Episodes
Monday Dec 28, 2020
Monday Dec 28, 2020
We go back to the present in chapter 3 of THE CASE OF CHARLES DEXTER WARD and witness the consequences of Ward's exploration into his family history. Some strange mysteries are revealed and the horror begins again.
Monday Dec 28, 2020
Episode 445: Henry James: Roderick Hudson (1)
Monday Dec 28, 2020
Monday Dec 28, 2020
Let's start over with Henry James by looking at his first decent novel, RODERICK HUDSON. In this novel, an aimless rich man adopts a poor artist and brings him to Europe for fame and adventure. What they find is that Europe is a bad place for anyone, especially artists, to be.
Thursday Dec 24, 2020
H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 5: Episode 17: The Case of Charles Dexter Ward (2)
Thursday Dec 24, 2020
Thursday Dec 24, 2020
A solid second chapter of H. P. Lovecraft's THE CASE OF CHARLES DEXTER WARD almost works as a stand-alone horror story set in the 18th century, climaxing in the context of the American Revolution. Through this story we see Joseph Curwen as a metaphor for America's founding sins.
Thursday Dec 24, 2020
Episode 444:Henry James: Watch and Ward (2)
Thursday Dec 24, 2020
Thursday Dec 24, 2020
More forgettable stuff in the second half of WATCH AND WARD by Henry James. Let's hope his later novels are a bit more interesting. If nothing else, this novel is a good piece of evidence of why certain authors will never be cancelled.
Tuesday Dec 22, 2020
Tuesday Dec 22, 2020
The second of two posthumously published novels by H. P. Lovecraft, THE CASE OF CHARLES DEXTER WARD also happens to be my favorite Lovecraft story. There is no better place to go for Lovecraft's historical vision.
Tuesday Dec 22, 2020
Episode 443: HenryJames: Watch and Ward (1)
Tuesday Dec 22, 2020
Tuesday Dec 22, 2020
A new series and a new novel: Henry James' WATCH AND WARD. While it is not a good novel and can be easily forgotten we can at least introduce ourselves to Henry James as we prepare to read his first five novels.
Thursday Dec 17, 2020
Episode 442: Sinclair Lewis: Dodsworth (3)
Thursday Dec 17, 2020
Thursday Dec 17, 2020
The final to my review of DODSWORTH by Sinclair Lewis and the final of my series on Lewis's mid-1920s works. While DODSWORTH is not my favorite, I think it has some interesting things to say about marriage, aging, and the habits of the elite.
Thursday Dec 17, 2020
Thursday Dec 17, 2020
A trio of works by Lovecraft are examined in this episode. Two of them explore the mythology of the Necronomicon and the other deals with footnotes.
Monday Dec 14, 2020
Monday Dec 14, 2020
My final thoughts on Lovecraft's DREAM-QUEST OF UNKNOWN KADATH appear in this episode. In this part of the story we see the battle between the Men from Leng and their Moon creatures allies and Carter's forces before arriving at the final confrontation between the Dreamer and the Outer Gods.
Monday Dec 14, 2020
Episode 441: Sinclair Lewis: Dodsworth (2)
Monday Dec 14, 2020
Monday Dec 14, 2020
Part two of my review of DODSWORTH by Sinclair Lewis has us explore a wealthy expat couple in Europe as their marriage begins to fray as the European setting exposes their different dreams. Mr. Dodsworth return to America in these chapters is a nice diversion.
Thursday Dec 10, 2020
H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 5: Episode 13: Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath (3)
Thursday Dec 10, 2020
Thursday Dec 10, 2020
In the third part of my review of DREAMQUEST OF UNKNOWN KADATH we explore the realm of the ghouls and other dark places, while learning more about the Men from Leng.
Thursday Dec 10, 2020
Episode 440: Sinclair Lewis: Dodsworth (1)
Thursday Dec 10, 2020
Thursday Dec 10, 2020
Part one of my review of DODSWORTH by Sinclair Lewis. My least favorite of these novels by Lewis, it centers on a rich American business man who retires to Europe with a restless wife.
Monday Dec 07, 2020
Monday Dec 07, 2020
Monday Dec 07, 2020
Episode 439: Sinclair Lewis: Elmer Gantry (4)
Monday Dec 07, 2020
Monday Dec 07, 2020
The four and final part of my review of ELMER GANTRY by Sinclair Lewis. A final crisis emerging from his girl-crazy ways, leads Elmer Gantry to triumph and a bright future. But what does that say about our institutions?
Thursday Dec 03, 2020
Thursday Dec 03, 2020
Thursday Dec 03, 2020
Episode 438: Sinclair Lewis:: Elmer Gantry (3)
Thursday Dec 03, 2020
Thursday Dec 03, 2020
Part three of my review of ELMER GANTRY by Sinclair Lewis covers Gantry's rise in the aftermath of the death of Sharon Falconer. He finds himself recruited by Methodists and has no problem making the transition.