What the All Souls Trilogy Teaches Us about Alchemy, Family, and Knowledge Hierarchy

<p>Ever since the book <a href= "http://www.sundancenow.com/series/watch/a-discovery-of-witches/208f53ee8a1f2b68?season=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href= "http://www.sundancenow.com/series/watch/a-discovery-of-witches/208f53ee8a1f2b68?season=1"> <em>A Discovery of Witches</em></a> debuted in 2011, the All Souls franchise has taken on a life of its own with devoted fans all over the world. The TV show and annual <a href= "https://allsoulscon.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://allsoulscon.org/">All Souls Con</a>—which the Science History Institute occasionally hosts—is based on the trilogy of books about witches, vampires, and demons by author Deborah Harkness.</p> <p><em>Distillations</em> sat down with Jen Daine and Cait Parnell, the hosts of the All Souls podcast, <a href= "https://chamomileandclovecast.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://chamomileandclovecast.com/">Chamomile and Clove</a>; art historian <a href= "https://stepheniemcgucken.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://stepheniemcgucken.com/">Stephenie McGucken</a>; and medievalist actor, journalist, and author <a href="https://sarahdurn.com/bio" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://sarahdurn.com/bio">Sarah Durn</a> to talk about the series’ alchemical roots, the material culture in the TV show, and how the book’s found-family theme mirrors the fandom.</p> <h2>Credits</h2> <p>Hosts: <a href="../../../profile/alexis-j-pedrick" data-cke-saved-href="/profile/alexis-j-pedrick">Alexis Pedrick</a> and <a href= "https://www.sciencehistory.org/profile/elisabeth-berry-drago" data-cke-saved-href= "https://www.sciencehistory.org/profile/elisabeth-berry-drago">Elisabeth Berry Drago</a><br /> Senior Producer: <a href="../../../profile/mariel-carr" data-cke-saved-href="/profile/mariel-carr">Mariel Carr</a><br /> Producer: <a href="../../../profile/rigoberto-hernandez" data-cke-saved-href="/profile/rigoberto-hernandez">Rigoberto Hernandez