Carlin Romano: Beyond Criticism - Philosophy, Culture, and the Future of Thought

In this episode, Barbara talks to Carlin Romano, a renowned critic and champion of intellectual discourse. Romano, a former critic-at-large for the Chronicle of Higher Education and the Philadelphia Inquirer and current critic-at-large for Moment Magazine, offers his sharp insights on the decline of critical thinking in book reviews and the state of literary criticism in America. He laments the shift towards praise and publicity, arguing for the importance of tough critique.

But Romano's intellectual journey extends far beyond literature. He passionately defends his provocative thesis: America, with its diverse perspectives, free expression, and abundance of philosophical resources, boasts the most philosophical culture in history. He even explores the power of provocative statements in igniting philosophical debates.

The conversation takes a fascinating turn as Romano discusses his controversial departure from the National Book Critics Circle. He clarifies his stance on the organization's anti-racism statement, dispelling misconceptions about his opposition to certain aspects. Romano also raises concerns about the lack of diverse thought and the growing influence of left-leaning politics within the NBCC.

Beyond the world of criticism, Romano reflects on the changing landscape of college campuses, grappling with the challenges of fostering free speech and civil discourse in an increasingly polarized environment.

The episode concludes with a glimpse into Romano's personal reading life, a fitting end to a conversation that celebrates intellectual curiosity and the power of ideas.

Books:

America the Philosophical, Carlin Romano https://tinyurl.com/mr2w8yxj

Night, Elie Wiesel https://tinyurl.com/bddva2t4

Tarzan Edgar Rice Burroughs https://www.edgarriceburroughs.com/series-profiles/the-tarzan-series/

Conceived with Malice https://tinyurl.com/32k3fevr

Palestine 1936, Oren Kessler https://tinyurl.com/ye5hj262

Clancy Martin, How Not to Kill Yourself https://tinyurl.com/2et69a7t

1948: A History of the First Arab-Israeli War, Benny Morris https://tinyurl.com/mrxp5hfh

Wit, Margaret Edson https://tinyurl.com/4j4kja8r

Forest Dark, Nicole Kraus https://tinyurl.com/5cykp9cm

Metaphysical Animals https://tinyurl.com/mwzycsbr

Magazine:

Moment Magazine https://momentmag.com/

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

01:55 Early Days and Education

04:23 Career in Journalism and Literary Criticism

06:15 The Decline of Book Sections and Literary Criticism

09:30 The State of Literary Criticism in America

16:36 Teaching Journalism and the Failure to Communicate

28:03 The Role of Provocative Statements

33:17 Free Speech and the National Book Critics Circle

33:45 Controversy and Misunderstandings: Carlin Romano's Departure from the NBCC

38:39 The Changing Landscape of American Literary Criticism

41:33 Challenges of Fostering Free Speech and Civil Discourse on College Campuses

01:03:51 Reading for Pleasure: Carlin Romano's Current Book List