S6 Ep. 19: The Lives of the Wives: Carmela Ciuraru on Marriage, Writing, and Equity

fiction/non/fiction

Literary critic Carmela Ciuraru joins V.V. Ganeshananthan and Whitney Terrell to discuss her new book The Lives of the Wives, which looks at five literary marriages, including pairings like Elizabeth Jane Howard and Kingsley Amis. She examines the dynamics of such relationships, particularly when one partner declares their time more valuable. She explains why the stories of historic couples like Una Troubridge and Radclyffe Hall remain relevant today, and highlights the experiences of lesser-known partners, some of whom were artists and writers themselves. She also reads an excerpt about the early days of Patricia Neal and Roald Dahl’s courtship.

To hear the full episode, subscribe through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app (include the forward slashes when searching). You can also listen by streaming from the player below. Check out video versions of our interviews on the Fiction/Non/Fiction Instagram account, the Fiction/Non/Fiction YouTube Channel, and our show website: https://www.fnfpodcast.net/

This podcast is produced by Anne Kniggendorf.

Selected Readings:

Carmela Ciuraru

• The Lives of the Wives
• Nom de Plume
• First Loves
• Beat Poets

Others:

• The Dud Avocado by Elaine Dundy
• As I Am by Patricia Neal
• Women and Writing by Virginia Woolf
• Killing the Angel in the House by Virginia Woolf
• Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf by Edward Albee
• Truth and Beauty by Ann Patchett
• On Beauty by Zadie Smith
• Radclyffe Hall and Una Vincenzo: An Inventory of their papers at the Harry Ransom Center
• The Wife by Meg Wolitzer
• The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
• A Widow’s Story by Joyce Carol Oates

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