376 Why John Milton? (with Joe Moshenska)

The History of Literature

Yes, John Milton was important, and yes, Paradise Lost has been part of the canon since the 17th century - but why should we read anything by John Milton today? Do we imbibe his poetry like medicine? Is it a slog through cerebral but sterile prose? Or is there something wilder, more compelling, more alive? In this episode, Jacke talks to biographer Joe Moshenska, author of Making Darkness Light: A Life of John Milton, about the poet beloved by everyone from Virginia Woolf to Jorge Luis Borges to revolutionaries all over the world.

More listening ideas:

• Want more Milton? We've got you covered in Episode #154 John Milton.
• Ready for more wild poetic visions? Try our episode on William Blake.
• Poetry not your thing? Check out our interview with Samantha Silva about the life of Mary Wollstonecraft.

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