Norm sits down with Rhinecliff resident Karen Sullivan, the Irma Brandeis Professor of Romance Literature and Culture at Bard College, for a conversation that spans centuries and continents. Karen specializes in medieval studies and is acclaimed for her research on historical and literary truths in medieval French and Occitan literature. She discusses her various interests, from her academic work in medieval and Renaissance studies to learning the cello and conducting bear research in the Arctic Circle for her newest book on the medieval bear. What ties her scholarship together is her exploration of how we know what we know, and the search for truth across history, literature, and personal experience.
Follow Karen's academic journey as she reflects on staying humble, embracing the beginner's experience, and finding meaningful connections between literature, history, and culture.

01:00 – Introduction

03:00 – Karen’s academic background and interests

11:00 – The adventure of learning cello

16:00 – Bears in history, literature, and the wild

31:00 – Teaching, research, and the value of humility

46:00 – Irish literature, hidden histories, and poetry

1:11:00 – Why medieval literature matters today

Produced by Norm Magnusson, Jennifer Hammoud, and Matty Rosenberg @ radiofreerhinecliff.org

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