793 The Secret Order of Shandeans: Laurence Sterne in Early Soviet Russia (with Peter Budrin) | My Last Book with Edward Watts

This episode of The History of Literature explores the unexpected popularity of 18th-century English writer Laurence Sterne in early Soviet Russia during the 1920s—a period of political upheaval and ideological transformation. Host Jack Wilson, joined by guest Peter Budrin, delves into why Soviet readers, amidst the chaos of revolution and the rise of totalitarianism, turned to Sterne’s metafictional, self-aware, and playful works like *Tristram Shandy* and *A Sentimental Journey*. Budrin explains that Sterne’s emphasis on individuality, narrative freedom, and emotional authenticity resonated deeply with readers seeking inner liberation from rigid political systems. His work became a kind of 'secret order'—a virtual community of readers who found solace and intellectual resistance in Sterne’s whimsical yet profound literary style. The episode also features a reflective conversation with historian Edward Watts, who shares his dream of reading *The Hive Queen*, the final book in the *Ender's Game* series, as his last book. Watts imagines it as a transcendent experience that would reveal a collective consciousness, offering a radical rethinking of identity, perception, and the soul’s potential beyond the physical body.