Rephonic
Artwork for The Norton Library Podcast

The Norton Library Podcast

The Norton Library
Sense and Sensibility
The Awakening
Frederick Douglass
Robert Louis Stevenson
Slavery
Literacy
Christianity
Confessions
Kate Chopin
Jane Austen
Narrative Of the Life Of Frederick Douglass
Education
Rhetoric
Augustine
Victorian Literature
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Feminism
Social Constraints
MIT

Welcome to the Norton Library Podcast, where we explore influential works of literature and philosophy with the leading scholars and teachers behind Norton’s newest series of classics. In each episode, with a Norton Library editor or translator as our guide, we'll learn something new and surprising about these classic works—why they endure, and what it means to read them today. Hosted by Mark Ciri... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes69Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
EducationBooksArts

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The Norton Library Podcast

Latest Episodes

In Part 2 of our discussion on Virginia Woolf's A Room of One's Own, editor Dora Zhang returns to discuss the original cover and the design of the Norton Library edition, her first encounter with Woolf's writing during college, and a few of her favor... more

In Part 1 of our discussion on Virginia Woolf's A Room of One's Own, we welcome editor Dora Zhang to discuss the author's early life in a literary and artistic household, the enduring nature and distinctive prose of Woolf's works, and the argument of... more

In Part 2 of our discussion on Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, editor Justine Murison returns to discuss the cover design of the Norton Library edition, her first encounter with The Scarlet Letter in high school (and the process of coming t... more

In Part 1 of our discussion on Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, we welcome editor Justine Murison to discuss Hawthorne's life and views, the iconic symbolism in the text and how to analyze it, and the lasting relevance of The Scarlet Letter ... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Close Readings
Close ReadingsLondon Review of Books
The History of Literature
The History of LiteratureJacke Wilson / The Podglomerate
One True Podcast
One True PodcastMark Cirino and Michael Von Cannon
In Our Time
In Our TimeBBC Radio 4

Recent Guests

Wayne A. Rebhorn
Mildred Hayek-Vacek and John Roman Vacek chair in English at the University of Texas
University of Texas at Austin
Episode: The Stealth Classic (The Decameron, Part 1)
Evie Shockley
Zora Neale Hurston Distinguished Professor of English at Rutgers University.
Rutgers University
Episode: I Write Only That Whereof I Know (Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Part 2)
Mark Cirino
Melvin M. Peterson, Endowed Chair in Literature at the University of Evansville
University of Evansville
Episode: A Tale of Love and a Tale of War (A Farewell to Arms, Part 1)
Emily Wilson
Professor of Classical Studies at the University of Pennsylvania and translator of Homer's Iliad
University of Pennsylvania
Episode: Hector and Achilles are More Alike Than You Think (The Iliad, Part 2)
Sarah Blackwood
Professor of English at Pace University and editor of the Norton Library edition of Little Women
Pace University
Episode: Life Planning 101 with Louisa May Alcott (Little Women, Part 1)
Sheila Liming
Associate professor at Champlain College and author of several books on Edith Wharton
Champlain College
Episode: A Hieroglyphic World: Social Rules in Wharton's Novel of Manners (The Age of Innocence, Part 1)
Verna Kale
Associate Research Professor of English at Penn State University and Associate Editor of the Hemingway Letters Project
Penn State University
Episode: Don't Try This At Home: Hemingway's First Major Novel (The Sun Also Rises, Part 1)
Stephen B. Dobranski
Distinguished Professor of English at Georgia State University and the editor of Milton Studies
Georgia State University
Episode: The World Was All Before Them (Paradise Lost, Part 2)
Charles Martin
An award-winning poet and translator of Ovid's Metamorphoses
Norton Library
Episode: A Man Half Bull and a Bull Half Man (Metamorphoses, Part 2)

Host

Mark Cirino
Host of The Norton Library Podcast

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 58 ratings
  • Excellent!

    Good stuff! I love writers!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    nickanderhoey
    United States4 months ago
  • Great overview of famous stories

    This podcast offers a summary of classic literature and well-known authors. It’s well-produced, professional, and the host, Mark Cirino, does a lot of preparation for each interview, then wisely gets out of the way, letting each guest talk.

    It can be clunky in places. These are academics, so they don’t always phrase their ideas in the clearest terms, and some of the questions Cirino asks do not get the most insightful responses, like asking about the Norton edition cover or a playlist for the b... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Sjdoublec
    United States5 months ago
  • Succinct and to the point. Very entertaining. The scholarship is erudite and fun. Great hosting too!

    Audible
    5
    Htown
    United States5 months ago
  • Spoilers for books over 150 years old

    Great podcast. Interesting discussions with the editors/experts. Good choice of books. Engaging questions from the interviewer. But the insistence on avoiding “spoolers” is irritating. How do you talk about Jane Eyre without mentioning who she married? Or what happened to Lucy in Dracula? I suspect that anyone choosing to listen to this podcast has already read the books so no one is going to have the ending spoiled.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    1centrist
    United States2 years ago
  • Only one per month? Say it isn’t so!

    I learned about this podcast from your post on LinkedIn and I was very excited to listen to it and I was not disappointed. I was hoping it would be every Sunday but it looks like it’s only going to be once a month. Is that right? You have made a very high quality podcast and I will be here for it every time. I watched Gatsby again (Robert Redford version) after listening, and I enjoyed it more than ever thanks to your discussion.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Huckleberry the Cat
    United States3 years ago

Listeners Say

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

High-quality production with insightful prep; occasional questions may feel cautious
Strong treatment of edition and translation choices; excellent for listeners who love text-level detail
Guests are deeply learned; conversations can get academic, but stay accessible
Thoughtful, well-produced explorations that connect classics to modern readers

Top Books Podcasts

The Book Club
The Book ClubGoalhanger
Poetry Unbound
Poetry UnboundOn Being Studios
The Book Review
The Book ReviewThe New York Times
Myths and Legends
Myths and LegendsJason Weiser, Carissa Weiser, Nextpod
Selected Shorts
Selected ShortsSymphony Space
Fantasy Fangirls
Fantasy FangirlsFantasy Fangirls
The Currently Reading Podcast
The Currently Reading PodcastMeredith Monday Schwartz and Kaytee Cobb

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

I Write Only That Whereof I Know (Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Part 2)
Q: Is there a way to absorb or appreciate this work in a form other than the book itself?
I am aware of some adaptations, like a play by Lydia Diamond and a young adult book by Mary Lyons.
I Write Only That Whereof I Know (Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Part 2)
Q: Evie, do you have a favorite line in this entire narrative?
I do. And it's, I'm not the only one, I think, because I see it quoted often. It's about the impact of slavery on both blacks and whites.
I Write Only That Whereof I Know (Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Part 2)
Q: When you do approach this book in graduate school, are you immediately captivated by it? Has it become a central part of your scholarship and your reading?
Absolutely. By the time I got to it, people were using it in so many different ways. It had become a really central text for black feminist thought.
Jo's Elastic Heart (Little Women, Part 2)
Q: How has Little Women been adapted, re-appropriated in different media for our enjoyment other than the book itself?
Blackwood discusses various adaptations, including the 1994 film with Winona Ryder and the recent Greta Gerwig adaptation, emphasizing their impact on the story's reach.
Jo's Elastic Heart (Little Women, Part 2)
Q: Do you have a favorite line in this novel?
Blackwood shares a line where Jo expresses her feelings of wanting and dissatisfaction, highlighting the emotional depth of her character.

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 Norton Library Podcast

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

A literary discussion series that pairs scholarly editors, translators, and researchers with classic works to illuminate their enduring relevance. Across episodes, the host explores translation choices, editorial decisions, historical context, and the ways great texts speak to contemporary readers—covering authors from Boccaccio to Hemingway, with a recurring emphasis on how humor, death, war, gender, and narrative form shape our understanding of these works. Notable strengths include in-depth guest expertise, thoughtful questions that surface translation and edition nuances, and a clear mission to make canonical literature accessible and relevant for modern audiences. A unique aspect is the focused collaboration with Norton Library editors... more

Where can I find podcast stats for The Norton Library Podcast?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Norton Library Podcast. 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 The Norton Library Podcast and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Norton Library Podcast get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Norton Library Podcast, 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 The Norton Library Podcast?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Norton Library Podcast, 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 The Norton Library Podcast have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Norton Library Podcast 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 The Norton Library Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Norton Library Podcast:

1. Close Readings
2. The History of Literature
3. Folger Shakespeare Library: Shakespeare Unlimited
4. One True Podcast
5. In Our Time

How many episodes of The Norton Library Podcast are there?

The Norton Library Podcast launched 3 years ago and published 69 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 The Norton Library Podcast?

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 The Norton Library Podcast?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Norton Library Podcast 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 The Norton Library Podcast?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Norton Library Podcast. 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.

What guests have appeared on The Norton Library Podcast?

Recent guests on The Norton Library Podcast include:

1. Wayne A. Rebhorn
2. Evie Shockley
3. Mark Cirino
4. Emily Wilson
5. Sarah Blackwood
6. Sheila Liming
7. Verna Kale
8. Stephen B. Dobranski

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.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days