New Chaucer Studies: Pedagogy and Profession

In this interview conducted by Mohamed Karim Dhouib, author and medievalist Kim Zarins discusses her young adult novel Sometimes We Tell the Truth (2016), a contemporary retelling of Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales. The novel reimagines Chaucer’s iconic pilgrims as modern teenagers on a bus trip to Washington, D.C. Zarins reflects on the process of adaptation, such as portraying the Pardoner as intersex—while emphasizing the pedagogical value of retellings in making medieval literature more accessible. She advocates for inclusive approaches to teaching and explains how her own novel has inspired student engagement with Chaucer. The conversation also delves into Zarins’ interactive classroom strategies that help students form meaningful connections with premodern texts. The interview ultimately reveals how creative adaptations and innovative teaching methods can help contemporary audiences access, discover, and appreciate both the striking differences and surprising similarities between Chaucer’s era and today.