Private Life: A New York Review Podcast

Lucy Sante on Pauline Kael, Film Criticism, and Pop Culture

In the second season premiere of Private Life, host Jarrett Earnest is joined by the writer and critic Lucy Sante to discuss Pauline Kael’s career, pop culture writing, a

”A Little Iliad” by Daniel Mendelsohn

This episode is a reading of Daniel Mendelsohn’s essay,“A Little Iliad,” a review of the film Troy, an adaptation of the Iliad, from the Review’s June 24, 2004, issue. It

Daniel Mendelsohn on The Odyssey, Film Adaptations, and Translations

In this episode of Private Life, Daniel Mendelsohn joins Jarrett Earnest to discuss his 2025 translation of Homer’s Odyssey and Christopher Nolan’s forthcoming film adapt

”The Mayakovsky of MacDougal Street” by Geoffrey O’Brien

In this episode of Private Life, the poet and writer Eileen Myles reads Geoffrey O'Brien's essay on Frank O'Hara, ”The Mayakovsky of MacDougal Street,” from The New York

Robert Glück on His Books, Frank O'Hara, and Dreams

In this episode of Private Life, Robert Glück joins Jarrett Earnest for a conversation about his books, the characters that shaped his stories, and Geoffrey O’Brien’s ess

“Chronicles of Love and Loss“ by Helen Vendler

In this episode of Private Life, Langdon Hammer reads Helen Vendler’s essay, “Chronicles of Love and Loss,” from the May 11, 1995, issue of The New York Review of Books.

Eve Babitz's Letters from “Too L.A.” Read By Gina Gershon

This episode of Private Life is a reading from the forthcoming New York Review Books collection of Eve Babitz’s writing, Too L.A.: Letters Never Sent (But Some Were), edi

Matthew Aucoin on Opera, Music Criticism, and Poetry

In this episode of Private Life, Matthew Aucoin joins Jarrett Earnest to discuss the state of music criticism, the work of music composition, and the life and writing of

Lili Anolik on Eve Babitz, Her Legacy, and Unsent Letters

In this episode of Private Life, Lili Anolik joins Jarrett Earnest for a conversation about the life and legacy of Eve Babitz, in honor of the publication of New York Rev

“Radiant, Angry Caravaggio“ by Ingrid D. Rowland

In the May 27, 2010, issue of The New York Review of Books, Ingrid D. Rowland wrote “Radiant, Angry Caravaggio,” a look at the tempestuous life and brilliant art of the p

Ingrid D. Rowland on Art History, Raphael, and Disegno

In this episode of Private Life, the art historian Ingrid D. Rowland joins Jarrett Earnest for an in-depth discussion about art history and disegno, an Italian word for “

Private Life x Dialogues: The David Zwirner Podcast

Private Life presents a bonus episode from our friends at Dialogues: The David Zwirner Podcast. Produced by the eponymous art gallery, Dialogues brings together artists,

“Ghosts in the House” by Martin Filler

In the October 21, 1999, issue of The New York Review of Books, Martin Filler wrote “Ghosts in the House,” about Frank Gehry’s life and work at the turn of the century, i

Martin Filler on Writing, Frank Gehry, and the Dramatic World of Architecture

In this episode of Private Life, Martin Filler joins Jarrett Earnest for a conversation about architecture criticism, Frank Gehry, and the art that makes us weep.  Mart

“The Banality of Empathy“ by Namwali Serpell

In March 2019 Namwali Serpell wrote for the NYR Online about a choose-your-own-adventure-style episode of the television show Black Mirror, Karl Ove Knausgaard, Hannah Ar

Namwali Serpell on Toni Morrison, Criticism, and Narrative Empathy

In this episode of Private Life, the writer and New York Review contributor Namwali Serpell joins Jarrett Earnest to discuss her new book, On Morrison, a collection of es

Gini Alhadeff Reads from André Breton's ’Nadja’

In this episode of Private Life, the writer, translator, and editor Gini Alhadeff reads excerpts from Mark Polizzotti’s recent translation, for NYRB Classics, of André Br

Mark Polizzotti on André Breton, Translation, and Surrealism

In this episode of Private Life, Jarrett Earnest is joined by Mark Polizzotti to discuss André Breton’s surrealist novel, Nadja, originally published in 1928 and translat

Richard Hell Reads From ‘Godlike‘

In this episode of Private Life, Richard Hell reads from his novel Godlike (2005), which was reissued last month by NYRB Classics with a new afterword by Raymond Faye. Go

Richard Hell on ’Godlike’ and Poetry as a Way of Life

In this episode of Private Life, Richard Hell joins Jarrett Earnest to discuss his novel Godlike (newly reissued by NYRB Classics), his creative process, the love of poet