Afleveringen
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This week on The Literary Life Podcast, our hosts Angelina Stanford and Thomas Banks are back with a new âLiterary Life ofâŠâ interview, this time with their teaching colleague at House of Humane Letters, Dr. Anne Phillips. In addition to her classes at HHL, you can also find Dr. Phillips writing on Substack.
Angelina starts off the conversation asking Anne about her reading life growing up and her homeschool experience. She talks about how she came to love the Greek myths and started pursuing Latin. The three of them discuss how having a diet of truly good literature cultivates discernment in reading less valuable books. They also share thoughts on writing as imitation and the great importance of having good ideas over knowing particular forms. Anne also talks about her college and graduate school experiences and the challenges of being in academia in our current culture. They wrap up the conversation with a little look into what Dr. Phillips reading life looks like now as a working, homeschooling mother and wife.
To register for Dr. Phillips and Jenn Rogersâ upcoming mini-class, âThe Great Divideâ, please visit HouseofHumaneLetters.com.
To view the full show notes for this episode, along with all the books mentioned, please visit our website at https://theliterary.life/274.
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This week on The Literary Life podcast, Angelina, Cindy and Thomas continue their discussion of The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim, on chapters 12-22. Angelina and Thomas begin the conversation sharing some thoughts on modern literature and why we donât hear of modern authors like Elizabeth von Arnim among âthe academy.â Cindy tells us what stood out to her most in the second half of the book and the surprising turns von Arnim takes in the storyline. Angelina and Thomas also talk about the types of books they enjoy, and Cindy brings up the longings and fears of the various characters. The metaphors and fairy tale concepts found in this book are, of course, major topics of the conversation.
Donât forget to sign up for this yearâs Literary Life Online Conference coming April 23-26, 2025! Register today for âLiving Language: Why Words Matterâ at HouseofHumaneLetters.com for full live or later access.
To view the full show notes for this episode, please visit https://theliterary.life/273.
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Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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Welcome back to The Literary Life podcast with Angelina Stanford, Cindy Rollins and Thomas Banks. This week we are bringing you another episode from the vault, this time part one of our series on The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim. Thomas gives some interesting biographical information about von Arnim, and Angelina shares some perspective on appreciating the art and the life of artist. Cindy highlights the fact that we see only caricatures of the women in England, and it isnât until they get to Italy that we begin to see their real selves. Angelina also points out that all the women are on identity quests in this story. Angelina unpacks some of the metaphors in this book and the Dante-esque images, in addition to the key place beauty has in the story.
Donât forget to sign up for this yearâs Literary Life Online Conference coming up later this month! Register today for âLiving Language: Why Words Matterâ at HouseofHumaneLetters.com for full live or later access.
To view the full show notes for this episode, please visit our website at https://theliterary.life/282.
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On The Literary Life Podcast today we bring you a special âLiterary Life ofâŠâ episode featuring author and journalist Peter Hitchens. After sharing their commonplace quotes, Angelina and Thomas dive into the interview with Mr. Hitchens, first asking about his memories of books and reading in his childhood. In this wide-ranging conversation, our hosts and Mr. Hitchens discuss such topics as the George Orwellâs lesser known works, the Spanish Civil War and the Balkan Wars, oft overlooked 20th Century authors, ghost stories, losing our literary tradition, and so much more!
The seventh annual Literary Life Online Conference is coming up April 23-26, 2025! Please visit HouseofHumaneLetters.com to sign up for that as well as all the other upcoming webinars of this year.
Be sure to visit https://theliterary.life/271 to view the full show notes for this episode, including links to all the books mentioned in this conversation.
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This week on The Literary Life, we bring you a gem from the archives. In this episode hosts Angelina Stanford, Thomas Banks, and Cindy Rollins discuss âHow Much Land Does a Man Need?â by Leo Tolstoy. To start off the discussion of this short story, Thomas gives us some background to help answer Angelinaâs question about why this story seems so very different from other Tolstoy works. Angelina shares how to approach this story like a parable. Cindy brings up the question of the difference between ambition and vocation in terms of contentment.
The Literary Life Online Conference âLiving Language: Why Words Matterâ is coming up this month, so now is the time to register for lifetime access. Head over the HouseofHumaneLetters.com to sign up today!
Don't forget to visit our website at https://theliterary.life/270 for the full show notes for this episode.
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Welcome back to The Literary Life Podcast this week! Today we are bringing you a brand new episode on An Experiment in Criticism in which Angelina and Thomas revisit the ideas in this book and answer some listener questions from over the years! Angelina opens the discussion with a little background on the first series of episodes, then begins to unravel the two main areas of confusion about this book. First, she and Thomas talk about the idea that we are supposed to "receive" literature as opposed to "using" literature. Angelina seeks an answer the question, "What is a literary experience?" They also tackle the problem of the purpose of this book, since many people think it is Lewis' guide on how to read literature. Finally, they discuss how to have a literary experience and where Lewis addresses how to read well.
The seventh annual Literary Life Online Conference is coming up April 23-26, 2025! Please visit HouseofHumaneLetters.com to sign up for that as well as all the other upcoming webinars of this year.
To view the full show notes for this episode, please visit https://theliterary.life/269.
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On todayâs âBest ofâ episode of The Literary Life, Angelina and Cindy are once again joined by Thomas Banks. They discuss the last two chapters and the epilogue of An Experiment in Criticism. The first topic of conversation is Lewisâ comments on poetry, including the un-literary reading of poetry and the importance of the sound of poetry. Angelina highlights Lewisâ take on reading âbad books,â and Cindy points out his warning against de-bunking. Thomas gives us some history on the reference to F. R. Leavis and his literary criticism.
Angelina dives into her favorite part of this section, all about what makes good literary criticism. She recaps Lewisâ own list of the types of literary commentators and historians who have helped him in his own reading. Angelina and Thomas both mention some of their favorite resources, including George Lyman Kittredge, Northrup Frye, J. W. MacKail and Dorothy Sayers. Another important point is to look for resources that point back to the text, not outside of the text.
Cindy and Angelina clear up some confusion about marginalia and what types of notes can help or hinder us in our reading. Finally, in discussing the epilogue, our hosts reiterate the purpose of reading as widening our souls and freeing ourselves to experience another personâs perspective. Cindy asks if we will read with hubris, or humility? That makes all the difference.
Join us right here again next week for a brand new episode on An Experiment in Criticism in which Angelina and Thomas will revisit the book and answer some listener questions from over the years!
The seventh annual Literary Life Online Conference is coming very soon! Please visit HouseofHumaneLetters.com to sign up for that as well as all the other upcoming webinars of 2025!
To view the full show notes for this episode, please visit our website at https://theliterary.life/268.
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This weekâs episode is a continuation of Cindy Rollins and Angelina Stanfordâs discussion of An Experiment in Criticism by C. S. Lewis. They start with an exploration of the difference between loving a book and evaluating a book as a work of art, followed by an explanation of Lewisâ idea that works of art do not teach us. Angelina goes in depth about why it is not our job as readers to find the ânugget of truthâ in a book. Cindy brings up Lewisâ point about âusingâ literature as an academic tool, versus âreceivingâ literature as a work of art.
In covering chapter 9, Angelina and Cindy dig into the dangers of rushing to express an opinion about what we read, rather than getting ourselves out of the way when approaching a book. Cindy points to the many similarities between what Lewis says in these chapters and what Charlotte Mason says about true education.
The seventh annual Literary Life Online Conference is coming very soon! Please visit HouseofHumaneLetters.com to sign up for that as well as all the other upcoming webinars of 2025!
To view the full show notes for this episode, please visit https://theliterary.life/267/.
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Angelina and Cindy open todayâs discussion of C. S. Lewisâ An Experiment in Criticism with a recap of the terms that Lewis defines in chapters 5-7, starting with myth. They talk about what it means to have an âextra-literaryâ experience and how to cultivate the proper attitude of a good reader. Next Cindy and Angelina dig into the definition and benefits of literary fantasy versus the dangers of morbid fantasy. They talk about our deep need for stories of âthe otherâ and have experiences with people and places that are not the same as our own.
Another big topic of conversation is the idea of literature being escapist, particularly fantasy and fairy stories. Angelina and Cindy talk about several things related to this idea: belief and disbelief, fiction versus nonfiction, and the wonder of childhood. Cindy brings up Lewisâ comments on the comic and what relation that has to the current popularity of the graphic novel. Angelina also explains why we shouldnât be looking to directly relate to a character in a novel in order to get something out of the book.
To view the full show notes for this episode, including quotes, poetry, and book links, please visit https://theliterary.life/266/.
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This week on The Literary Life Podcast, we bring you the first installment of our series reprising C. S. Lewisâ An Experiment in Criticism. Join us over the next few weeks as we replay the original discussions of this book hosted by Angelina Stanford and Cindy Rollins. Then come back for a new episode at the end of the series in which Angelina and Thomas Banks will add some further thoughts and clarity in reply to questions listeners have had over the years.
The seventh annual Literary Life Online Conference is now open for registration. Please visit HouseofHumaneLetters.com to sign up for that as well as all the other upcoming webinars of 2025!
Angelina and Cindy discuss Lewisâ approach to literature and the point of this book being a critique more of readers than of books. Some main ideas they bring out of the first chapter are the importance of rereading, the fact that real readers will carve out time for books, how books have the power to change us, and the way readers canât help but talk about books. Cindy highlights the connection between Lewis critique of the literati and Mr. Bons in âThe Celestial Omnibus.â Angelina talks about the challenge of keeping the love of literature for those whose profession it is to teach it, especially in the modern American university culture.
Our hosts discuss the idea of reading to improve oneself as opposed to submitting to the experience of reading a challenging book. Angelina makes the point that it is about motive and whether or not you are trying to control the outcome. The benefits are the byproducts. From chapter 3, Angelina and Cindy contemplate how we approach art and the need to get ourselves out of the way so that we can enter the work of art. Finally, they cover the five characteristics of the unliterary reader according to Lewis.
For the full show notes of this episode, including links to books mentioned, please visit our website at https://theliterary.life/265.
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This week on The Literary Life podcast we are back with a fun episode all about film adaptations of Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare! Angelina and Thomas are joined by Atlee Northmore for today's discussion, and you are in for quite a ride! Atlee begins the conversation with a general history of Shakespeare works on film, and the second half of the episode covers the two main film adaptations of Much Ado About Nothing. Whether talking about this play or the many others which have been made into movies, our hosts share thoughts on what makes a great adaptation work well and what interpretational choices make for a complete flop.
To view the complete show notes for this episode, please visit https://theliterary.life/264.
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This week on The Literary Life podcast, Angelina and Thomas are back to wrap up their discussion of Shakespeareâs Much Ado About About Nothing. Today, after some introductory talk about literary criticism, our hosts cover the last two acts of this play, highlighting how Shakespeare deals with the five act structure. Once again, we see the problem of things being not as they appear in act 4, as well as the ways in which this play is highly allegorical. Other topics they touch on in this episode are: the move from order to disorder and back to order, ultra-romantic versus anti-romantic, pious deception versus malevolent deceptions, and the restoration of the community. Be sure to listen all the way to the end to hear more of Angelinaâs thoughts on why interpreting Shakespeare well is so important!
To view the full show notes for this episode, please visit https://theliterary.life/263.
The seventh annual Literary Life Online Conference is open for registration! Please visit HouseofHumaneLetters.com to sign up for that as well as all the other upcoming webinars of 2025!
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Welcome back to our series on Shakespeareâs Much Ado About Nothing here on The Literary Life Podcast. Our hosts, Angelina Stanford and Thomas Banks, open the episode with some thoughts on disguises and appearance versus reality in Shakespeare. They talk about how the eavesdropping in this play works together with the things not being as they seem. Angelina shares some clarifying ideas on discussing characters and their function in the story without pulling them out of the story and psychoanalyzing them. Other topics they discuss in this episode are: the importance of the song lyrics in this play, Dogberry and his companions, Claudioâs instability, and the shape of comedy. Join us next week for the final two acts of Much Ado About Nothing.
To see the full show notes for this episode, including links to resources mentioned this week, please visit https://www.theliterary.life/262.
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Welcome back to The Literary Life Podcast and our series on Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare. This week Angelina and Thomas are discussing Acts 1 and 2 and will try to do that by talking about the story as a whole, not simply focussing on the characters. They talk about the roles of the anti-romantic and the ultra-romantic couples, as well as the place of poetic verse and plain verse in the dialogue of the play. Other topics they cover are the trickery for good and ill, the influence of the planets in Medieval and Renaissance thought, and the cosmology of music and dance in Elizabethan times.
To view the full show notes for this episode, including quotes and links to books and other resources, please visit https://www.theliterary.life/episode-261/.
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Welcome to The Literary Life Podcast and our first book series of 2025, covering Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare. Our hosts, Angelina Stanford and Thomas Banks begin by sharing their commonplace quotes, then lead into a little biographical background on William Shakespeare and the way in which he wrote his plays. They also talk a little about Elizabethan period drama as a whole, as well as how Shakespeare bucked the standards of form for the time period. Some other topics they cover are how Shakespeare was received in his time, how later literary periods saw his influence decrease and increase, and Elizabethan cosmology and the setting of the Globe Theatre.
To view the full show notes for this episode, including links to all the books mentioned, please visit https://theliterary.life/260/.
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On The Literary Life Podcast this week, due to unforeseen interruptions to the recording schedule, we are bringing you another episode from the vault. We hope you will enjoy this replay of The Literary Life of Thomas Banks!
Cindy begins the interview asking Thomas about his family background and the influence of his parents on his own reading life. He shares about many of the books he loved in childhood and how that shaped his tastes in literature. He also talks about how he approached school learning as opposed to his personal reading. Angelina asks Thomas to tell about how he fell in love with poetry and how he ended up going to college even though that was not his original goal. He also shares more about his reading as an adult, as well as his habit of keeping commonplace quotations.
To view the full show notes for this episode, complete with links to all the books mentioned, please visit our website https://theliterary.life/259/.
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On The Literary Life podcast today, we bring you another episode from our podcast archive in which our hosts look back on their reading lives of 2022. Angelina, Cindy and Thomas each share a commonplace quote, then they each share a little about how they approach reading in a way that fits with the demands of their busy lives. Each of our hosts talks about their literary surprises, their most outstanding reads of the year, disappointing books they read, and their personal favorite podcast books from 2022. Angelina also reiterates why reading rightly is so important to us all!
To view the complete show notes for this episode, including links to books mentioned, please visit https://theliterary.life/258/.
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On this week's episode of The Literary Life podcast, we bring you an episode from our vault in which Angelina, Cindy and Thomas share a wrap up of their 2021 year in reading--their favorite books of the year, their most hated books read, and how they each did with covering the categories of the #LitLife192021 Reading Challenge. They also talk a little about how they will be approaching their reading for next year.
For complete show notes including links to all the books mentioned in this episode, please visit our website at https://theliterary.life/257/.
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Welcome to our year end wrap-up episode here on The Literary Life podcast! Today Angelina and Thomas are rejoined by Cindy Rollins to chat about all the books theyâve been reading throughout 2024. They start out sharing some overall thoughts about what each of their year in reading looked like, then share some highlights from this year in books. They also share some of their least favorite reads of the year, including a few books they wanted to throw across the room. They also talk about the ways they are trying to slow down and disconnect from the digital world in different ways.
For all the books and links mentioned, including commonplace quotes and poetry, please view the full show notes for this episode on our website at https://theliterary.life/256/.
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This week on The Literary Life podcast, Angelina and Thomas wrap up our series on An Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde. In sharing thoughts on Act 4, Angelina and Thomas consider whether Wilde's satire works well here at the end, as well as expanding more on the ideas of "the angel in the house" and women's suffrage during this time period. Today they are also joined by Atlee Northmore to discuss film adaptations of this work.
To view the full show notes for this episode, please visit https://theliterary.life/255/.
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