Marlon and Jake Read Dead People
Penguin Random HouseMarlon and Jake Read Dead People is a podcast hosted by the Booker Prize-winning and internationally bestselling author Marlon James and his editor, Jake Morrissey, Executive Editor at Riverhead Books. In each episode, Marlon and Jake talk about authors—specifically dead authors. Authors they like. Authors they hate. Great books, terrible books, and books they love that you’d never expect them to.... more
| Publishes | Weekly | Episodes | 45 | Founded | 7 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Categories | BooksArtsSociety & Culture | ||||
Listen to this Podcast
Latest Episodes
In our last episode of the season, Marlon and Jake take on the worst books by the best authors—or at least, authors they usually love. They discuss why a journalist’s instincts can be both a gift and a curse when writing fiction, the importance of a ... more
Marlon and Jake discuss the books they’d banish from school reading lists—not ban but give a well-earned time out. They consider why the Bible shouldn’t make the cut, why mythology deserves to expand beyond the Greeks and Romans, and what kinds of bo... more
Marlon and Jake take on violence in fiction: what makes it effective, what makes it gratuitous, and whether “gratuitous violence” is even a useful distinction. Tune in as they discuss the difference between violence on the page and on screen and why ... more
Marlon and Jake explore the power of setting in novels—and why the best stories feel like they couldn’t have happened anywhere else. They discuss settings that become characters in their own right, fictional worlds they’d love (or absolutely hate) to... more
Key Facts
Similar Podcasts
People also subscribe to these shows.
Hosts
Reviews
- What a blast!
Every episode is so fun! This is now one of my go-to places for book recommendations. These guys are hilarious, and I haven’t been disappointed in an episode yet!
Apple Podcasts5Aliengena
United Statesa month ago - Outstanding podcast!
Discovered this podcast reading the NYT review for the THE DISAPPEARERS. Every episode so far has been a total gem - wonderful concept executed with grace and humor. Desperately hoping there are more to come…
Apple Podcasts5ChrisBFergUnited States2 months ago - Where have I been?
I only recently discovered Marlon James has a podcast. I could’ve had this in my life all this time! James is as charming and witty as one might infer from his work. Jake Morrissey is a perfect foil. I ripped through the most recent season in a few days. I’ll never be as well read, but hearing their thoughts on literature is a rare treat.
Apple Podcasts5tabgrlUnited States2 months ago - Please come back
I really need more of your podcast! Please, could you return? Make a few more? Soon?
2026 Update: they are still reading dead people and this podcast is still THE BEST
Apple Podcasts5U.GrumpyUnited States3 months ago - Finally, they are back!!!!!!
I have been waiting for three years for them to return (never gave up the hope as well!). It’s an immens privilege to listen to Marlon, one of the greatest novelists of our time and Jake, the editor de classe, bantering about books. I’ve been an avid fan since it came out in 2020, as no one talks about books like they do. So insightful, super funny and heartfelt at times, they transmit their love of reading and literature to the listener every single episode. I’ve picked up my favourite books ba... more
Apple Podcasts5Srera
Germany3 months ago
Listeners Say
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.
Chart Rankings
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
Apple Podcasts | #91 | United States/Arts/Books |
Apple Podcasts | #237 | United States/Arts |
Apple Podcasts | #165 |  United Kingdom/Arts/Books |
Apple Podcasts | #199 |  Canada/Arts/Books |
Apple Podcasts | #67 |  Australia/Arts/Books |
Apple Podcasts | #147 |  France/Arts/Books |
Audience Metrics
Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.
| Gender Skew | Location | Interests | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Professions | Age Range | Household Income | |||
| Social Media Reach | |||||
Frequently Asked Questions About Marlon and Jake Read Dead People
What is Marlon and Jake Read Dead People about and what kind of topics does it cover?
Weekly conversations about literature, centered on authors who have died and the books that made them famous, flawed, beloved, or controversial. Novelist Marlon James and editor Jake Morrissey bring complementary perspectives from writing and publishing, pairing close reading and cultural critique with personal anecdotes, blunt disagreements, and dry humor. Their discussions range across literary classics, genre fiction, poetry, and the craft of storytelling, often testing whether celebrated works still hold up and how readers' views change over time. The format is an informal, freewheeling exchange between the two regular hosts rather than a conventional interview or book-club review. It suits devoted readers who enjoy candid opinions, une... more
Where can I find podcast stats for Marlon and Jake Read Dead People?
Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Marlon and Jake Read Dead People. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Marlon and Jake Read Dead People and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.
How many listeners does Marlon and Jake Read Dead People get?
Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Marlon and Jake Read Dead People, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.
What are the audience demographics for Marlon and Jake Read Dead People?
Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Marlon and Jake Read Dead People, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.
How many subscribers and views does Marlon and Jake Read Dead People have?
To see how many followers or subscribers Marlon and Jake Read Dead People has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.
Which podcasts are similar to Marlon and Jake Read Dead People?
These podcasts share a similar audience with Marlon and Jake Read Dead People:
1. Critics at Large | The New Yorker
2. The Book Review
3. Otherppl with Brad Listi | Books & Culture
4. Zero to Well-Read
5. Between The Covers : Conversations with Writers in Fiction, Nonfiction & Poetry
How many episodes of Marlon and Jake Read Dead People are there?
Marlon and Jake Read Dead People launched 7 years ago and published 45 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
How do I contact Marlon and Jake Read Dead People?
Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.
Where can I see ratings and reviews for Marlon and Jake Read Dead People?
Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Marlon and Jake Read Dead People from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.
View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.
How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Marlon and Jake Read Dead People?
Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Marlon and Jake Read Dead People. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.