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Protest
Pope Francis
Patricia Lockwood
Marcel Proust
Miller's Tale
Chaucer
Madeleine
A La Recherche Du Temps Perdu
Medieval Literature
Tigray War
Tahrir Square Protests
2008 Financial Crisis
Literary Criticism
Catholic Church
Don Juan
Memory
Translation
The Canterbury Tales
Egypt
Arab Spring

The LRB Podcast brings you weekly conversations from Europe’s leading magazine of culture and ideas, hosted by Thomas Jones and Malin Hay, and featuring our fortnightly 'On Politics' podcast hosted by James Butler. From the LRB Subscribe to the LRB: ⁠⁠https://lrb.me/subslrbpod Close Readings podcast: ⁠https://lrb.me/crlrbpod⁠ LRB Audiobooks: ⁠https://lrb.me/audiobookslrbpod⁠ Bags, binders and more... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes420Founded14 years ago
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Society & Culture

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Artwork for The LRB Podcast

Latest Episodes

The politics of migration have driven some of the most consequential changes in Britain’s recent history and look set to dominate the next general election. Since the end of Rishi Sunak’s government, the crossings of ‘small boats’ over the English Ch... more

Fatma Hassona was a Palestinian photographer from Gaza City who was killed with her family by an Israeli airstrike in April 2025. A year earlier, the Iranian filmmaker Sepideh Farsi began recording video conversations with Hassona about her life and ... more

We’re pleased to announce our four new Close Readings series starting in January next year:

‘Who’s Afraid of Realism?’ with James Wood and guests

‘Nature in Crisis’ with Meehan Crist and Peter Godfrey-Smith

‘Narrative Poems’ with Seamus Perry and ... more

The BBC is in crisis, again. A leaked dossier alleging a lack of impartiality in its reporting on Trump, Israel, race and gender has felled its director general and drawn threats of a defamation lawsuit from the White House. Yet many at the corporati... more

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Recent Guests

Brett Christophers
Teaches human geography at Uppsala University. Author of The Price is Wrong, Why Capitalism Won't Save the Planet.
Uppsala University
Episode: Where does our waste go?
James Lasdun
Novelist, poet, and short story writer
Episode: Pollution and Other Serial Killers
Emily Witt
Critic and journalist for The New Yorker
The New Yorker
Episode: Selling the Manosphere
John Day
Teaches at King's College London, author of works including 'Homing'
King's College London
Episode: Rat Universes
Narges Bajoghli
Professor at Johns Hopkins, author of 'Iran Reframed'
Johns Hopkins
Episode: Israel's War of Opportunity
Robert Malley
Visiting Professor at Yale, former U.S. negotiator for the Iran nuclear deal
Yale
Episode: Israel's War of Opportunity
Francesca Wade
Author of 'Square Haunting' and 'Gertrude Stein, An Afterlife'
Episode: The Best-Paid Woman in NYC
Laleh Khalili
An academic at the University of Exeter and author of 'Extractive Capitalism, Commodities, Cargo and Cronyism'.
University of Exeter
Episode: Silicon Valley Warriors
Miriam Dobson
History teacher at Sheffield University and author of works on Soviet history
Sheffield University
Episode: Cold War Pen-Pals

Hosts

Thomas Jones
Co-host of the LRB Podcast and associated with in-depth literary discussions and critical dialogues.
Malin Hay
Co-host of the LRB Podcast, known for insightful conversations on literature and culture.
James Butler
Host of the 'On Politics' podcast segment, contributing critical analysis of current political affairs.

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 1.1k ratings
  • Mr

    I would add to comments about Close Readings that Seamus Perry and Mark Ford provide content that is most of all - accessible. The language is secular and devoid of swathes of academic terminology. Any lapse is often pounced on by Mr Perry in explanation.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Headlandjonno
    United Kingdoma month ago
  • On Politics: Labour’s Problems

    Too many voices with different audio quality. The discussion was rambling without much focus. I don’t think I’ll listen to subsequent episodes. Reading one good opinion at a time is more useful.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    TVeblen
    United States3 months ago
  • Thoughtful

    The most thoughtful podcast I know of.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JK314159265
    United Kingdom7 months ago
  • Sheila Fitzpatrick in the Soviet archives

    What a thrill to listen to a long and thoughtful conversation with Sheila Fitzpatrick! Some ten years ago I wrote my masters thesis on Lunacharsky and the Soviet Theater. Sheila Fitzpatrick’s book on the Commissariat of Enlightenment, as well as her other books on the early days of the USSR were an inspiration and guide for me. Thank you.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    John Dunkum
    United States7 months ago
  • Interview with N.A.

    I throughly enjoyed the interview with Neal Asherson. What a life! What wonderful insights! He brought me back to periods of my youth and the world events that shaped me as a political person in the 80s and 90s. My thanks to the Neal and the LRB for all you do. I recently renewed my subscription to the LRB and am grateful to continue my support of your fine work.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Diremax
    United States7 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners appreciate the seamless integration of literature and politics in discussions.
Many reviews highlight the deep intellect and refreshing perspective offered through various topics.
The show is praised for its thoughtful conversations and engaging content.
Some feedback points to occasional grievances with audio quality and host presentation.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

On Politics: The Bust-up at the BBC
Q: If you could change one policy for the BBC, what would it be?
Introduce a number of randomly selected bodies to oversee the operations and governance of the BBC, allowing the public to have a direct relationship with its staff.
On Politics: The Bust-up at the BBC
Q: What do you think about the ideology and conformity in political journalism?
Journalists are incentivized to cultivate sources close to power instead of focusing on how the political system works.
On Politics: The Bust-up at the BBC
Q: What have I missed out? What's it really about?
This is a crisis which has been building for a long time, mainly centered on what the BBC understands impartiality to mean.
Lessons from the Peace Process
Q: Is there any hope for a new Palestinian leadership that could utilize the moral victory gained by public consciousness?
Malley suggests that the next generation of Palestinian leadership may find new ways to redefine their cause and leverage international sympathy effectively.
Lessons from the Peace Process
Q: How do you explain the American inability to look beyond the visible?
Malley discusses America's young history and textualist society as factors leading to an oversimplification of complex historical narratives.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Location
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Frequently Asked Questions About The LRB Podcast

What is The LRB Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Conversations on diverse topics such as literature, politics, and culture are central to the weekly discussions shared with a thoughtful audience. Episodes showcase in-depth dialogues that illuminate contemporary issues by exploring historical contexts, critical social dynamics, and literary nuances, all hosted by knowledgeable figures in the field. Noteworthy for its intellectual rigor, this series presents a balance of cultural insights alongside political analysis, often integrating voices from academia and journalism to dissect current events and themes in society. The unique format combines systematic explorations of artistic works with real-time discussions of pressing world issues, making it appealing for listeners interested in both... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The LRB Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The LRB Podcast:

1. London Review Bookshop Podcast
2. Close Readings
3. Past Present Future
4. The TLS Podcast
5. Politics Theory Other

How many episodes of The LRB Podcast are there?

The LRB Podcast launched 14 years ago and published 420 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The LRB Podcast?

Recent guests on The LRB Podcast include:

1. Brett Christophers
2. James Lasdun
3. Emily Witt
4. John Day
5. Narges Bajoghli
6. Robert Malley
7. Francesca Wade
8. Laleh Khalili

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