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It's Lit!

What's in a (Pen) Name?

Season 2 Episode 17 | 14m 34s

To some people, the idea of a pen name seems kind of weird. If I, a writer, am going to put countless hours of hard work and thought into my masterpiece, why wouldn’t I want to put my own name underneath the title? But some of literature's biggest names, from Mark Twain to Dr. Seuss, aren't their real names. Here's why.

Aired: 04/20/21
Made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Extras
Watch • 9:41
It's Lit!
Toni Morrison’s Opus About Confronting a Terrible Past
To understand Beloved, we must first look at the author: Nobel Prize Winner Toni Morrison.
Episode: S2 E31 | 9:41
Watch • 10:03
It's Lit!
Why Magical Realism is a Global Phenomenon
We explore the roots, tenets of the genre, and its rise in Latin American Literature.
Episode: S2 E30 | 10:03
Watch • 11:03
It's Lit!
Why Edgar Allan Poe Isn't Just a Sad Boy
His legacy is more complicated than school books may have lead us to believe.
Episode: S2 E29 | 11:03
Watch • 15:11
It's Lit!
Inside the Absurdist Mind of Kurt Vonnegut
We explore the life and work of Kurt Vonnegut.
Episode: S2 E28 | 15:11
Watch • 18:33
It's Lit!
The Women of Jane Austen
The women in her work reveal to us her growth, her politics and ambition.
Episode: S2 E27 | 18:33
Watch • 12:30
It's Lit!
Why We Keep Retelling the Classics
Sometimes a story is just so dang good, it bears repeating.
Episode: S2 E26 | 12:30
Watch • 17:12
It's Lit!
What We Don’t Know About The Father of Sci-Fi
There's more to H.G. Wells than we know or think.
Episode: S2 E25 | 17:12
Watch • 13:34
It's Lit!
Why Do People Think Huck Finn Is Racist?
It is considered one of the great American novels and one of the most frequently banned.
Episode: S2 E24 | 13:34
Watch • 12:56
It's Lit!
Don’t Know Much About BEOWULF? Nobody Does!
We take a look at this Epic Poem and follow its long, winding journey.
Episode: S2 E22 | 12:56
Watch • 12:31
It's Lit!
The Life behind To Kill a Mockingbird
it is one of the trademark texts of the American school system by Harper Lee.
Episode: S2 E23 | 12:31
Latest Episodes
All
  • All
  • It's Lit! Season 2
  • It's Lit! Season 1
Watch • 9:41
It's Lit!
Toni Morrison’s Opus About Confronting a Terrible Past
To understand Beloved, we must first look at the author: Nobel Prize Winner Toni Morrison.
Episode: S2 E31 | 9:41
Watch • 10:03
It's Lit!
Why Magical Realism is a Global Phenomenon
We explore the roots, tenets of the genre, and its rise in Latin American Literature.
Episode: S2 E30 | 10:03
Watch • 11:03
It's Lit!
Why Edgar Allan Poe Isn't Just a Sad Boy
His legacy is more complicated than school books may have lead us to believe.
Episode: S2 E29 | 11:03
Watch • 15:11
It's Lit!
Inside the Absurdist Mind of Kurt Vonnegut
We explore the life and work of Kurt Vonnegut.
Episode: S2 E28 | 15:11
Watch • 18:33
It's Lit!
The Women of Jane Austen
The women in her work reveal to us her growth, her politics and ambition.
Episode: S2 E27 | 18:33
Watch • 12:30
It's Lit!
Why We Keep Retelling the Classics
Sometimes a story is just so dang good, it bears repeating.
Episode: S2 E26 | 12:30
Watch • 17:12
It's Lit!
What We Don’t Know About The Father of Sci-Fi
There's more to H.G. Wells than we know or think.
Episode: S2 E25 | 17:12
Watch • 13:34
It's Lit!
Why Do People Think Huck Finn Is Racist?
It is considered one of the great American novels and one of the most frequently banned.
Episode: S2 E24 | 13:34
Watch • 12:56
It's Lit!
Don’t Know Much About BEOWULF? Nobody Does!
We take a look at this Epic Poem and follow its long, winding journey.
Episode: S2 E22 | 12:56
Watch • 12:31
It's Lit!
The Life behind To Kill a Mockingbird
it is one of the trademark texts of the American school system by Harper Lee.
Episode: S2 E23 | 12:31