“We could desperately use a clear-eyed assessment of the messy, complicated country that ruled much of the world not so long ago.”
Season Two: The Novel Now
Hosted by: Nicholas Dames
What value does the novel, a centuries-old technology, still hold for readers? In this five-part series, you’ll hear from novelists, scholars, and medical doctors about why we still read, write, and love novels in the 21st century.
Trailer: The Novel Now
What are some of the most notable novels published in the 21st century, and how do they reimagine what novels do?
Episode 1: Novels & Ideas
How do novels provoke readers to wrestle with complex, even dangerous ideas?
Episode 2: Novels & Political Consciousness
How does reading novels affect our understanding of the power dynamics that shape our lives?
Episode 3: Novels & Intimacy
How can novels expand our understanding of sex and intimacy in the digital age?
Episode 4: Novels & Catastrophe
How do novels help us see the present in a broader historical perspective?
Episode 5: Novels & Medicine
How can reading novels affect the way doctors and patients communicate?
Reading Resources: The Novel
A resource for reading about, teaching, and discussing the novel as an artistic and cultural form.