The Best Classics to Read for the Summer Reading Challenge (Classics Week)

Summary

Podcast Episode Summary: "The Best Classics to Read for the Summer Reading Challenge (Classics Week)"

Podcast Information:

• Title: All Of It
• Host: Alison Stewart
• Producer: Jordan Loff
• Air Date: August 11, 2025
• Description: ALL OF IT is a show about culture and its consumers, aiming to engage thinkers, doers, makers, and creators in discussions about the what and why of their work. The show fosters a community where diverse perspectives contribute to the vibrant cultural tapestry of New York City.

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Introduction to Classics Week

[00:09] Alison Stewart: Alison Stewart kicks off the episode by announcing the culmination of the "All of It Summer Reading Challenge," emphasizing that there are still a few weeks left. To honor the classics category of the challenge, this week is designated as Classics Week. She teases upcoming segments, including:

• An exhibit on Jane Austen's life at the Morgan Library.
• Poet and professor Kaveh Akbar's analysis of Lolita.
• A.O. Scott's breakdown of how The Great Gatsby became the quintessential American novel.

Key Highlights:

• Engagement: Stewart invites listeners to participate by sharing their current readings and favorite classics.
• Community Building: Emphasis on the diverse opinions and experiences that enrich the show's discourse.

Guest Introduction: Jordan Loff

[00:51] Jordan Loff: Jordan Loff, the producer for both All of It and Get Lit, joins the discussion to recommend classic books for participants of the summer reading challenge.

Listener Participation:

• Invitation to Call: Stewart encourages listeners to call in with their current classic reads and recommendations using the provided WNYC contact numbers.
• Listener Feedback: Approximately 60 participants have completed the challenge, registering for prizes and sharing their readings.

Notable Quote: [01:32] Jordan Loff:
"Jen from Chatham, New Jersey, wrote in to say, 'Loved this challenge. The five strict categories with no wiggle room forced me to read books I may not have otherwise had the chance to explore.' And I love that."

Defining a Classic

[02:17] Alison Stewart: Stewart poses a critical question to Loff: "What do you think defines a classic?"

[02:19] Jordan Loff: Loff delves into the evolving nature of the literary canon, noting that traditionally, classics like Moby Dick and The Great Gatsby have been predominantly authored by white males. He highlights the importance of diversifying what is considered a classic, mentioning contemporary works like Colson Whitehead's The Underground Railroad as potential future classics.

Key Points:

• Inclusivity: Expanding the definition to include diverse voices and experiences.
• Author's Legacy: Suggests that a writer should be well-established to be considered a classic, citing Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale as an example.

Notable Quote: [02:28] Jordan Loff:
"I think it's really good that in recent years we've been sort of reinterpreting and updating what it means to be a classic work of literature."

Instant Classics and Recency Bias

[03:28] Alison Stewart: Stewart introduces a challenging concept: "What do you think about an instant classic?"

[03:35] Jordan Loff: Loff discusses the phenomenon of recency bias, using Barbara Kingsolver's Demon Copperhead as an example. While acknowledging its contemporary nature and potential to be viewed as a classic in the future, he cautions that not all recent works will stand the test of time.

Key Points:

• Staying Power: True classics possess enduring relevance and impact.
• Timeliness: Demon Copperhead is highlighted for its resonance with current societal issues.

Notable Quote: [04:14] Jordan Loff:
"I do think the best sort of classics have staying power and also have something to say about our moment."

Including Plays as Classics

[04:16] Alison Stewart: Stewart inquires if plays can be considered classics.

[04:16] Jordan Loff: Loff enthusiastically affirms that plays are indeed part of the classic literary canon. He mentions renowned plays such as Death of a Salesman, The Crucible, and A Raisin in the Sun. Additionally, he recommends Thornton Wilder's Our Town, praising its timeless relevance despite being a long-established work.

Notable Quote: [04:52] Alison Stewart:
"I think the play that we're gonna have on later this week reminded me of Our Town."

Listener Call-In: Stephanie from Manhattan

[08:22] Stephanie: Stephanie from Manhattan shares her read: The Great Man by Kyra Davis Laurie, a retelling of The Great Gatsby set among LA's black elite in post-World War II Los Angeles.

Key Points:

• Perspective Shift: Offers a fresh interpretation of a classic from a black perspective.
• Contextual Exploration: Highlights the social dynamics and tensions of the era.

Notable Quote: [08:22] Stephanie:
"It's a great reinterpretation of The Great Gatsby from a black perspective."

Anniversaries and Recommendations

[09:19] Jordan Loff: Loff mentions significant literary anniversaries, including the 100th anniversaries of both The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf. He recommends Michael Cunningham's The Hours as a modern spin-off of Mrs. Dalloway for interested readers.

Notable Quote: [09:19] Jordan Loff:
"It's the 100th anniversary of Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf. If you're interested, you could also try The Hours by Michael Cunningham."

Additional Listener Call-Ins and Recommendations

1. Stephanie from Bridgewater, NJ

   • Read: Bridge of St. Louis Rey
   • Comment: Appreciates the book's blend of freshness, thought-provoking themes, and humor.

2. Vincent from Old Bridge, NJ

   • Read: 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez
   • Comment: Describes it as a powerful exploration of identity and legacy, sparking curiosity through personal connections to the setting.

3. Joan from Riverside, Connecticut

   • Read: Hiroshima by John Hersey (Non-Fiction)
   • Comment: Argues convincingly for its inclusion as a classic due to its historical significance and enduring impact.

Notable Quote from Joan: [14:46] Joan:
"Hiroshima is the first account of the bombing of Hiroshima, and it's been around since 1946."

Loff's Response: [15:18] Jordan Loff:
"Absolutely counts. Works of nonfiction like Truman Capote's In Cold Blood also qualify as classics."

Further Book Recommendations by Jordan Loff

1. The Awakening by Kate Chopin

   • Description: Published in 1899, this novella is a proto-feminist text exploring the inner turmoil of a married woman torn between societal expectations and personal desires.
   • Highlight: Short length (~100 pages) making it accessible for participants with limited time.

2. Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton

   • User Recommendation: Susan from Astoria praises its tragic depth, while Kate from Bedford echoes her sentiments, highlighting its emotional and narrative richness.

3. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway

   • Description: Hemingway's first novel, lauded by Reynolds Price as potentially the greatest American novel, depicting post-World War I existentialism and the "Lost Generation."

4. No-No Boy by John Okada

   • Description: The sole novel by Okada, focusing on a Japanese American man returning from an internment camp during World War II, grappling with identity and belonging.

5. Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

   • Description: A monumental revenge and morality tale set in post-revolutionary France, praised for its intricate plot and rich historical context.
   • User Insight: Both Susan from Astoria and Kate from Bedford share their enthusiasm for this epic narrative.

6. The Iliad by Homer (Translated by Emily Wilson)

   • Recommendation: Emphasized for its modern translation, making the classic accessible and engaging for contemporary readers.

7. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott paired with March by Geraldine Brooks

   • Description: Brooks' March serves as a Pulitzer-winning companion to Little Women, offering a deeper look into the absent father during the Civil War.

Notable Quotes:

• [16:01] Jordan Loff:
  "If you're looking for something short that you could fit in, The Awakening is a real treat."

• [23:08] Jordan Loff:
  "If you've read Little Women, you could pair it with March by Geraldine Brooks."

Final Listener Call-Ins

1. Susan in Astoria:

   • Read: The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
   • Comment: Highlights the character Eugenie, who symbolizes dedication to art over societal expectations.

2. Kate in New Bedford, NY:

   • Read: Death in Venice (Novella)
   • Comment: Appreciates the new translation by Henry Helm and the insights provided by Michael Cunningham on translation.

Notable Quote: [24:15] Stephanie:
"Can Death in Venice count if it's a novella? Yes, absolutely."

Conclusion and Encouragement

[25:21] Jordan Loff: Loff wraps up by encouraging listeners to continue exploring a wide range of literary works, from novellas to extensive epics like The Count of Monte Cristo. He reiterates the invitation for listeners to share their readings and register for prizes at wnyc.org/summerreading.

[25:39] Alison Stewart: Stewart thanks the guests and listeners, reminding them of the transcript availability for further details and recommendations. She signs off until the next edition of All Of It.

Final Notable Quote: [24:18] Stephanie:
"The wizard of Oz passed many lands with many different characteristics, and it was so deliciously tragic."

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Overall Insights and Themes:

• Diversity in Classics: The episode emphasizes broadening the definition of classics to include diverse voices and narratives.
• Engagement and Community: Active listener participation enriches the conversation, fostering a sense of community among readers.
• Timeless Relevance: Recommended classics are those that offer enduring insights and resonate with contemporary societal issues.
• Accessibility: Recommendations cater to varying reading capacities, from short novellas to extensive epics, ensuring inclusivity.

This episode serves as a comprehensive guide for participants of the Summer Reading Challenge, offering a curated selection of classic literature that spans genres, eras, and perspectives. Through lively discussions and enthusiastic listener contributions, Alison Stewart and Jordan Loff celebrate the rich tapestry of classic works that continue to shape and reflect our culture.

Transcript

[Alison Stewart]

You're listening to all of IT on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. We are getting closer to the end of our all of It Summer Reading Challenge. But don't worry, there are still a few weeks left. In honor of the classics category of the challenge, we are declaring this week of the show Classics Week. Later this week, you'll learn more about Jane Austen's life through an exhibit at the Morgan Library. You'll hear poet and professor Kaveh Akbar's analysis of Lolita. And A.O. scott will break down how the Great Gatsby became the great American novel. But first, I'm joined by Olivet and get lit producer Jordan Loff, who will recommend some classics for those of you who are still looking to finish your summer reading challenge. Hi, Jordan.

[Jordan Loff]

Hello, listeners.

[Alison Stewart]

We want to hear from you. What classic are you reading as part of the summer reading challenge? What is a classic that you really love? We want to hear your classic recommendations. Give us a call, 2124-3396-9221-2433. WNYC. So as people are making their way to the phone to call us, I have heard there are people who have actually already finished the challenge.

[Jordan Loff]

There are, there are about 60 or so of you have already written in to say that you finished and registered for your prize. So thank you for doing that. Part of registering for your prize also is telling me what you read. And that's one of my favorite parts of the challenge is getting.

[Stephanie]

Yeah.

[Jordan Loff]

To go through and see what everyone's reading right now. About a fourth of the people who have finished all read the Great Gatsby for their classics. So that's fun. And I just wanted to read this little quote from someone who finished. This is from Jen from Chatham, New Jersey, who wrote in to say loved this challenge. The five strict categories with no wiggle room forced me to read books I may not have otherwise had the chance to explore. And I love that. Cause that's the whole point of the challenge, is to help you maybe get outside your comfort zone a little bit. And Jen, for the record, for those looking for classic inspiration, read the Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson for her classic. So if you are listening and you're like, I've already finished, you can head to wnyc.org summerreading that's where you tell us what you read and register for your prize.

[Alison Stewart]

So what do you think defines a classic?

[Jordan Loff]

It's interesting. So like when I was thinking about this, I was thinking about how in my English class in high school I was actually taught the Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead, which is obviously a contemporary book, but I think a work of fiction that will be considered a classic soon. And so it's an interesting delineation between what is considered canon. So obviously there's, you know, Moby Dick is an American classic, the Great Gatsby is a classic, but those things tend to often be skewed. Heavily male, heavily white male. So I think it's really good that in recent years we've been sort of reinterpreting and updating what it means to be a classic work of literature. And I think there are a lot of people who are hopefully getting, you know, entering the canon for the first time, or even contemporary writers who are making their contributions to what will be considered a classic in the future. I do think the writer should be pretty established in order for it to count as a classic. For example, I would definitely take an argument that the Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood is a classic. She's still alive, but is, you know, definitely a very established writer. So I think that's one thing is just if it's someone who's been around for a while, even if they're still living.

[Alison Stewart]

What do you think about. I'm throwing you a curve ball here. What do you think about an instant classic?

[Jordan Loff]

It's so hard because so much is recency bias. Like I think about Barbara Kingsolver's demon Copperhead, which I remember.

[Alison Stewart]

That's a classic though, right? Already?

[Jordan Loff]

Although it's only been two years. It sort of is. But will we still think of it as a classic in 20 years time? Yes, I think so. Okay. Allison's putting her foot down to say yes, but I. Yeah, I do think we have to be careful of recency bias because I do think there are some books that hit really hard in the moment. And then 10 years later you might think, eh, I sort of forgot about that one. I think the best sort of classics have staying power and also have something to say about our moment, which I do think Demon Copperhead does.

[Alison Stewart]

Can plays count in this category?

[Jordan Loff]

Plays can absolutely count in this category. And I wanted to shout it out because I did see a couple of people who finished the challenge read plays in this category. And I think that's so great. Especially if you're short on time. You're thinking, oh, my gosh, there's no. I'm gonna finish. Try a play. There are so many great ones in the canon. There's obviously Death of a Salesman, the Crucible, a Raisin in the Sun. All things I've seen people read in this category all count. I also wanted to recommend Our Town by Thornton Wilder. I saw the recent Broadway production of it, and I hadn't read the play in a really long time, but I was reminded of just how fresh and timely and vital that play still feels even. Even in 2025.

[Alison Stewart]

I think the play that we're gonna have on later this week reminded me of Our Town.

[Jordan Loff]

Yes. That play is called well, I'll Let yout Go, and we'll talk about it on Thursday. But it's a new play and it definitely has remnants of that.

[Alison Stewart]

We want to know, what classic are you reading? What are you reading? For our summer challenge? Our Phone number is 2124-3396-9221-2433, WNYC. You can call in and have a conversation with me and Jordan, or you can text us if you prefer to do that. 212-433-969-2212, wnyc. This is actually the hardest one out of the group for us because we've read all. We've read all the books.

[Jordan Loff]

I know, I know.

[Alison Stewart]

So all the. All the other ch. All the other categories we filled in, I filled them all in. What to read for a classic. What are you reading?

[Jordan Loff]

So I actually just finished east of Eden by John Steinbeck. I just finished this weekend, and I have to admit, dear listeners, I hated the Grapes of Wrath. It is like the one book in my education that I just. I didn't finish it. I couldn't get through it. Maybe it was the age I read it in high school. I was so bored, but so many people in my life said, well, you have to read east of Eden. It's a masterpiece. It's amazing. And I was like, ah. But Grapes of Wrath was so boring. The east of Eden, I loved it. I can't recommend it enough. It is long. It's like 600 pages. But the plot is propulsive. And beyond the plot, there are passages in that book that I'll think about for a long time. There was this one passage about how some people read a book and just come clean out the other side of the COVID and other people emerge with the ink and the words all over them. And that's just gonna change the way I think about reading. It's a family saga. It's a western. It's set in California. It's a retelling of the Book of Genesis, which I'm not very versed in. Biblical things. But if you are, you'll find a lot of really interesting allusions in there. I just thought it was. It was excellent and I'm glad I picked it up.

[Alison Stewart]

I'm reading Lolita.

[Jordan Loff]

Oh, yes. Well, that's a big anniversary this year. How are you feeling about it so far? Cause I'm about 50 pages in and I'm like, ooh, eh, eh, it is.

[Alison Stewart]

Except you realize that the narrator is. He's not trustworthy.

[Jordan Loff]

Yes.

[Alison Stewart]

And that's what's so exciting to read.

[Jordan Loff]

In a weird way, I was number one getting that sense to begin with. But I just read a passage where he described himself as an exceptionally handsome man. And so I said to myself, well, we can't trust the thing this guy is saying. If you describe yourself as an exceptionally handsome man, like 20 pages in, I don't trust the thing you have to say after that.

[Alison Stewart]

And we'll hear about that as well this week.

[Jordan Loff]

Yes, with Kaveh Akbar. Very exciting.

[Alison Stewart]

What did you read last year?

[Jordan Loff]

Last year I read the Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison. That was another classic that had been on my list for a while that I just hadn't gotten around to. Certainly it's a depressing story. It's sort of about the abuse, racism and misogyny that one young black woman faces in a Midwestern town. But it's very much also an exploration of. Of how systemic racism created the conditions that led this girl to face all these hardships and especially abuse from her own father. And you get his backstory and why he's become such a miserable person. It's, you know, like all of Morrison's work. Beautiful, poetic, moving, and pretty short. If you're looking for something to finish in the last couple weeks, I think it's about 200 pages or so.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's talk to Stephanie from Manhattan. Hi, Stephanie. Thank you for making the time to call. All of it.

[Stephanie]

Yes, you're very welcome. I am calling about a book called the Great Man. It is a retelling of the Great Gatsby and It's set amongst LA's black elite in post World War II Los Angeles. I'm reading a very brief description. LA's black elite, a young veteran, finds his way post war, pulled into a new world of tantalizing possibilities and explosive tensions. The book is written by Kyra Davis Laurie. She is also the author of the Sophie Katz books and it's a great reinterpretation of the Great Gatsby from a black perspective.

[Alison Stewart]

Thank you so much for that call. Which brings me into the idea of anniversaries that are being celebrated this year. Including the Great Gatsby.

[Jordan Loff]

Exactly. Yes. So I've said it a couple times, but I'll remind everyone one more time that it is the 100th anniversary of the Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Like I said, so many of you have decided to read it. At least the people who have finished. I think that's great. It's also the 100th anniversary of Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf. I have to admit that is a book I also haven't read. But it is the 100th anniversary of that as well. And if you're looking for book about or set in New York and you read Mrs. Dalloway and are interested, you could also try the Hours by Michael Cunningham. Beautiful book. Very much a spin off of Mrs. Dalloway.

[Alison Stewart]

This says, I was happy to hear the Our Town shout out because I read Bridge of St. Louis Rey for my classic. Still fresh, thought provoking, and a little bit funny. This one says I finished five books in the summer reading Challenge, so I'm going for 10.

[Jordan Loff]

Whoa. Okay. You don't get an extra prize for going for 10, but you do get my admiration.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's talk to Vincent from Old Bridge, New Jersey. Hey, Vincent, thanks for calling, all of it.

[Stephanie]

Hi. Thank you very much. Allison, I'm.

[Alison Stewart]

Oh. Oh.

[Jordan Loff]

Oh, you're breaking up.

[Alison Stewart]

Oh, Vincent, you're breaking up. Hold on. Get yourself in one place and talk. Ready? Go.

[Stephanie]

Yeah, I can hear you fine. Let me know if it's fine. Okay.

[Alison Stewart]

There you go. Stay. Stay put.

[Stephanie]

All right, we'll do it. I'm reading 100 Years of Solitude. You know what's funny is my. I got the idea from another book I read for the challenge. Nice. And I remember with a book trying to finish 100 Years of Solitude for a while, so Salon's gonna get me to.

[Alison Stewart]

We got your idea. You're reading One Hundred Years of Solitude. We really appreciate it. Your phone kind of jumped out on us there. Hey, tomorrow we're gonna talk about the 250th birthday of Jane Austen. What are we gonna hear?

[Jordan Loff]

Yeah, so I'm sure we will talk about Pride and Prejudice, the classic. Sure. We'll talk about Sense and Sensibility. But for people who have read a lot of Jane Austen already, I wanted to recommend Persuasion. I believe it was published posthumously, so I think it's one of her last novels that she wrote, and it's about a 27 year old unmarried woman. The horror, Allison.

[Alison Stewart]

The horror.

[Jordan Loff]

The absolute horror. So she's basically a spinster. You know, she has nothing going for her. But she reunites with her former fiance, Captain Wentworth, and turns out that they are both still single. But why did their engagement end to begin with? Are they going to get back together? Might he help her down a wall that was very hard for her to climb? She might stumble and he'll catch her fall. You know how Austen's books go. But it was a really good one and I enjoyed reading that one alongside the classics. So that's one I would recommend.

[Alison Stewart]

Give us a call. Tell us what classic you are reading this summer as part of our summer reading Challenge. Our phone number is 2124-3396-9221-2433. WNYC. After the break, all of it producer Jordan Loss will be back with some more of her recommendations. You are listening to All OF IT on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. My guest is all of it and Get lit producer Jordan Loff. We are talking about the summer reading challenge and listening to her recommendations of what classics you might want to pick up. And we are taking your recommendations as well. What is a great classic? What classics are you reading as part of our summer Reading Challenge? Give us a call. 2124-3396-9221-2433. WNYC this text says for the classics I read Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton. It's just so deliciously tragic.

[Jordan Loff]

That could describe just about any Edith Wharton book. I think they're all pretty dang sad.

[Alison Stewart]

All right, let's talk about some of your recommendations for people who don't know what to pick up. You what we recommend from Octavia Butler.

[Jordan Loff]

Yeah, so I know some people can be very wary of sci fi and might think of Octavia Butler as completely a sci fi writer. She was. But she also has this great work of historical fiction. I guess it has a tiny sci fi element in that there's time travel. But this is kindred. It is about a woman named Dana who is a black woman in the 70s who's in an interracial relationship and finds herself drawn mysteriously back into the past, into this southern plantation and gets entangled in some things going on there. And there's a mystery going on. Art, does she have roots in this place? Where? Why does she keep being drawn back to this family? And is her life in danger? Spoiler alert. It certainly is. So I found this to be a really compelling book. Sci fi isn't always my thing. So this is the butler I Started with and I thought it was great.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's talk to Joan from Riverside, Connecticut. Hey, Joan, thanks for calling, all of it. What's on your list?

[Stephanie]

And thank you for taking my call. I've already read Hiroshima, my classic, and it's a non fiction. I recommend it. It is the 80th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima, and I'm hoping it counts, even though it's nonfiction, as a classic, because everything you've spoken of has been fiction. So will this. I've already sent in my. I've already finished my five Things and sent it in. So will this count.

[Alison Stewart]

Make it. Make a case for it being a classic?

[Stephanie]

Well, it was written in 1946, first for the New York Times, New Yorker magazine, and it is the first account of the bombing of Hiroshima. He interviewed survivors and then followed up a few years later in terms of what happened to them. I think it's a classic because it's been around since 1946.

[Alison Stewart]

I think you win. I think you win.

[Jordan Loff]

Yeah, Joan, I'll absolutely accept that. And I'll say, you know, my list is mostly fiction, just because when I think of classics, I do tend to think of literature. But absolutely. Something like Truman Capote's In Cold Blood, nonfiction, that's a classic, absolutely counts. I would even, you know, there are some of you who are a little ambitious and are reading the Power Broker. I would say that we can count the Power Broker as a classic as well. So there are certainly works of nonfiction that have made it into the classics canon as well. I just think that they're a little few and far between. But, Joan, I'll absolutely count that for you. So no need to go for another book there.

[Alison Stewart]

Good on you, Joan. All right. You're talking about some more classics that we might want to consider. The Awakening by Kate Chopin.

[Jordan Loff]

Yes. So this book was published in 1899, right at the turn of the century. It's a kind of a spicy little book for its time, and it's very short. So again, if you're looking for. I was thinking about you guys, like, you've got a couple weeks left here. Something short that you could fit in. It's about a married wife and mother named Edna who falls in love with a guy she meets on vacation. So relatable story to some people who, you know, have a little vacation fling. But then she has to decide whether, you know, this is the late 1800s. Is she gonna go back to her. Her life as a wife and a mother and sort of fulfill her duties, or is she going to follow her heart and upend her life. For this guy she met over the course of a couple weeks. It's considered a kind of like proto feminist text in a way. It is talking about the things we have to juggle as women. And especially as I think at the turn of the century, people were starting to think about maybe a more modern womanhood. And this is sort of like the first sort of glimpse you get of that. So it's a really interesting little time capsule.

[Alison Stewart]

It's wild. We have two calls back to back, and they've both read the same book.

[Jordan Loff]

Ooh.

[Alison Stewart]

So let's take them both. Let's first talk to Susan in Astoria. Susan, what did you read?

[Stephanie]

Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. And. Okay, and what I said was just a huge surprise to me was because it's known as a revenge novel and about a man. But there's a character in there, Eugenie, who is just. Is. All she wants to do is play music. She makes music, she composes. And she has a girlfriend who's also interested in that. And her parents wanted. He wanted. Wanting to get married to some guy with money she could care less about. And she says she's not interested in that. She's. She. She's. Nobody's loved her. She loves art. She's sticking with art, and she's married to art.

[Alison Stewart]

Love that.

[Stephanie]

I thought, wow, how about that? Otherwise, it's a great commentary on. On money. And Donald Trump would fit nicely as a character in there.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's hear from Kate in New Bed in Bedford, New York, who also read the Count of Monte Cristo back to back. What did you like about it, Kate?

[Stephanie]

Oh, it's 1500 pages long, and I loved every single minute of reading that book. It's a wonderful tale. You learn a lot about France during the revolution before and during. And what was actually going on in kind of a personal level, which is really interesting, and how people lived. And I had been to Marseille in the spring, and the island where he was imprisoned, the count is called, well, Chateau d'. If. And you can actually. Well, it's not there anymore, but you can see the island where it was. And, you know, that was just enough to spark my curiosity about reading that. But it is a revenge tale, but it's also a morality tale. It's also. I think it was serialized in a newspaper, and I'm sure people couldn't wait to get the next installment, kind of like elder Netflix series kind of thing. But I just loved it, and I would highly recommend it if you have the time.

[Alison Stewart]

Thank you for calling in this said, I read the wizard of Oz. Dorothy had so many more adventures than in the movie that I had no idea about. They passed many lands with many different characteristics. Also interesting fleshing out the Lion, Scarecrow and Tin Man. And to back up Hiroshima as a classic, I've taught it many.

[Jordan Loff]

Oh, all right. Well, there you go. Gavel, gavel. It counts.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's talk to Chris from Manhattan. Hey, Chris, thanks for calling, all of it.

[Stephanie]

Hey. Hello. The recommendation I made, and I have to give you some backup reason on it, is the Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway. It was his first novel, and I always remembered loving the book. But like 30 years later, on the Charlie Rose show, they had on the novelist for Reynolds Price, who's also a teacher of literature at Duke University. And Charlie Rose asked him what did he think was the greatest American novel? And he said, he prompted him by saying, do you think it's Hemingway? Excuse me? Do you think it's Faulkner? He goes, no. And he's a Southerner. He goes, no, that's not Faulkner. He paused and he said, the Sun Also Rises might very well be it. And because it changed literature, that style that Hemingway brought to it, and it's all. It's also, it's the. It's after World War I and the slaughter and, you know, the bloodshed, and these were survivors, and they just lost all the eternal verities of life, you know, politics, Christianity. And they found a new way to live. And it's very much like the way we live today, but you have to find the truth in that way of living. Thank you. I could not hardly recommend the book more than that.

[Alison Stewart]

Thank you so much. We really appreciate you calling in. Okay, Jordan, which do you want to go to? Do you want to go to film adaptations? Do you want to go to. What do you want?

[Jordan Loff]

Let's do. Let me recommend one more that I think is a little more off the radar for some people. And this is no no Boy by John Okada. I read this in college, actually. I was sad to learn when I was re researching. It's his only novel. It's the only book he ever wrote, but it's about a man returning home to Seattle after a period spent in an internment camp during World War II. A Japanese American man. And it's about him trying to refind his place on the West Coast. Am I considered an American now? Am I considered a foreign citizen? How do I fit back in? And I think sort of like I was saying earlier, I think a Lot of what defines a classic also, and to what this caller just said is also being a time capsule of a period, of a moment in time. You know, that Hemingway book is so much about World War I. This book is so much about World War II and the legacy of internment. So I think it's really worth reading if you want to explore that period of time through literature.

[Alison Stewart]

We got a text that said, now reading the Iliad again, this time in Emily Wilson's fine translation. This is not your only chance to read Emily Wilson's good translation.

[Jordan Loff]

No. So, yeah, if you're excited about the Odyssey, which seems to be starring half of Hollywood, but is the adaptation from Christopher Nolan starring Matt Damon as Odysseus. Emily Wilson, who did just have that great translation of the Iliad that people really love, also has a translation of The Odyssey from 2018, from what I understand. I haven't read it her translation myself. I've read the Odyssey before, but people really like her translation for its readability and being able to capture the poeticism without sacrificing on the plot and making it too bogged down in very literal translations. So people seem to really love her translations of both the Iliad and the Odyssey. So. So if you're trying to gear up and be an expert for the movie, you can try out her 2018 translation.

[Alison Stewart]

One of the things that I think is really interesting is you recommending a book based on someone like recommending an already. Who's already read a classic. Like, if you've read Little Women.

[Jordan Loff]

Yes.

[Alison Stewart]

Then you might like what?

[Jordan Loff]

Yes. So this is one of my favorite things to do. If you read Little Women, you could pair it with March by Geraldine Brooks. This novel won the Pulitzer Prize in 2006. It is a novel about the March father who's fighting the Civil War. We forget about him. There's a whole father character in the book who's barely there because, like I said, he's in the Civil War. So what author Geraldine Brooks does is imagine, well, what was he doing while his children are back at home and writes a whole little novel about his experience. That's another really short one if you're looking for something to read quickly. Yeah, I think a lot of people are thinking about these pairings. Like, I seen a couple people say that they read James and the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. James, the Percival Everett retelling of that story. So it's fun to find these sort of modern retellings of a story you already know pretty well.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's get one more call in here. Kate calling in from Manhattan. Kate, what are you reading?

[Stephanie]

Well, I thank you so much for this summer reading challenge. Loved it. It was so much fun. And I read the novella Death in Venice. Does that count if it's a novella?

[Alison Stewart]

Sure.

[Jordan Loff]

Yes, absolutely.

[Stephanie]

And was thrilled because I really appreciated Michael Cunningham's introduction to the translation by Henry. This is a new translation by Henry Helm. And so I learned a lot just by listening to. Yeah, I listened to it, but. And also Michael Cunningham describing, you know, the art of translation and what is reading and what is writing and how do words, you know, words.

[Alison Stewart]

You know what? I'm gonna stop you there. Thank you so much for calling, Kate. We're about to run out of time. Anything else you wanted to recommend before we go?

[Jordan Loff]

Oh, I think. I think that was pretty good, you guys. I just want to encourage all of you. I love to hear people who are reading novellas. I love to hear people who are reading 15,000 page or, sorry, 1500 page. 15,000. That's crazy. But like, Count of Monte Cristo, that's amazing. Good on you guys. Happy, happy reading. And if you have finished once again, you can go to wnyc.org summerreading tell me what you read and register to get your prize.

[Alison Stewart]

And don't forget, this will be upped via transcript. So if you wanted to get any of those recommendations, you can hear them, you can read about them there. I'm Alison Stewart. I appreciate you listening and I appreciate you. I'll meet you back here for another edition of all of it.

[Jordan Loff]

Morning.

[Stephanie]

One sausage McMuffin with egg, please.

[Alison Stewart]

Okay, your total is.

[Stephanie]

Wait.

[Jordan Loff]

Let's negotiate. How's about you throw in hash browns for a dollar? Well, yes, sir, that price is already a dollar.

[Stephanie]

Take it or leave it.

[Jordan Loff]

Take it, I guess.

[Stephanie]

Buy one, add one for a dollar on sausage McMuffin with egg, hash browns.

[Jordan Loff]

And more with McValue. Most locations open 5am or earlier. Price and participation may vary. Limited time only. Valid for item of equal or lesser value. Ba da ba ba ba.

[Alison Stewart]

I'm Ira Flato, host of Science Friday. For over 30 years, our team has been reporting high quality news about science, technology and medicine.

[Jordan Loff]

News you won't get anywhere else.

[Alison Stewart]

And now that political news is 24 7, our audience is turning to us to know about the really important stuff in their lives. Cancer, climate change, genetic engineering, childhood diseases. Our sponsors know the value of science and health news. For more sponsorship information, visit sponsorship wnyc. Org.