devotees and The Economy of Character : Novels, Market Culture, and the Business of Inner Meaning. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod.

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On Leo Tolstoy's "War and Peace"

Tue, 23 Aug 2022 08:00:00 -0000

Born into an aristocratic family, Russian author Leo Tolstoy’s life was forever changed when he served as an officer in the Crimean War. The brutality he witnessed during the war transformed him from a privileged, aristocratic author to a non-violent anarchist. War and Peace explores the brutal reality of what happens when we make war more humane. Tolstoy’s work has inspired nonviolent pacifist movements across the globe and influenced leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. Samuel Moyn is the Henry R. Luce Professor of Jurisprudence at Yale Law School and Professor of History at Yale University. He is the author of Not Enough: Human Rights in an Unequal World, The Last Utopia: Human Rights in History, and more. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm.

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On Edwin Hubble’s "The Realm of the Nebulae"

Mon, 22 Aug 2022 08:00:00 -0000

Until the publication of Edwin Hubble’s 1936 book, The Realm of the Nebulae, astronomers believed that the Milky Way was the only galaxy in the universe. Hubble infinitely expanded our understanding of the cosmos and showed that what scientists thought was everything, was really just the beginning. In this episode, MIT professor emeritus Marcia Bartusiak unpacks Hubble’s findings and discusses how they impact the field of astronomy to this day. Marica Bartusiak is Professor of the Practice Emeritus of the Graduate Program in Science Writing at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She writes on physics and astronomy and her work has been published in National Geographic Magazine, Discover Magazine, Science Magazine, and many others. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm.

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On Soren Kierkegaard's "Fear and Trembling"

Fri, 19 Aug 2022 08:00:00 -0000

As a college student, Harvard professor Michelle Sanchez was torn between following her faith or following her heart. She found guidance in the 19th-century philosophical text Fear and Trembling, in which Soren Kierkegaard maps universal human struggles onto a biblical story. In this episode, Professor Sanchez explains what Fear and Trembling can teach us about living in an uncertain world. Michelle Sanchez is Associate Professor of Theology at Harvard Divinity School. She is the author of Calvin and the Resignification of the World: Creation, Incarnation, and the Problem of Political Theology, and more. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod

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On Bengt Sundkler's "Bantu Prophets in South Africa"

Thu, 18 Aug 2022 08:00:00 -0000

Bengt Sundkler wrote his 1940 book Bantu Prophets in South Africa for a white, European audience. He had no idea that his ethnographic study would play a critical role in keeping African independent churches active during the repressive apartheid regime. In this episode, Stanford professor Joel Cabrita discusses the book’s path from academia to activism. Joel Cabrita is Assistant Professor of History at Stanford University. She is the author of The People’s Zion: Southern African, the United States and a Transatlantic Faith-Healing Movement. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod

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On T. E. Lawrence's "Seven Pillars of Wisdom"

Wed, 17 Aug 2022 08:00:00 -0000

Lawrence of Arabia has become one of the most well known films in the world. It inspired Steven Spielberg to become a filmmaker and President Barack Obama considers it one of his favorite films. But few people know the book behind the movie. In this episode, host Zachary Davis speaks with Professor Charles Stang about Seven Pillars of Wisdom; the autobiographical account of British soldier T. E. Lawrence while he fought alongside rebel forces during the Arab Revolt in WWI. Charles Stang is Professor of Early Christian Thought and Director of the Center for the Study of World Religions at Harvard University. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm.

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On W. E. B. DuBois' "The Souls of Black Folk"

Tue, 16 Aug 2022 08:00:00 -0000

Nearly 40 years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, American writer, sociologist and civil rights activist W. E. B. DuBois shed light on Black life in America and what it meant to be seen through a White gaze. In his 1905 text The Souls of Black Folk, DuBois explores the rich and complex African American world and how it helped shape the broader American culture. James Campbell is Professor of US History at Stanford University. He is the author of Slavery and the University - Histories and Legacies and more. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm.

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On Frederick Douglass

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 08:00:00 -0000

When Frederick Douglass was born into slavery in 1818, it was illegal for him to learn the alphabet. Slave masters feared the power of a literate slave, so Douglass vowed to read. He became one of the most famous and accomplished American writers of his day, harnessing the power of the King James Bible, the spoken word, and the new visual language of photographs. Harvard professor John Stauffer discusses Douglass’s life and work. John Stauffer is the Sumner R. and Marshall S. Kates Professor of English and of African and African American Studies at Harvard University. He is the author of GIANTS: The Parallel Lives of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln, Picturing Frederick Douglass, and more. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm.

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On Sholem Aleichem’s "The Tevye Stories"

Fri, 12 Aug 2022 08:00:00 -0000

The original production of Fiddler on the Roof won nine Tony awards, held the record for the longest-running Broadway musical, and was adapted into a hit movie. But the musical itself was an adaptation of Sholem Aleichem’s Tevye Stories. Aleichem aimed to create a high literature for Yiddish-speaking readers, but his influence spread much further, to a new country, a new language, and a new medium. Harvard Professor Saul Noam Zaritt discusses the stories behind the musical. Saul Noam Zaritt is an Assistant Professor of Yiddish Studies at Harvard University. He is a founding editor of In geveb, an open-access digital journal of Yiddish studies. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm.

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On "The Great Learning"

Thu, 11 Aug 2022 08:00:00 -0000

Sometimes the oldest texts are the most influential. The Great Learning likely first appeared in the Confucian Book of Rites around 2,000 years ago, and its impact can still be seen in the Chinese education system today. Harvard professor Peter Bol discusses this short text’s long history. Peter Bol is the Charles H. Carswell Professor of East Asian Languages and Civilizations at Harvard University. He is the author of Neo-Confucianism in History and "This Culture of Ours": Intellectual Transitions in T'ang and Sung China. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm.

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On Walter Lippmann's "Public Opinion"

Wed, 10 Aug 2022 08:00:00 -0000

What is the role of the press in a democracy? For nearly a century, scholars, media critics, and politicians have debated this question—in a large part thanks to Walter Lippmann. Lippmann’s 1922 book, Public Opinion, changed the conversation about how to educate voters and who should be able to vote at all. In this episode, University of British Columbia professor Heidi Tworek discusses the timeless questions and the man who asked them. Heidi Tworek is assistant professor of international history at the University of British Columbia. She is an editor of The Journal of Global History and the author of News from Germany: The Competition to Control World Communications, 1900–1945. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm.

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On Zora Neale Hurston's "Their Eyes Were Watching God"

Tue, 09 Aug 2022 08:00:00 -0000

Zora Neale Hurston was an important figure in the Harlem Renaissance, but her novels didn’t conform to the style of her contemporaries. As a result, her work was almost lost—until the writer Alice Walker found her unmarked grave in 1974. Now, Hurston’s novel Their Eyes Were Watching God is on high school reading lists across the US. Dartmouth professor and poet Joshua Bennett discusses the novel’s longstanding impact and what it can teach us about cancel culture. Joshua Bennett is an Assistant Professor of English and Creative Writing at Dartmouth College. He is the author of The Sobbing School. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod. You can hear the full interview with Professor Bennett on the Lyceum app.

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On "Black Elk Speaks"

Mon, 08 Aug 2022 08:00:00 -0000

In many ways, Black Elk and John Neihardt lived very different lives. Black Elk was an Oglala Lakota holy man. Neihartd was a European-American literary critic. Black Elk performed for Queen Victoria with Buffalo Bills’s Wild West Show. Neihartd was Poet Laureate of Nebraska. But in other ways, they weren’t different at all. “By all accounts, they really, truly felt like they had a kind of spiritual affinity for one another,” says Harvard Professor Philip Deloria. In this episode, Professor Deloria discusses Black Elk Speaks, the book that Black Elk and Neihardt co-authored in 1932, which shaped the way both white and Native Americans understood Native culture. Philip Deloria is Professor of History at Harvard University. He is the author of several books, including Playing Indian and Indians in Unexpected Places. His most recent book is American Studies: A User's Guide, co-authored with Alexander Olson. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod

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On Walt Whitman's "Leaves of Grass"

Fri, 05 Aug 2022 08:00:00 -0000

“These United States are themselves the greatest poem.” When Walt Whitman wrote this line, he was an unknown Brooklyn newspaper man. But his work would transform American poetry and offer a new vision of American identity—one that was diverse, urban, and embodied. In this episode, Harvard professor Elisa New discusses Walt Whitman’s legacy. Elisa New is the Powell M. Cabot Professor of American Literature at Harvard University. She is the creator and host of the TV show Poetry in America, and author of The Line's Eye: Poetic Experience, American Sight and New England, Beyond Criticism: Rereading America's First Literature. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm.

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On "The Story of the Stone"

Thu, 04 Aug 2022 08:00:00 -0000

The 1750s are remembered as a high point of China's Qing Dynasty: a time of power, prestige, and social harmony. But The Story of the Stone paints a different picture: one of harmful traditions, political corruption, and inter-generational conflict. Over 250 years later, it's one of the most loved novels in Chinese literature, with dozens of adaptations and an entire field of scholarship dedicated to it. In this episode, Stanford professor Ronald Egan discusses the revolutionary story and its enduring impact. Ronald Egan is the Confucius Institute Professor of Sinology at Stanford University. He is the author of Li Qingzhao: China's Foremost Woman Poet, The Literary Works of Ou-yang Hsui, and more. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm. Follow us on Twitter @WritLargePod. Join the conversation on the Lyceum app.

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On Thomas of Monmouth's "The Life and Passion of William of Norwich"

Wed, 03 Aug 2022 08:00:00 -0000

There is only one surviving copy of The Life and Passion of William of Norwich, but its story continues to haunt us. When 12th-century monk Thomas of Monmouth learned of a young boy’s murder in his community, he accused his Jewish neighbors of the heinous crime. Over the course of two decades, he wrote a seven-volume conspiracy theory, building out the accusation and cementing it in history. Stanford professor Rowan Dorin discusses the book’s creation and its challenging legacy. Rowan Dorin is Assistant Professor of History at Stanford University. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm.

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On Jules Verne's "Around the World in 80 Days"

Tue, 02 Aug 2022 08:00:00 -0000

When French author Jules Verne wrote Around the World in 80 Days in the late 1800s, scheduled global travel was practically science fiction, and 80 days seemed impossibly fast. But his techno-futurist novel inspired everyday adventurers to traverse the globe by boat, train, bike, and foot—and beat his protagonist’s record. Harvard professor Joyce Chaplin discusses what we can learn from Jules Verne’s classic novel. Joyce Chaplin is the James Duncan Phillips Professor of Early American History at Harvard University. She is the author of Round About The Earth: Circumnavigation from Magellan to Orbit. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm.

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On Martin Puchner's "The Written World"

Mon, 01 Aug 2022 08:00:00 -0000

What is the world without literature? It’s hard to imagine. We’d lose novels, sure. But we’d also lose the philosophies, politics, and religions of today because these all grew out of literature. There would be no sacred texts, no newspapers, not even TV shows. This is how Martin Puchner’s 2018 book The Written World begins. Martin Puchner is a professor of English and Comparative Literature at Harvard and the author of the book The Written World which is a Wall Street Journal Bestseller and a New York Times Editors’ Choice. See more information on our website, WritLarge.fm.

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