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

The History of Literature

Jacke Wilson

Arts, History, Books

4.6 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 10 November 2025

⏱️ 54 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

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. Auden and the sex worker whom he hired, was robbed by, and befriended. And Kenneth Sacks (Emerson's Civil Wars: Spirit and Society in the Age of Abolition) stops by to discuss his choice for the last book he will ever read. Join Jacke on a trip through literary England (signup closing soon)! The History of Literature Podcast Tour is happening in May 2026! Act now to join Jacke and fellow literature fans on an eight-day journey through literary England in partnership with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠John Shors Travel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Scheduled stops include The Charles Dickens Museum, Dr. Johnson's house, Jane Austen's Bath, Tolkien's Oxford, Shakespeare's Globe Theater, and more. Find out more by emailing jackewilsonauthor@gmail.com or masahiko@johnshorstravel.com, or by contacting us through our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠historyofliterature.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or visit the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠History of Literature Podcast Tour itinerary⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠John Shors Travel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. The music in this episode is by Gabriel Ruiz-Bernal. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠gabrielruizbernal.com⁠⁠⁠⁠. Help support the show at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/literature ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠historyofliterature.com/donate ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. The History of Literature Podcast is a member of Lit Hub Radio and the Podglomerate Network. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thepodglomerate.com/historyofliterature⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	The History of Literature Podcast is a member of the Podglomerate Network and Lit Hub Radio.
0:09.0	Hello, if we're looking for a reason to want to read and learn more about New Zealand writer Catherine Mansfield,
0:15.6	we can cite no less an authority than her contemporary Virginia Woolf.
0:20.7	Catherine Mansfield's writing, said
0:22.6	Wolf, was the only writing I was ever jealous of. But as rich as Mansfield's writing is,
0:29.2	it's possible that her life story was even richer. We'll talk to Jerry Kimber, author of a new
0:35.1	biography of Catherine Mansfield.
0:44.2	Plus, we hear some breaking news of English-slash-American poet, W.H. Auden, who, it turns out,
0:50.9	was once robbed by the sex worker he had hired, and with whom he then maintained an intense friendship,
0:56.1	quote-unquote, writing him over 100 letters that have recently emerged.
1:03.0	And we'll hear from an expert in Ralph Waldo Emerson, Ken Sacks, on his choice for the last book he will ever read. That's all coming up today on the history of literature.
1:24.6	Okay, here we go. Welcome to the podcast. I'm Jack Wilson. How are you, my friends?
1:27.7	My listening friends, I hope you're doing well today.
1:29.2	We're in the thick of November.
1:33.4	Now, and the brisk air is really helping to restore my spirits.
1:35.6	Thank goodness that summer is over.
1:37.9	The leaves are still beautiful.
1:39.1	I'm doing well.
1:43.2	The world is crazy, but I can keep my mind in a positive place.
1:45.3	That's how we win in life.
1:48.7	So, W.H. Auden, this is a strange story.
2:03.6	W.H. Auden, one would think we've chased down just about everything there is to know about the man who was a famous poet at a fairly early age and was a public figure in the 20th century and has been well studied by scholars and biographers,
	...

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