The Norton Library Podcast
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 Cirino and produced by Michael Von Cannon, the co-creators of the Hemingway Society's popular show One True Podcast.
The Norton Library Podcast
Latest Episodes
An Account of Yourself (Walden, Part 2)
In Part 2 of our discussion on Henry David Thoreau's Walden, editor Jedediah Britton-Purdy returns to discuss misconceptions about the author's philosophy, the balancing act of isolation and civic duty, and Thoreau's possible influence...
Thoreau is Punk! (Walden, Part 1)
In Part 1 of our discussion on Henry David Thoreau's Walden, we welcome editor Jedediah Britton-Purdy to discuss the relevance of Thoreau's questions about modernity to today's AI debate, the similarities and differences between Thorea...
Who Doesn't Understand Thunder? (The Odyssey, Part 2)
In Part 2 of our discussion on Homer's Odyssey, translator Emily Wilson returns to discuss the cinematic spectacle of Christopher Nolan's film, the different responsibilities of translation and adaptation, and the challenges of weaving...
A Complicated Man (The Odyssey, Part 1)
In Part 1 of our discussion on Homer's Odyssey, we welcome translator Emily Wilson to discuss Odysseus as a complicated character, the roles of women and divine beings in the poem, and the centuries-old stories within stories that pose...
Written in Gold (The Golden Ass, Part 2)
In Part 2 of our discussion on Apuleius's The Golden Ass, translator Ellen Finkelpearl returns to discuss the striking cover of the Norton Library edition, her favorite line from the text and the paradox of the title, and the ways Apul...