Lost Ladies of Lit

Send us a textDark and disturbing, yet strangely redemptive, Djuna Barnes’s 1936 modernist masterpiece Nightwood left even its greatest champion, T.S. Eliot, a bit bewildered. Guest Margaret Vandenburg, an expert in modernism, post-modernism and gender studies, joins us to illuminate Barnes’s tumultuous life and help us decipher her "ultimate breakup novel,” a work that casts its spell by turning the world upside down in subversive defiance of fascism.Mentioned in this episode:Nightwood by Djuna BarnesCraze by Margaret VandenburgAn American in Paris by Margaret VandenburgDjuna: The Extraordinary Life of Djuna Barnes by Jon MacyThe Life and Work of Djuna Barnes by Phillip HerringNew York by Djuna Barnes (collected journalism)The Book of Repulsive Women and Other Poems by Djuna BarnesLadies Almanac by Djuna Barnes“The Antiphon” by Djuna BarnesLost Ladies of Lit Episode No. 266 on Radclyffe HallZadel BarnesBarnes’s 1922 Support the showFor episodes and show notes, visit: LostLadiesofLit.comSubscribe to our substack newsletter. Follow us on instagram @lostladiesoflit. Email us: Contact — Lost Ladies of Lit Podcast

Send us a textLikened to a fresh Yorkshire breeze, Malachi Whitaker’s year-in-the-life memoir And So Did I, published in 1939, is a quirky spirit-quest juxtaposing wry humor and contemplative observations amidst the impending threat of global conflict. Valerie Waterhouse, a PhD researcher and executor of Whitaker’s literary estate, joins us to discuss the author’s life and work, as well as her own quest to keep Whitaker’s legacy alive, including securing a commemorative blue plaque for her birthplace and writing a forthcoming biography.Mentioned in this episode:And So Did I by Malachi WhitakerThe Journey Home and Other Stories by Malachi WhitkerThe Oxford Book of English Short Stories edited by A.S. Byatt“Landlord of the Crystal Fountain” by Malachi WhitakerA Room of One’s Own by Virginia WoolfStevie SmithElizabeth BowenKathleen RaineGay Taylor“What I Believe” by E.M. Forster“Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Samuel Taylor ColeridgeLost Ladies of Lit Episode No. 3 on E.M. DelafieldLost Ladies of Lit Episode No. 166 on Alba de CéspedesSupport the showFor episodes and show notes, visit: LostLadiesofLit.comSubscribe to our substack newsletter. Follow us on instagram @lostladiesoflit. Email us: Contact — Lost Ladies of Lit Podcast

Send us a textIn this special episode, Kim and Amy recount their recent visit to The Sitting Room, a unique library and literary salon in Sonoma, CA, dedicated to women's literature. Trip highlights included a stay at a Julia-Morgan-designed architectural gem in Berkeley, a private tour of Jack London State Park, and a fascinating tour of The Sitting Room’s extensive collection of books and artifacts. Listeners will also hear snippets from an engaging evening with library co-founder J.J. Wilson, making this episode a heartfelt homage to the preservation and celebration of books by women writers.Mentioned in this episode:Julia MorganThe Berkeley City ClubLitquakeJack London State ParkLost Ladies of Lit Episode No. 27 on Charmian Kittredge LondonCharmian Kittredge London: Trailblazer, Author, Adventurer by Iris Jamahl DunkleThe Sitting RoomJ.J. WilsonLost Ladies of Lit Episode No. 187 on Kay BoyleLost Ladies of Lit Episode No. 162 on Meridel Le SeuerLost Ladies of Lit Episode No. 264 on Jessica MitfordLost Ladies of Lit Episode No. 140 on Zora Neale HurstonLyndall GordonA Luminous Halo: Selected Writings by Virginia WoolfThe Life of Violet: Three Early Stories by Virginia WoolfGorgeous Nothings: Emily Dickinson’s Envelope PoemsSupport the showFor episodes and show notes, visit: LostLadiesofLit.comSubscribe to our substack newsletter. Follow us on instagram @lostladiesoflit. Email us: Contact — Lost Ladies of Lit Podcast

Send us a textRepublished this year by Valancourt books, Rosalind’s Ashe’s 1976 gothic thriller Moths is a spine-chilling tale of supernatural seduction featuring a femme fatale who lures men to their deaths like lepidoptera to a flame. Gothic lit expert Lisa B. Kröger joins us to discuss Ashe’s knack for channeling female rage in a novel that’s been compared to Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca.Mentioned in this episode:Moths by Rosalind AsheMonster, She Wrote by Lisa B. Kröger and Melanie R. AndersonToil and Trouble: A Women’s History of the Occult by Lisa B. Kröger and Melanie R. AndersonOriginal 1976 cover art of MothsLost Ladies of Lit Episode No. 58 on Monster, She Wrote with Lisa B. Kröger and Melanie R. AndersonLost Ladies of Lit Episode No. 240 on Angela CarterLisa TuttleRebecca by Daphne du MaurierHurricane Wake by Rosalind AsheLiterary Houses by Rosalind AsheDark Runner by Rosalind AsheSinister AffirmationsMidnight Movie clipSupport the showFor episodes and show notes, visit: LostLadiesofLit.comSubscribe to our substack newsletter. Follow us on instagram @lostladiesoflit. Email us: Contact — Lost Ladies of Lit Podcast

Send us a textOften called “the lesbian Bible,” Radclyffe Hall’s 1928 novel The Well of Loneliness has been sparking debate for nearly a century. Banned in the UK after an infamous obscenity trial, the book remains a lightening rod for readers — some revere it, others can’t stand it. We’ll explore what makes this groundbreaking novel so remarkable (and so divisive) with returning guest Iris Jamahl Dunkle, who found inspiration in Hall’s protagonist for her forthcoming book on strong-bodied women who refuse to conform to society’s standards.Mentioned in this episode:Kim and Amy’s October 14 LitQuake appearance: “Scribbling Women” Strike Back: How Long-Silenced Voices Have Fueled a New ResistanceThe Well of Loneliness by Radclyffe Hall (new Oxford Press edition)Iris Jamahl Dunkle’s Substack article on Radclyffe Hall“Bad Gays” podcast episode on Radclyffe HallLost Ladies of Lit Episode No. 27 on Charmian Kittredge LondonLost Ladies of Lit Episode No. 214 on Sanora BabbLost Ladies of Lit Episode No. 152 on Janet LewisRiding Like the Wind: The Life of Sanora Babb by Iris Jamahl DunkleCharmian Kittredge London: Trailblazer, Author, Adventurer by Iris Jamahl DunkleWomb House BooksCita PressLoving Sylvia Plath: A Reclamation by Emily Van DuyneDo Admit: The Mitford Sisters and Me by Mimi PondHavelock EllisEdith EllisDjuna BarnesNatalie Clifford BarneyMargaret VandenburgSupport the showFor episodes and show notes, visit: LostLadiesofLit.comSubscribe to our substack newsletter. Follow us on instagram @lostladiesoflit. Email us: Contact — Lost Ladies of Lit Podcast