Jacke Wilson's Blog, page 54
January 18, 2016
History of Literature Episode 27: The Upanishads (Part Two)
How did the Universe begin? What is the nature of individual consciousness? How do these relate to one another? Host Jacke Wilson continues his look at the set of ancient Indian mystic writings known as the Upanishads (ca. 700 B.C.) and rediscovers the impact they once had on his own spiritual journey.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 38:08 — 26.5MB)
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Show Notes:
(Looking for episodes 12-26? They don’t exist! This episode begins a simplified numbering system, which counts all releases to this podcast feed, whether they are History of Literature episodes, Restless Mind Show episodes, or minisodes.)
You can find more literary discussion at jackewilson.com and more episodes of the series at historyofliterature.com.
Contact the host at jackewilsonauthor@gmail.com or by leaving a voicemail at 1-361-4WILSON (1-361-494-5766).
Texts:
The Upanishads (Classic of Indian Spirituality) (tr. Easwaran)
The Upanishads: Breath from the Eternal (tr. Prabhavanada)
The Norton Anthology of World Literature (Third Edition) (Vol. Package 1: Vols. A, B, C)
Music Credits:
“Handel – Entrance to the Queen of Sheba” by Advent Chamber Orchestra (From the Free Music Archive / CC by SA).
“Jalandhar” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
January 15, 2016
Two Genre Titans: When James Bond Met Philip Marlowe
So many great literary meetings have been lost to time. Here’s a fascinating one that wasn’t: Ian Fleming (master of the spy novel) discussing craft with Raymond Chandler (master of the hardboiled detective novel).
This is believed to be the only recording of Raymond Chandler’s voice.
Sit back, pour yourself something shaken not stirred, and enjoy!
January 14, 2016
One More for Ziggy Stardust
For those of you who haven’t seen this…or even if you have…
Rest in peace, Mr. Jones. We will miss you.
January 13, 2016
Farewell, Sweet Spaceman
Gutted.
What a life, though. He will be missed.
There are a million clips to look at, but here’s one of my favorites:
January 11, 2016
Episode 11 – The Upanishads (Part One)
Thousands of years ago, using techniques of deep meditation, Indian mystics conducted investigations into the powers of the universe and the nature of human consciousness, developing ideas about a single supreme god, the eternal soul, and the relationship of individuals to the spiritual cosmos. Their flashes of insight were passed along orally for hundreds of years before being recorded in written form sometime around 900 B.C. The best of these are now called the Upanishads, and their teachings have provided a philosophical tradition to hundreds of millions of practitioners of the Hindu religion as well as many other seekers of wisdom and truth. In this episode, host Jacke Wilson introduces his project to investigate the nature of the Upanishads and see what these ancient texts might (or might not) be able to provide to a modern-day seeker.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 57:06 — 39.5MB)
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Show Notes:
Texts:
The Upanishads (Classic of Indian Spirituality) (tr. Easwaran)
The Upanishads: Breath from the Eternal (tr. Prabhavanada)
The Norton Anthology of World Literature (Third Edition) (Vol. Package 1: Vols. A, B, C)
Music Credits:
“Handel – Entrance to the Queen of Sheba” by Advent Chamber Orchestra (From the Free Music Archive / CC by SA).
“Jalandhar” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
January 7, 2016
Indian Literature – A Cosmic Feast (History of Literature Episode 10)
Recalling his own long-ago transition from China to India, our host previews our journey’s next stop, where we will immerse ourselves in the literature of a spectacular culture. Marked by classics like the Rig Veda (1500 – 1200 B.C.) and the Upanishads (ca. 900 B.C.), the Ramayana (ca. 550 B.C.), and the Mahabharata and the Bhagavad Gita (400 B.C. – 400), classic Indian literature is known for its deep engagement with universal questions like how the world was created, what our understanding of God is and can be, how we should treat one another, and what it means to be human. Jacke Wilson prepares our palate for a feast of Indian literature, one of the greatest achievements in the history of civilization.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 22:12 — 15.5MB)
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Show Notes:
You can find more literary discussion at jackewilson.com and more episodes of the series at historyofliterature.com.
Contact the host at jackewilsonauthor@gmail.com or by leaving a voicemail at 1-361-4WILSON (1-361-494-5766).
Further Reading:
The Ramayana: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic (Penguin Classics) (tr. Narayan)
The Ramayana: A Modern Retelling of the Great Indian Epic (tr. Menon)
The Bhagavad Gita (Classics of Indian Spirituality) (tr. Easwaran)
Bhagavad Gita: A New Translation (tr. Mitchell)
The Upanishads (Classic of Indian Spirituality) (tr. Easwaran)
The Upanishads: Breath from the Eternal (tr. Prabhavanada)
Classic Indian Cooking (Julie Sahni)
The Norton Anthology of World Literature (Third Edition) (Vol. Package 1: Vols. A, B, C)
Music Credits:
“Handel – Entrance to the Queen of Sheba” by Advent Chamber Orchestra (From the Free Music Archive / CC by SA).
“Jalandhar” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
January 3, 2016
Confucius (HoL Episode 9)
Perhaps the most influential teacher in the history of the world, Confucius (551-479 B.C.) left a literary legacy that continues to inspire and provoke. Jacke Wilson takes a look at the historical Confucius, the impact that the five works known as the “Confucian canon” has had on China, and the collection of sayings and anecdotes known as the Analects.
You can find more literary discussion at jackewilson.com and more episodes of the series at historyofliterature.com.
Contact the host at jackewilsonauthor@gmail.com or by leaving a voicemail at 1-361-4WILSON (1-361-494-5766).
Music Credits: “Handel – Entrance to the Queen of Sheba” by Advent Chamber Orchestra (From the Free Music Archive / CC by SA).
Translation of Confucius’ Analects by D.C. Lau (courtesy of theNorton Anthology of World Literature).
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:05 — 19.6MB)
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January 2, 2016
Here We Go! Top Podcast Episodes of 2015!
Happy New Year!
On New Year’s Eve I expressed some gratitude and kicked off our countdown of 2015’s top podcast episodes. Today, I can reveal the
Top History of Literature Episodes of 2015
as selected by you, the listeners. For those of you new to the History of Literature, this might be the best place to start. Or just monkey around in iTunes or wherever and pick and author that appeals to you.
As longtime listeners know, the History of Literature podcast has two branches. In the first one, I dive into the great literary works of the past. In the second branch, which also goes by the name of the Restless Mind Show (sometimes), I talk about art, literature, life, the creative process, or whatever else is on my restless mind.
So without further ado, here we go.
The Top History of Literature Episodes of 2015
#5 – Battling the Beast
October 10, 2015
Introducing the wildly unqualified host, Jacke Wilson.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 15:24 — 10.6MB)
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#4 – The Epic of Gilgamesh
October 12, 2015
Starting our journey with the surprisingly modern story of an ancient warrior-king whose restlessness drives him to seek immortality.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 33:36 — 23.1MB)
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#3 – Greek Tragedy (Part One)
November 30, 2015
How was tragedy invented? Why was it so popular in Ancient Greece, and what power does it have for us today? Using the discussion of tragedy in Aristotle’s Poetics, author Jacke Wilson takes a look at tragedies from ancient times to Breaking Bad.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 48:53 — 33.8MB)
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# 2 – Literature and Loneliness
November 25, 2015
On the eve of a holiday, author and host of the History of Literature podcast Jacke Wilson considers the consolations that total immersion in literature can provide.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:29 — 19.9MB)
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#1 – Homer
November 9, 2015
He was a blind poet whose stories of heroes and gods helped launch an incredible era of literary and cultural flourishing. History of Literature host Jacke Wilson takes a look at the influence that Homer had on the minds of Ancient Greece – and the resonance that the epic poems The Iliad and The Odyssey still have for us today.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 34:10 — 23.7MB)
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We have much more planned for 2016. Thank you again for all your comments, support, emails, and downloads – I am extremely grateful for everyone who has joined us in this journey!
December 31, 2015
New Year’s Thank You: The Top Podcast Episodes of the Year
Dear Readers and Listeners:
It’s time for another humble thank you from your old friend Jacke. This year was another good one in Jackeland. No new books (alas), but a newly launched podcast, plenty of blogging inspiration – and most importantly, the community of readers and listeners who make everything worthwhile.
I owe you more than I could ever express.
But I’ll keep trying! Or at least, I’ll keep trying to express something. We may be uncertain about the role of literature, and we may have more failures than successes, but the creative spirit is still endlessly fascinating and apparently indefatigable. Let’s hope it’s the same – for you as well as me – in 2016, as it was in 2015.
I’m going to take a quick run through the most popular episodes of The History of Literature, as selected by you the listeners. Here we go from 10-6:
#10 (tie) – Gar Discovers a Lost Recording of Walt Whitman!
November 12, 2015
Gar finds a lost recording of Walt Whitman reading his own poetry! Plus: Author Jacke Wilson gives an update on the Greatest First Lines contest.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:27 — 20.5MB)
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#10 (tie) – Greek Comedy – Aristophanes
December 14, 2015
Author Jacke Wilson examines the life and works of Aristophanes, whose comic plays included The Clouds, which pokes fun at philosophers such as Socrates, and Lysistrata, where the females of Athens and Sparta go on a sex strike in an attempt to end the war.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 45:04 — 31.2MB)
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#10 (tie) – Proust, Pound, and Chinese Poetry
December 17, 2015
A young Jacke Wilson immerses himself in great books on his way from Taiwan to Tibet – and finds out what Ezra Pound, Marcel Proust, and Chinese poetry can teach him about literature and life.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 50:36 — 35.0MB)
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#10 (tie) – A Jacke Wilson Holiday
December 24, 2015
Jacke offers some holiday thoughts on loneliness, his failures with women and the theater, and a teary trip to the Nutcracker.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 40:35 — 28.5MB)
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#9 – Odysseus Leaves Calypso
November 16, 2015
Responding to a listener email, author Jacke Wilson takes a deeper look at one of the Odyssey’s most famous passages. Why does Odysseus leave Calypso, and what does it tell us about Homer and his genius? And is it fair to compare Achilles and Odysseus with Yosemite Sam and Bugs Bunny?
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 18:15 — 12.8MB)
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#8 – Greek Tragedy (Part Two) – Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides
December 7, 2015
Author Jacke Wilson examines the works of three great Greek tragedians, Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides – and attempts to solve the mystery of why Friedrich Nietzsche admired two of the three and despised the other.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 55:28 — 38.4MB)
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#7 – Sappho
November 23, 2015
Ancient Greece viewed her as Homer’s poetic equal; Plato referred to her as the “tenth muse.” As a fearless and lyrical chronicler of female desire, she had a profound impact on literature and society. Author Jacke Wilson takes a look at the genius of Sappho, the first great female writer in the history of literature.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:27 — 17.7MB)
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#6 – Nietzsche’s Children
December 10, 2015
Continuing the discussion of Greek tragedy, Jacke takes a look at Nietzsche and the impact he has on eager young philosophers. This episode includes the Jacke Wilson story “My Roommate’s Books” from the History of Jacke in 100 Objects series.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 48:26 — 33.6MB)
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Onward and upward, everyone!
December 24, 2015
A Jacke Wilson Holiday (Restless Mind Episode 10)
Jacke offers some holiday thoughts on loneliness, his failures with women and the theater, and a teary trip to the Nutcracker.
Happy Holidays!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 40:35 — 28.5MB)
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