The Literary Life Podcast – Episode 256: Our Literary Lives of 2024
Hosts: Angelina Stanford, Thomas Banks
Guest: Cindy Rollins
Release Date: December 24, 2024
Introduction and Welcome
In the festive season episode of The Literary Life Podcast, hosts Angelina Stanford and Thomas Banks warmly welcome back longtime listener and lifelong reader, Cindy Rollins. After a sabbatical dedicated to family and personal projects, Cindy rejoins the conversation to delve into the literary journeys of 2024.
Guest Update: Cindy's Activities [02:16 - 04:14]
Cindy shares her enriching year spent with her expanding family. Expecting twins by the end of the year, she has been actively involved in nurturing her grandchildren's literary interests. Cindy highlights her passion for integrating classic literature into family life, mentioning moments like teaching her grandchildren Christina Rossetti’s poem “What Can I Give Him, Poor as I Am.”
Christmas Promotions and Podcast Adjustments [04:14 - 15:59]
The hosts discuss their ongoing projects and special holiday offerings:
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Cindy’s Initiatives: Launching a third Patreon tier offering narration clubs via Zoom for different age groups, fostering a supportive environment for young readers to share and develop their narration skills.
Cindy Rollins [05:09]: “Having someone else to narrate to rather than just a parent holds them accountable and enriches their reading experience.”
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Angelina & Thomas’s Offerings: Promotional discounts on House of Humane Letters’ offerings, including fairy tale classes, Harry Potter explorations, and Shakespeare webinars until December 31st. They tease upcoming live sessions, such as Thomas’s exploration of Darth Vader’s tragedy in their related classes.
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Podcast Content Shift: Acknowledging the hectic holiday season, the hosts emphasize a lighter, more relaxed episode format to accommodate listeners' busy schedules, avoiding the heavy literary dives of previous December episodes.
Sharing Commonplace Quotes [10:40 - 16:00]
The trio shares meaningful quotes that have influenced their literary reflections:
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Thomas Banks [10:40]: Reflects on Charles de Gaulle’s humorous take on French cheese varieties, underscoring the subtle divisions within a country.
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Cindy Rollins [12:03]: Highlights Russ Ramsey’s insightful exploration of the sublime, stating, “This response of pain joined to passion, this holy discontent joined to astonishment is the power of the sublime.”
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Angelina Stanford [15:59]: Presents a poignant excerpt from Jason Baxter’s Why Literature Still Matters, emphasizing literature’s role in enriching the soul:
“When we read with a sense of urgency... we hunger to eat what Dante called the bread of angels.”
Summarizing Our Literary Lives of 2024 [17:32 - 31:29]
Each participant offers a personal overview of their reading habits and significant literary engagements throughout the year:
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Cindy Rollins: Focused on biographical works and classics, she revisited Tolstoy’s War and Peace with her grandchildren, fostering a shared literary experience.
Cindy Rollins [03:03]: “I just want to wake up every morning with Pierre and Natasha and the little children and just live their lives with them.”
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Thomas Banks: Engaged in extensive rereading, particularly of Victorian Britain and Latin classics, finding comfort in familiar narratives amidst global chaos.
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Angelina Stanford: Shifted from a high-volume reading goal to a more mindful approach, reducing information overload by intermittently stepping away from audiobooks to reconnect with deep, meaningful reading experiences.
Highlights of 2024 Reading [31:30 - 43:32]
The conversation moves to notable books and enriching reads each have encountered:
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Thomas Banks:
- Victorian Britain by Esme Wingfield Stratford: Delving into the intricacies of Victorian society.
- Queen Victoria (unnamed author): A favorable take on the monarch’s life.
- Classical literature: Rereading Ovid’s Poems in Exile and Horace’s odes.
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Cindy Rollins:
- The Spirit of Early Christian Thought by Robert L. Wilkin: An expansive overview of church history.
- The Life of the World by Alexander Schumann: A transformative read recommended for its profound impact.
- My India by Jim Corbett: A long-held favorite finally explored, enriching her narrative classes with vivid storytelling.
- Non-fiction gems like Prisoners of Geography and Remaking the World, 1776 by Rebecca Frazier.
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Angelina Stanford:
- Deep dives into the Harry Potter series and literary alchemy using Mircea Eliade’s works.
- Dorothy Sayers’ mysteries, notably Murder Must Advertise, praising their enduring quality.
- Classic plays like Molière’s Tartuffe and modern critiques such as Howard Zinn’s works.
Lowlights of 2024 Reading [43:12 - 55:00]
Not all literary ventures were triumphs, as the hosts candidly discuss books that didn’t resonate:
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Thomas Banks:
- A contemporary Christian living book (unnamed) that failed to inspire.
- A critical monograph on Jane Austen, which presented Austen’s works as fundamentally flawed.
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Angelina Stanford:
- The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontë: Initially captivating, the latter part became overly didactic, detracting from its earlier suspense and engagement.
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Cindy Rollins:
- My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante: Despite its popularity, Cindy found it disappointing.
- Louise Penny’s Armand Gamache series: Despite enjoying the TV adaptation, the novels didn’t hold her interest.
Reflections on Technology and Attention [55:04 - 68:38]
A profound discussion emerges around the impact of modern technology on focus and mental health, spurred by their readings of Stolen Focus by Johann Hari and Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt:
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Cindy Rollins:
[59:16] “If you were a bad guy, what would you do to steal this powerful tool that everybody has – their attention.” -
Angelina Stanford: Explores how pervasive device usage has disrupted attention spans and interpersonal relationships. She emphasizes the importance of detoxing from digital distractions to reclaim genuine human connection and focus.
[60:48] “When you give a child all this digital access, when their brain is still forming, the phone will shape their brain.”
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Thomas Banks: Shares insights on historical figures’ disciplined reading habits, contrasting them with today’s digital-induced scattered attention, advocating for a return to deliberate and focused literary engagement.
Plans for 2025 Reading [70:13 - 81:55]
Looking ahead, the hosts outline their literary aspirations for the upcoming year:
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Angelina Stanford:
- Tackling more Dickens novels, including Bleak House and Pickwick Papers.
- Exploring Shakespeare’s works, guided by Patreon member votes.
- Continuing research on literary alchemy and alchemical texts.
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Thomas Banks:
- Diving deeper into Victorian literature and completing a new monograph.
- Exploring essays by Northrup Frye and engaging with classic works like Vanity Fair by William Thackeray.
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Cindy Rollins:
- Completing The Warden and embarking on Moby Dick as a significant literary challenge.
- Experimenting with reading strategies to overcome intimidation towards lengthy classics.
Closing Thoughts
As the episode draws to a close, the hosts encourage listeners to engage with their literary communities through Patreon and their respective websites. They express gratitude towards Cindy for her insightful contributions and reflect on the collective journey of maintaining a vibrant literary life amidst modern distractions.
Notable Quote from Thomas Banks [85:31]:
“There is no frigate like a book by Emily Dickinson. There is no frigate like a book to take us lands away... How frugal is the chariot that bears the human soul.”
Recommendations from Episode 256:
- Van Gogh Has a Broken Heart by Russ Ramsey
- Why Literature Still Matters by Jason Baxter
- Stolen Focus by Johann Hari
- Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
- My India by Jim Corbett
- Armand Gamache series by Louise Penny
- The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontë
- Bleak House by Charles Dickens
- Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens
- Murder Must Advertise by Dorothy Sayers
- Tartuffe by Molière
Upcoming Projects:
- New narration clubs for young readers through Cindy’s Patreon.
- Why Literature Still Matters pre-orders via Cassiodorus Press.
- 2025 reading schedules and best-of episodes slated for early next year.
Stay Connected:
- Cindy Rollins: morningtimeformoms.com
- Angelina & Thomas: HouseOfHumaneLetters.com
- Patreon: patreon.com/theliterarylife
- Facebook Group: Engage with fellow listeners and participate in discussions.
Happy Reading and Merry Christmas from The Literary Life Podcast!