Lost Ladies of Lit
A book podcast hosted by writing partners Amy Helmes and Kim Askew. Guests include biographers, journalists, authors, and cultural historians discussing lost classics by women writers. You can support Lost Ladies of Lit by visiting https://www.patreon.com/c/LostLadiesofLit339.
Lost Ladies of Lit
The Real-Life Raven That Inspired Dickens and Poe
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Exclusive access to premium content!Visitors to the Rare Book Collection at the Free Library of Philadelphia can gaze upon a taxidermied raven named Grip who inspired not one, but two literary masterpieces by world-famous authors. A visit to the Charles Dickens Museum in London piqued Amy's interest in Grip, the author’s beloved (and mischievous) pet raven (he actually owned three over the years). Edgar Allan Poe was similarly intrigued by the symbolic potential of Dickens's chatty bird, leading him to write his famous poem, “The Raven.”
Mentioned in this episode
Lost Ladies of Lit Episode No. 151 on Elspeth Barker
Lost Ladies of Lit Episode No. 225 on Simona Kossak
Barnaby Rudge by Charles Dickens
“The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe
“Dickens, Poe and the Pet Raven That Inspired Their Darkest Works” by David Castleton
“The Real Miss Havisham? Lady Lewson’s 116 Years Amidst Cobwebs and Grime” by David Castleton
The Free Library of Philadelphia
The Rosenbach Museum and Library
The Rosenbach podcast
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