The Great Books of Literature Podcast

I never write reviews but I couldn’t help but write one for this podcast. I started with Karamazov and haven’t been able to stop listening since. I think I’ve finally found two people who share my enthusiasm for literature! Their genuine love for the authors and their ideas is such a breath of fresh air, and they are super insightful too. The best part is the way they interact - like brothers from another mother! They are so authentic and honest with each other! I can only imagine that Dostoyevsky, Dickens, Conrad, Brontë, Austen, etc. wrote their novels just dreaming that someone in the world would read them with the kind of passion these two men share for good books.

My only criticism is the talking over one another at times which interrupted the flow and leaves me rewinding to try and decipher what was said. I do love how enthusiastic and familiar they are with the books and how they bring the story to life.

No academic jargon here. Just what I as a reader want: what makes this book stand out, it’s strengths and weaknesses in clear, concrete terms; relevant biographical and historical background.

I really appreciate these men and their ability to define and articulate the underlying questions within the great books. At times it can seem like there is tension between the hosts but I am willing to keep my nose out of their interpersonal relationships and just enjoy as they share their thoughts. The Brothers Karamazov episode was excellent and I loved getting to learn more about the history of the time and other fun tidbits (like Stalin being a fan... what was that about?). Keep up the good work guys!

I was really enjoying this podcast in many of the episodes leading up to the Heart of Darkness episode, despite the common and annoying interruptions, but this episode made me want to stop listening. It really felt that the speakers were dismissive of the criticism of Heart of Darkness as a racist book, and they oftentimes repeated false claims that the book mentioned certain topics, such as Conrad condemning the violence against the Congolese, which never happens. Their dismissal of Chinua Achebe’s valid criticism was also insulting since he is a profound and well respected author, especially considering his background on the topic at hand. This episode specifically felt like Eurocentrism was in full swing, and that the speakers completely missed the point that Conrad’s book is flawed because it mythologizes the fall from grace that the white European experiences when venturing into that dark continent. Yes, Heart of Darkness is an important book even in today’s progressive atmosphere, but that does not exclude it from being a deeply racist book. All you really need to hear to be convinced of this view is when one of the speakers claims that “Britain was one of the kindest colonizers.” Enough said.

If you were expecting a decent analysis of this literary masterpiece, you would be disappointed. This episode consists of two guys who cannot wait for the other guy to finish his sentence so he can interject his own. It was irritating to listen to all the cross talks and interruptions. If you have read the book and reflected on its themes, this podcast will not break new grounds for you. If you have not read the book, read it on your own rather than waste time on this podcast.