What makes a book a classic? A read of the Western canon and how it’s changing

The Colin McEnroe Show

This hour, we look at the idea of the Western canon, and those books that are considered "classics." We'll talk about what's in the canon, what isn't and what should be, and how it evolves.

Plus, we’ll talk about The Atlantic’s recent list of “The Great American Novels.” And, we’ll learn about a publishing company that is experimenting with artificial intelligence to bring classic books alive for a new audience.

GUESTS:

• Roosevelt Montás: Senior Lecturer in American Studies and English at Columbia University. He is author of Rescuing Socrates: How the Great Books Changed My Life and Why They Matter for a New Generation
• James Mustich: Author of 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die
• Gal Beckerman: Senior editor for books at The Atlantic
• Laura Kipnis: Cultural critic, essayist, and the author of Love in the Time of Contagion: A Diagnosis, among other books

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Colin McEnroe and Eugene Amatruda contributed to this show.

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