The Canon Ball

33. Lyrical Ballads: 1805 Edition Sep 28, 2022

Don't call it a comeback: Claude and Dan return after a lengthy hiatus with... Lyrical Ballads! But THIS is Wordsworth's extensively revised, reordered, and largely de-Coleridged 1805 edition. We go deep teasing out Wordsworth's tangled erotic sentiment, discuss the place of the Americas in the Old World imagination, and arrive at some final thoughts on Wordsworth's poetics. In our typical fashion, we discover what all this has to do with Mayberry and William Faulkner.

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32. Lyrical Ballads: Tintern Abbey Dec 21, 2021

And we come to the conclusion of our read of the first version of Lyrical Ballads. Want to know what Claude has been on about for the past few years with the term ontological/epistemological crisis? Here’s your answer with a close exploration of Wordsworth’s “Tintern Abbey,” the poem that closes the volume.

The Canon Ball is part of the Agora podcast network. If you’re online check us out at thecanonballpodcast.wordpress.com, on Twitter at Canonballpod, and on Facebook @TheCanonBallPodcast. And if you like our show but want to know more about film and what goes into the making of it check out Beyond the Big Screen, a podcast that goes into the intricate details (historical, philosophical, and otherwise) behind major motion pictures.

And if you’re really hankering for more drama, friends of the show Andrew Pfannkuche and Ana Weinberg have put together a biographical discussion show about the life of Alexandre Dumas called “Two Musketeers.” If you like the show, they’ve entered it for competition in the Tongal creative community. Go vote for them at the link: https://tongal.com/welcome/ngp/

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31. Lyrical Ballads: William Wordsworth Nov 22, 2021

In this episode, Claude and Dan continue their journey into Lyrical Ballads and cover the varied sallies of William Wordsworth. Excerpts from uncompleted plays, touching ghost story poems, further streetside harangues from beaten down people, there’s something for everyone and always a lot more going on than it seems at first blush! Claude explores Wordsworth’s place among the Romantics and Dan is moved to wax poetic about the public recycling drop-off by the high school football stadium.

The Canon Ball is part of the Agora podcast network. If you’re online check us out at thecanonballpodcast.wordpress.com, find us on Facebook @TheCanonBallPodcast, and on Twitter @Canonballpod.

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30. The Rime of the Ancient Mariner Jul 19, 2021

We’re one poem in to Lyrical Ballads and by god is it a wild one! We’re reading through and contemplating Coleridge’s “Rime of the Ancyent Marinere” (1798 spelling), one of the weirder gothic poems in the English language and one hell of a way to start a poetic project. Why would a mariner shoot an albatross with a crossbow? Why would a mariner even have a crossbow? We try to get to the bottom of these mysteries as we begin dipping our toes into this watershed volume of Romantic poetry.

The Canon Ball is part of the Agora podcast network. Check out some of the other shows on the network like Ben Jacobs’ From Wittenberg to Westphalia, a full exploration of the Protestant Reformation. Ben examines all of the nitty gritty details of the history, theology, politics, and even the civic planning that went into the transformation of Europe from Catholic dominance to, well, whatever it was that came after.

If you’re online check us out at thecanonballpodcast.wordpress.com, find us on Facebook @TheCanonBallPodcast, and on Twitter @Canonballpod. And if you or a kid in your life need English tutoring, SAT tutoring, or college essay help drop us a line at claudemoinc@gmail.com. Claude could use the money…

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BONUS: Marvell - Intelligent Speech Preview Apr 22, 2021

It’s an Intelligent Speech miracle! Not only will Daniel and Claude discuss Borges, Claude will also appear on a panel with Ray Belli of Words for Granted, Kevin Stroud of History of English, and Dan Morris of Tracing the Path on Lost Connections in Language and Literature. Claude’s part of the panel will entail a short consideration of the possible personal relationship between John Milton, Andrew Marvell, and John Dryden. So tonight we talk Marvell, a somewhat overlooked poet who was perhaps unfairly pigeonholed in the 20th century as a metaphysical. Can he give Donne a run for his money in the best of his poems? Sure! But there’s a lot more to consider…

The Intelligent Speech Conference is THIS SATURDAY, April 24, starting at 10 AM EST (3 PM GMT)! For more information and to purchase tickets, visit intelligentspeechconference.com

The Canon Ball is a member of the Agora podcast network. If you’re online check us out at thecanonballpodcast.wordpress.com, find us on Facebook @TheCanonBallPodcast, and on Twitter @CanonBallPod.

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BONUS: Borges - Intelligent Speech Preview Mar 21, 2021

It’s that time of year again. The Intelligent Speech Conference is just around the corner! The theme this year is “Escape,” and out of sheer perversion Daniel and Claude are going to discuss the works of Jorge Luis Borges, a writer mostly known for writing tales involving inescapable intellectual mazes. Can Borges find a way out? Can Claude and Daniel? Come see us at Intelligent Speech and find out!

Intelligent Speech is Saturday April 24th beginning at 10 AM EST (3 PM GMT). Tickets are $30 each, $20 if you register before March 24th. Use promo code “canon” for a special discount and to support the show!

https://www.intelligentspeechconference.com/product/intelligent-speech-spring-2021/

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BONUS: Valentine's Day 2021 - John Donne Feb 13, 2021

Dear Listeners: will you be our valentine? In this special romantic bonus episode, Claude and Dan take a look at the romantic poetry of John Donne. There is even more hidden meaning and beauty than just the superficial double entendres and suggestive verse. The Canon Ball mingles the erotic and the divine once again! Seems like a theme in the canon...

The Canon Ball is a member of the Agora podcast network. If you’re online check us out at thecanonballpodcast.wordpress.com, find us on Facebook @TheCanonBallPodcast, and on Twitter @CanonBallPod.

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29. Poetics Feb 13, 2021

Claude takes Dan back to school for a crash course in poetics. We take a dive into the structure and rhythm of poetry, how people who study poetry talk about it, and what the seasoned poetry reader should keep an ear out for. Learn to tell your iambs from your dactyls!

The Canon Ball is a member of the Agora podcast network. If you’re online check us out at thecanonballpodcast.wordpress.com, find us on Facebook @TheCanonBallPodcast, and on Twitter @CanonBallPod.

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28. Lyrical Ballads (The Background) Jan 18, 2021

We did it! Out of the Faustian Aristocratic Age fire and into pure, straight up, uncut romanticism by way of Lyrical Ballads, the joint production of William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Did Lyrical Ballads break new ground? … no. Did it shatter the poetic norms of British poetry all at once, brushing stuffy aristocratic heroic couplet satires into the dustbin of history? … no. Did it incite a literary revolution, breaking down the barriers for entry into the domain of poetry for the common British subject? … no. But it still was a major watershed production in the history of poetry in English, and though we deflate some expectations on this preliminary background episode on the historical context of the book, we do still recognize that Wordsworth and Coleridge made a major intervention on the function and purpose of poetry.

The Canon Ball is a member of the Agora podcast network. We’ve added a couple of great new shows to the network, like Pontifacts, a light hearted, only slightly blasphemous, papal history podcast that ranks the popes from Peter to Francis. And launching this month is Revolution 1, a podcast examination of the Tunisian Uprising and the Arab Spring that followed.

If you’re online check us out at thecanonballpodcast.wordpress.com, find us on Facebook @TheCanonBallPodcast, and on Twitter @CanonBallPod.

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27. Faust - Part 2 (Acts 4 & 5) Dec 01, 2020

This is it! The final two acts of Faust Part II! It’s the surprisingly straight-forward, if somewhat fragmented, acts IV and V of Goethe’s life’s work. Will Faust be saved? Yes! Will we applaud that fact? No! Will we get sidetracked with a disgusted and frustrated meditation on Faust’s proto-fascist designs and how those designs can be seen at work in the contemporary American culture of this the year of our lord 2020? Damn straight! But we do get to take a look back at where we’ve been in the podcast and try to wrap our heads around what we can take away from Bloom’s “Aristocratic Age” [Spoiler: Montaigne and Don Quixote].

The Canon Ball is a member of the Agora Podcast Network. If you like our show check out some of the others on the roster, such as Ten American Presidents. Join Roifield Brown as he explores the legacies and contexts of some of the more consequential occupiers of the White House.

If you’re online check us out at thecanonballpodcast.wordpress.com, find us on Facebook @TheCanonBallPodcast, and on Twitter @CanonBallPod. And if you enjoy the show, please rate and review wherever you listen.

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BONUS: Halloween 2020 - Poe, Freud, and "The Tell-Tale Heart" Oct 30, 2020

Boo! Did we scare you? Well, ‘tis the season. We’re back with an extra special bonus episode for Halloween on Poe, Freud, and “The Tell-Tale Heart.” The Canon Ball is a member of the Agora Podcast Network, and as part of our embrace of all things creepy in the month of October, the network has pooled much of its talent to produce a set of spooky episodes under the heading of Agoraphobia.

Here’s a link to the first episode which features two Celtic themed horrors, with Ben Jacobs from Wittenberg to Westphalia talking on the Highland Clearances and Same Hume of Pax Britannica walking us through the Buggane. https://play.acast.com/s/theagorapodcastnetwork/agoraphobiammxx-ep.1-monsterofthehighlandclearances-buggane

And if you’re a fan of our show, check out our discussion of Ambrose Bierce and the origins of weird fiction. Here’s the link: https://play.acast.com/s/theagorapodcastnetwork/agoraphobiammxx-ep.2-theweirdfictionofambrosebierce

And on episode 3 Raven from Tiny Vampires gets buggy with it and Claude offers a maybe too personal meditation on monsters and the Spanish baroque. https://play.acast.com/s/theagorapodcastnetwork/agoraphobiammxx-ep.3-gutted-monstermeditations

There are going to be upcoming episodes from others in the Agora roster, so subscribe and listen and enjoy some not unreasonably researched chills. And here’s a link to a general conversation on the gothic we had last year that we reference in the episode: https://play.acast.com/s/theagorapodcastnetwork/agoraphobiaiv-ep.4-theraven-gothiclit-

If you’re online check us out at thecanonballpodcast.wordpress.com, find us on Facebook @TheCanonBallPodcast, and on Twitter @CanonBallPod. And if you enjoy the show, please rate and review wherever you listen.

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26. Faust - Part 2 (Act 3) Oct 19, 2020

And here we are with Faust Part 2, Act 3, in which Daniel and Claude make much of a little. The act may be short, but there’s a lot to say with a long digression on Byron.

The Canon Ball is a member of the Agora Podcast Network, and as part of our embrace of all things creepy in the month of October, the network has pooled much of its talent to produce a set of spooky episodes under the heading of Agoraphobia.

The first episode features two Celtic themed horrors, with Ben Jacobs from Wittenberg to Westphalia talking on the Highland Clearances, and Same Hume of Pax Britannica walking us through the Buggane: https://play.acast.com/s/theagorapodcastnetwork/agoraphobiammxx-ep.1-monsterofthehighlandclearances-buggane

If you’re a fan of our show, check out our discussion of Ambrose Bierce and the origins of weird fiction: https://play.acast.com/s/theagorapodcastnetwork/agoraphobiammxx-ep.2-theweirdfictionofambrosebierce

And on Episode 3, Raven from Tiny Vampires gets buggy with it, and I offer a maybe too personal meditation on monsters and the Spanish baroque. https://play.acast.com/s/theagorapodcastnetwork/agoraphobiammxx-ep.3-gutted-monstermeditations

There are going to be upcoming episodes from others in the Agora roster, so subscribe and listen and enjoy some not unreasonably researched chills.

If you’re online check us out at thecanonballpodcast.wordpress.com, find us on Facebook @TheCanonBallPodcast, and on Twitter @CanonBallPod.

And if you enjoy the show, please rate and review wherever you listen.

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25. Faust - Part 2 (Act 2) Aug 17, 2020

Ok, major sexual content warning on this one. And if that’s not going to get you to listen, we don’t know what will. We’re discussing the metaphysical ramifications of a floating, glowing, sentient jar of semen which must mean that we’ve made it to Act 2 of Goethe’s Faust Part 2. Come for the university humor (literally: Mephistopholes takes a whole scene out just to prank on a grad student), stay for the attempts (on the part of Goethe, not us) to conjure a realm of guilt-free pornography. And you thought the first act was weird…

The Canon Ball is a member of the Agora podcast network. Check out some more shows on the network like Sam Hume’s Pax Britannica. It’s a narrative history podcast on the British empire, with the first season being an exploration of early English colonization and the upcoming second season centering on the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. And if after all this Walpurgisnacht stuff you’re still feeling itchy for witches, Sam also does the History of Witchcraft which covers the witch hysteria of the early modern period as well as an assortment of other spooky stuff all in an educational vein. If you’re online check us out at thecanonballpodcast.wordpress.com, find us on Facebook @TheCanonBallPodcast, and on Twitter @CanonBallPod.

One last note: if you’re in the New York area and need reading and writing tutoring, or are interested in online tutoring, let us know. Claude has a tutoring business on the side and two kids, so he’s always looking for a few more clients. If you need some help, send an email to claudemoinc@gmail.com. We can also produce literary lectures on demand. I’m not entirely certain what situations would call for that, but for some quality literary infotainment hit us up!

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Intelligent Speech Conference - Preview Jun 14, 2020

We interrupt our Faust-a-palooza to bring you a sneak preview of our presentation for the upcoming Intelligent Speech Conference, a day-long virtual conference on June 27, featuring education and historical podcasters presenting on their fields of expertise. For all the details on how to attend, head over to https://www.intelligentspeechconference.com/

Ever get baffled by a high school English teacher who convinces you that you’ll never be able to understand the “hidden meanings” in poetry? Ever wonder why poetry’s so difficult? Ever wonder why there were no women poets or poets of color before the 20th century? On June 27 during our presentation for the Intelligent Speech Conference, we’ll tell you about why you’ve never heard of the most popular American poets of the 19th century (except maybe Longfellow). On this episode we’re covering Lydia Sigourney’s “Death of an Infant” (https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/52036/death-of-an-infant), Francis Ellen Watkins Harper’s “The Slave Mother” (https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/51977/the-slave-mother-56d23017ceaad), and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s “The Day is Done” (https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45896/the-day-is-done). We’ll also take a look at the opening lines of T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land (https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/47311/the-waste-land) in order to get a handle on just what the sea change was between the 1800s and the early 1900s. If you want to hear the full story of the shift in poetics and the emergence of the modern canon, join us on June 27th at the Intelligent Speech Conference (sign up now at https://www.intelligentspeechconference.com/).

The Canon Ball is a part of the Agora podcast network. Please check out some of the other great shows on the network such as our new addition Black Wall Street 1921, a podcast chronicling the history and events before, during, and after the Tulsa race massacre. For more information go to https://www.blackwallstreet-1921.com/.

If you’re online check us out at thecanonballpodcast.wordpress.com, find us on Facebook @TheCanonBallPodcast, and on Twitter @CanonBallPod. One last note: if you’re in the New York area and need reading and writing tutoring, or are interested in online tutoring, let us know. Claude has a tutoring business on the side and two kids, so he’s always looking for a few more clients. If you need some help, send an email to claudemoinc@gmail.com. We can also produce literary lectures on demand. I’m not entirely certain what situations would call for that, but for some quality literary infotainment hit us up!

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24. Faust - Part 2 (Part 1) May 04, 2020

Note: Due to technical difficulties, there's some interference and muffled audio on Daniel's side of the conversation but it shouldn't disrupt things too much. We'll make sure it's sorted out by the next episode.

Some days you just want to pass out in a pleasant field and have all your major misdeeds wiped from existence. Welcome to the first act of Faust Part 2 in which the whole of Faust Part 1 is either negated or ignored. Will Faust find redemption? Is Gretchen damned? Who cares! There’s a new emperor in town and he wants to party and man is Faust lucky that this rowdy king is in need of a conjuror! Let’s ignore the ponderousness and follow Faust and Mephistopheles as they pull their P.T. Barnum act and put on a show. Join Daniel and Claude as they discuss how co-opted characters from Shakespeare absolve Faust at the outset, why Mephistopheles is so keen to switch the economy to paper money, and what exactly the Mothers are in terms of chthonic deities.

The Canon Ball is a member of the Agora Podcast Network. Be sure to check out some of the other shows on the network like Mid Atlantic, which looks at politics and current events in Britain and the US. Each show consists of American and British pundits reviewing and commenting on the most important US and British pieces of news that week with host Roifield Brown officiating. Find out more at midatlanticshow.com.

One more announcement: Last year Claude presented at Intelligent Speech, a conference for educational podcasters. The Canon Ball will be represented again this year, but this time both Daniel and Claude will be in attendance. In light of the current pandemic the conference will be online with approximately 40 of the best educational podcasters presenting in their fields. At any point there will be up to four different conference streams to choose from. There will also be solo presentations and a series of roundtable debates between podcasters; one of them, on the gains and losses of a historical understanding, will be moderated by Claude. A one-day pass for the conference is currently priced at $10. For more information on the conference visit www.intelligentspeechconference.com.

Check us out online at thecanonballpodcast.wordpress.com, find us on Facebook @TheCanonBallPodcast, and on Twitter @CanonBallPod.

One last note: if you’re in the New York area and need reading and writing tutoring, or are interested in online tutoring, let us know. Claude has a tutoring business on the side and two kids, so he’s always looking for a few more clients. If you need some help, send an email to claudemoinc@gmail.com. We can also produce literary lectures on demand. I’m not entirely certain what situations would call for that, but for some quality literary infotainment hit us up!

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23. Faust - Part 1 (Part 2) Feb 18, 2020

Listener, have you ever been violently ambivalent about a work? So overwhelmed by your lack of ability to come up with a sensible reading that you doubt your own ability even to take a side? Well, we have… So here’s Faust Part 1 part 2! Ummm… maybe put the kids to bed for this one. We get a little rowdy and very raunchy. But it’s not us, we swear! It’s Goethe making us contemplate the metaphysics of blueballing! In any case, if you have listeners under 18 or are listening to this in the office, maybe just put the headphones on. And if Goethe gets you interested in things Germanic beyond just the literary, check out what Travis and Pete get up to at Podcastnik.com. Podcastnik puts out the History of Germany, a podcast about… well, the history of Germany. They also produce the Youtube show Past Access and the podcast The Secret Cabinet, a personal favorite about some of the weirder aspects of history. You can find them at Podcastnik.com. If you’re online check us out at thecanonballpodcast.wordpress.com, find us on Facebook @TheCanonBallPodcast, and on Twitter @CanonBallPod. The Canon Ball is a member of the Agora podcast network. Check out some of the other shows on the network at Agorapodcastnetwork.com. One last note: if you’re in the New York area and need reading and writing tutoring, or are interested in online tutoring, let us know. Claude has a tutoring business on the side and two kids, so he’s always looking for a few more clients. If you need some help, send an email to claudemoinc@gmail.com. We can also produce literary lectures on demand. I’m not entirely certain what situations would call for that, but for some quality literary infotainment hit us up!

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BONUS: Space is the Place Ep. 1.5 Jan 06, 2020

In this very special episode of Space is the Place, we're thrilled to be joined by Pete Johannsen of the science fiction podcast Podside Picnic for a rough and ready outline of two centuries of SF history and a glance at some of the works we'll be reading during this series.

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22. Faust - Part 1 (Part 1) Dec 30, 2019

Well, we’ll be damned, it’s the first part of our dive into Goethe’s Faust. Technically this is part one of Faust Part 1. We cover everything from the three introductions to the beginning of the Gretchen plot. Essentially, this is the episode where we get bogged down in Goethe’s ontological/epistemological outlook, theological reconfiguration, and existential meditations. The pervy stuff comes next episode

when we tackle the Gretchen plot.

If you’re online check us out at thecanonballpodcast.wordpress.com, find us on Facebook @TheCanonBallPodcast, and on Twitter @CanonBallPod. The Canon Ball is a member of the Agora podcast network. Check out some of the other shows on the network at Agorapodcastnetwork.com.

One last note: if you’re in the New York area and need reading and writing tutoring, or are interested in online tutoring, let us know. Claude has a tutoring business on the side and a newborn, so he’s always looking for a few more clients. If you need some help, send an email to claudemoinc@gmail.com. We can also produce literary lectures on demand. We're not entirely certain what situations would call for that, but for some quality literary infotainment hit us up!

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BONUS: Space is the Place Ep. 1 - Jules Verne Dec 09, 2019

In this inaugural episode of the Canon Ball side project Space Is the Place, Daniel and G.G. take a look at the beginnings of science fiction with Jules Verne's From Earth to the Moon.

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21: A Brief Introduction to Goethe Nov 18, 2019

This is it! The beginning of our Faustathon! This is big and it’s gonna take a few months, so we figured we’d start with some background information on Goethe, the man behind Faust. Like with Cervantes, the more you know about the context, the deeper and richer the content. Fortunately, Claude has an in with a professor of German literature. In this introductory episode interviews his friend Rachel about Goethe, the Sturm und Drang, Weimar classicism, the origins of the Faust myth, and the persistence of that myth into the present.

If you’re online check us out at thecanonballpodcast.wordpress.com, find us on Facebook @TheCanonBallPodcast, and on Twitter @CanonBallPod.

The Canon Ball is a member of the Agora podcast network. Check out some of the other shows on the network at agorapodcastnetwork.com. Speaking of Agora, the network is interested in who our listeners are so that we can cultivate the network appropriately. So if you wouldn't mind taking a quick survey, we'd really appreciate it. Find the poll at https://tinyurl.com/AgoraPoll2019?fbclid=IwAR37-k3LKlAzkjxaQy_MtpuE94UYGY8z3XaBo5QR9zESYD6Npoui_WSlbok.

One last note: if you’re in the New York area and need reading and writing tutoring, or are interested in online tutoring, let us know. Claude has a tutoring business on the side and a newborn, so he’s always looking for a few more clients. If you need some help, send an email to claudemoinc@gmail.com. We can also produce literary lectures on demand. We're not entirely certain what situations would call for that, but for some quality literary infotainment hit us up!

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BONUS: Agoraphobia 2019 Oct 28, 2019

In a special Halloween episode for Agoraphobia, Claude and Daniel discuss the origin and development of Gothic literature and the Goth aesthetic.

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20. Samuel Johnson - Part 3 Aug 23, 2019

Finally! The last of our three-part series on the works of Samuel Johnson! And this is where it gets good. It’s Johnson the editor and literary critic, and despite some of his age-bound tastes and notions of quality, the actual activities in which he engages have changed relatively little. It’s fascinating (for once)!

If you’re online check us out at thecanonballpodcast.wordpress.com, find us on Facebook @TheCanonballPodcast, and on Twitter @CanonBallPod. The Canon Ball is a member of the Agora podcast network. Check out some of the other shows on the network at Agorapodcastnetwork.com. One last note: if you’re in the New York area and need reading and writing tutoring, or are interested in online tutoring, let us know. Claude has a tutoring business on the side and is always looking for a few more clients. If you need help, send an email to claudemoinc@gmail.com. We can also produce literary lectures on demand. We’re not entirely certain what situations would call for that, but for some quality literary infotainment hit us up!

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BONUS: Notes on Notes Toward a Supreme Fiction Jul 23, 2019

We have a special treat while you’re waiting for us to get back to Samuel Johnson. A few weeks ago, Claude presented at the Intelligent Speech Conference in New York. He intended to record the speech and release it as an episode, but the recording didn’t quite come out as hoped. He still has the text of the lecture though, so here’s your chance to find out what Claude thinks about dense, somewhat long, modernist poems.

If you’re online check us out at thecanonballpodcast.wordpress.com, find us on Facebook @TheCanonBallPodcast, and on Twitter @CanonBallPod. The Canon Ball is a member of the Agora podcast network. Check out some of the other shows on the network at Agorapodcastnetwork.com. One last note: if you’re in the New York area and need reading and writing tutoring, or are interested in online tutoring, let us know. Claude has a tutoring business on the side and a newborn, so he’s always looking looking for a few more clients. If you need some help, send an email to claudemoinc@gmail.com. We can also produce literary lectures on demand. We’re not entirely certain what situations would call for that, but for some quality literary infotainment hit us up!

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BONUS: Intelligent Speech Conference - Contest Results Jun 12, 2019

The results are in! Want to know what Claude is speaking on at the Intelligent Speech Conference in New York on June 29th? Give this quick episode a listen and you’ll find out! The Canon Ball is part of the Agora Podcast Network. If you’re already a fan of other shows on the roster, come to New York on June 29th for the Intelligent Speech Conference! Claude will be there speaking on… something… Just listen to the episode… More information can be found at intelligentspeechconference.com.

Find us on Facebook @TheCanonBallPodcast, and on Twitter @CanonBallPod.

And you can also find us on Flick, a downloadable app that lets us manage more direct listener conversations. Over at Flick we’re doing running commentary on the work of the month in real time. So want to know our raw, unvarnished opinions? You can find them at https://flickchat.page.link/cpXGSEUa3No6TAsZ7.

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BONUS: Big Announcements May 22, 2019

On today’s episode… Special Announcements! Side projects! Polls! Walking tours! And a conference! Just listen… it’ll all make sense… Hopefully…

The Canon Ball is part of the Agora Podcast Network. If you’re already a fan of other shows on the roster, come to New York on June 29th for the Intelligent Speech Conference! I’ll be there speaking on… something… Just listen to the episode… More information can be found at intelligentspeechconference.com.

Find us on Facebook @TheCanonBallPodcast, and on Twitter @CanonBallPod. And you can also find us on Flick, a downloadable app that lets us manage more direct listener conversations. Over at Flick we’re doing running commentary on the work of the month in real time. So want to know our raw, unvarnished opinions? You can find them there.

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BONUS: Gene Wolfe - A Personal Appreciation May 09, 2019

On this bonus episode, Daniel discusses science fiction author Gene Wolfe.

If you’re online check us out at thecanonballpodcast.wordpress.com, find us on Facebook @TheCanonBallPodcast, and on Twitter @CanonBallPod. The Canon Ball is a member of the Agora podcast network. Check out some of the other shows on the network at agorapodcastnetwork.com.

The Agora Podcast Network's Intelligent Speech Conference is Saturday, June 29th from 11 am to 7 pm at the Norwood Club in Chelsea, New York. This event will bring together many of internet’s best podcasters for a day of live podcast recordings, open tables, Q and As and seminars. It’s an opportunity for listeners to meet the creators of some of their favorite podcasts and to maybe even get on mic. For more information, visit intelligentspeechconference.com.

One last note: if you’re in the New York area and need reading and writing tutoring, or are interested in online tutoring, let us know. Claude has a tutoring business on the side and a newborn, so he’s always looking looking for a few more clients. If you need some help, send an email to claudemoinc@gmail.com. We can also produce literary lectures on demand. We're not entirely certain what situations would call for that, but for some quality literary infotainment hit us up!

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19. Samuel Johnson - Part 2 Apr 28, 2019

Sometimes older literary works provide fascinating insights into their historical moments and into our ongoing quest to understand the human. And sometimes they’re dull as dirt. On this week’s episode, part two of our Samuel Johnson three-parter, we finally hit a major dud with Johnson’s Rasselas. And yet, there are a few good entertaining rambles to be had out of our frustration with the text and in Daniel’s ruminations on the oddities of Johnson locating his philosophical romance in Abyssinia, or modern day Ethiopia. We also talk “The Vanity of Human Wishes” and 18th century poetics, something maybe three people besides Claude will be utterly fascinated by. Look, they can’t all be Don Quixote… If you’re online check us out at thecanonballpodcast.wordpress.com, find us on Facebook @TheCanonBallPodcast, and on Twitter @CanonBallPod. The Canon Ball is a member of the Agora podcast network. Check out some of the other shows on the network at agorapodcastnetwork.com. One last note: if you’re in the New York area and need reading and writing tutoring, or are interested in online tutoring, let us know. Claude has a tutoring business on the side and a newborn, so he’s always looking looking for a few more clients. If you need some help, send an email to claudemoinc@gmail.com. We can also produce literary lectures on demand. I’m not entirely certain what situations would call for that, but for some quality literary infotainment hit us up!

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18. Samuel Johnson - Part 1 Mar 04, 2019

Admittedly the readings for this episode were a little dry, but we managed to have a good conversation about the life, times, and literary enterprises of Samuel Johnson. In this first part of our three part series we look at his journalism, specifically a selection of his writings in The Idler and The Rambler. Is it possible to be timely and universal? Well, we can’t answer that, but we can explore how the issues of Johnson’s day continue to resonate.

If you’re online check us out at thecanonballpodcast.wordpress.com, find us on Facebook @TheCanonBallPodcast, and on Twitter @CanonBallPod.

The Canon Ball is a member of the Agora podcast network, a great place to advertise if you want to reach a discerning audience always willing to explore the various parts of the world around them. If you have a product to sell or a service to provide and want to spread the word that you’re open for business? Then head over to Agora and let our network of independent podcasts connect you with over a million curious and discerning listeners each month! Interested? Email us at AgoraPodcastNetwork@gmail.com and discover the difference Agora can make.

One last note: if you’re in the New York area and need reading and writing tutoring, or are interested in online tutoring, let us know. Claude has a tutoring business on the side and a newborn, so he’s looking for a few more clients. If you need some help, send an email to claudemoinc@gmail.com. We can also produce literary lectures on demand. We're not entirely certain what situations would call for that, but for some quality literary infotainment hit us up!

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17. Paradise Lost - Part 2 Jan 14, 2019

So this is it: the second and final part of our journey into Paradise Lost. This is a little less structured than our usual episodes, but what it lacks in organization it makes up for in personal reactions, digressions on the theological weirdness of the text, and discussions of the way the text has had an afterlife in poetry in English. And, of course, there’s ontological/epistemological angst thrown in. So sit back, relax, and dig into sin.

If you’re online check us out at thecanonballpodcast.wordpress.com, find us on Facebook @TheCanonBallPodcast, and on Twitter @CanonBallPod.

The Canon Ball is a member of the Agora podcast network. Check out some of the other podcasts on the network like The History of Egypt Podcast where Dominic Perry walks the listener through, well, ancient Egypt. The podcast is extensive, covering not just events and kings, but religious festivals, economics, and other civilizational matters to give a full view of what ancient Egyptian life was like.

One last note: if you’re in the New York area and need reading and writing tutoring, let me know. I have a tutoring business on the side and a newborn, so I’m looking for a few more clients. If you need some help, send an email to claudemoinc@gmail.com. I can also produce literary lectures on demand. I’m not entirely certain what situations would call for that, but for some quality literary infotainment hit me up!

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16. Paradise Lost - Part 1 Dec 10, 2018

Can two well-trained autodidacts make it through a discussion of Paradise Lost in one hour? Hell no! But we try! On what is now the first of a two-part episode on Milton’s puritan epic we tackle the background of the poem, a bit about the epic tradition, and some of the context for the writing. Next month we’ll dig into the meat of the poem with a full examination of Satan and evil as well as everyone’s favorite topic the ontological/epistemological crisis that Milton inscribes as original trauma into the history of poetry in English.

The Canon Ball is a member of the Agora Podcast Network. Check out some of the other podcasts on the network like Heather Tyesko’s Renaissance English History Podcast. Heather is also at work on a new project the Tudor Radio Network. Available online, it features original programming and your favorite Tudor podcasts, as well as music. No matter where you are or what time it is, you can switch it on and be guaranteed to hear something either from, or about, 16th century England. Head to TudorRadioNetwork.com for more info.

And be sure to visit us on the blog at thecanonballpodcast.wordpress.com. We’ve been getting a little more active, so check out our most recent scribblings.

One last note: if you’re in the New York area and need reading and writing tutoring, let me know. I have a tutoring business on the side and a newborn, so I’m looking for a few more clients. If you need some help, send an email to claudemoinc@gmail.com. I can also produce literary lectures on demand. I’m not entirely certain what situations would call for that, but for some quality literary infotainment hit me up!

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BONUS: Puritanism Nov 05, 2018

With Claude away on paternity leave, Daniel welcomes Ben Jacobs (host of Wittenberg to Westphalia) to discuss puritanism.

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BONUS: American Scandal - Preview Episode Sep 26, 2018

The Canon Ball and the Agora Podcast Network are proud to present this special preview episode of Wondery's American Scandal. For more, visit wondery.com or find American Scandal wherever you get podcasts.

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15. Don Quixote - Book 2 Sep 24, 2018

It’s Don Quixote Book 2, all of the mind-bending reality questioning of a Christopher Nolan film and none of the portentousness! Daniel and Claude and Sancho and the Don join forces to face down our delusions and accept that the “real world” may just be yet another permutation of our individual fantasies. Is Don Quixote’s descent into the Cave of Montesinos an early exploration of the idea of the unconscious? Is Sancho secretly the most capable member of the party? Could chivalric manners be the best solution to a rising culture of xenophobia? Are the aristocracy really just a bunch of useless, corrupt, money-wasting fools? Ok, the answer to that last one is unequivocally yes, but for our discussion of the other questions, well, just listen. The Canon Ball is a member of the Agora Podcast Network, and if you enjoy our show then be sure to check out some of the others on the network like Lands of Leviathan. Each show takes on a complicated idea or issue from the fields of political science and international relations and analyzes it through the lens of pop culture material. For more information on the show, check out landsofleviathan.com, and for more information on the shows on the network, go to agorapodcastnetwork.com. And if you want more of the Canon Ball, check out our blog at thecanonballpodcast.wordpress.com. You’ll see our occasional scribblings on canonical things as well as the order in which we’re tackling the canon. You can also find us on Twitter @canonballpod or on Facebook if you look for our group. If you like the show, please rate and review on Apple Podcasts!

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BONUS: American Innovations - Preview Episode Sep 10, 2018

The Agora Podcast Network and The Canon Ball podcast is proud to present this special preview episode of a new American Innovations series from Wondery.

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14. Don Quixote - Book 1 Aug 09, 2018

And we’re finally on the road with book one of Don Quixote. When you look around and realize you’re just a burnt out old man why not reinvent yourself as your personal ideal? Is that any more ridiculous than inadvertently basing every move in your life on other narratives? Daniel and I discuss reinvention in 17th century Spain and speculate on the effects the Reconquista and Inquisition (i.e., ethnic cleansing) may have had on this particular motif in Don Quixote. We also take a look at the Don’s (and others’) masochistic, self-enfolded sexual frustration, which is much less exciting than it sounds. The Canon Ball is a member of the Agora Podcast Network, and if you enjoy our show then be sure to check out some of the others on the network like the Renaissance English History podcast where Heather Teysko walks through the days in the lives of the Tudors. You can find it at https://www.englandcast.com/ and for more check out our blog at thecanonballpodcast.wordpress.com. You’ll see our occasional scribblings on canonical things as well as the order in which we’re tackling the canon. You can also find us on Twitter @canonballpod or on Facebook if you look for our group. Rate and review on Apple Podcasts; thanks and enjoy the show.

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13. Cervantes and Don Quixote Jun 12, 2018

And here we go, sallying officially forth in the first of our series on Don Quixote! In this episode, we commence with some background discussion of Spain in Cervantes’ time, writing in Cervantes’ time, and the genres that went into the making of what Claude is very close to arguing is officially the first novel. We also get into the multiple Spains that make up Spain and the epistemological crisis that is attendant to the rise of the chivalric prose tale. It’s… actually more interesting than it sounds…

The Canon Ball is a part of the Agora Podcast Network. If you like the show, check out some of the other shows on the network, like History of Alchemy, History of Germany, and the Secret Cabinet, all part of the Podcastnik Productions team. They specialize in all things Germanic and many things esoteric. Find out more at www.podcastnik.com and for more information on the shows on the network, go to agorapodcastnetwork.com.

And if you want more of the Canon Ball, check out the blog at thecanonballpodcast.wordpress.com. You’ll see our occasional scribblings on canonical things as well as the order in which we’re tackling the canon. You can also find us on Twitter @canonballpod or on Facebook if you look for our group. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts if you like the show and recommend us to a friend!

But wait! There’s more! We have a new sponsor, Onlinegreatbooks.com. Enter the promo code CAN to get 25% off your first three months.

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BONUS: American Innovations - Preview Episode May 10, 2018

The Canon Ball and the Agora Podcast Network are proud to present this preview episode of the upcoming Wondery podcast American Innovations. Listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get podcasts. Find out more at wondery.com/shows/american-innovations/

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12. Don Quixote (w/ guest Chris Ludovici) May 02, 2018

It’s our most quixotic episode yet! In that it’s an episode that’s only tangentially about Don Quixote! While Daniel and I get our materials together to tackle Cervantes, I have a talk with Chris Ludovici, author of the novel The Minors, about his experiences with Quixote and the canon. It’s a little looser than what we usually do, but Chris’ perspective on literature and the meaning of Don Quixote is pretty singular, and even if this is a bit of a digression from the regular path, it was a really good conversation. You can find Chris’ book on Amazon and pertinent to our discussion is an article he wrote for the Penn Gazette, “The Prodigal Student.” Check it out at http://thepenngazette.com/the-prodigal-student.

The Canon Ball is a member of the Agora Podcast Network, and if you enjoy our show then be sure to check out some of the others on the network like Roifield Brown’s 10 American Presidents a show about landmark presidencies. Each show features an expert narrator giving their take on the life of one of the presidents as well as a dramatic score and audio clips to create a whole listening experience. For more information on 10 American presidents, go to 10usp.com. and for more information on the shows on the network, go to agorapodcastnetwork.com. And if you want more of the Canon Ball, check out our blog at thecanonballpodcast.wordpress.com. You’ll see our occasional scribblings on canonical things as well as the order in which we’re tackling the canon. You can also find us on Twitter @canonballpod or on Facebook if you look for our group. Rate and review on Apple Podcasts if you like the show.

This week's episode is sponsored by Onlinegreatbooks.com. Enter the promo code CAN to get 25% off your first three months.

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11. Montaigne - Part 3 Apr 02, 2018

It’s our third and final episode on Montaigne! So what does an Epicurean think of marriage? What’s the middle way in the middle of a civil war? Why are rugged individualists like Emerson and Nietzsche such total plagiarists? And how exactly should one execute a bowel movement? Montaigne has the answers to all of these questions and more that you probably never cared to ask! Join us on this episode as we finally think through Montaigne’s final word on final words. The Canon Ball is a member of the Agora Podcast Network, and if you enjoy our show then be sure to check out some of the others on the network, like the History of England, a chronological walk through, well… the history of England. This isn’t a dry, events only podcast, but one that takes its time to meander through the customs and cultures that make the history of the UK funny if not fascinating. For more information on the show, check out thehistoryofengland.co.uk and for more information on the shows on the network, go to agorapodcastnetwork.com. And if you want more of the Canon Ball, check out our blog at thecanonballpodcast.wordpress.com. You’ll see our occasional scriblings on canonical things as well as the order in which we’re tackling the canon. You can also find us on Twitter @canonballpod or on Facebook if you look for our group. Rate and review on itunes; thanks and enjoy the show.

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10. Montaigne - Part 2 Mar 07, 2018

On this episode we do a deep dive into the longest of Montaigne's essays, the Apology for Raymond Sebond! And boy do we get confused! Is Montaigne a Pyrrhonist? Is Pyrrhonism a form of deconstruction? Are Montaigne's politics regressive? Are Montaigne's politics progressive? Do we answer any of these questions? Just listen to find out the answer is "no!" But if you leave as baffled as we were we consider our jobs done.

Check out some of the other podcasts on Agora like Thom Daly’s “American Biography,” which looks at American history through a human prism by examining the lives of important, if less discussed, Americans who have exerted great influence upon the nation's development. And for a deal on headphones, hit up our sponsor Sudio at www.sudiosweden.com and use the code CANNONBALL at checkout for 15% off (we know, they added an N, just go with it).

Stop by the blog at thecanonballpodcast.wordpress.blog and drop us a line at claudemoinc@gmail.com.

You can find us on Facebook under The Canon Ball and on Twitter at @DrCMGoozer.

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9. Montaigne - Part 1 Jan 03, 2018

On this episode of the Canon Ball Daniel and Claude get overly personal (appropriately enough) as we begin our deep dive into Montaigne’s essays! Could Montaigne, a man who shut himself in a tower to read all of what was considered the canonical texts of his day and think through their effects on him, be the patron saint of the podcast? Sure, why not!

Check out some of the other podcasts on Agora like Steve Guerra’s “Beyond the Big Screen,” a guide to the stories behind your favorite films. And for a deal on headphones, hit our sponsor Sudio at www.sudiosweden.com and use the code CANNONBALL at checkout for 15% off (we know, they added an N, just go with it).

Stop by the blog at thecanonballpodcast.wordpress.blog and drop us a line at claudemoinc@gmail.com.

You can find us on Facebook under The Canon Ball and on Twitter at @DrCMGoozer.

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BONUS: American History Tellers - Preview Episode Jan 03, 2018

An introduction to a new American history podcast, with a short preview of their series on the Cold War.

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8. Montaigne (in brief) Dec 04, 2017

Daniel takes another quick break while we get out reading of Montaigne together. In his stead we have Matt Shifflet returning to give us some insights into how to read Montaigne (and maybe how not to...). As an added bonus, the original podcastnik Travis J. Dow of the History of Germany podcast (among others) has given us an exclusive man on the street segment from his recent trip to Wittenberg to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. Look for other segments scattered about in various other Agora podcasts. And check out some of the other stuff upcoming from Agora like the History of Westeros, a wide-ranging examination of all things Game of Thrones. Find us on the web at thecanonballpodcast.wordpress.com. Thanks, and hope you enjoy the show.

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7. The Misanthrope and Tartuffe Nov 06, 2017

Daniel returns from paternity leave to join Claude as they dive back into Moliere and discuss The Misanthrope and Tartuffe.

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6. Moliere Oct 01, 2017

Daniel takes some time off for paternity leave so Claude interviews theater historian Matt Shifflet about Moliere and the history of the French theatrical world.

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5. Paradiso Sep 01, 2017

Join us for our first official episode on the Agora podcast network as Daniel and Claude try to get a view of the greatest of great beyonds. And there's crusades! And be sure to check out some of the other great podcasts on the network. In particular, try out Tiny Vampires with Raven Forrest. Got a thing for tiny blood-sucking parasites? Then that's the podcast for you!

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4. Purgatorio Jul 15, 2017

In which Daniel and Claude atone for their sins and try to figure out what happened to Virgil.

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3. Inferno Jun 16, 2017

In which Daniel and Claude begin a three part series on Dante! Let's go straight to hell!

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2. Chaucer Mar 11, 2017

In which Daniel saves Claude's bacon with his intricate knowledge of ancient church law! Join us for a discussion of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales with extensive commentary on the why's and wherefore's of a church pardon.

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1. Introductions Feb 03, 2017

It's the Canon Ball: a podcast attempt to read ALL the books in Harold Bloom's list in the appendix of his book The Western Canon.

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