Best OSK Podcasts (2025)

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Episode 139 - Dagrún Ósk Jónsdóttir - Ghosts, Trolls and The Hidden People 1:03:14

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26d ago1:03:14

1:03:14

My guest for this episode is folklorist and author Dagrún Ósk Jónsdóttir, who joined me to discuss her new book Ghosts, Trolls and The Hidden People; An Anthology of Icelandic Folk Legends. Dagrún Ósk’s research on the folklore and legends of Iceland has included the topics of cannibalism, Ouija board traditions, supernatural beings and, for her Ph…

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738 Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë (#15 Greatest Book of All Time) 1:16:09

10h ago1:16:09

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Emily Brontë only published one full-length book before dying at the tragically young age of 30. But that book, Wuthering Heights, which tells the story of obsessive and vengeful love on the rugged moors of Yorkshire, is still considered one of the pinnacles of English literature, landing at #15 on the list of Greatest Books of All Time. In this ep…

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737 "The Monkey's Paw" by W.W. Jacobs 42:21

4d ago42:21

42:21

It's October! Jacke kicks off his favorite month with a classic tale of horror, "The Monkey's Paw" by W.W. Jacobs. Perhaps you know the general contours of the paradigmatic "be careful what you wish for" story from the Simpsons or another popularization - but just how scary was the original story? And who was W.W. Jacobs? Join Jacke on a trip throu…

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Episode 140 - Raphael Cormack - Holy Men of the Electromagnetic Age 1:06:44

5d ago1:06:44

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My guest for this episode is author Raphael Cormack, who joined me to talk about his new non-fiction book, Holy Men of the Electromagnetic Age. The book explores what it describes as a ‘golden age of the uncanny’ centered around the Eastern Mediterranean in the years following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. This was a time when Clairvoyants, f…

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736 Jane Austen's Favorite Brother, Henry (with Christopher Herbert) | A Letter from the South of France | My Last Book with Nicholas Jenkins 1:00:29

7d ago1:00:29

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Jane Austen had six brothers, but her older brother Henry was her favorite. Kind and witty, Henry has long been appreciated by Austen fans for his devotion to Jane and his championing of her novels. But Henry was a fascinating figure in his own right, capering through risky financial schemes and marrying an enigmatic French countess before ending h…

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735 Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf (with Mark Hussey) | My Last Book with Graham Watson 1:23:55

15d ago1:23:55

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Jacke talks to author Mark Hussey (Mrs Dalloway: Biography of a Novel) about Virginia Woolf's beloved novel Mrs Dalloway, which turned 100 earlier this year. PLUS author Graham Watson (The Invention of Charlotte Bronte) stops by to discuss his choice for the last book he will ever read. Join Jacke on a trip through literary England (signup open thr…

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23 | Aaron Windfield / Velvet Cake: Failed Job Interview turned into The Algorithm That Connects You to Music and Concerts 1:01:45

15d ago1:01:45

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🎙️ The Power of Creativity in Entrepreneurship with Aaron Winfield How do you transform creativity into a business engine—while staying true to your passions and mental well-being? In this episode, we sit down with Aaron Winfield—serial entrepreneur, musician, and founder of Velvet Cake and Morning Sloth. From his early days in Nebraska to shaping …

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734 The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien (#16 GBOAT) | 1925 - A Literary Encyclopedia (with Tom Lutz) 56:09

19d ago56:09

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Jacke talks to author Tom Lutz about 1925: A Literary Encyclopedia, which provides a fascinating window into a year when literature was arguably at its peak centrality. PLUS a look at J.R.R. Tolkien and his influential Lord of the Rings, #16 on the list of the Greatest Books of All Time. Join Jacke on a trip through literary England (signup open th…

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733 Haruki Murakami (with Mike Palindrome | To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (#17 GBOAT) | A Letter from Tehran 1:24:11

22d ago1:24:11

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Haruki Murakami (b. 1949) is one of the rare writers who combines literary admiration with widespread appeal. Host Jacke Wilson is joined by lifelong Murakami fan Mike Palindrome to discuss what makes his novels so compelling, so mysterious, and so popular. Works discussed include The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, Norwegian Wood, Kafka on the Shore, and …

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22 | Tessa Clarke / Olio: From Countryside-Smart to a Global Sharing Movement 44:30

22d ago44:30

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🎙️ From Food Waste to Community Wealth: The Vision of Olio with Tessa Clarke How do you turn personal frustration with food waste into a global movement of sharing, connection, and sustainability? In this episode, we sit down with Tessa Clarke—co-founder and CEO of Olio, the groundbreaking app that helps neighbors share surplus food and household i…

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732 The Bible (#18 GBOAT) | The Diaries of Samuel Pepys (with Kate Loveman) | Health Advice 1:13:35

26d ago1:13:35

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Jacke starts the episode by looking at the different ways that ten writers have viewed the Bible, #18 on the list of the Greatest Books of All Time. Then he's joined by scholar Kate Loveman, one of the few people in the world who's been able to read the diaries of Samuel Pepys in the original shorthand, for a discussion of her book The Strange Hist…

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731 The Brothers Karamazov Reclaimed (#19 Greatest Book of All Time) 1:21:06

29d ago1:21:06

1:21:06

Responding to a special request from a listener, Jacke discusses Fyodor Dostoevsky, his novel The Brothers Karamazov, and the search for meaning in a meaningless world. This episode was originally released as episode #250 on October 7, 2020. For reasons Jacke discusses, it has not been available for several years. One show note: at several points i…

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21 | Svend Hardenberg / Qappik ApS: Exploring and exporting Greenland's Entrepreneurial Spirit 1:07:47

29d ago1:07:47

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🎙️ From Ice to Innovation: The Entrepreneurial Journey of Svend Hardenberg How do you build thriving businesses in one of the world’s most remote and challenging landscapes? In this episode, we travel to Greenland to meet Svend Hardenberg—a serial entrepreneur whose ventures are as bold and unique as the landscapes he calls home. Growing up in Nuuk…

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730 "To Autumn" by John Keats | The Invention of Charlotte Brontë (with Graham Watson) | My Last Book with Sara Charles 1:06:20

1M ago1:06:20

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Jacke looks forward to a new season by exploring the language and imagery of John Keats's famous ode to autumn. Then he talks to Graham Watson about his new book The Invention of Charlotte Brontë: A New Life, which tells the story of how how Charlotte reinvented herself as an acclaimed author, a mysterious celebrity, and a passionate lover. PLUS Sa…

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729 Milton the Revolutionary (with Orlando Reade) | My Last Book with Jodi Picoult | More Exciting News 1:07:45

1M ago1:07:45

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Since the publication of John Milton's epic poem Paradise Lost in 1667, readers and critics have noted the relationship between the poem and the author's political and personal struggles. What has been less prominent - at least until now - is how the poem came to haunt various political struggles over the next four centuries. In this episode, Jacke…

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728 The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain (#20 GBOAT) | Lorraine Hansberry - RECLAIMED 1:30:35

1M ago1:30:35

1:30:35

As part of the "25 for '25" series, Jacke starts the episode with a look at #20 on the list of Greatest Books of All Time, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain. Then he reclaims a previous episode devoted to Lorraine Hansberry, author of A Raisin in the Sun, a brilliant playwright who died at the tragically young age of 34. (The Hansbe…

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727 Earthly Paradise in Old French Verse (with Jacob Abell) | My Last Book with Victorian Literature Expert Allen MacDuffie | A Dueling Neapolitan Passionate for Poetry 1:04:12

2M ago1:04:12

1:04:12

What happened to Eden? While today we might view the story of Adam and Eve as metaphorical, for many generations of Christians, the Earthly Paradise was a vibrant symbol at the heart of the cosmos. In this episode, Jacke talks to Jacob Abell about his book Spiritual and Material Boundaries in Old French Verse: Contemplating the Walls of the Earthly…

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Episode 138 - Kimberly S. Engels - Phenomenology of The Phenomenon 1:02:39

2M ago1:02:39

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Joining me for this episode is philosopher Kimberly S. Engels. Kimberly is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Molloy University and her research focuses on existentialism, phenomenology, and ethics. In 2023 she started a new research project on the UAP phenomenon, focusing on the lived conscious experience of individuals who report these kind enc…

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726 England vs France - A Literary Battle Royale (with Mike Palindrome) - RECLAIMED 1:03:36

2M ago1:03:36

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“Our dear enemies,” a French writer once called the English. Englishman John Cleese called the French “our natural enemies” and joked “if we have to fight anyone, I say let’s fight the French.” With the exception of some (very important) twentieth-century alliances, the French and the English have been at each others’ throats for a thousand years. …

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BONUS 01 | NAMING: Decoding the Perfect Brand Name (and Why It Doesn’t Exist) (#GoldenNugget) 54:29

2M ago54:29

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🎙️✨ BONUS EPISODE — Golden Nugget: The Art (and Chaos) of Naming Your Brand To celebrate 20 episodes of Founders Meeting, Helga sits down with branding experts Sebastian Degenhard and Paula Espinosa to dig into the creative strategies, pitfalls & psychology behind great names and the emotional rollercoaster that is naming your brand. From naming fa…

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725 The Trial by Franz Kafka (#21 GBOAT) | Edith Wharton and Patrick O'Brian (with Olivia Wolfgang-Smith) | An Uplifting Story 1:18:40

2M ago1:18:40

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Jacke starts the episode with an uplifting story, then submerges himself into chaos and absurdity for a look at The Trial by Franz Kafka, which lands at #21 on the list of Greatest Books of All Time. Then he welcomes novelist Olivia Wolfgang-Smith to the show for a discussion of her admiration for Edith Wharton, her passion for the works of Patrick…

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724 The Stranger by Albert Camus (#22 Greatest Book of All Time) | Christopher Isherwood (with Jake Poller) | Postcard from a Listener in Yunnan 1:01:38

2M ago1:01:38

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Put on your black turtleneck! Jacke starts the episode with a look at #22 on the list of The Greatest Books of All Time, The Stranger by Albert Camus. Then he talks to Jake Poller about British and American novelist and playwright Christopher Isherwood, whose Goodbye to Berlin was adapted into the stage musical and movie Cabaret. In discussing his …

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20 | Anna Morgado / AM Ceramics: How Vulnerability Transforms Artistry and Business From Fear to Freedom 1:39:46

2M ago1:39:46

1:39:46

🎙️ From Clay to Connection: The Artistic Entrepreneurship of Anna Morgado How do you build a soulful business rooted in creativity, community, and intuition? In this episode, we sit down with Anna Morgado—a Brazilian ceramic artist and entrepreneur now based in Hamburg—whose journey from graphic designer to successful creative founder offers a fres…

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723 The Moral Rights of Authors (with Mira T Sundara Rajan) | My Last Book with Radha Vatsal 1:16:28

2M ago1:16:28

1:16:28

As technology advances, the ability of authors and artists to prevent their works from being pirated or misused has become urgent. In this episode, Jacke talks to copyright expert Mira T. Sundara Rajan (The Moral Rights of Authors and Artists: From the Birth of Copyright to the Age of Artificial Intelligence) about the history of copyright law, the…

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722 Kerouac's Road - A Conversation with Ebs Burnough, Director of a New Kerouac Documentary | My Last Book with Beat Generation Expert Steven Belletto 1:03:15

2M ago1:03:15

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Since its publication in 1957, Jack Kerouac's iconic novel On the Road has inspired millions to head for the highways and live life to its fullest. In this episode, Jacke talks to filmmaker Ebs Burnough about his new documentary Kerouac's Road: The Beat of a Nation, which interweaves stories of modern-day travelers with those influenced by or conne…

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721 Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert (The #23 Greatest Book of All Time) 1:28:14

2M ago1:28:14

1:28:14

Jacke continues his journey through the list of the 25 Greatest Books of All Time with a look at Flaubert's "perfect novel," Madame Bovary (1856-57). Telling the story of the bored wife of a provincial doctor who enters into a series of infidelities, Flaubert's debut caused an immediate sensation - and changed the way we've come to view both novels…

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Episode 137 - Karl Bell - The Perilous Deep 1:03:25

2M ago1:03:25

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My guest for this episode is author and historian Karl Bell, who joined me to talk about his new book, The Perilous Deep: A Supernatural History of the Atlantic. Karl is Associate Professor in Cultural and Social History and Co-Director of the Centre for Port Cities and Maritime Cultures at the University of Portsmouth. Prior to his latest work, he…

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720 The 25 Greatest Books of All Time - #24 "The Odyssey" by Homer | The Conclusion to F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Diamond as Big as the Ritz" (with Mike Palindrome) 1:23:43

2M ago1:23:43

1:23:43

Jacke continues his analysis of "The 25 Greatest Books of All Time" by a special look at Homer's Odyssey. Then Mike Palindrome, the president of the Literature Supporters Club, joins Jacke for a discussion of the second half of F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1922 story, "The Diamond as Big as the Ritz," in which a young midwesterner travels to a secluded Mo…

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719 "The Diamond as Big as the Ritz" by F Scott Fitzgerald (with Mike Palindrome) | 25 for 25 - #25 The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck 1:51:49

2M ago1:51:49

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In June of 1922, the twenty-five-year-old wunderkind F. Scott Fitzgerald published "The Diamond as Big as the Ritz," an incredible story of fabulously wealthy people living a secret life in remote Montana. Later that month, he began composing his most famous work, The Great Gatsby. In this episode, Jacke and Mike read and discuss this early Fitzger…

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718 Jim - The Life and Afterlives of Huckleberry Finn's Comrade (with Shelley Fisher Fishkin) | Mark Twain's Dreams 1:36:04

3M ago1:36:04

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In this episode, Jacke talks to eminent Twain scholar Shelley Fisher Fishkin (Was Huck Black?: Mark Twain and African-American Voices) about her new book Jim: The Life and Afterlives of Huckleberry Finn's Comrade, which sheds new light on the origins and influence of Mark Twain's beloved yet polarizing figure. PLUS Jacke takes a look at the recent …

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717 Einstein and Kafka (with Ken Krimstein) | Dr Johnson Helps a Friend (and Changes the Course of Literary History) | My Last Book with Fernando Pessoa Expert Bartholomew Ryan 53:41

3M ago53:41

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It's an action-packed day at the History of Literature! First, Jacke recounts the story of Dr. Johnson racing to the aid of his friend, the playwright Oliver Goldsmith, whose landlady was threatening him with debtor's prison. Naturally, the great critic and dictionary author Johnson found a very literary way to help. Then Jacke is joined by author …

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716 Icelandic Folk Legends (with Dagrun Osk Jonsdottir) | John le Carre at the Bodleian 58:28

3M ago58:28

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Since the first permanent settlers landed there more than a thousand years ago, Iceland has been perhaps the most unique and enchanting place in all of Europe. How fitting, then, for its people to have developed unique, enchanting, and captivating stories involving hidden people, trolls, ghosts, sea monsters, and more. In this episode, Jacke talks …

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19 | David Cerami / Rest: Unveiling the Future of Coffee: A Deep Dive into REST's Revolutionary Approach 42:18

3M ago42:18

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Reinventing Coffee with David Cerami | Founder of Rest What if your morning coffee didn’t come from beans at all — and was better for the planet and your wallet? In this episode, Helga sits down with David Cerami, founder of Rest, a bold startup reinventing coffee as we know it. David takes us on a journey from his creative roots and athletic minds…

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715 How Did George Eliot and the Victorians Respond to Climate Collapse? (with Nathan Hensley) | People at Museums Are Losing Their Brains! | My Last Book with Stephen Browning and Simon Thomas 1:09:12

3M ago1:09:12

1:09:12

What does it feel like to live helplessly in a world that is coming undone? If you're alive in 2025, you are probably very familiar with this feeling - and if you'd been alive in the age of Victorian literature, you might have felt that way too. In this episode, Jacke talks to author Nathan K. Hensley about his book Action without Hope: Victorian L…

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Episode 136 - Jim Harold - Spooky Stories and Weird Happenings 1:03:55

3M ago1:03:55

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My guest for this episode is paranormal podcaster and author Jim Harold. Since 2005, Jim has built a global following with his flagship shows The Paranormal Podcast and Jim Harold’s Campfire. Jim’s podcasts have been downloaded over eighty million times and consistently rank alongside major networks on the podcast charts. Going full-time in 2012, h…

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714 The Real Charles Dickens (with Stephen Browning and Simon Thomas) | Dickens and the Theatre 1:22:00

3M ago1:22:00

1:22:00

Charles Dickens (1812-1870) led one of the most colorful and interesting lives of any author. But while many of us are familiar with his unforgettable characters and fantastically successful novels, we often don't know the details of his difficult early life, his success as a reporter, his troubled marriage and suspected relationship with another w…

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713 The Odyssey (with Daniel Mendelsohn) | The History of Literature Podcast Tour! 1:31:43

3M ago1:31:43

1:31:43

Homer's Odyssey is one of the oldest surviving works of literature - and yet, somehow, it can also feel like one of the newest. The inventive narrative structure, complex hero, and surprisingly modern themes still feel fresh, thousands of years after the poem's genesis. In this episode, Jacke talks to author and translator Daniel Mendelsohn about h…

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712 Shakespeare's Greatest Love (with David Medina) | New Play About Shakespeare's Collaboration with Marlowe 56:46

3M ago56:46

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He might be the greatest writer about love that the world has ever known. But as is so often the case with Shakespeare, the biographical record raises as many questions as it answers. How often did Shakespeare fall in love, and with whom, and what happened? Who was Shakespeare's greatest love? In this episode, Jacke talks to David Medina about his …

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711 How Does Literature Handle Atrocities? (with Bruce Robbins) | My Last Book with Hemingway Expert Alex Vernon | Who Will Come to Jacke and Emma's Party? 1:10:28

3M ago1:10:28

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For millennia, literature has represented humanity at its finest. Over the same period of time, human beings have been committing the worst acts of mass violence imaginable. How have authors addressed these atrocities? Have they shown an ability to look at their own nation with the critical eyes of a stranger? And if so, have works of imagination p…

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710 Weird and Wonderful Stories from Ancient Greece and Rome (with Paul Chrystal) | A BIG ANNOUNCEMENT | Two Listeners Follow Their Dream (And Create Something Amazing) 57:09

4M ago57:09

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It's another action-packed episode! First, Jacke relays the story of a long-time listener who worked some mundane jobs before becoming an artistic bookmaker. Then Jacke talks to author Paul Chrystal about his work diving into lesser-known ancient texts for his book Miracula: Weird and Wonderful Stories of Ancient Greece and Rome. And in between, Ja…

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18 | Othmar Handl / Forward Festival: Keeping up with possibilities in creativity and communication 53:21

4M ago53:21

53:21

Turning ideas into action. Building Creative Communities with Othmar Handl the Founder of Forward Festival. How do you turn a passion project into a 10-year movement that connects thousands of creatives across the globe? In this episode, we sit down with Othmar Handl, the founder of Forward Festival—Europe’s leading creative conference bridging des…

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Episode 135 - Susan Demeter - Ghost Roads of Ontario 1:09:22

4M ago1:09:22

1:09:22

Joining me for this episode is returning guest Susan Demeter. Susan is a Canadian born author, artist, and witch. The themes of her writing, research and art incorporate a lifelong interest in exceptional human experiences, UFOs, nature, social history, mysteries, and magic. She was previously a guest back in 2021 for episode 62 of Some Other Spher…

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709 Black American Humor (with Damon Young) | The Greatest American Joke Ever Told? 1:28:52

4M ago1:28:52

1:28:52

DAMON YOUNG (⁠What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Blacker: A Memoir in Essays⁠) is a Pittsburgh writer and humorist. In this episode, Jacke talks to Damon about his work editing and writing an introduction for That's How They Get You: An Unruly Anthology of Black American Humor, which emphasizes how and why Black American humor is uniquely transfixing.…

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708 Science Fact and Science Fiction (with Keith Cooper) | AI Discovers a Work of Ancient Philosophy and Dreams Up a Reading List 1:08:01

4M ago1:08:01

1:08:01

For decades, writers and filmmakers have imagined worlds where characters can do things like watch a double sunset (on Tatooine, of course), or stand among the sand dunes of Arrakis, or gaze at the gas-giant planet Polyphemus from the moon Pandora. But even as works like Star Wars, Dune, and Avatar have enticed us with their fictional renditions of…