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The Common Reader

Henry Oliver
Shakespeare
Jane Austen
Capitalism
Iris Murdoch
Atlas Shrugged
Ayn Rand
Literature
The Sea, the Sea
George Eliot
Narcissism
Love
Masculinity
Tom Stoppard
Peter Pan
Substack
Libertarianism
Individualism
Collectivism
Leo Tolstoy
Muriel Spark

Literary discussion www.commonreader.co.uk

PublishesMonthlyEpisodes42Founded4 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ArtsSociety & CultureBooks

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Latest Episodes

What a lot of fun I had talking to Zena Hitz about Gulliver’s Travels. As well as discussing Swift, slavery, genocide, rationality, Christianity, and science, Zena told me that good philosophy is like a box of cake mix and that a liberal education re... more

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My colleague Oliver Traldi recently published an essay called ‘Jane Austen’s Virtuous Liberalism’. It’s a very nice discussion of the ways in which Austen understand the challenges of character formation.

Virtue, as Austen sees it, faces two tough c... more

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What a delight to talk to laura thompson about Agatha Christie. Above all, this episode was fun. Laura really does know more than anyone about Agatha and we covered a lot. What did Agatha Christie read? What did she love about Shakespeare? Was she pr... more

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What a pleasure it was to talk to Ruth Scurr, author of John Aubrey: My Own Life, about the great man himself, who was born four hundred years ago this month. Aubrey is best know for his splendid Brief Lives but he preserved a huge amount of knowledg... more

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Recent Guests

Zena Hitz
Philosopher, tutor at St. John's College, author of Lost in Thought, runs the Catherine Project
St. John's College; Catherine Project
Episode: Zena Hitz: Gulliver's Travels and the Failures of Human Understanding
Oliver Traldi
Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the University of Toledo; co-guest discussing Jane Austen and virtue
University of Toledo
Episode: Oliver Traldi: Jane Austen and the Defence of Virtue
Laura Thompson
Biographer of Agatha Christie; author of books on Christie, Nancy Mitford, and related subjects
Author/Writer
Episode: Laura Thompson on Agatha Christie: Shakespeare, Murder, and the Art of Simplicity
Ruth Scurr
Biographer of John Aubrey
Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge
Episode: Ruth Scurr: The Life and Work of John Aubrey
Naomi Kanakia
Novelist and literary critic; writes Substack Woman of Letters; author of a new book
Woman of Letters (Substack)
Episode: Naomi Kanakia: How Great Are the Great Books?
Catherine Lacey
Famous novelist and substack writer
Episode: Video of my discussion with Catherine Lacey about Iris Murdoch's The Sea, The Sea
Clare Carlisle
Philosopher at King's College London and biographer.
King's College London
Episode: Clare Carlisle: George Eliot's Double Life.
Natasha Joukovsky
Novelist and Substack writer who consults at Accenture.
Accenture
Episode: Natasha Joukovsky: literature, capitalism, and Jane Austen.

Host

Henry
Host of the show

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 43 ratings
  • Very enjoyable

    Very enjoyable and thoughtful discussions on mostly British/Western Literature. One of my go to podcasts on the subject.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    jaycel adkins
    United States3 months ago
  • Incredibly refreshing

    Podcasts are almost entirely hosted by gawping clowns desperately trying to flog their lame jokes and feeble opinions. This is so totally unlike anything else I have heard on a podcast platform - the closest thing I can liken it to is The Rest is History. But minus the slightly tedious joshing. And it’s serious - unashamedly concerned with literature and the aesthetic. Quite unsuited to the times, and one of the reasons I like it so much.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Dfg 325
    United Kingdoma year ago
  • Great literary podcast, with a techy twist

    Love the lack of faff, the great questions (second best after Tyler imho), and fantastic guests who I’ve not usually heard of. Keep going Henry!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Flaahton2003
    United Kingdoma year ago

Listeners Say

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

Thoughtful, well-argued conversations with rigorous analysis.
Наз— polished discussions with clear, insightful questions.
High-quality guests that bring fresh perspectives on classics.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#150
United Kingdom/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#20
Switzerland/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#46
Switzerland/Arts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Oliver Traldi: Jane Austen and the Defence of Virtue
Q: What is your central thesis about Jane Austen's contribution to moral philosophy?
Austen provides a model of moral education through narrative practice, showing how virtue and integrity emerge in ordinary life and in social transactions, rather than through abstract theories. Her characters illustrate how living well depends on self-command, awareness of others, and the capacity to act with moral seriousness in everyday settings.
Laura Thompson on Agatha Christie: Shakespeare, Murder, and the Art of Simplicity
Q: How does Christie's background influence her fiction?
Thompson cites Christie's Torquay upbringing, close family dynamics, and exposure to music, theatre, and cosmopolitan ideas as shaping a social observation that underpins Miss Marple's worldliness despite her apparent lack of life experience, and informs the author's interest in class, gender, and cultural shifts.
Hermione Lee: Tom Stoppard. “It’s Wanting to Know That Makes Us Matter”
Q: What does Stoppardian mean?
Stoppardian describes works that are witty, intellectually dazzling, and filled with verbal energy, but it also encompasses deeper themes of grief and mortality.
Hermione Lee: Tom Stoppard. “It’s Wanting to Know That Makes Us Matter”
Q: How important is the idea of the quest to the way you work, and also to the way you read Stoppard?
The idea of the quest is central to understanding Stoppard's work and is mirrored in biographical work, as it emphasizes the importance of understanding an individual through knowledge.
Hermione Lee: Tom Stoppard. “It’s Wanting to Know That Makes Us Matter”
Q: What sort of influence did T. S. Elliot have on him? Did it change the dialogue or was it something else?
Elliot's influence is noticeable in Stoppard's work, especially in the tone and themes of feeling like an outsider, with echoes of Elliot present in plays like Rosencrantz.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Common Reader

What is The Common Reader about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A thoughtful literary discussion podcast that blends deep readings of novels with philosophy, biography, and criticism. Guests range from philosophers and biographers to novelists and essayists, exploring how literature illuminates ethics, character, and culture. Conversations often weave classic and contemporary works, with a penchant for rigorous analysis, clear argument, and accessible writing about great books and their broader social meanings. Noteworthy is a willingness to engage with both scholarly ideas and authors' lived experiences, producing episodes that feel both intellectually serious and intimately insightful for a curious, educated audience.

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Which podcasts are similar to The Common Reader?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Common Reader:

1. Conversations with Tyler
2. Close Readings
3. The Book Club
4. London Review Bookshop Podcast
5. The Good Fight

How many episodes of The Common Reader are there?

The Common Reader launched 4 years ago and published 42 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 Common Reader?

Recent guests on The Common Reader include:

1. Zena Hitz
2. Oliver Traldi
3. Laura Thompson
4. Ruth Scurr
5. Naomi Kanakia
6. Catherine Lacey
7. Clare Carlisle
8. Natasha Joukovsky

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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