January 24, 1944: Love Triangles and Musical Tactics with Elizabeth Janeway and Deems Taylor

In this January 24, 1944, episode of Information Please, host Clifton Fadiman welcomes novelist Elizabeth Janeway and composer and music critic Deems Taylor to join regulars John Kieran and Franklin P. Adams. The panel dives into a rich mix of literature, music, history, and natural science, delivering sharp insights and plenty of laughter. Highlights include literary love triangles featuring Heathcliff, Aeneas, and H. M. Pulham, a musical analysis of how Germany might collapse—by Allied invasion, Russian advance, and revolution—using Beethoven, Lvoff, and Chopin. The experts also identify poets and criminals, from Cellini to Ezra Pound, and explore whimsical poetry lines referencing distance, color, and even baby cereal. Deems Taylor’s musical expertise shines, while Janeway offers literary sharpness and dry wit. With clever banter, historical tidbits, and unexpected knowledge (like kinkajous in bars and butterfly mimicry), this episode offers another brilliant installment of intellectual entertainment on Information Please.