Literature and History
Literature
With millions of downloads, hundreds of hours of soundtracked content, and an overall emphasis on the cultural history behind famous works of literature, Literature and History is one of the most popular independent podcasts on its subject. Starting with Sumerian cuneiform in 3,100 BCE, Literature and History moves forward in chronological order through Assyriology, Egyptology, the Old Testament, Ancient Greece and Rome, and the birth of Christianity. The show's current season is on Late Antiquity (or 200-700 CE) and the dawn of the Middle Ages. A typical episode (they average about two hours) features a general introduction to a work of literature, then a full summary of that work that expects no prior knowledge, and finally, an analysis of the cultural, biographical, and historical forces that gave rise to the work in question. Original symphonic and ambient background music is woven throughout each show, and all episodes offer free full, illustrated, footnoted transcriptions as well as quizzes for purposes of review. The show has no advertisements, and its host takes pride in a professional approach that avoids chitchat and ephemera and gets straight to the educational content. You can listen to the episodes in any order, although most listeners begin at the beginning and proceed from there, as the podcast itself is chronologically organized. Doug Metzger finished his Ph.D. in literature in 2011. His chief scholarly interest, following his dissertation work, continues to be 19th-century realism and postbellum American philosophy.
Location:
United States
Description:
With millions of downloads, hundreds of hours of soundtracked content, and an overall emphasis on the cultural history behind famous works of literature, Literature and History is one of the most popular independent podcasts on its subject. Starting with Sumerian cuneiform in 3,100 BCE, Literature and History moves forward in chronological order through Assyriology, Egyptology, the Old Testament, Ancient Greece and Rome, and the birth of Christianity. The show's current season is on Late Antiquity (or 200-700 CE) and the dawn of the Middle Ages. A typical episode (they average about two hours) features a general introduction to a work of literature, then a full summary of that work that expects no prior knowledge, and finally, an analysis of the cultural, biographical, and historical forces that gave rise to the work in question. Original symphonic and ambient background music is woven throughout each show, and all episodes offer free full, illustrated, footnoted transcriptions as well as quizzes for purposes of review. The show has no advertisements, and its host takes pride in a professional approach that avoids chitchat and ephemera and gets straight to the educational content. You can listen to the episodes in any order, although most listeners begin at the beginning and proceed from there, as the podcast itself is chronologically organized. Doug Metzger finished his Ph.D. in literature in 2011. His chief scholarly interest, following his dissertation work, continues to be 19th-century realism and postbellum American philosophy.
Twitter:
@lahpodcast
Language:
English
Website:
http://literatureandhistory.com/
Episode 105: Gregory of Tours, Part 1
Duration:02:27:06
Episode 104: An Introduction to the Talmud
Duration:02:21:51
Episode 103: Boethius
Duration:02:23:06
Episode 102: An Old Man's Book (Augustine's City of God, Part 2 of 2)
Duration:02:27:38
Episode 101: Against the Pagans (Augustine's City of God, Part 1 of 2)
Duration:02:15:31
Episode 100: Late Have I Loved You (Augustine's Confessions, Books 9-13)
Duration:02:01:22
Episode 99: The Boy Who Stole Pears (Augustine's Confessions, Books 1-7)
Duration:01:53:49
Episode 98: The Life and Works of Saint Jerome
Duration:02:09:41
Episode 97: Blood and Ivy (Nonnus' Dionysiaca, Books 25-48)
Duration:02:32:11
Episode 96: The Last Pagan Epic (Nonnus' Dionysiaca, Books 1-24)
Duration:02:13:57
Episode 95: Rutilius Namatianus
Duration:02:02:47
Episode 94: Ausonius
Duration:01:53:15
Episode 93: Severus' Life of Saint Martin
Duration:01:57:49
Episode 92: Athanasius' Life of Antony
Duration:02:06:19
Episode 91: The Passion of Perpetua and Felicity
Duration:02:12:14
Episode 90: Ante-Nicene Catholicism
Duration:02:04:21
Episode 89: The Aethiopica of Heliodorus
Duration:02:12:28
Episode 88: Ancient Greek Sci-fi
Duration:01:55:57
Episode 87: Lucian of Samosata
Duration:01:42:05
Episode 86: An Introduction to Late Antiquity
Duration:02:22:54