Erica Wagner

Tom Gatti, Observer book editor, gives an editorial take on AI mimicking genre tropes. Ada Barumé, author and podcast producer, shares experiments using ChatGPT to draft fiction. Erica Wagner, writer and former Booker judge, discusses authorship ethics and training-set controversies. They debate AI prose quality, originality, and the emotional and legal stakes of machine-made writing.

Erica Wagner, an accomplished editor and author, and Jarred McGinnis, a novelist and creative director, delve into the rich depths of 'Moby-Dick.' They explore Melville's tumultuous publication journey and its eventual rise in cultural significance. The duo reflects on the novel's themes of nature, creativity, and community storytelling, while also linking it to the Franklin expedition and modern artistic influences like Bob Dylan. With humor, they discuss adaptations of the whale tale and share festive anecdotes, bringing the timeless classic to vibrant life.

Listen to Selby Wynn Schwartz, author of 'After Sappho', as she discusses her journey as a writer, the power of reading, and the interconnectedness of women's stories. They also explore feminist influence in the book and reflect on the relevance of women's names and identities. The podcast also touches on the novel's reception, its longlisting for the Booker Prize, and the author's new novella, 'A Life in Chameleons'.