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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

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes478Founded15 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Society & Culture

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Artwork for The LRB Podcast

Latest Episodes

On Sunday, the far-right party Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) won the state election in Saxony-Anhalt with 44 per cent of the vote, the highest share for any far-right party in post-1945 Germany. Among the many surprising aspects of the result was... more

The story of why, and how, an arrow ended up in Harold's eye in the Bayeux Tapestry is tied to the politics of the early 19th century, to Napoleon's ambitions and Britain's national pride, and the work of two antiquaries, Anne and Charles Stothard, w... more

In the late 160s AD, the Roman armies of Marcus Aurelius recruited large numbers of troops from the islands east of Jutland, in what is now Denmark. After Marcus’ death in 180, his German campaigns were abandoned and the Romans withdrew to the Danube... more

Italo Calvino’s novella Invisible Cities is a hypnagogic reimagining of Marco Polo’s time in the court of Kublai Khan. Polo describes 55 impossible places – cities made of plumbing, free-floating, overwhelmed by rubbish, buried underground – that rev... more

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Recent Guests

Roey Sweet
Professor of Urban History at the University of Leicester
University of Leicester
Episode: The Romantic History of the Bayeux Tapestry
Michael Kulikowski
Historian, Penn State University
Penn State University
Episode: Roman Scandinavia
Deborah Friedell
Contributing editor at the LRB, discusses Henry James and the novel
London Review of Books
Episode: Travel with Close Readings: ‘The Portrait of a Lady’ by Henry James
Colm Toíbín
Author and critic, discusses James's life, career, and novel
LRB contributor, novelist
Episode: Travel with Close Readings: ‘The Portrait of a Lady’ by Henry James
Adam Shatz
Writer and critic; discusses his perspectives on America and its representations
London Review of Books
Episode: Adam Shatz: Visions of America
Clare Bucknell
Scholar discussed on the episode
University of Oxford (implied via work on Byron)
Episode: Travel with Close Readings: Byron’s ‘Don Juan’
Colin Burrow
Scholar discussed on the episode
University of Cambridge (implied via work on Byron)
Episode: Travel with Close Readings: Byron’s ‘Don Juan’
Seamus Perry
English literature scholar, teacher at Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College, Oxford
Episode: Travel with Close Readings: ‘The Prelude’ (Books 9 and 10) by William Wordsworth
Mark Ford
Poet, critic, Professor of English
University College London
Episode: Travel with Close Readings: ‘The Prelude’ (Books 9 and 10) by William Wordsworth

Hosts

Thomas Jones
Host of The LRB Podcast
Malin Hay
Co-host of The LRB Podcast (mentioned in podcast description)
James Butler
Host of On Politics in the studio

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 1.3k ratings
  • We don’t all live in Britain, James

    I absolutely love the politics podcast from the LRB, and find it enormously informative and interesting. I particularly enjoyed the episode on the US at 250. But, James, while the relationship between the US and the UK is important and interesting for all of us, it’s somewhat annoying for your many listeners outside the UK for you to introduce the podcast speaking about ‘we’ in relation to the UK. Why not say, for those of us in Britain… instead of assuming that all your listeners are British. I... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Steph in South Africa
    South Africa2 months ago
  • navel gazing

    what was an outward looking, cosmopolitan podcast is increasingly just Brits navel gazing.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    amcqu
    Australia3 months ago
  • This is really great thank you.

    Podcast Addict
    4
    Eoin O'Mahony
    5 months ago
  • Its excellent. Just listen.

    .

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    TormodOtterJohansen
    Sweden5 months ago
  • Sarah Stein Lubrano

    I found Dr Lubrano fascinating, and wanted to hear more about her research, books and her conclusions about life, rather than listen to the interviewer hold forth interminably. She tried valiantly to raise the topic of her new book but he ignored every opportunity. What a shame..

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    EmmaMay67
    United Kingdom6 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Audience appreciates cross-disciplinary guests and international perspectives, though some episodes skew UK-centric.
Guests are typically highly intelligent and bring depth to political and literary discussion.
Some listeners fault pacing or voice/hosting style in certain episodes, preferring tighter edits or different hosts.
The show is praised for thoughtful, well-contextualized conversations and rigorous analysis.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#88
United Kingdom/Society & Culture
Apple Podcasts
#183
Italy/Society & Culture
Apple Podcasts
#145
Saudi Arabia/Society & Culture
Apple Podcasts
#149
Chile/Society & Culture
Apple Podcasts
#152
Hong Kong/Society & Culture
Apple Podcasts
#173
Sweden/Society & Culture

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Roman Scandinavia
Q: What happened to those recruits after Commodus pulled back from further conquests?
Many returned north, some settled into local life around new lordships and others formed war bands that continued fighting for their own interests; the social landscape transformed as former soldiers integrated with indigenous populations over generations, creating lasting communities.
Roman Scandinavia
Q: Could you maybe talk us through who Harrigast was or might have been?
Harrigast is a composite figure—a northern man from the islands east of Jutland—who represents a group of recruits and leaders who crossed into Denmark and Jutland with Roman military backing, and who later formed new, camp-like settlements in southern Sweden, Denmark, and Norway. He stands in for a broader process of Roman-influenced leadership among migrating auxiliaries.
Seamus Perry: Pluralism and the Modern Poet
Q: On selfhood and pluralism, is unity of the self a pragmatic fiction or a metaphysical truth in Jamesian terms?
Unity of the self is best understood pragmatically, as a way of composing oneself to engage with others; pluralism unsettles this unity, but poetry can help maintain a functional integrity amid multiplicity.
Seamus Perry: Pluralism and the Modern Poet
Q: What about rougher poets like Basil Bunting or Pound? Does their difficult form undermine or enhance pluralist balance?
Rougher, more fragmentary poetics often foreground unresolved tensions, which can intensify the sense of pluralism; it shows that balance can be achieved not through neatness but through a deliberate engagement with incongruity and conflict.
Seamus Perry: Pluralism and the Modern Poet
Q: Can you speak to whether poetry acts as a vehicle for liberal toleration in the current political climate?
Poetry often models the ethical stance of toleration by inhabiting other viewpoints through imaginative empathy, a function that can reinforce liberal sensibilities even when political discourse grows harsher, though its effectiveness depends on readers' receptivity.

Audience Metrics

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

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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?

The show offers in-depth conversations that blend politics, culture, and literary analysis through a transatlantic lens. Across episodes, listeners encounter rigorous debates on democracy, policy, and power, alongside close readings of poetry, classical literature, and historical events. The format often pairs prominent scholars, journalists, and policy thinkers with writers who bring historical context and intellectual depth to current affairs. A standout feature is the close-reading approach to literature and history, which sits alongside sharp political economy discussions and cross-continental comparisons. This mix makes it particularly valuable for audiences who want thoughtful, academically informed perspectives on politics, culture, ... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The LRB Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The LRB Podcast:

1. Close Readings
2. London Review Bookshop Podcast
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 15 years ago and published 478 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. Roey Sweet
2. Michael Kulikowski
3. Deborah Friedell
4. Colm Toíbín
5. Adam Shatz
6. Clare Bucknell
7. Colin Burrow
8. Seamus Perry

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