The Literary Life Podcast

By: Angelina Stanford Thomas Banks
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  • Summary

  • Not just book chat! The Literary Life Podcast is an ongoing conversation about the skill and art of reading well and the lost intellectual tradition needed to fully enter into the great works of literature. Experienced teachers Angelina Stanford and Thomas Banks (of www.HouseOfHumaneLetters.com) join lifelong reader Cindy Rollins (of www.MorningtimeForMoms.com) for slow reads of classic literature, conversations with book lovers, and an ever-unfolding discussion of how Stories Will Save the World. And check out our sister podcast The Well Read Poem with poet Thomas Banks.
    ©Cindy Rollins 2019
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Art Literary History & Criticism
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Episodes
  • Episode 272: Best of Series – “The Enchanted April” by Elizabeth von Arnim, Ch. 1-11

    Episode 272: Best of Series – “The Enchanted April” by Elizabeth von Arnim, Ch. 1-11
    Apr 15 2025

    Welcome back to The Literary Life podcast with Angelina Stanford, Cindy Rollins and Thomas Banks. This week we are bringing you another episode from the vault, this time part one of our series on The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim. Thomas gives some interesting biographical information about von Arnim, and Angelina shares some perspective on appreciating the art and the life of artist. Cindy highlights the fact that we see only caricatures of the women in England, and it isn’t until they get to Italy that we begin to see their real selves. Angelina also points out that all the women are on identity quests in this story. Angelina unpacks some of the metaphors in this book and the Dante-esque images, in addition to the key place beauty has in the story.

    Don’t forget to sign up for this year’s Literary Life Online Conference coming up later this month! Register today for “Living Language: Why Words Matter” at HouseofHumaneLetters.com for full live or later access.

    To view the full show notes for this episode, please visit our website at https://theliterary.life/282.

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    1 hr and 43 mins
  • Episode 271: The Literary Life of Peter Hitchens

    Episode 271: The Literary Life of Peter Hitchens
    Apr 8 2025

    On The Literary Life Podcast today we bring you a special “Literary Life of…” episode featuring author and journalist Peter Hitchens. After sharing their commonplace quotes, Angelina and Thomas dive into the interview with Mr. Hitchens, first asking about his memories of books and reading in his childhood. In this wide-ranging conversation, our hosts and Mr. Hitchens discuss such topics as the George Orwell’s lesser known works, the Spanish Civil War and the Balkan Wars, oft overlooked 20th Century authors, ghost stories, losing our literary tradition, and so much more!

    The seventh annual Literary Life Online Conference is coming up April 23-26, 2025! Please visit HouseofHumaneLetters.com to sign up for that as well as all the other upcoming webinars of this year.

    Be sure to visit https://theliterary.life/271 to view the full show notes for this episode, including links to all the books mentioned in this conversation.

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    1 hr and 22 mins
  • Episode 270: “Best of” Series – “How Much Land Does a Man Need” by Leo Tolstoy

    Episode 270: “Best of” Series – “How Much Land Does a Man Need” by Leo Tolstoy
    Apr 1 2025

    This week on The Literary Life, we bring you a gem from the archives. In this episode hosts Angelina Stanford, Thomas Banks, and Cindy Rollins discuss “How Much Land Does a Man Need?” by Leo Tolstoy. To start off the discussion of this short story, Thomas gives us some background to help answer Angelina’s question about why this story seems so very different from other Tolstoy works. Angelina shares how to approach this story like a parable. Cindy brings up the question of the difference between ambition and vocation in terms of contentment.

    The Literary Life Online Conference “Living Language: Why Words Matter” is coming up this month, so now is the time to register for lifetime access. Head over the HouseofHumaneLetters.com to sign up today!

    Don't forget to visit our website at https://theliterary.life/270 for the full show notes for this episode.
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    1 hr and 26 mins
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Featured Article: We’re Booked—The Best Literature Podcasts for Every Bibliophile


Love everything books and literature? Of course, you do—that’s why you're here! Don’t worry, you’re in good company. If you're a book aficionado who loves chatting about literature with like-minded people, literature podcasts are the perfect addition to your listening lifestyle. There’s no shortage of great book podcast options to choose from. Here are just a few of the best literature podcasts, covering many different genres and styles of podcasting.

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Profile Image for KnitWit

the absolute best

I have become a literary life podcast proselyte. I can't stop talking about it and recommending it. stories will save the world.

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Profile Image for L. Nicholas

Get a Literary Education here!

I have loved listening to these three talk about books. I am always on the hunt for my next good read and was at a standstill until i started this podcast! They bring history and meaning into their discussion. They have a delightful viewpoint that helps me think through what I'm reading.

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Profile Image for Kindle Customer

Brilliant work

The people at LitLife will hold your hand and gently walk you through literature if that is what you need, while also providing robust, thoughtful, informed ideas for those who crave that. It is a rare gift to be able to do both with such wisdom, grace, and humour.
I am not a podcast person, and this and their poetry podcast are the only podcasts I listen to with any kind of regularity. Subscribe. They will not waste your time.

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Profile Image for R. Sheppard

wow!

I love this episode! I'm reading Northanger Abbey with my homeschool mama book club and I remembered that the Literary Life podcast did a series on it. Wow! Cindy and Angelina brought the book to life!

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Profile Image for Amy Harris

My favorite podcast!

I've been listening to LitLife since it began and every single episode is like a graduate level seminar in literature, without the pretension and student loan debt. Angelina's knowledge & passion combined with Cindy's wisdom, experience, gentle spirit, and wit create a fun and enjoyable discussion on books. I also enjoy Thomas' poems and contributions to the conversation. The only suggestion that I have is that I wish there were an alternative platform besides FB for the LitLife discussion group ( Mighty Networks perhaps?) My family is traveling full-time now, so following along with the LitLife is now my bookclub. Thanks for enriching my life. Stories will change the world!

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Profile Image for Ruthi reads

Fantastic episode

My first introduction to Charlotte Mason was Susan Schaeffer Macaulay's book For the Children's Sake 25 to 30 years ago so I'm already a fan of sorts, but really enjoyed learning more about her in this episode.

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Full of both beauty and fun

I've been listening to the LL podcast for over 2 years. The hosts are experts in their fields, but manage to distill the information about books and literature in a way that is both informative and FUN. I appreciate the way they explain how books, symbols, themes, etc fit into the literary tradition to help explain things that would have been understood in earlier epochs, but whose meanings are lost today. Thanks for the world you open each podcast, LL!

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Profile Image for John Thoreson

being preached to was like bait and switch.

I will not return to this podcast. Using the podcast to peach the idea that all authors of a genre are agreeing with the biblical view of original sin, (whether the authors knew it or not),
was a shocking bit of bias and simple- minded pursuit...

You should re- title your podcast so that sceptical folks who love literature won't have to listen to the religious filters you speak through.

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