Best Will Dunbar Podcasts (2025)

Did you think we already knew everything there was to know about Virginia Woolf? Think again! In this episode, Jacke talks to scholar and editor Urmila Seshagiri about The Life of Violet: Three Early Stories, which presents three interconnected comic stories chronicling the adventures of a giantess named Violet, which Woolf wrote in 1907, eight yea…

1
Ep 226 - The 12th Doctor and The Disappearance of Melissa Casias 1:33:23

Play Pause

2d ago1:33:23

1:33:23

Send us a text Zig is back on the Nerdery side with a deep exploration of Peter Capaldi’s 12th Doctor and the stories that shaped his time in the TARDIS. Then Geoffrey investigates the mysterious disappearance of Melissa Casias, a case that still confounds and unsettles. Tune in for a ride through sci fi and true crime. Support the show…

1
“Unexpected Gifts: Unexpected Commission” - Luke 1:26-38 33:50

2d ago33:50

33:50

By Wes Parker

1
755 The Chinese Tragedy of King Lear (with Nan Z. Da) | My Last Book with Iris Jamahl Dunkle 42:51

5d ago42:51

42:51

At the start of Shakespeare's famous tragedy, King Lear promises to divide his kingdom based on his daughters’ professions of love, but he portions it out before hearing all of their answers. For Nan Da, a professor of English literature who emigrated from China to the United States as a child in the 1990s, this startling opening scene sparked a re…

1
754 Christopher Marlowe (with Stephen Greenblatt) | My Last Book with Eric White 55:43

8d ago55:43

55:43

Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593) was born into relative obscurity and died in mysterious circumstances at the age of 29. And yet, somehow this ambitious cobbler's son brought about a spectacular explosion of English literature, language, and culture. In this episode, Jacke talks to Stephen Greenblatt about his book Dark Renaissance: The Dangerous Ti…

1
Ep 225 - Peter Gabriel and The Battle of Blair Mountain 1:31:11

9d ago1:31:11

1:31:11

Send us a text It is wife swap time once again on Nerdery and Murdery. Geoffrey jumps into the Nerdery seat and goes full fan mode with a deep dive into the world of Peter Gabriel, his music, his influence, and the sound that shaped a generation. Then Zig takes over the Murdery side and brings the powerful story of the Battle of Blair Mountain, one…

1
“Unexpected Gifts: Unexpected Parents” - Luke 1:5-25, 57-66 38:21

13d ago38:21

38:21

By Wes Parker

1
753 Tenth-Anniversary Special (with Mike Palindrome and Laurie Frankel) | Giving Thanks | My Last Book with Eve Dunbar 1:17:22

13d ago1:17:22

1:17:22

When Jacke started the podcast in 2015, he decided to privilege books that were at least fifty years old. (Longtime listeners will know he's made a few exceptions, but for the most part, that's been the policy.) Last month, the History of Literature Podcast celebrated its tenth anniversary - which means there are ten years' worth of books that are …

1
752 The Brontes' Sibling Rivalry (with Catherine Rayner) | My Last Book with Keith Cooper 1:01:28

15d ago1:01:28

1:01:28

Charlotte Brontë wasn't born the eldest child, but she was thrust into a leadership role at the age of ten, as the Brontë children dealt with the tragic deaths of their mother and two eldest sisters. How did this affect their family dynamic? And when the younger two sisters, Emily and Anne, had their novels accepted while Charlotte's alone was reje…

1
Ep 224 - Goth 3 Back by Popular Demand with a Valley Surprise and The Murder of Dylan Redwine 1:29:59

16d ago1:29:59

1:29:59

Send us a text Welcome to another week of Nerdery and Murdery! This we on the Nerdery side of the house back by popular demand we have a part THREE of Zig covering Goth music with a little Rio Grande Valley surprise mixed in. Then step on into the Murdery side of the house where Geoffrey covers another sad abuse case that led to a tragic end. Suppo…

1
751 Covering Iran's Women-Led Uprising (with Nilo Tabrizy) | My Last Book with Sharmila Sen 1:02:37

19d ago1:02:37

1:02:37

In September 2022, a young Kurdish woman, Mahsa Jîna Amini, died after being beaten by police officers who arrested her for not adhering to the Islamic Republic’s dress code. Her death galvanized thousands of Iranians—mostly women—who took to the streets in one of the country’s largest uprisings in decades: the Woman, Life, Freedom movement. In thi…

1
750 A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway (with Mark Cirino) | Joyce Carol Oates vs the Trillionaire | My Last Book with Ken Krimstein 1:28:09

22d ago1:28:09

1:28:09

It's the 750th episode of the History of Literature, and what better way to celebrate than to talk some Hemingway with repeat guest Mark Cirino? In this episode, Jacke talks to Mark about Hemingway's classic love-and-war novel A Farewell to Arms, including the recent Norton Library edition of the book, which Mark edited. PLUS Jacke takes a look at …

1
Ep 223 - Three Westerns with the Same Story and Rachel's Law 1:25:06

23d ago1:25:06

1:25:06

Send us a text In yet another stupendous week of Nerdery and Murdery, join in as Zig talks about three Western movies that all seem to be the exact same story. On the Murdery side of the house Geoffrey talks about the dangers, consequences, and abuse of some confidential informants. Be Nerdery with each other not Murdery with each other. Support th…

1
749 Willing and Will-Making in the English Renaissance (with Douglas Clark) | #7 Greatest Book of All Time 1:06:00

26d ago1:06:00

1:06:00

When Hamlet, in his famous soliloquy, pondered the "dread of something after death, / the undiscovered country," he noted that such thoughts "puzzles the will." (Earlier editions of the play had this as a "hope of something after death" that "puzzles the brain." What's the significance for an Elizabethan writer (and audience) of the change from hop…

1
Structural Integrity: “God is Loving But Not Holy” - Acts 4:32 - 5:11 38:25

27d ago38:25

38:25

By Wes Parker

1
748 Katherine Mansfield (with Gerri Kimber) | The Poet and the Sex Worker Who Burgled Him | My Last Book with Emerson Expert Kenneth Sacks 55:47

29d ago55:47

55:47

Katherine Mansfield's writing, said Virginia Woolf, "was the only writing I was ever jealous of." In this episode, Jacke talks to author Gerri Kimber about Katherine Mansfield: A Hidden Life, which explores the life and work of one of literary modernism's most significant writers. PLUS Jacke takes a look at the unusual friendship between poet W.H. …

1
Ep 222 - Bands from the Rio Grande Valley (thank you, Jenn!!!) and The Yogurt Shop Murders 1:31:42

1M ago1:31:42

1:31:42

Send us a text In this super amazing episode of Nerdery and Murdery, Zig takes on a subject given to us from our listener, Jenn, who suggested we cover bands from The Rio Grande Valley in South Texas...so we did! Thank you, Jenn for the list!!! Then once we get our groove on Geoffrey takes over and talks about a thirty year old unsolved murder in T…

1
Structural Integrity: “God is Holy But Not Loving” - John 21:1-19 33:01

1M ago33:01

33:01

By Dave Little

1
Special Episode - Interview with Stephen W. Boster author of Spiritual Sight - The Veilbreaker Chronicles Book 1 1:29:13

1M ago1:29:13

1:29:13

Send us a text In this episode of Nerdery & Murdery, Geoffrey and Zig sit down with longtime friend of the show and 2 Geeks and a Microphone co-host Stephen W. Boster to talk about his new supernatural thriller Spiritual Sight. Together they explore the unseen battle between faith and fear, the real-world inspiration behind modern exorcism fiction,…

1
747 Graphomaniac - The Story of a Horrible Russian Poet (with Ilya Vinitsky and James H. McGavran III | My Last Book with Stephanie Sandler | #8 Greatest Book of All Time 1:11:57

1M ago1:11:57

1:11:57

Dmitry Ivanovich Khvostov (1757-1835) might be the worst poet who ever lived. Pathologically prolific and delusional dedicated to a craft for which he had no talent, he continued to write and publish his poetry despite the pleadings of friends, loved ones, critics, and the public. In this episode, Jacke talks to author Ilya Vinitsky and translator …

1
746 Wild Jane Austen (with Devoney Looser) | #9 Greatest Book of All Time 1:04:37

1M ago1:04:37

1:04:37

Author Devoney Looser may be a mild-mannered English professor to most people, but roller derby fans know her as Stone Cold Jane Austen, her smashmouth alter ego. In this episode, Devoney tells Jacke about her new book Wild for Austen: A Rebellious, Subversive, and Untamed Jane, which suggests we also rethink the commonly held view of "spinster Jan…

1
Ep 221 - Darkhorse Comics and The Murder of Reagan Tokes 1:16:26

1M ago1:16:26

1:16:26

Send us a text Welcome to another stupendous episode of Nerdery and Murdery! Today Zig takes a deep dive into another comic book company and talks all about Dark Horse Comics. Then on the Murdery side of the house Geoffrey tells a tragic tale which just makes him mad with the murder of Regan Tokes. Support the show…

1
745 Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti (Halloween Fun-Size Edition) 2:14:14

1M ago2:14:14

2:14:14

In the spring of 2022, Jacke dropped everything to plummet into one of the strangest poems he had ever read, "Goblin Market" by Christina Rossetti (1830-1894). The result was a two-part episode that never quite found its home. In this special Halloween episode, we've combined the best parts of both of those episodes to bring you the full story of a…

1
Structural Integrity: “Being Loved by God Means Getting Whatever I Ask For” - John 11:1-44 36:25

1M ago36:25

36:25

By Wes Parker

1
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 1:26:42

1M ago1:26:42

1:26:42

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, which tells the h…

1
Ep 220 - Modiphius Entertainment and The Real Life Amityville Horror 57:35

1M ago57:35

57:35

Send us a text HAPPY HALLOWEEN WEEK!!!! In today's amazing episode Zig tells us everything we ever wanted to know but were afraid to ask about Modiphius Entertainment. Then in a special Halloween true horror take Geoffrey will regale you with the story of the REAL Amityville Horror. Have a wonderful and safe Halloween! Support the show…

1
743 Fairy Tales (with Jack Zipes) [RECLAIMED] | Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky (#11 GBOAT) | Chaucer News 1:02:07

2M ago1:02:07

1:02:07

An early encounter with one of the most famous people in the world initiated Jack Zipes into the world of fairy tales - and he never looked back. In this episode, Jacke talks to the fairy tale expert about his book Buried Treasures: The Power of Political Fairy Tales, which profiles modern writers and artists who tapped the political potential of f…

1
742 Edgar Allan Poe (with Richard Kopley) | Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (#12 GBOAT) | My Last Book with Christopher Herbert 1:17:41

2M ago1:17:41

1:17:41

It's October, the perfect month to celebrate the master of mystery and the macabre. In this episode, Jacke talks to author Richard Kopley about his book Edgar Allan Poe: A Life, a comprehensive critical biography that combines a narrative of Poe's enduring challenges (including his difficult foster father, poverty, alcoholism, depression, and his n…

1
Ep 219 More Smushing Music and The Ice Cream Killer 1:20:23

2M ago1:20:23

1:20:23

Send us a text Join in today as Zig gives you more music to "smush" by. Then sit back and curl up by the fire as Geoffrey tells the dark tale of The Ice Cream Killer. Support the showBy Geoffrey Wright, Zig Curtis, and Will Dunbar

1
Structural Integrity: “God Must Be Convinced to Answer Prayer” - Matt. 6:5-13 42:40

2M ago42:40

42:40

By Dave Little

1
741 Gabriela Mistral 1:04:27

2M ago1:04:27

1:04:27

In 1945, the Nobel Committee awarded its prize for literature to Gabriela Mistral (1889-1957) "for her lyric poetry which, inspired by powerful emotions, has made her name a symbol of the idealistic aspirations of the entire Latin American world." Born in a rural Andean valley and abandoned by her free-spirited father at the age of three, Mistral s…

1
740 Mel Brooks and Other Eminent Jews (with David Denby) | War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy (#13 GBOAT) 1:03:56

2M ago1:03:56

1:03:56

In this episode, Jacke talks to author David Denby about his new book, Eminent Jews: Bernstein, Brooks, Friedan, Mailer, a group biography (loosely inspired by Lytton Strachey's Eminent Victorians) that describes how four larger-than-life figures upended the restrained culture of their forebears and changed American life. PLUS in honor of War and P…