The Icelandic author Sjón started out a Dada poet, but his ensuing work places classic epics side-by-side with the Icelandic sagas of the 13th and 14th centuries. His newest book, The Whispering Muse (Farrar, Straus and Giroux) (Farrar, Straus, and Giroux), one of three recently made available in English, takes place aboard a ship where one of the sailors carries a splinter from the masthead of the Argo. When he holds it up to his ear, Athena speaks to him. We discuss how literature comes from literature: one story giving birth to the next to form a rich and beautiful chain-work of story-telling.
Sjon: The Whispering Muse
Hey! Did you enjoy this piece? We can’t do it without you. We are member-supported, so your donation is critical to KCRW's music programming, news reporting, and cultural coverage. Help support the DJs, journalists, and staff of the station you love.
Here's how:
- Sign-up for our newsletters.
- Become a KCRW member.
- Subscribe to our Podcasts.
- Donate to KCRW.
- Download our App.
From this Episode: