778 A History of Aphorisms (with James Geary) | My Last Book with Paul Chrystal

The History of Literature

Jacke Wilson

History, Arts, Books

4.6 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 23 February 2026

⏱️ 57 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

For thousands of years, writers from ancient China to contemporary meme-makers have demonstrated the power of the short, witty, philosophical phrases known as aphorisms. In this episode, Jacke talks to James Geary (The World in a Phrase: A Brief History of the Aphorism) about his decades-long effort to collect, catalogue, and celebrate the oldest written art form on the planet. PLUS author Paul Chrystal (Miracula: Weird and Wonderful Stories of Ancient Greece and Rome) stops by to discuss his choice for the last book he will ever read. Join Jacke on a trip through literary England! Join Jacke and fellow literature fans on an eight-day journey through literary England in partnership with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠John Shors Travel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ in May 2026! Scheduled stops include The Charles Dickens Museum, Dr. Johnson's house, Jane Austen's Bath, Tolkien's Oxford, Shakespeare's Globe Theater, and more. Learn more by emailing ⁠⁠jackewilsonauthor@gmail.com⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠masahiko@johnshorstravel.com⁠⁠, or by contacting us through our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠historyofliterature.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Act now - sign-up closes March 1! 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.
0:09.9	Hey folks, this is it. I know it's gloomy. I know it's winter. We're all stuck inside, but the
0:14.7	spring is coming. Hooray, hooray. Let's start planning the fun things we're going to do.
0:19.8	Here's your chance to join me and Emma on the very first History of Literature podcast tour.
0:25.7	We'll be headed to Literary England for some leisurely travel with visits to key literary sites,
0:31.7	nice hotels, nice restaurants, and good people to share some stimulating conversation,
0:37.3	including professors and writers and biographers and all kinds of surprises along the way.
0:43.2	We'll see the Dickens Museum and the Globe Theater and Dr. Johnson's house
0:47.0	and eat at the pubs and restaurants where famous writers got their grub
0:51.1	and lifted a glass to literature.
0:54.2	March 1st is the last day to sign up, and we would love to have you.
0:58.3	Check out the details at History of Literature.com
1:01.0	or at John Shores Travel, S-H-O-R-S.
1:05.8	I hope you can join us.
1:09.2	300 years of expertise in every twining sleep blend.
1:14.8	100 hours of craft in every cup.
1:18.9	Eight natural ingredients in every sip.
1:22.7	One night of winding down in every drop.
1:26.8	Your moment of serenity. Brought to you by twining sleep.
1:32.6	Twinings. Alive in every drop. Hello. Oh, don't you always know the perfect thing to say?
1:42.5	Eight hours too late. That's a sensation we've all felt,
1:46.5	isn't it? In fact, you might almost say my little sentence could be a piece of folk wisdom,
	...

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