Professor of Russian José Vergara recommends a dark story of family betrayal. Shchedrin's 1880 novel follows the fall of a miserly matriarch and the rise of her even more punitive son. We talk about tragicomedy, fate, faith, and constant death. Spoilers are out of control. This is one of our favorite books, so read it quick! Michaela Telfer's article on bureaucracy in the novel (open access) Sign up for our bonus show for an upcoming companion episode on Chekhov's play The Cherry Orchard.

In this clip, we revisit the classic tale of toxic stan culture: Henry James' The Aspern Papers. Ever moved into a dilapidated Venetian palazzo to possibly steal the yellowing missives exchanged between your literary idol and his former flame? Us neither! Join us as we pick apart the narrator's twisted mind. Hear the full episode on our Patreon.

Elise Riley, an accessioning archivist at the Beinecke Library, offers us an expert's perspective on In The Freud Archives, Janet Malcolm's nonfictional exploration of archival infighting. The book concerns three psychoanalytic scholars who come to epistolary blows over the scattered remains of Freud's legacy. But unlike most niche academic debates, this one resulted in a $13 million dollar lawsuit. In this episode, we discuss Malcolm's narrative distance, the role of fantasy versus reality, and some things the Sigmund Freud Archives could have done to avoid all this Oedipal drama. For more on archives and obsession, join our Patreon to hear next week's episode on Henry James' The Aspern Papers.

In this clip, we discuss how Home acts as a "spiritual sequel" to Penelope Mortimer's The Pumpkin Eater, showcasing a more detailed portrait of the narrator's family and how it reflected mid-century British society. To hear the full episode, check out our Patreon.

McNally Editions senior editor Lucy Scholes joins the show to talk about Penelope Mortimer's dark novel of marriage and parenthood, the Pumpkin Eater. We discuss the narrator's mysterious identity, her rage at psychoanalysis, and Anne Bancroft's interpretation of her in the 1964 film adaptation. Read Lucy's piece on Mortimer here. Check out Daddy's Gone A-Hunting and The Home. Sign up for our bonus show.

In this clip, we discuss the power of words versus images and compare Colette and Clébert's notions of vagabondage. To hear the full episode, check out our Patreon.

Writer Zito Madu joins us to discuss Jean-Paul Clébert's Paris Vagabond translated from French by Donald Nicholson-Smith. In a series of vignettes, the book explores life on the streets of the city in the years following WWII. We talk about Clébert's middle-class background, analyze the photographs taken by Patrice Molinard, and consider the romanticization of "vagabonds." Order our guest's book here. And to receive extra episodes, consider becoming a patron.    

Inspired by Schattenfroh, we discuss a seminal work on the impact of printing from 1450 to 1800 written by Lucien Febvre and Henri-Jean Martin. In this clip, we explore a few of the many mysteries in the life of Johannes Gutenberg. To hear the rest, become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=84429384

In this special episode, we discuss Schattenfroh with author Michael Lentz and translator Max Lawton. This novel, originally written in German, traverses centuries of history to confront a personal loss. We talk about Lentz's Catholic upbringing, Lawton's detective work, and how their collaboration reflects the narrator's imprisonment. Preorder Schattenfroh: Schattenfroh – Deep Vellum Donate to Deep Vellum: Donate Now | Deep Vellum Join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=84429384  

In this episode, Professor Lawrence Warner joins us to talk about Adam Pinkhurst, a 14th century scribe who may or may not have been cursed in a humorous poem by Geoffrey Chaucer. We explore the evidence for Pinkhurst’s identification as Chaucer’s “owne scriveyn” behind two early manuscripts of The Canterbury Tales, enjoy some impromptu Middle English recitation, and question the relationship between paleography and literary studies. To hear the full conversation, become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=84429384  

And we're back with a new season and episode covering Angus Wilson's Anglo-Saxon Attitudes, first published in 1956. The book tells the story of an archealogical hoax and its slow revelation due to the reluctant intervention of Gerald Middleton, a depressive medieval historian. We talk about the novelist versus the historian's investigation of truth, Wilson's treatment of gay relationships, and parallels with the Bayeux Tapestry. This episode is the first in a pair about medievalism and its ambiguities. Join our Patreon to follow along: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=84429384  

On this episode of Shorts, we're talking to author Jonathan Meades and publisher John Mitchinson about the unique publishing process at Unbound. We discuss how they each became readers, Unbound's roots in the subscription model of the 17th century, Meades' magnum opus, and more. Order Empty Wigs: https://unbound.com/books/empty-wigs Join the Unbound newsletter: https://unbound.com/newsletter    

In this episode, we talk about A Tomb for Boris Davidovich by Danilo Kiš and Philip Roth's Writers from the Other Europe series from the 1970s and 80s. Listen to the full episode on our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=84429384  

Author and critic Craig Brown joins us to discuss Kingsley Amis' novel Ending Up. The story follows a group of poverty-stricken elders as they suffer the miseries of one another's company (and their relatives) over the holidays. We talk about the limits of comic writing, Amis' penchant for irritation, and the context of 1970s England. It's our 50th NYRB Classic! Let's cut the telephone wires in celebration! Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=84429384  

Eileen Cheng-yin Chow and Wai-yee Li, both scholars and devoted readers of Cao Xueqin's Dream of the Red Chamber, join us to discuss the book's final two volumes as well as their varied encounters with the text. In this clip, we talk about the controversy surrounding the novel's last 40 chapters, the author's alter ego, and the depiction of Chinese fatherhood. Hear the full episode on our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=84429384  

Mabel Taylor and Madeline Porsella of Mandylion Press join us to discuss Elizabeth Taylor's Angel, a novel first published in 1957. Angel is the story of a self-obsessed writer whose imaginary world becomes frighteningly real. We talk about her lying tendencies, fraught relationships, and intersections with history's whirligig. Check out Mandylion's books and podcast, 1-800-1800. Sign up to our patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=84429384    

It's classical music week at Unburied Books! In this bonus episode, we talk about Joys and Sorrows by Pablo Casals, a sort-of autobiography by the great unburier of Bach's cello suites, as well as Gottfried Benn's poem "Chopin," translated from German by NYRB favorite Michael Hofmann. Read the poem here: https://www.ronnowpoetry.com/contents/benn/Chopin.html Listen to the full episode on our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=84429384  

NYRB Classics editorial director Edwin Frank returns to talk about his new book on the 20th-century novel. We discuss how he defined the category, his discoveries during research, and how being an editor has shaped his understanding. To hear the full episode, check out our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=84429384  

Peter Bush joins us to discuss his translation of Honoré de Balzac's The Lily in the Valley. We talk about the novel's unique place in the Human Comedy, its surprisingly modern ending, and the challenges of recreating Balzac's language in English. Support our show here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=84429384  

In this clip from the Patreon, we debate the merits of the 1818 and 1831 versions of the novel that birthed innumerable Halloween ensembles. Listen to the full episode here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=84429384