"Fiction and the Fantastic" is a literary criticism podcast from the London Review of Books, part of their Close Readings series, hosted by writer and cultural historian Marina Warner alongside novelists Anna Della Subin, Adam Thirlwell, and Chloe Aridjis. Each episode is an erudite, conversational deep dive into the tradition of fantastical, uncanny, and speculative literature—ranging from The Thousand and One Nights and Gulliver's Travels to Kafka, Borges, Angela Carter, J.G. Ballard, and Ursula K. Le Guin. The hosts blend close textual analysis with broader questions about genre, imagination, and the boundaries between 'literary' and 'genre' fiction, often recorded as intimate roundtable discussions or live events with guest scholars and editors. Rich in historical and theoretical context, the show appeals to serious readers, students of literature, and fans of speculative fiction who want rigorous yet accessible exploration of how wonder, dread, and the fantastic have shaped storytelling across centuries and cultures. Its tone is scholarly but warm, ideal for listeners who enjoy long-form literary conversation akin to a university seminar crossed with a passionate book club.
"Fiction and the Fantastic" is a literary criticism podcast from the London Review of Books, part of their Close Readings series, hosted by writer and cultural historian Marina Warner alongside novelists Anna Della Subin, Adam Thirlwell, and Chloe Aridjis. Each episode is an erudite, conversational deep dive into the tradition of fantastical, uncanny, and speculative literature—ranging from The Thousand and One Nights and Gulliver's Travels to Kafka, Borges, Angela Carter, J.G. Ballard, and Ursula K. Le Guin. The hosts blend close textual analysis with broader questions about genre, imagination, and the boundaries between 'literary' and 'genre' fiction, often recorded as intimate roundtable discussions or live events with guest scholars and editors. Rich in historical and theoretical context, the show appeals to serious readers, students of literature, and fans of speculative fiction who want rigorous yet accessible exploration of how wonder, dread, and the fantastic have shaped storytelling across centuries and cultures. Its tone is scholarly but warm, ideal for listeners who enjoy long-form literary conversation akin to a university seminar crossed with a passionate book club.
