Ancient Stories, Modern Readers: Retelling Mythology with Madeline Miller & Nikita Gill

What happens when ancient myths meet modern perspectives? The stories we thought we knew get a whole new life. This week on Book Lounge by Libby, Joe sits down with bestselling author Madeline Miller and poet and author Nikita Gill to explore the art of retelling mythology and ancient stories for modern readers. From reimagining legendary figures to finding new meaning in centuries-old tales, we’re diving into why these stories endure, whose voices deserve to be heard and what happens when we look at the ancient world through a contemporary lens. Whether you love Greek mythology, mythological fiction, feminist retellings or discovering a fresh perspective on a familiar legend, this episode is for you. Two incredible authors. Thousands of years of storytelling. So many reasons to revisit the classics. Welcome to Book Lounge by Libby, your favorite corner of the reading world. Powered by libraries. Made for readers. Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel! Who’s in this episode: Joe – Instagram Madeline Miller - Links Nikita Gill - Website Some of our guests' books: The Song of Achilles – Madeline Miller Circe – Madeline Miller Galatea – Madeline Miller Mestra – Madeline Miller Hekate – Nikita Gill Styx – Nikita Gill Nyx – Nikita Gill Time stamps: 00:00:00 Title 00:00:20 Welcome to Segment 1 with Madeline Miller 00:01:30 What is your earliest memory with mythology? 00:19:35 Writing about mythology doesn’t have a responsibility to history 00:47:22 Storytelling and connecting to others 00:55:19 No one has to do homework before reading my books 01:01:11 Who would play Achilles? 01:03:28 Welcome Nikita Gill! 01:04:44 What was your introduction to mythology? 01:24:54 How do you tell your stories? 01:33:04 Americans can be so optimistic 01:41:30 Nikita’s advice to young writers 01:48:50 Comment question of the day 01:49:32 Outro Enjoying the show? Follow Book Lounge by Libby, leave a rating or review, and watch every episode on the Libby App YouTube channel. Find us on Libbylife.com/booklounge Got a book recommendation, dream guest or just want to say hi? We'd love to hear from you at [email protected]. Looking for Book Lounge merch? Visit Plot Threads. Library friends: Add episodes of Book Lounge by Libby to your digital collection for free in OverDrive Marketplace and Kanopy. You can also purchase the titles featured in today's episode in OverDrive Marketplace. Browse our cumulative reading list for the season: https://marketplace.overdrive.com/Marketplace/OneCopyOneUserAndMeteredAccess/SuggestedList/41378 Today's featured books: https://marketplace.overdrive.com/Marketplace/OneCopyOneUserAndMeteredAccess/SuggestedList/41744 Happy Reading! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices