In short
Kenneth Turan discusses what shaped his approach to film criticism and nonfiction writing, focusing on author/critic Edmund Wilson’s influence.
Guest backgrounds
Kenneth Turan is a film critic and writer, formerly for the Los Angeles Times and NPR’s Morning Edition, known for combining knowledge with strong, hard-won opinions.
Key claims
Turan says Wilson was a “public intellectual” who was both deeply researched and highly readable, never self-important, and made learning feel joyful rather than performative. Turan credits Wilson’s “lightness” and pleasure in discovery as a model for being content-rich yet understandable.
Notable examples
Wilson’s books To the Finland Station (origins of the Russian Revolution) and Patriotic Gore (Civil War).
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Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VOThe Impact of Edmund Wilson's Nonfiction
0:43 to 3:07
Kenneth Turan discusses the significance of Edmund Wilson's writing style and his works.
“I'm Kenneth Turan, and this is The Treat.”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:00KCURW sponsors include Neon presenting The Christophers, the new film from Academy Award-winning director Steven Soderbergh and writer Ed Solomon, starring Ian McKellen and Michaela Cole. The Christophers opens April 10th at AMC Century City and AMC The Grove. Welcome to The Treat. I'm Elvis Mitchell. In his past lives as film critic for the LA Times and for NPR's Morning Edition, Kenneth Turan has made his living by offering a blend of knowledge and hard-won opinion. So, for his treat, he turns to a mind that built a reputation and a following from a charismatic mix of information and singular perspective.
0:43I'm Kenneth Turan, and this is The Treat.
0:51What I really want to highlight, what's been so influential for me, is the nonfiction writing of a man named Edmund Wilson.
1:06Edmund Wilson was what we call today a public intellectual. He wrote these enormously researched, documented books. He wrote a book called To the Finland Station about the origins of the Russian Revolution. He wrote Patriotic Gore about the Civil War. He was the first writer I'd come across who was both incredibly smart and analytical and knew his stuff from top to bottom, but was also very, very, very readable. He did not feel he had to sacrifice anything.
1:45The lightness is really the heart of it. He didn't take himself very seriously, even though he had every reason to. He wasn't self-important. There's nothing self-important about these books. They have the joy of self-discovery. He's so interested in the stuff he's telling you about. He's so fascinated to have found it out. That's what moves this material. It's not like, boy, am I a smart guy. You never feel that. You feel his joy in discovery and his pleasure in passing on his knowledge.
2:22He wrote stuff that is a pleasure to read, yet he knew so, so, so, so much. And that's been a real inspiration for me. That's something I try and do. I try and be as full of content as I can be, but I really want to be understandable. I want people to enjoy reading it. And Edmund Rilson is a treat to read. And you learn so much. You read to the Finland Station. You read Patriotic Gore. you will learn so much about the Civil War and the Russian Revolution and life in general it'll blow you away
3:07author and critic Kenneth Turan on the critic and author Edmund Wilson The Treat is produced by Rebecca Mooney and mixed by Katie Gilchrist and I'm Elvis Mitchell. It's the treat.
4:03The Christophers
From the publisher
In his decades as a film critic for the LA Times, Kenneth Turan’s reviews demonstrated his vast knowledge of cinema while never shying away from strong opinions. Turan’s latest book, 'Louis B. Mayer and Irving Thalberg: The Whole Equation', details a partnership that was instrumental in creating the modern film industry. For his treat, Turan cites a 20th century writer and critic whose genuine curiosity shone through in his work.