The New Yorker Radio Hour

John Lithgow on the Controversial Authors Roald Dahl and J. K. Rowling

March 27, 2026·28 min·2-min readsoloarts
Podzilla Summary (2 min)
TLDR
The episode explores the moral and artistic dilemma of separating an artist's problematic personal beliefs from their enduring creative work, using Roald Dahl and Wagner as case studies.


THESIS

David Remnick argues that great art can emerge from deeply flawed individuals, and that

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Guest

J

John Lithgow

solo on The New Yorker Radio Hour

Mentions

Books, people, and resources mentioned in this episode.

People

Roald DahlJohn LithgowDavid RemnickMark RosenblattJ.K. Rowling

Books

Charlie and the Chocolate Factoryby Roald DahlJames and the Giant Peachby Roald Dahl

Topics

CelebrityCivil Rights HistoryEthicsLiterary FictionNonfictionPop Culture

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