Balckwell's Books Balckwell

Balckwell’s Books returns with an episode about Kim, by Rudyard Kipling, which tells of the adventures of a young Irish orphan in India who gets drafted into the “Great Game.” We discuss the novel’s historical context, its views on race and ethnicity, and the machinations of colonial government.


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I talk about a collection of short stories written by young writers in Gaza.
Find the full script at my website. www.balckwell.online


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit balckwell.substack.com

In which I discuss Ivan Goncharov’s Oblomov, the story of a middle-aged man who never does anything, never has done anything, and doesn’t plan on doing much in the future either. We discuss the novel’s sympathy and antipathy for its main character, the relatable charm of Oblomov himself, and how his static depiction ends up being to the book’s detriment.


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit balckwell.substack.com

In which I present Family, by Ba Jin, a revolutionary work that expresses the political and personal frustrations of the young generation in early 20th-century China. We discuss Ba Jin’s political ideals, the conflicts that encapsulate the novel, and the radical energy contained in the work. We also make comparison Dream of the Red Chamber, a novel that follows a similar protagonist in a similar family, but with major differences in tone and philosophy.
Books Referenced:
Family, Ba Jin (1932)
Dream of the Red Chamber, aka Dream of Red Mansions, aka The Story of the Stone, Cao Xueqin (1791)
Fathers and Sons, Ivan Turgenev (1862)




This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit balckwell.substack.com

In which I discuss Wieland, or The Transformation, by Charles Brockden Brown, an American classic. We delve into religious individualism, the Spirit of America, and discuss some Kierkegaard along the way.
Write in to the show: balckwellsbooks [at] gmail
Books discussed:
Wieland, or the Transformation by Charles Brockden Brown, 1798
Fear and Trembling by Soren Kierkegaard, 1843


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit balckwell.substack.com

In which I discuss VK Arseniev's memoir, "Dersu the Trapper," a story of survival and friendship in the Taiga. We explore the historical context of his journey, and the nature of the world he finds himself in.
If you have questions, thoughts, or suggestions for future topics, please write to: Balckwellbooks [at] gmail




This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit balckwell.substack.com