Best Mark Cirino and Michael Von Cannon Podcasts (2025)

1
It's Never Too Late to Discover Hemingway (A Farewell to Arms, Part 2) 33:45

2d ago33:45

33:45

In Part 2 of our discussion on Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms, Norton Library podcast host Mark Cirino returns to the guest seat (with producer Michael von Cannon stepping behind the microphone as host). The two discuss the cover design of the Norton Library edition, essential historical context for understanding the novel, and the ever-increasing …

1
Debra Moddelmog on the Wound Theory 1:01:17

13d ago1:01:17

1:01:17

About seventy-five years ago, scholar Philip Young’s “wound theory” revolutionized Hemingway studies with a thesis that argued that Hemingway’s entire body of work was a series of responses to the injury he suffered in 1918 during World War One. Young’s audacious theory invited a slew of biographical and psychological readings of Hemingway’s work. …

1
A Tale of Love and a Tale of War (A Farewell to Arms, Part 1) 33:52

16d ago33:52

33:52

In Part 1 of our discussion on Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms, we welcome Norton Library podcast host Mark Cirino to the guest seat for the first time (with producer Michael von Cannon stepping behind the microphone as host). The two discuss the balance of autobiography and fiction in the text, situate A Farewell to Arms in the establishment of Hem…

1
One True Book Club: The Purple Land, Part 2 55:17

27d ago55:17

55:17

One True Podcast continues our summer book club on The Purple Land, the 1885 novel written by W.H. Hudson and read and re-read by Robert Cohn. In this episode, we explore Chapters 12-20. We revisit the picaresque plot structure, discuss how the narrative moves between romance and revolution, explore how Hudson takes up the question of cultural rela…

1
Hector and Achilles are More Alike Than You Think (The Iliad, Part 2) 35:33

1M ago35:33

35:33

In Part 2 of our discussion on Homer's Iliad, translator Emily Wilson returns to discuss the red and gold cover design of the Norton Library edition, recount her decision to recreate a new translation of the epic, and give a performance in the original ancient Greek. Emily Wilson is a professor of classical studies at the University of Pennsylvania…

1
The Ending of A Farewell to Arms 1:15:21

1M ago1:15:21

1:15:21

On the happy occasion of Mark’s new Norton Library edition of A Farewell to Arms, One True Podcast goes deep into its vault. We are at last releasing to the general public one of our seldom-heard Patreon episodes, an exploration of the final chapter of A Farewell to Arms, the epic and heart-wrenching chapter 41. We discuss Catherine’s behavior, the…

1
Achilles's Job is Beach (The Iliad, Part 1) 37:19

1M ago37:19

37:19

In Part 1 of our discussion on Homer's Iliad, we welcome translator Emily Wilson to discuss Homer's life as an "author," the meaning of free will in the context of intervention from gods, and how the relationship between Achilles and Patroclus shapes the climax of the epic. Emily Wilson is a professor of classical studies at the University of Penns…

1
One True Book Club: The Purple Land, Part 1 1:00:00

2M ago1:00:00

1:00:00

One True Podcast ushers in the summer by reading a book that is not by Hemingway, but is Hemingway-relevant: W.H. Hudson’s The Purple Land, the 1885 novel that Jake Barnes name-drops in The Sun Also Rises and then weaponizes to criticize Robert Cohn. This episode covers the first 11 chapters, where we discuss the Hemingway-Hudson connection, this n…

1
Jo's Elastic Heart (Little Women, Part 2) 30:57

2M ago30:57

30:57

In Part 2 of our discussion on Louisa May Alcott's Little Women, editor Sarah Blackwood returns to discuss the inspiration behind the cover of the Norton Library edition, the book's intended audience, and key elements of gender theory—as well as personal feelings—that Alcott incorporates into the characters and story. Sarah Blackwood is Professor o…

1
John Beall on "Cat in the Rain" 58:39

2M ago58:39

58:39

One True Podcast again toasts to the centenary of Hemingway’s In Our Time by examining “Cat in the Rain,” one of its so-called “marriage tales.” We welcome John Beall to discuss the story’s setting, its composition, the dynamic of the marriage, its autobiographical inspiration, and how this story fits in to Hemingway’s other “frosty” marriages. We …

1
Life Planning 101 with Louisa May Alcott (Little Women, Part 1) 32:06

2M ago32:06

32:06

In Part 1 of our discussion on Louisa May Alcott's Little Women, we welcome editor Sarah Blackwood to discuss the importance of Alcott's family background; her distinct authorial voice in books, journals, and letters; and how her time as a Civil War nurse led to her emergence into the publishing world. Sarah Blackwood is Professor of English at Pac…

1
James H. Meredith on "Who Murdered the Vets?" 59:59

3M ago59:59

59:59

“Who Murdered the Vets?” is one of the most important non-fiction pieces Hemingway ever wrote. This 1935 article for New Masses excoriated the Roosevelt administration’s careless supervision of World War I veterans who died during the Labor Day hurricane while they were living in workcamps along the Keys. Stationed there to help to build the overse…

1
Peter Riva on Marlene Dietrich 52:01

3M ago52:01

52:01

She called him “the most fascinating man I know.” He called her “the Kraut.” Hemingway’s relationship with the iconic entertainer Marlene Dietrich has been an intriguing wrinkle to both of their careers and lives. To separate myth from fact, and to allow us to learn more about Miss Dietrich and her singular accomplishments in song and cinema, we we…

1
Tell Your Students about Edith Wharton! (The Age of Innocence, Part 2) 32:39

3M ago32:39

32:39

In Part 2 of our discussion on Edith Wharton's The Age of Innocence, editor Sheila Liming returns to discuss challenges for first-time readers, the correlation between fluctuations in Wharton's reputation and historical literary (and political) trends, and whether or not The Age of Innocence is truly a love story. Sheila Liming is Associate Profess…

1
Gioia Diliberto and Adam Long on Hadley's 100-Day Challenge 58:40

4M ago58:40

58:40

After Hemingway’s first wife, Hadley, became aware of his extramarital affair with Pauline Pfeiffer, she became resigned to the end of their marriage. Before she agreed to the divorce, however, she issued an extraordinary provision to Hemingway and Pauline: that they spend one hundred days apart! If they still wanted to stay together after those hu…

1
A Hieroglyphic World: Social Rules in Wharton's Novel of Manners (The Age of Innocence, Part 1) 32:32

4M ago32:32

32:32

In Part 1 of our discussion on Edith Wharton's The Age of Innocence, we welcome editor Sheila Liming to discuss the author's friendship with Henry James, a culture of elitism in New York, and the ironic meaning of "innocence" in the novel. Sheila Liming is Associate Professor at Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont. She is the author of What a …

1
Martina Mastandrea on "Out of Season" 52:56

4M ago52:56

52:56

The great Italian scholar Martina Mastandrea, who spoke with us in 2023 to discuss "In Another Country," joins us again to talk about another Hemingway tale: "Out of Season." After Mastandrea treats us to an Italian rendition of the opening to "Out of Season," we explore many aspects of the story, including its biographical inspiration, connections…

1
Taylor Swift's "Anti-Hero" and Hemingway's Flawed Characters (The Sun Also Rises, Part 2) 27:55

4M ago27:55

27:55

In Part 2 of our discussion on Ernest Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises, editor Verna Kale returns to discuss the vintage bullfighting posters that inspired the cover of the Norton Library edition, a "hot take" on the traditional hero of the book, and the loss of sentence-level writing in adaptations of the story. Verna Kale is an Associate Research P…

1
David Yearsley on Johann Sebastian Bach 57:03

5M ago57:03

57:03

When Ernest Hemingway was interviewed by George Plimpton in 1958, he listed Johann Sebastian Bach fourth among those forebears he learned the most from. “I should think,” he told Plimpton, “what one learns from composers and from the study of harmony and counterpoint would be obvious.” It isn’t. So, to help us understand how Bach influenced Hemingw…

1
Don't Try This At Home: Hemingway's First Major Novel (The Sun Also Rises, Part 1) 30:51

5M ago30:51

30:51

In Part 1 of our discussion on Ernest Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises, we welcome editor Verna Kale to discuss a young Hemingway's life experience leading up to writing the novel, his captivation with bullfighting and insider knowledge, the distinction between fairytale and reality, and the lack of a moral of the story. Verna Kale is an Associate Re…

1
Carl Eby on Islands in the Stream: The Legendary JFK #112 and JFK #113 50:50

5M ago50:50

50:50

Join us as Carl Eby takes us into the nooks and crannies of the Hemingway archives at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston. We will discuss the legendary JFK #112 and JFK #113, two discarded and highly provocative chapters from Hemingway’s posthumous novel Islands in the Stream. We explore where the discarded material in the JFK Libra…

1
The World Was All Before Them (Paradise Lost, Part 2) 33:01

5M ago33:01

33:01

In Part 2 of our discussion on John Milton's Paradise Lost, editor Stephen B. Dobranski returns to discuss his own first encounter with Milton in a high school classroom, the experience of editing the Norton Library edition from historical source texts, and how students should build up their Milton muscles by reading other poetry before turning to …

1
Alex Vernon on "Soldier's Home" 1:00:56

6M ago1:00:56

1:00:56

One True Podcast begins this year’s occasional commemoration of In Our Time’s 100th anniversary with a show devoted to one of its highlights. To discuss Hemingway’s classic story “Soldier’s Home,” we invite the author of Soldiers Once and Still, Alex Vernon. We discuss Harold Krebs and his war experience on the Western Front of World War I, his pai…

1
Milton Retweets His Way to Revolution (Well, He Tries) (Paradise Lost, Part 1) 34:29

6M ago34:29

34:29

In Part 1 of our discussion on John Milton's Paradise Lost, we welcome editor Stephen B. Dobranski to discuss Milton's life in the midst of religious and political controversy, pamphlet wars and the representation of failed revolution through writing, and Milton's characterization of Eve. Stephen B. Dobranski is Distinguished University Professor o…

1
Susan Morrison on Lillian Ross's New Yorker Profile of Hemingway 45:22

6M ago45:22

45:22

Seventy-five years ago, Lillian Ross published “How Do You Like It Now, Gentlemen?” in The New Yorker, her longform profile of Hemingway’s 1950 visit to New York City. Ross spent time with Hemingway as he shopped for a coat, visited with Marlene Dietrich, took his son Patrick to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, met with Charles Scribner, and talked …

1
A Man Half Bull and a Bull Half Man (Metamorphoses, Part 2) 26:12

6M ago26:12

26:12

In Part 2 of our discussion on Ovid's Metamorphoses, translator Charles Martin returns to discuss his first encounter with Ovid, the potential to learn Greek and Roman mythology through reading Metamorphoses, and other scholars' work with the text in the twenty-first century. Charles Martin was born in New York City in 1942. He earned a Ph.D. in En…

1
J. Gerald Kennedy on Hemingway in 1925 1:01:30

7M ago1:01:30

1:01:30

What was Ernest Hemingway doing in 1925? Where was he? What were his important relationships? What were his challenges? What was he writing? 1925 is the year that put Hemingway on the map. To guide us through this crucial year, we welcome back J. Gerald Kennedy, author of Imagining Paris, editor of the Norton Critical Edition of In Our Time, and co…

1
The Secret Poet (Metamorphoses, Part 1) 29:09

7M ago29:09

29:09

In Part 1 of our discussion on Ovid's Metamorphoses, we welcome translator Charles Martin to discuss Ovid's well-documented life and his exile, the popularity and subversiveness of Ovid's writings, and the creation of a new epic form through the lack of one epic hero. Charles Martin was born in New York City in 1942. He earned a Ph.D. in English fr…

1
in our time, chapter 18: "The king was working in the garden" 52:34

7M ago52:34

52:34

Welcome to our eighteenth and final show celebrating the centenary of the Paris edition of Hemingway’s book of vignettes, in our time. In this quirky narrative that would come to be known as “L’Envoi” in the following year’s In Our Time collection, our narrator meets a king and a queen in the garden, leading us to a discussion of The Beatles, garde…

1
Suzanne del Gizzo on "The Blind Man's Christmas Eve" 1:06:39

7M ago1:06:39

1:06:39

Happy holidays from One True Podcast, and it wouldn’t be the holiday season without Suzanne del Gizzo—the celebrated editor of The Hemingway Review—here to discuss another one of Hemingway’s seasonally appropriate works. In previous years, we have talked together about “God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen,” “Christmas on the Roof of the World,” “The Chri…

1
in our time, chapter 17: "They hanged Sam Cardinella" 54:54

8M ago54:54

54:54

Welcome to the seventeenth of our eighteen shows celebrating the centenary of the Paris edition of Hemingway’s book of vignettes, in our time. Hemingway captures a scene out of the American newspapers, the execution by hanging of an Italian-American mobster, Sam Cardinella. We discuss Hemingway’s career-long treatment of executions and the behavior…

1
The Hog-Squeal of the Universe (The Jungle, Part 2) 35:13

8M ago35:13

35:13

In Part 2 of our discussion on Sinclair's The Jungle, editor Kenneth W. Warren returns to talk about how the novel stopped him in his tracks while reading it for school, the compelling question of the relationship between literature and propaganda, and the continued relevance of The Jungle today. Kenneth W. Warren is Fairfax M. Cone Distinguished S…

1
One True Sentence #38 with Ruchika Tomar 37:55

8M ago37:55

37:55

Ruchika Tomar, the 2020 PEN/Hemingway winner for A Prayer for Travelers, shares her one true sentence from “A Very Short Story.”By Mark Cirino, Michael Von Cannon, and Ruchika Tomar

1
Meatpacking and Muckraking (The Jungle, Part 1) 30:49

8M ago30:49

30:49

In Part 1 of our discussion on Upton Sinclair's The Jungle, we welcome editor Kenneth W. Warren to discuss Sinclair's background, how his political commitments informed his literary endeavors, The Jungle's effect on regulatory efforts in the United States, and the techniques the novel uses to achieve its engrossing effect. Kenneth W. Warren is Fair…

1
in our time, chapter 16: "Maera lay still, his head on his arms, his face in the sand" 1:02:13

8M ago1:02:13

1:02:13

Welcome to the sixteenth of our eighteen shows celebrating the centenary of the Paris edition of Hemingway’s book of vignettes, in our time. In this episode, Maera is gored and dies in a masterfully cinematic way. We explore Hemingway's description of the bullfighter's death and speculate about why Hemingway decided to kill off his character "Maera…

1
in our time, chapter 15: "I heard the drums coming down the street" 48:43

8M ago48:43

48:43

Welcome to the fifteenth of our eighteen shows celebrating the centenary of the Paris edition of Hemingway’s book of vignettes, in our time. This episode on Maera and Luis extends Hemingway’s exploration of bullfighting and violence. We begin by discussing the narrator's identity, how it is revealed in the story, and why that matters; by the end of…

1
Nasty, Brutish, and Short (Leviathan, Part 2) 29:41

8M ago29:41

29:41

In Part 2 of our discussion on Hobbes's Leviathan, editor David Johnston discusses his personal history with Hobbes and the Leviathan, common challenges first-time readers face, his favorite line from the book, his approach to teaching the work, the details of the book's famous engraved title page, and more. David Johnston teaches political philoso…

1
Milton A. Cohen on in our time 51:55

9M ago51:55

51:55

As One True Podcast winds down its ambitious year-long project of devoting an episode to each of the eighteen chapters in in our time, we visit with the man who wrote the book about the book, Milton A. Cohen. Cohen’s study of the Paris in our time, Hemingway’s Laboratory, is a keen guide through the sketches and analyzes Hemingway as a writer findi…

1
Artificial Kings (Leviathan, Part 1) 29:22

9M ago29:22

29:22

In Part 1 of our discussion on Thomas Hobbes's Leviathan, we welcome editor David Johnston to discuss Hobbes's life and the historical context of Leviathan, the book's central thesis and argument, and its controversial reception through time. David Johnston teaches political philosophy at Columbia University, where he has served as Nell and Herbert…

1
Robert W. Trogdon on the Early Years, Part 2 52:41

9M ago52:41

52:41

Robert W. Trogdon joins One True Podcast to share the treasures of the new Library of America volume he has edited: A Farewell to Arms and Other Writings, 1927-1932. We discuss Hemingway and his life during those magical, turbulent years, and also the great work he produced. From his second short story collection, Men Without Women to his second no…

1
Imps and Snatchers and Spirits, Oh My! (The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Part 2) 32:05

9M ago32:05

32:05

In Part 2 of our discussion on Robert Louis Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, editor Caroline Levine discusses the lasting cultural impact of the novella, common challenges to teaching it, some of additional short stories by Stevenson which she included in the Norton Library edition, and more. Caroline Levine is David and Kat…

1
in our time, chapter 14: "If it happened right down close in front of you" 41:52

10M ago41:52

41:52

Welcome to the fourteenth of our eighteen shows celebrating the centenary of the Paris edition of Hemingway’s book of vignettes, in our time. This episode continues Hemingway’s exploration of bullfighting and violence through a study of Nicanor Villalta. In two short paragraphs, Hemingway masterfully captures the movement of matador and bull, leadi…

1
in our time, chapter 13: "The crowd shouted all the time" 45:33

10M ago45:33

45:33

Welcome to the thirteenth of our eighteen shows celebrating the centenary of the Paris edition of Hemingway’s book of vignettes, in our time. This episode continues Hemingway’s exploration of bullfighting and violence. This chapter is the second of the five consecutive bullfighting sketches Hemingway placed towards the end of in our time. A raucous…

1
Who's the Real You? (The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Part 1) 32:59

10M ago32:59

32:59

In Part 1 of our discussion on Robert Louis Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, we welcome editor Caroline Levine to discuss Stevenson's biography; some of the novella's philosophical, scientific, and psychological themes; and how it fits in with other trends in late-nineteenth-century British literature. Caroline Levine is Dav…

1
One True Sentence #37 with Stewart O'Nan 39:34

10M ago39:34

39:34

Stewart O’Nan, the prolific author of West of Sunset and other works of fiction and non-fiction, shares his one true sentence from “The End of Something.”By Mark Cirino, Michael Von Cannon, and Stewart O'Nan

1
A Passion for Dead Leaves (Sense and Sensibility, Part 2) 34:19

10M ago34:19

34:19

In Part 2 of our discussion on Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility, editor Stephanie Insley Hershinow discusses her own history with Austen, common misconceptions about the novel, her favorite line in the novel, a Sense and Sensibility-inspired playlist, and more. Stephanie Insley Hershinow is an associate professor of English at Baruch College, CU…

1
Olivia Carr Edenfield on "Cross-Country Snow" 54:07

11M ago54:07

54:07

One True Podcast takes on another classic Hemingway short story as Olivia Carr Edenfield joins us to discuss “Cross-Country Snow,” the beloved Nick Adams story from In Our Time. Prof. Edenfield discusses how this skiing trip links Nick’s past with his future, how it fits as a crucial pivot in the story cycle, the Nick-George relationship, the myste…

1
The Last Eighteenth-Century Novel (Sense and Sensibility, Part 1) 33:10

11M ago33:10

33:10

In Part 1 of our discussion on Austen's Sense and Sensibility, we welcome editor Stephanie Insley Hershinow to discuss Austen's biography, including some misconceptions about her; the place of Sense and Sensibility in Austen's bibliography; the meaning of the novel's title in its context; and some of the work's major characters. Stephanie Insley He…

1
in our time, chapter 12: "They whack whacked the white horse" 50:27

11M ago50:27

50:27

Welcome to the twelfth of our eighteen shows celebrating the centenary of the Paris edition of Hemingway’s book of vignettes, in our time. In this episode, we discuss Hemingway's powerful depiction of a bullfighting scene between bull and horse. We start out with that famous "whack whacked" opening before turning to what might be an equally importa…

1
in our time, chapter 11: "In 1919 he was traveling on the railroads in Italy" 58:02

11M ago58:02

58:02

Welcome to the eleventh of our eighteen shows celebrating the centenary of the Paris edition of Hemingway’s book of vignettes, in our time. Listeners might be familiar with this vignette as the short story "The Revolutionist" from Hemingway's bigger collection In Our Time published in 1925. How does the vignette characterize the post-WWI communist …

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Mark Cirino And Michael Von Cannon Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Quick Reference Guide