The 3 Best The Paris Review Podcast Episodes
1) 2. Always Leaving (with Jack Kerouac, Hailey Gates, Erica Ehrenberg, Shelly Oria, Donnetta Lavinia Grays)
A visit to Jack Kerouac’s house ends with the story of Buddha; Hailey Gates reads a poem by Erica Ehrenberg about love and moving on; and MY WIFE, IN CONVERSE, Shelly Oria’s tale of marriage, poetry, ...Show More
2) 13. Before the Light (with Toni Morrison, Molly Ringwald, Mary Terrier, Alex Dimitrov)
Legendary novelist and Nobel laureate Toni Morrison explains why beauty is absolutely necessary in an interview from the magazine’s archives; Molly Ringwald channels adolescent grief in her reading of...Show More
3) 9. God, Etc. (with Jesse Eisenberg, Benjamin Nugent, Rowan Ricardo Phillips, Kristen Dombek)
A frat boy encounters the divine in Benjamin Nugent's story GOD, performed by Jesse Eisenberg; Rowan Ricardo Phillips examines the difference between heaven and paradise in his poem KINGDOM COME; and ...Show More
4) Inside the Issue | "My Life, By Barbara Rosenberg," by Jordy Rosenberg
Jordy Rosenberg reads his story “My Life, by Barbara Rosenberg,” from issue no. 253 (Fall 2025), told from the perspective of Barbara, a mother from Brooklyn who is ready to battle a corduroy blazer a...Show More
5) Personals | "I Got Snipped"
Joseph Earl Thomas reads his essay “I Got Snipped: Notes on a Vasectomy,” about the best sexual decision he ever made. This episode was produced by John DeLore and Helena de Groot, and was mixed by J...Show More
6) Personals | "Two Strip Clubs, Paris and New Hampshire"
Lisa Carver reads an essay about visiting two strip clubs with her French husband: first the Moulin Rouge, then a dive bar in Bedford, New Hampshire. At the Moulin Rouge, she has a revelation: “Even t...Show More
7) Personals | “Wax and Gold and Gold," by Mihret Sibhat
Mihret Sibhat reads her essay “Wax and Gold and Gold,” about a friendship she formed with a prostitute in Addis Ababa while attempting to teach her about Jesus. This episode was produced by John DeLo...Show More
8) Personals | “What I Want to Say About Owning a Truck,” by J. D. Daniels
“When people see your truck, they tend to see what you can do for them,” J. D. Daniels writes in his essay about a black Nissan hardbody pickup he owned many years ago. This episode was produced by J...Show More
9) Personals | "The Smoker," by Ottessa Moshfegh
Ottessa Moshfegh reads her essay “The Smoker,” about renovating a house soaked in nicotine—and a haunting encounter with its former owner. This episode was produced by John DeLore and Helena de Groot...Show More
10) Trailer: The Paris Review presents "Personals," a new audio series
“Personals” is a new audio series from The Paris Review, featuring writers reading first-person essays. Featuring essays from Ottessa Moshfegh, Mihret Sibhat, Joseph Earl Thomas, Lisa Carver, and J.D....Show More