How to Tackle Intimidating Books, with Emily Wilson
6/9/202651 min
It's a dilemma every reader has faced: what do you do when you really want to read a big, intimidating book, but you don't know how to get started? Jeff and Rebecca sit down with Emily Wilson—classics professor, MacArthur Fellow, and the first woman to publish a full English translation of The Odyssey—for a conversation about how to conquer bookish imposter syndrome, what to look for when you're choosing between multiple editions of translations of a classic work, and why it's worth it to work through challenging reads. Come for the pro tips, stay for Dr. Wilson reading in Greek. Subscribe to our free newsletter, and become a member for access to early, ad-free listening and bonus content. Follow Zero to Well-Read on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Email us: zerotowellread@bookriot.com Thank you to ThriftBooks for being the presenting sponsor of this season of Zero to Well-Read! Zero to Well-Read is a proud member of the Airwave Podcast Network. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Thanks to our sponsor, Quince! Go to Quince.com/wellread for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsJeff O'Neill· Host0:01
This episode of Zero to Well Read is sponsored by ThriftBooks.com. We have Professor Emily Wilson joining us today to talk about how to get into the classics, how to deal with them, how to read with them, and then how to get more out of them. And on ThriftBooks.com, you can find the classics you need. You can find Professor Emily Wilson's translations of The Iliad and The Odyssey. You could pre-order her new book that's coming out September, we talk a little bit about here, Crossing the Wine-Dark Sea. With every purchase, you get closer to your reading rewards redemption from Thrift Books. And if you're picking up a bundle of classics, there's a lot out there used. You could get a lot there. You can get new copies if you prefer that as well. Thanks to ThriftBooks.com for sponsoring this episode of Zero to Well Read.
Rebecca Schinsky· Host0:43
Hey, folks. Rebecca here. I have some exciting news to share. Since we launched the show, the number one listener request has been for some kind of book club or community reading experience. We've been thinking about it and talking about what that might look like and how it could be uniquely Zero to Well Read. You might have even heard us working through some of the elements of it on a recent mailbag episode. And so today, we are delighted to announce the launch of Zero to Well Read guided read-alongs. We're starting with The Odyssey for an episode that will land July 7th. In the run-up, we're gonna provide read-along participants with an exclusive mini episode about how to prepare for the read, what to pay attention to, and anything else you need to know before you dive in. You'll also be able to chat with us and other members as you read in a dedicated Patreon chat space, and we'll be in the chat