Episode 9 – Thomas Adolphus Trollope and Theodosia Garrow Trollope In episodes 7 and 8 we covered Frances Milton Trollope’s life and work. Today we’re turning to her son and first daughter-in-law. Thomas Adolphus Trollope begins his memoir (which he explicitly states is not intended …

In Part Two of episode 8, we finish reading Frances Milton Trollope’s “The Butt,” which you can read in full for free at this link.

In this episode, we reconstruct Fanny’s writing process (to the best of our ability) and read some of her short fiction. This episode was revised; the original version I (Courtney) released was an earlier file. Corrections: Thomas Anthony did publish something: A Treatise on the Mortgage …

Episode 7.5 – Rectors, Vicars, and Curates (or, what’s up with all this religious terminology?) Some important dates: 1454 or 5 – Johannes Gutenberg printed the Gutenberg Bibles putting religion and literacy into the hands of the public! (http://www.hrc.utexas.edu/exhibitions/permanent/gutenbergbible/) 1517 – Martin Luther’s 95 Theses …

… [Continued from Part Two] During this time, Fanny falls ill and, though she eventually recovers, her eyesight is significantly weakened. But Fanny has begun writing what is to be the first of many books: Domestic Manners. Her experiences also influence her opinions about America …

In Part One, we left our intrepid adventurer aboard a ship and on the way to Frances Wright’s Nashoba Commune in Tennessee to try to improve her life. Let’s find out more about her voyage!   Before we do, though, I need to make a …

Welcome to the first full episode of season two: Episode 7 – Frances Milton Trollope Best known now as the mother of successful Victorian novelist Anthony Trollope, Frances, or Fanny as she was more usually called, was a literary force in her own right. She’s …

Happy New Year, listeners!   Last March, I took the plunge and launched Victorian Scribblers. My first year podcasting had its ups and downs, of course. Ask almost any podcaster and they’ll tell you there’s a steep learning curve if you want to get involved …

So, Gaskell’s story of the prodigal son, who returns to rob the parents who believe he is dead is much closer to Dickens’s theme than he may have realised and, as Fran Baker points out “much more disturbing than any supernatural haunting.” As I said …

Episode 5 – The Scribblers who Created Christmas Charles Dickens is perhaps the most famous writer of the Victorian era, he’s also a key player in the Victorian creation of Christmas and especially Christmas stories. A Christmas Carol is obviously a mainstay of Christmas plays …