On the Road with Penguin Classics
Books & Literature
About
On the Road with Penguin Classics is a podcast that takes a stroll around the world's favourite books. In each episode, author and editor Henry Eliot travels to a different literary location to explore a brilliant book in the company of a remarkable reader. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
- William Blake's poetry with Philip Pullman
Philip Pullman discusses William Blake's poetry and prose, including Songs of Innocence and of Experience, The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, and Auguries of Innocence. He has been inspired by Blake for sixty years and previously served as P…
- Giovanni’s Room with Caryl Phillips
Novelist Caryl Phillips discusses James Baldwin's novel Giovanni's Room with host Henry Eliot. Phillips, who wrote the introduction for the Penguin Modern Classics edition, explores Baldwin's time in Paris and the novel's themes.
- John Donne's poetry with Katherine Rundell
Katherine Rundell discusses John Donne's poetry and prose, tracing his life and career through the London locations significant to him. The episode mentions Rundell's Baillie-Gifford Prize-winning biography of Donne and the 400th anniversa…
- We Have Always Lived in the Castle with Ruth Franklin
On the Road with Penguin Classics features biographer Ruth Franklin discussing Shirley Jackson's novel 'We Have Always Lived in the Castle' and visiting the Vermont village where Jackson resided.
- Angela Carter's Fairy Tales with Marina Warner
Dame Marina Warner joins host Henry Eliot on the podcast On the Road with Penguin Classics. They discuss Angela Carter's translation of Perrault's Tales of Mother Goose and Carter's own The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories, covering fairy…
- A Christmas Carol with Simon Callow – Christmas Special 2023
This festive special revisits Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol, 180 years after its publication. Actor and author Simon Callow discusses the novel and its connections to the City of London with presenter Henry Eliot.
- A Clockwork Orange with Jeff Noon and Andrew Biswell
Science fiction author Jeff Noon and biographer Andrew Biswell visit East Sussex to explore the places where Anthony Burgess wrote A Clockwork Orange, discussing themes from the novel.
- Farewell, My Lovely with Dick Lochte
The podcast episode explores Raymond Chandler's connection to Santa Monica, discussing his novels 'Farewell, My Lovely,' 'The Big Sleep,' and 'The Long Goodbye.' It also features a conversation about Dick Lochte's Chandler tribute novel, '…
- Frankenstein with Anil Seth and Fiona Sampson
This episode visits Bath to explore Mary Shelley's connection to the city where she completed Frankenstein. Neuroscientist Anil Seth and poet Fiona Sampson discuss Romantic literature, early 19th-century science, and the nature of consciou…
- Pride and Prejudice with Monica Ali
Novelist Monica Ali joins Henry to visit Jane Austen’s House in Chawton, Hampshire, and Chawton House. They explore the locations where Austen wrote her novels and learn about the Centre for the Study of Early Women’s Writing.
- The Haunting of Hill House with Ruth Franklin – Halloween Special 2023
This Halloween special features biographer Ruth Franklin discussing Shirley Jackson's 'The Haunting of Hill House' with Henry. They explore the Everett Mansion in Bennington, Vermont, which may have inspired the classic ghost story.
- Season 4 Trailer
The trailer for Season 4 of "On the Road with Penguin Classics" previews discussions with guests about various literary genres and authors, including Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, and Mary Shelley.
- Eliot's Book of Bookish Lists – Christmas Special 2022
This bonus episode of On the Road with Penguin Classics features Henry discussing Eliot's Book of Bookish Lists, a collection of literary trivia including tragic deaths, animal names, and historical jokes.
- The Pilgrim’s Progress with Rachel Joyce
Novelist Rachel Joyce joins Henry to retrace the journey of John Bunyan’s Christian from Bedfordshire to London, visiting locations from The Pilgrim's Progress. They start at the Bunyan Meeting House, meeting John Pestell, and end at Bunya…
- Season of Migration to the North with Leila Aboulela
Leila Aboulela joins Henry to discuss Tayeb Salih's novel 'Season of Migration to the North,' recognized as a pivotal work of 20th-century Arab literature. The discussion touches upon settings in Sudan and London, with visits to relevant c…
- The Book of Disquiet with Richard Zenith
Richard Zenith joins Henry in Lisbon to explore Fernando Pessoa's "The Book of Disquiet." They visit literary landmarks and discuss the author's fragmented masterpiece on the 40th anniversary of its publication.
- Maurice with Diarmuid Hester
Cultural historian Diarmuid Hester discusses E. M. Forster's novel "Maurice" with Henry, exploring locations in Cambridge connected to Forster. The episode touches upon the novel's posthumous publication in 1971.
- The Hearing Trumpet with Joanna Moorhead
Journalist Joanna Moorhead joins Henry to discuss the surrealist artist and writer Leonora Carrington, focusing on her life in Saint-Martin-d’Ardèche and her novel "The Hearing Trumpet."
- Confessions of an English Opium Eater with Will Self
Will Self joins the podcast to discuss Thomas de Quincey's Confessions of an English Opium Eater and William S. Burroughs's Junky. They walk through Soho, exploring the authors' works on drug use and addiction, and also touch upon Aleister…
- Season 3 Trailer
The trailer introduces Season 3 of the podcast On the Road with Penguin Classics. Author Henry Eliot will visit literary locations to discuss books with guests.
- Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland with Chris Riddell
Illustrator Chris Riddell visits Oxford locations connected to Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass, accompanied by Henry. They meet Sophie Hiscock at The Story Museum and visit Christ Church Colle…
- The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie with Alan Taylor
Journalist Alan Taylor discusses Muriel Spark's The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie while walking through Edinburgh, visiting Spark's alma mater and childhood home, and tracing locations from the novel.
- Keats's poetry with Andrew Motion
Sir Andrew Motion joins Henry to discuss John Keats's life and poetry, visiting Hampstead locations including Keats House. Motion is a biographer of Keats and former Poet Laureate.
- The Blazing World with Michael Bravo
Polar researcher Michael Bravo joins Henry to discuss Margaret Cavendish's "The Blazing World," a work blending fantasy, philosophy, and science. The episode features visits to Cambridge's Polar Museum, Whipple Museum, and University Libra…
- Ulysses with Anne Fogarty
Professor Anne Fogarty joins Henry in Dublin to discuss James Joyce's novel Ulysses, visiting locations such as the Martello Tower and Eccles Street. They also discuss the book's 100th anniversary and Bloomsday celebrations.
- Nineteen Eighty-Four with Robert Icke
Writer and director Robert Icke joins Henry on the show to discuss the real-world London locations that inspired George Orwell's novel Nineteen Eighty-Four. They explore sites such as the Ministry of Truth, Ministry of Love, and Room 101,…
- Season 2 Trailer
The Season 2 trailer for the literary podcast 'On the Road with Penguin Classics' is previewed. Author Henry Eliot will visit literary locations to discuss notable books with guests.
- The Mill on the Floss with Louis de Bernières
Novelist Louis de Bernières visits Nuneaton, the birthplace of George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans), to explore the landscape and discuss Eliot's novel, The Mill on the Floss.
- The Lonely Londoners with Susheila Nasta
Susheila Nasta, literary executor for Sam Selvon, joins Henry to discuss Selvon's novel The Lonely Londoners. They explore the experiences of Caribbean migrants in 1950s London, referencing locations such as Bayswater and Piccadilly Circus…
- Tristram Shandy with Frank Cottrell Boyce
Frank Cottrell Boyce explores Laurence Sterne's Tristram Shandy with Henry, visiting Coxwold, St Michael's Church, and Shandy Hall, where they meet curator Patrick Wildgust. They discuss the novel and related works.
- Mrs Dalloway with Alexandra Harris
Alexandra Harris, author of Romantic Moderns, joins the podcast to discuss Virginia Woolf's novel Mrs Dalloway. They explore the novel's setting in Westminster and its single-day narrative, touching upon themes related to shell shock with…
- The Canterbury Tales with Patience Agbabi
Poet and performer Patience Agbabi discusses Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales with Henry during a train journey, exploring Chaucer's life, times, and various pilgrims. They also touch upon Refugee Tales, an initiative raising awaren…
- The Woman in White with Olivia Vinall
Actress Olivia Vinall discusses Wilkie Collins's The Woman in White and its Cumbrian settings, visiting the Ship Hotel and Ewanrigg Hall, with author Doris Riley sharing a ghost story.
- Trailer
The trailer introduces "On the Road with Penguin Classics," a literary podcast where host Henry Eliot visits literary locations to discuss books with guests. The podcast is hosted on Acast.