Poet, critic, and Interintellect host Paul Franz joins us for a wide-ranging conversation on poetry, reading, and the enduring spirit of Romanticism.

He’s editor of the journal Literary Imagination and Serpent Club, and in our conversation we trace his path into literature—from his early love of books to his life as a poet published in The New York Review of Books and an essayist for The Atlantic and The Nation.

Paul shares why Romanticism matters today, how Romanticon, where he’s an editor, tackles that issue, and what it means to weave together different forms of writing (poetry, criticism, essays) within one creative life.

We dive into the tension between creative writing and academic writing, and how he navigated that space.

Finally, Paul reflects on his approach to salons and the art of conversation itself: an invitation to think, read, and share more deeply.

You can find Paul’s Host Page and check out his salons here:

https://interintellect.com/hosts/paul-franz

You can also check his Substack here:

https://ashesandsparks.substack.com/

Check our website to become a member of our community or attend one of our salons:

https://interintellect.com/