744 Love, Sex, and Frankenstein (with Caroline Lea) | #10 Greatest Book of All Time | My Last Book with Geoffrey Turnovsky | A Letter from a Middle School Teacher and Mom

The year is 1816, and 18-year-old Mary Shelley has fled London with her lover, Percy Shelley, and her sister, Claire. They're on their way to visit Lord Byron's villa in Lake Geneva, Switzerland - and to change the course of literary history. In this episode, Jacke talks to Caroline Lea about her novel Love, Sex, and Frankenstein (simonandschuster.com/books/Love-Sex-and-Franke…), which tells the haunting, evocative story of the summer that should have broken Mary Shelley, but instead inspired her to write her Gothic masterpiece. PLUS we hear from a listener who's been reading with her children and has a recommendation for Jacke, we cover #10 on our list of Greatest Books of All Time, and Geoffrey Turnovsky (Reading Typographically: Immersed in Print in Early Modern France (amzn.to/3TCI408)) stops by to discuss his choice for the last book he will ever read.

Join Jacke on a trip through literary England (signup closing soon)! The History of Literature Podcast Tour is happening in May 2026! Act now to join Jacke and fellow literature fans on an eight-day journey through literary England in partnership with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠John Shors Travel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (wetravel.com/i/689f518861b644534389c955). Scheduled stops include The Charles Dickens Museum, Dr. Johnson's house, Jane Austen's Bath, Tolkien's Oxford, Shakespeare's Globe Theater, and more. Find out more by emailing jackewilsonauthor@gmail.com or masahiko@johnshorstravel.com, or by contacting us through our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠historyofliterature.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (historyofliterature.com). Or visit the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠History of Literature Podcast Tour itinerary⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (wetravel.com/i/689f518861b644534389c955) at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠John Shors Travel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (wetravel.com/i/689f518861b644534389c955).

The music in this episode is by Gabriel Ruiz-Bernal. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠gabrielruizbernal.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (gabrielruizbernal.com).

Help support the show at ⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/literature ⁠⁠⁠⁠ (patreon.com/literature)or ⁠⁠⁠⁠historyofliterature.com/donate ⁠⁠⁠⁠ (historyofliterature.com/donate). The History of Literature Podcast is a member of Lit Hub Radio and the Podglomerate Network. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠thepodglomerate.com/historyofliterature⁠⁠⁠ (thepodglomerate.com/historyofliterature).

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