Literature and Lapdogs

From the author of short story corpse in house comes long story corpse in river! In the premier of season 3, we discuss William Faulkner’s 1930 classic, As I Lay Dying.

Literature and Lapdogs is back with a discussion of Bram Stoker's 1897 novel, Dracula. Get your literary fix exploring the plot of this engaging mystery novel, crammed with vampires, wolves, and madmen. We provide a brief summary of the novel and then discuss key themes, including representations of sexuality, gender, violence, and social conflict. We also compare two adaptations of Dracula, o...

In this episode of Literature and Lapdogs , we discuss Gaston Leroux's 1909/1910 novel, The Phantom of the Opera . Best known as a musical, the novel is actually a stellar mystery novel, exploring the dark history of the Paris Opera House, drawing on real-life details. We compare the plot of the novel (spoilers) with the structure and details of the musical version of Phantom . We also discuss...

In this episode of Literature and Lapdogs , my daughter and I (plus dogs) discuss the play, Love Letters , by A.R. Gurney, and the spectacular production at the Irish Rep, which we were lucky enough to see several times this week, with J. Smith-Cameron and Victor Garber. We discuss the play itself, including plot and character development. We also discuss the many aspects of the performances that...

In this episode of Literature and Lapdogs we discuss Charlotte Brontë's 1847 novel, Jane Eyre , about the orphan girl who appears to fall in love with her employer, Mr. Rochester, only to discover that he has a terrible secret. Olivia and I discuss the novel in terms of its general plot structure and then dive into some of the enduring issues with the text, such as whether Rochester's rela...

In this episode of Literature and Lapdogs, the daughter and I discuss Nathaniel Hawthorne's 1850 novel, A Scarlet Letter, exploring the story of Hester Prynne and her struggles to overcome the shame of being punished for adultery by the hypocritical people of Salem.

In this episode of Literature and Lapdogs, we discuss Anne Brontë's 1848 novel, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. We discuss the general outline of the novel and some of the key issues with character development and themes. We consider the structure of the novel and the representations of alcoholism and domestic violence.

This episode of Literature and Lapdogs discusses George Eliot's 1861 novel, Silas Marner: The Weaver of Raveloe . We discuss the story of the title character, a weaver expelled from his hometown, and the way in which his plot line overlap with that of the Cass family - Godfrey and Dunstan Cass. We consider Eliot's own background and how that informed her writing of the novel. We outline so...

In the latest episode of @LiteratureandLapdogs, we discuss Emily Brontë's (1818-1848) Wuthering Heights , published in 1847. The bulk of the episode explores the general plot of the text, along with aspects of narrative structures and character development. Spoilers alert if you haven't read Wuthering Heights , but if you want to find out what makes this novel so compelling, be sure to che...

In this episode of  @LiteratureandLapdogs  we're discussing Jane Austen's 1815/16 novel, Emma. Dedicated to the Prince Regent, Emma is described in the Oxford World's Classics edition as "her finest and most representative novel." We discuss elements of plot, character, and theme that emerge in the text. We also discuss some of the challenges of adapting this classic work.

In this episode of Literature and Lapdogs , we revisit Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice . We discuss adaptations of the novel, including the 1995 Pride and Prejudice and the 2005 Pride and Prejudice . We then discuss details about the novel's structure, character development, and relevant contexts. We discuss the significance of class within the novel and certain structural considerations...

We're discussing the amazing Prima Facie by Suzie Miller, starring Jodie Comer. This is a brilliant play dealing with sexual assault, with a particular focus on the prosecution of these crimes. We're trying not to give too much of the plot away because it might be coming out on National Theatre At Home, and we don't want to spoil it. The main focus, though, is a young woman with a work...

In this bonus episode of Literature and Lapdogs - our first with video as well as audio - we discuss the pros and cons of several different editions of Jane Austen novels - the Norton Critical edition, the Oxford World's Classics, the Penguin Classics edition, and the Barnes and Noble edition.

Literature and Lapdogs is back with a new episode about Mary Shelley's novella (or novel, you decide), Mathilda . The text was written between August 1819 and February 1820, while Shelley was recovering from the loss of two of her young children. Apparently, it provided a much-needed distraction. However, it wasn't published until 1959, because Shelley sent the manuscript to her father, Wi...

In this episode of Literature and Lapdogs, my daughter and I discuss Jane Austen's 1817 novel, Persuasion.

This is a very brief introduction to my new podcast series, in which I will be devoting each episode to talking about particular text. I wanted to start, though, by offering two quotes about the importance of literature and reading as food for thought.