Just the Best Literature

Hosted by Dennis Leap

Just the Best Literature inspires you to not only read printed books, but to read only the best books. Besides books, host Dennis Leap will lead discussions on other current literature such as essays and important articles.

#208: The Overlooked Character in Conrad’s Youth, Part 2

Aired Monday, November 16, 2020   ·   08:00 AM CST   ·   30 minutes

Host Dennis Leap continues discussing the overlooked character in Joseph Conrad’s short story Youth—the Judea. Dennis mentions the rat prophecy and shows how Marlow praises the Judea for living up to her motto “Judea, London. Do or Die."

#207: The Overlooked Character in Conrad’s Youth, Part 1

Aired Monday, November 9, 2020   ·   08:00 AM CST   ·   31 minutes

Host Dennis Leap and special guest Gabe Greaser discuss the overlooked character in Joseph Conrad’s short story Youth—the Judea. Marlow provides loving descriptions of her sterling character.

#206: Marlow—The Storyteller, Part 2

Aired Monday, November 2, 2020   ·   08:00 AM CST   ·   32 minutes

Host Dennis Leap continues discussing the narrator and main character, Marlow, in Joseph Conrad’s short story Youth. Dennis puts an emphasis on Marlow’s ability to observe and make criticisms of others.

#205: Marlow—The Storyteller

Aired Monday, October 26, 2020   ·   08:00 AM CDT   ·   31 minutes

Host Dennis Leap begins discussing the narrator and main character, Marlow, in Joseph Conrad’s short story Youth. Dennis puts an emphasis on Conrad’s written statements about Marlow.

#204: Introduction to Joseph Conrad’s Novella Youth

Aired Monday, October 12, 2020   ·   07:00 AM CDT   ·   31 minutes

Host Dennis Leap begins the discussion of Joseph Conrad’s novella Youth by talking about the story’s structure and characters and a suggestion about why Conrad chose to write the story.

#203: A Snapshot of Joseph Conrad’s Early Childhood

Aired Monday, October 5, 2020   ·   07:00 AM CDT   ·   31 minutes

Host Dennis Leap begins the promised series on Joseph Conrad’s Youth, Heart of Darkness and Lord Jim with a short introduction to Conrad’s difficult childhood under Russia’s domination of the Poles.

#202: An Overview of 1984’s Appendix 1

Aired Monday, September 21, 2020   ·   08:00 AM CDT   ·   32 minutes

Host Dennis Leap, along with special guest Deborah Leap, discusses “The Principle of Newspeak” found in Orwell’s classic 1984. George Orwell believed that totalitarian governments strive to control human thought through the destruction of language.

#201: Winston’s Days in the Ministry of Love, Part 2

Aired Monday, September 14, 2020   ·   08:00 AM CDT   ·   31 minutes

Host Dennis Leap and special guests Grant Turgeon, Emma Moore and Deborah Leap continue their discussion of Book 3 of George Orwell’s classic 1984. Under severe torture, Winston works to maintain his own thinking but eventually suffers Stockholm syndrome and succumbs to O’Brien and Big Brother.

#200: Winston’s Days in the Ministry of Love, Part 1

Aired Monday, September 7, 2020   ·   08:00 AM CDT   ·   31 minutes

Host Dennis Leap—along with special guests Grant Turgeon, Emma Moore and Deborah Leap—discusses Book 3 of George Orwell’s classic 1984. Winston discovers the dark truth about the goals of the party while being tortured by O’Brien.

#199: George Orwell: A Conversation With Michael Shelden

Aired Monday, June 15, 2020   ·   08:00 AM CDT   ·   53 minutes

In this extended length program, host Dennis Leap and guest Deborah Leap hold a conversation with Michael Sheldon, author of Orwell: The Authorized Biography. Michael shares his insights on why George Orwell wrote his famous novel 1984.