Best Michael Von Cannon Podcasts (2024)

1
in our time, chapter 6: "They shot the six cabinet ministers" 49:01

11h ago49:01

49:01

Welcome to the sixth of our eighteen shows celebrating the centenary of the Paris edition of Hemingway’s book of vignettes, in our time. The scene depicts the execution of six Greek officials toward the end of 1922. In this episode, we discuss the history of that trial and execution, the journalistic coverage of events, and Hemingway's fictional tr…

1
in our time, chapter 5: "It was a frightfully hot day" 50:52

3d ago50:52

50:52

Welcome to the fifth of our eighteen shows celebrating the centenary of the Paris edition of Hemingway’s book of vignettes, in our time. This scene of a barricade and a retreat continues Hemingway's brilliant depictions of Battle of Mons. In this episode, we explore some historical aspects of that retreat, compare the narrative voice and point of v…

1
You Can File this All Under "A City in Decline" (Dubliners, Part 1) 32:19

4d ago32:19

32:19

In Part 1 of our discussion on Dubliners, we welcome editor Ian Whittington to discuss how this collection of short stories was received by its publisher, by its literary audience, and by the people who made up its subject matter; the Dublin in which Joyce grew up; and, of course, Ian's favorite story. Ian Whittington is an independent scholar whos…

1
Ahmed Honeini on William Faulkner 1:01:59

19d ago1:01:59

1:01:59

The two great titans of twentieth-century American literature – Ernest Hemingway and William Faulkner – never met. They corresponded only a time or two; however, they were always on each other’s minds. Their hyper-awareness of the other’s recent work led sometimes to envy, sometimes to awe, and frequently to catty comments. To help us learn more ab…

1
Stephen Koch on the Breaking Point with John Dos Passos 50:56

1M ago50:56

50:56

This episode will focus on the Spanish Civil War and how one particular incident – the murder of accused Fascist spy José Robles – ruptured the relationship between Ernest Hemingway and John Dos Passos. To sort out the many moving parts to this chapter of Hemingway’s life, we welcome Stephen Koch, the author of The Breaking Point: Hemingway, Dos Pa…

1
Medea has Pierced Our Hearts (Medea, Part 2) 28:47

1M ago28:47

28:47

In Part 2 of our discussion on Medea, editor Sheila Murnaghan discusses her teaching of the drama, what Medea shows us about the nature of revenge, and her approach to the challenges of translating this tragedy. Sheila Murnaghan is the Alfred Reginald Allen Memorial Professor of Greek at the University of Pennsylvania. She is the author of Disguise…

1
in our time, chapter 4: "We were in a garden at Mons" 43:34

1M ago43:34

43:34

Welcome to the fourth of our eighteen shows celebrating the centenary of the Paris edition of Hemingway’s book of vignettes, in our time. At 75 words, this short scene describes the Battle of Mons. To Ezra Pound, Hemingway would refer to this conflict (from August 1914 at the very beginning of the First World War) as "clear and noble." In this epis…

1
in our time, chapter 3: "Minarets stuck up in the rain" 53:13

2M ago53:13

53:13

Welcome to the third of our eighteen shows celebrating the centenary of the Paris edition of Hemingway’s book of vignettes, in our time. In this scene, Hemingway describes the minarets rising over the landscape overlooking the harrowing evacuation at the Greco-Turkish War in 1922. Hemingway distills the vast scope of inhumanity into the expression …

1
Euripides's Exploration of the Unthinkable and Unnatural (Medea, Part 1) 36:44

2M ago36:44

36:44

In Part 1 of our discussion on Medea, we welcome translator Sheila Murnaghan to discuss the historical and dramatic context in which Euripides wrote the play, its basis in the Medea myth, and the plays most prominent characters. Sheila Murnaghan is the Alfred Reginald Allen Memorial Professor of Greek at the University of Pennsylvania. She is the a…

1
Mark Whalan and Karen Leick on American Modernism 1:00:50

2M ago1:00:50

1:00:50

American modernism is a concept that is so slippery that even scholars don’t always agree on its definition. Is it a historical era, or a literary technique? Was Ernest Hemingway even a modernist? If so, which of his works are most modernistic? For this discussion, we turn to Mark Whalan, editor of the compendious new volume, Cambridge History of A…

1
An African American Novel about White People (The Marrow of Tradition, Part 2) 27:01

2M ago27:01

27:01

In Part 2 of our discussion on The Marrow of Tradition, editor Autumn Womack discusses her background with the novel, teaching the novel, her favorite line, and her hot take on The Marrow of Tradition. Autumn Womack is an Assistant Professor in the departments of African American Studies and English at Princeton University, where she specializes in…

1
One True Sentence #34 with Mark Kurlansky 25:17

3M ago25:17

25:17

Mark Kurlansky, the author of dozens of books of fiction, nonfiction, and children's literature (including Cod, Salt, and The Importance of Not Being Ernest), shares his one true sentence from Hemingway's story "In Another Country."By Mark Cirino, Michael Von Cannon, and Mark Kurlansky

1
Carterets, Millers, and Massacres (The Marrow of Tradition, Part 1) 29:36

3M ago29:36

29:36

In Part 1 of our discussion on The Marrow of Tradition, we welcome editor Autumn Womack to discuss Charles W. Chestnut's biography, his ambitions in writing the novel, the historical realities depicted in it, and some of its major characters. Autumn Womack is an Assistant Professor in the departments of African American Studies and English at Princ…

1
in our time, chapter 2: "The first matador got the horn" 46:20

3M ago46:20

46:20

Welcome to the second of our eighteen shows celebrating the centenary of the Paris edition of Hemingway’s book of vignettes, in our time. In this scene, Hemingway puts us into a chaotic bullfighting scene, with gorings, hooting crowds, and a kid who tries to save the day. We discuss how this early sketch prefigures Hemingway’s career-long fascinati…

1
in our time, chapter 1: "Everybody was drunk" 54:39

3M ago54:39

54:39

One True Podcast reads in our time! Welcome to the first of our eighteen shows celebrating the centenary of Hemingway’s book of vignettes. Starting with the unforgettable opening salvo -- “Everybody was drunk” -- chapter one describes a kitchen corporal in a chaotic battery on the way to the Champagne during World War I. We explore these 112 words …

1
Up-to-date with a Vengeance (Dracula, Part 2) 30:59

3M ago30:59

30:59

In Part 2 of our discussion on Dracula, editor Rachel Feder discusses the inspiration for the cover of her Norton Library edition, her favorite line in the novel, how the novel relates to the popular cultural understanding of vampires, and notions of the sublime in Gothic literature. Rachel Feder is an associate professor of English and literary ar…

1
Verna Kale on Hemingway in 1924 56:34

3M ago56:34

56:34

What was Ernest Hemingway doing in 1924? Where was he? What were his important relationships? What were his challenges? What was he writing? The excellent Verna Kale -- Hemingway biographer and Associate Editor of the Hemingway Letters Project -- joins us to trace Hemingway’s experiences one hundred years ago, walking us through his biography, his …

1
Vampires and Gothic Horror (Dracula, Part 1) 30:30

3M ago30:30

30:30

In Part 1 of our discussion on Dracula, we welcome editor Rachel Feder to discuss whether Bram Stoker's biography is relevant to our interpretations of the novel, Dracula's place in the history of Gothic literature, different types of Gothic literature, and some of the most prominent characters in the novel. Rachel Feder is an associate professor o…

1
Suzanne del Gizzo on "A North of Italy Christmas" 48:52

4M ago48:52

48:52

‘Tis the season! And it wouldn’t be the holiday season without welcoming Suzanne del Gizzo to discuss a seasonally appropriate Hemingway work. In this episode, we examine “A North of Italy of Christmas,” a raucous article he wrote for the Toronto Daily Star one hundred years ago. Del Gizzo – the celebrated editor of The Hemingway Review -- discusse…

1
A Long and Winding Road to Nowhere (The Canterbury Tales, Part 2) 32:16

4M ago32:16

32:16

In Part 2 of our discussion on The Canterbury Tales, translator and editor Sheila Fisher uncovers her favorite line(s) in the text, tells us how she approaches teaching the Tales, gives us a cross-centuries Chaucer playlist, and reflects on the text's relevance to readers today. Sheila Fisher is Professor of English at Trinity College (Hartford). S…

1
One True Sentence #33 with Cristen Hemingway Jaynes 37:11

4M ago37:11

37:11

Cristen Hemingway Jaynes, author of the short story collection The Smallest of Entryways and Ernest's Way: An International Journey Through Hemingway's Life, shares her one true sentence from her great-grandfather's story "Big Two-Hearted River."By Mark Cirino, Michael Von Cannon, Cristen Hemingway Jaynes

1
Tales and Tellers (The Canterbury Tales, Part 1) 33:29

4M ago33:29

33:29

In Part 1 of our discussion on The Canterbury Tales, we welcome translator and editor Sheila Fisher to discuss Geoffrey Chaucer's life and times, his great accomplishment in crafting these Tales, and the intricacies of Sheila's favorite tale, that of the Wife of Bath. Sheila Fisher is Professor of English at Trinity College (Hartford). She is the a…

1
Charles Scribner III on the House of Scribner 57:59

5M ago57:59

57:59

The longest and most mutually beneficial relationship of Ernest Hemingway’s life was with the Charles Scribner's Sons publishing house, a partnership that continues to the present day. Charles Scribner III joins the show to discuss his family’s legacy in publishing, the storied history of Scribner, and Hemingway’s history with the company. We discu…

1
Ugh, as if I could forgive her! (Emma, Part 2) 32:46

5M ago32:46

32:46

In Part 2 of our discussion on Emma , editor Stephanie Insley Hershinow tells us how she first encountered Jane Austen's work, highlights some of her preferred techniques for teaching Emma, gives her hot take on Austen, and reflects on some of the most affecting adaptations of Emma in popular media. Stephanie Insley Hershinow is an associate profes…

1
One True Sentence #32 with Tim O'Brien 50:44

5M ago50:44

50:44

Tim O'Brien, the author of The Things They Carried, Dad's Maybe Book, and America Fantastica, shares his one true sentence from The Sun Also Rises. Toward the end of the episode, we also reflect on Tim's riveting speech at Dominican University during the 2016 Hemingway Society conference in Oak Park, Illinois.…

1
Handsome, Clever, and Rich (Emma, Part 1) 32:20

5M ago32:20

32:20

In the first of our two episodes on Emma , we welcome editor Stephanie Insley Hershinow to discuss what popular conceptions of Jane Austen get right and get wrong about her, how Austen is both similar to and different from the titular protagonist of the novel, Austen's place in the history of marriage stories, and some of the novel's most memorable…

1
Michael Kim Roos on Rinaldo Rinaldi in A Farewell to Arms 1:01:02

6M ago1:01:02

1:01:02

Join us for a special episode devoted to Lieutenant Rinaldo Rinaldi from A Farewell to Arms! On this episode, scholar Michael Kim Roos (co-author of the essential Reading Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms) explores the many dimensions of this beloved character. We discuss Rinaldi’s role as Frederic Henry’s best friend, his development over the course …

1
A Nose for Absurdity (Selected Tales of Gogol, Part 2) 29:40

6M ago29:40

29:40

In part 2 of our discussion on the short fiction of Nikolai Gogol (as selected in the recently published Norton Library edition), translator Michael Katz and introducer Kate Holland tell us their favorite lines from Gogol's work and highlight the qualities of his unique style and voice that have captured readers across the centuries. Michael R. Kat…

1
Ian Marshall on "The Porter" 55:41

6M ago55:41

55:41

Have you ever read “The Porter”? In this episode, we take you to a seldom-visited corner of Hemingway’s short story catalogue to discuss this fascinating outtake from his discarded novel about a father-son train trip across the United States into Canada. For guidance over this unfamiliar terrain, we turn to the great Ian Marshall, who explains the …

1
David Wyatt on Grace Under Pressure 59:33

7M ago59:33

59:33

Hemingway coined the phrase “grace under pressure” in a 1926 letter to F. Scott Fitzgerald. Since then, the phrase has been repeated like a mantra to describe Hemingway’s attitude toward life and death, his definition of courage, and is regularly used as a lens through which to view his fiction. On this episode, scholar David Wyatt joins us to disc…

1
The Strange, Wonderful Worlds of Nikolai Gogol (Selected Tales, Part 1) 31:56

7M ago31:56

31:56

In this episode of the Norton Library Podcast, we welcome translator Michael R. Katz and scholar of Russian literature Kate Holland to chat about one of the most celebrated figures in all of Russian literature: Nikolai Gogol. We discuss the influence of Gogol's Ukrainian background on his acclaimed short fiction as well as the challenges—and deligh…

1
One True Sentence #31 with Dennis Lehane 52:05

7M ago52:05

52:05

Dennis Lehane, author of Mystic River and Small Mercies, shares his one true sentence from A Moveable Feast.By Mark Cirino, Michael Von Cannon, and Dennis Lehane

1
Call Me Ishmael, But Don't Call Moby-Dick "Boring" (Moby-Dick, Part 2) 30:53

7M ago30:53

30:53

In part 2 of our conversation on Moby-Dick, editor Jeffrey Insko breaks down his favorite lines and highlights the pleasures of uncovering the novel's endless layers of humor and meaning—even (especially?) in the dreaded Cetology chapter... Jeffrey Insko is Professor of English at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan, where he teaches courses …

1
Carl Eby on The Garden of Eden Manuscript 1:02:38

8M ago1:02:38

1:02:38

In this episode, One True Podcast takes on the white whale of Hemingway studies: the unpublished manuscript of The Garden of Eden. Although the published version we know may be shocking, the sprawling manuscript reveals even more dimensions of this challenging text and the many complexities of its author. For this discussion, we turn to Hemingway S…

1
The Ultimate Semester at Sea (Moby-Dick, Part 1) 32:53

8M ago32:53

32:53

In the first of our two-part episodes on Moby-Dick, editor Jeffrey Insko highlights the (sometimes-polarizing) delights of Herman Melville's outlandish nautical epic and describes how this iconic American novel was born from from the author's early adventures on the high seas. Jeffrey Insko is Professor of English at Oakland University in Rochester…

1
One True Sentence #30 with Oscar Hokeah 39:07

8M ago39:07

39:07

Oscar Hokeah, winner of the 2023 PEN/Hemingway Award for Calling for a Blanket Dance, shares his one true sentence from The Old Man and the Sea.By Mark Cirino, Michael Von Cannon, and Oscar Hokeah

1
Jane Eyre Has Emotional Motion Sickness (Jane Eyre, Part 2) 31:21

8M ago31:21

31:21

In Part 2 of our conversation with Sharon Marcus, we chat about popular adaptations of Jane Eyre and why the best one—which hasn't been written yet—would feature Phoebe Bridgers, PJ Harvey, and Sarah Vaughan on the soundtrack. Sharon Marcus is the Orlando Harriman Professor of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University and editor of …

1
Lucy Hughes-Hallett and Lauren Arrington on Italian Fascism 1:13:14

9M ago1:13:14

1:13:14

We take a look at Hemingway’s intersection with Italian Fascism by examining two of its most volatile figures, Gabriele D’Annunzio and Ezra Pound. In this episode, we talk to Lucy Hughes-Hallett, D’Annunzio’s award-winning biographer, who discusses this notorious firebrand’s military career, love affairs, and artistic legacy. Hughes-Hallett also su…

1
The Madwoman in the Mirror (Jane Eyre, Part 1) 31:19

9M ago31:19

31:19

This week on the podcast, Sharon Marcus introduces us to one of the most enduringly popular coming-of-age novels in all of English literature—Charlotte Brontë's 1847 Gothic thriller, Jane Eyre. Sharon Marcus is the Orlando Harriman Professor of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University and editor of the Norton Library edition of Jan…

1
The Lost Suitcase 1:11:39

9M ago1:11:39

1:11:39

For our 100th episode, One True Podcast investigates the legend of the lost manuscripts! In December 1922, Hemingway’s first wife Hadley, misplaced a suitcase filled with the young Hemingway’s unpublished writing. Since then, this episode has invited intense speculation: Was this early work stolen? Did it end up in the garbage? Did Hadley subconsci…

1
One True Sentence #29 with Robert Pinsky 43:37

10M ago43:37

43:37

Robert Pinsky, U.S. Poet Laureate from 1997 to 2000 and author of The Figured Wheel and Jersey Breaks: Becoming an American Poet (among other highly acclaimed works), shares his one true sentence from Hemingway's Paris Review interview.By Mark Cirino, Michael Von Cannon, and Robert Pinsky

1
Judith Fetterley on A Farewell to Arms 57:05

10M ago57:05

57:05

The legendary feminist critic Judith Fetterley joins us to discuss her brilliant and incendiary work on A Farewell to Arms, a piece from 1978 that has endured as one of the definitive feminist critiques of Hemingway. Prof. Fetterley discusses protagonist Frederic Henry’s self-pity and self-absorption, Catherine’s obsequiousness, and Hemingway’s des…

1
Blind Eyes and Open Ears (Oedipus Tyrannos, Part 2) 31:22

10M ago31:22

31:22

In Part 2 of our series on Oedipus Tyrannos, Emily Wilson highlights the delights and challenges of translating Greek tragedy into English, the play's long history of adaptation and live staging, and the ways in which Oedipus Tyrannos has continued to resonate with audiences over millennia. What can the titular tyrant's ill-fated mistakes still tea…

1
The Twist Is in the Title (Oedipus Tyrannos, Part 1) 32:52

10M ago32:52

32:52

On this week's episode of the Norton Library Podcast, we welcome Emily Wilson, acclaimed translator of Homer's Odyssey and Iliad, to discuss her recent translation of Sophocles's Oedipus Tyrannos. Emily Wilson is Professor of Classical Studies and Graduate Chair of the Program in Comparative Literature and Literary Theory at the University of Penns…

1
Nathaniel Philbrick on Herman Melville 48:54

11M ago48:54

48:54

We head into the heart of the sea with award-winning historian Nathaniel Philbrick to discuss Hemingway, Melville, and where these American writers share a vision and where they part. Philbrick discusses The Old Man and the Sea and Moby-Dick as American classics that overlap and speak to each other across the years. He also covers the short story "…

1
Du Bois and the Ongoing Project of Black Identity (The Souls of Black Folk, Part 2) 31:31

11M ago31:31

31:31

In Part 2 of our conversation with Jesse McCarthy, we discuss the spiritual and intellectual underpinnings of The Souls of Black Folk and break down common misperceptions about the work. Jesse also explains why he always teaches The Souls of Black Folk with music. Jesse McCarthy is the editor of the Norton Library edition of The Souls of Black Folk…

1
One True Sentence #28 with Kerri Maher 32:47

11M ago32:47

32:47

Kerri Maher, author of The Paris Bookseller, shares her one true sentence from Hemingway's A Moveable Feast.By Mark Cirino, Michael Von Cannon, and Kerri Maher

1
Mackenzie Astin on In Love and War 54:33

11M ago54:33

54:33

Actor Mackenzie Astin joins us to discuss the 1996 movie In Love and War, the narrative of Hemingway’s wounding in World War I and subsequent romance with nurse Agnes Von Kurowsky. Directed by Richard Attenborough and starring Chris O’Donnell, Sandra Bullock, Emilio Bonucci, as well as Astin, this war epic depicts the upheaval that World War I crea…

1
James Nagel and Dimitri Villard on Hemingway in Love and War 51:50

11M ago51:50

51:50

Ernest Hemingway’s Red Cross experience in Italy during World War I was short, but it changed the course of his life and his writing. From being wounding in July 1918 to the abrupt end to his relationship with nurse Agnes Von Kurowsky, Hemingway would revisit those traumas for the rest of his life and write about them for his entire career. This pa…

1
The Unorthodox Collection of Essays that Became a Masterpiece (The Souls of Black Folk, Part 1) 35:19

11M ago35:19

35:19

In this episode of the Norton Library Podcast, we welcome Jesse McCarthy to discuss who W. E. B. Du Bois was and how The Souls of Black Folk came to be. We also explore Souls' most enduring ideas and how these still resonate today with a variety of underrepresented groups. McCarthy is the editor of the Norton Library edition of The Souls of Black F…

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