Episode 145 - The Souls Close to Edgar Allan Poe: Graves of his Family, Friends and Foes with Dr. Sharon Pajka
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Jennie and Dianne are joined this week by a favorite returning guest, Dr. Sharon Pajka, to discuss her new book being released on August 21st, The Souls Close to Edgar Allan Poe: Graves of his Family, Friends and Foes. In her book Sharon helps readers to visit the graves of the people with whom he worked and socialized, who he loved and at times loathed and gain a fuller understanding of Poe's life. These were individuals who supported, inspired, and challenged him, and even a few who attempted to foil his plans. Join us for this delightful discussion that includes some of the Ordinary Extraordinary correspondence between Edgar Allan Poe and his friends, family and foes!
To preorder The Souls Close to Edgar Allan Poe: Graves of his Family, Friends and Foes, through a local bookseller visit: https://bookshop.org/search?keywords=Souls+Close+to+Edgar+Allan+Poe%2C+The%3A+Graves+of+His+Family%2C+Friends+and+Foes
Additional ordering links include:
Arcadia Publishing: https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/products/9781467154543/
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/souls-close-to-edgar-allan-poe-the-sharon-pajka/1143173771
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Souls-Close-Edgar-Allan-Poe/dp/1467154547/ref=pd_aw_ci_mcx_mh_mcx_views_0?pd_rd_w=00dep&content-id=amzn1.sym.fd1bcf73-0bd1-4593-9619-21db50d4d761%3Aamzn1.symc.2b06b7e8-a86c-4e6e-b02c-90d58278f4f1&pf_rd_p=fd1bcf73-0bd1-4593-9619-21db50d4d761&pf_rd_r=NNX9ACCBQQPX6AYME1J7&pd_rd_wg=A4kLL&pd_rd_r=eaf4dc50-4f77-44ba-b162-9dbad3df726e&pd_rd_i=1467154547
Sharon Pajka is a Professor in the Department of English. She holds a Ph.D. in English Education from the University of Virginia. Her recent publications focus on deaf characters and dead (e.g. vampire) characters in adolescent literature.
Her doctoral research focused on the portrayals and perceptions of Deaf Characters in Adolescent Literature. She currently keeps a research blog on the topic: http://pajka.blogspot.com/.
She enjoys teaching courses in adolescent literature and literary studies along with teaching interdisciplinary courses, including “Vampires: Their Historical Significance in Literature, Film, and Pop Culture,” which made The Washington Post's list of "The 15 Oddest College Courses in the D.C. Region".
In 2018, Dr. Pajka completed a graduate program in Public History at the University of Richmond while developing a course focused on dark tourism.
On the weekends, you can find her in the cemetery giving history tours, and running River City Cemetarians; or, you can find her in the blogosphere at http://Goth-Gardening.blogspot.com/ where she uses “gardening” as a metaphor for living a more gothy life.