Ex-Wife: Ursula Parrott's Forgotten Literary Classic, with Marsha Gordon and Hannah Dawson

Intelligence Squared

Arts, News, Society & Culture, News Commentary

4.2 • 1.1K Ratings

🗓️ 16 September 2024

⏱️ 49 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Divorcées, dark humour and the underbelly of 1920s New York form the basis of author and screenwriter Ursula Parrott's forgotten classic novel, Ex-Wife. It became a bestseller on its original release nearly a century ago in 1929 and was also made into an Oscar-winning film. Now reissued by Faber, it follows Patricia, a divorcée embarking on single life in the city while partying and holding down her fashion advertising day job. Today, some readers are calling it the ultimate millennial novel – a century early. Our guest to discuss the book is Marsha Gordon, Professor of Film Studies at North Carolina State University, a former Fellow at the National Humanities Center and the recipient of a National Endowment for the Humanities Public Scholar award. She is the author of numerous books including Becoming the Ex-Wife: The Unconventional Life and Forgotten Writings of Ursula Parrott. Joining her to discuss it is Hannah Dawson, editor of The Penguin Book of Feminist Writing and Senior Lecturer in the History of Ideas at King's College London. Let us know your thoughts! Take a moment to fill in our Intelligence Squared Audience Survey and be in with the chance of winning a £50 Amazon gift card. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events - Our member-only newsletter The Monthly Read, sent straight to your inbox ... Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series ... Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. ... Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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1:00.0	Hello and welcome to Intelligence Squared, where great minds meet, I'm producer Mia Sorrenti.
1:08.0	We're exploring something of a lost literary classic for this episode.
1:11.4	The ex-wife, a book by author Ursula Parrot, became a bestseller on its original release a century ago in 1929. It was also made into an Oscar winning film. But today it's finding new audiences thanks to its contemporary
1:23.8	feeling themes. Now we issued by Faber, it follows Patricia a divorcee embarking
1:28.8	on single life in the city while partying and holding down her fashion advertising day job.
1:34.0	People are calling it the ultimate millennial novel from a century ago.
1:38.0	Of course, sadly, its author is no longer with us to talk about it. In her place we have Marsha Gordon, professor of film studies at North Carolina State University.
	...

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