Best Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library Podcasts (2024)

1
Nathaniel Hawthorne's "Young Goodman Brown" 41:06

22d ago41:06

41:06

One of New England's most famous writers comes forth from the void to share a story no-doubt connected to his family's witch-trail roots. Gather round as Warlock Vorobok reads about a Puritan's temptation to stray from good to evil in Nathaniel Hawthorne's "Young Goodman Brown."By Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library

1
Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" 16:37

2M ago16:37

16:37

It all started because of bad weather and boredom. A ghost story contest was announced. And the genre of horror was about to change forever. Join Warlock Vorobok as he reads from one of his favorite horror novels—and an all-time classic—Frankenstein.By Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library

1
Ann Radcliffe Returns with “The Mysteries of Udolpho” 18:17

3M ago18:17

18:17

Brace yourself for gloomy castles, ghostly apparitions, and gruesome corpses! This new season of Warlock Vorobok Reads features scary good short stories, starting with the queen of Gothic literature, Ann Radcliffe. Radcliffe returns from the void to join the podcast after first sharing her supernatural writings with the Library’s resident warlock o…

1
Horace Walpole's "The Castle of Otranto" 31:51

4M ago31:51

31:51

Join Warlock Vorobok as he kicks off a new season of this supernatural podcast with an excerpt from the first Gothic novel, the Castle of Otranto. Written in 1764, this slim novel would be the start of so many nightmares to come.By Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library

1
Yalie Saweda Kamara 39:41

4M ago39:41

39:41

In this episode of Inside the Writer's Head, TaraShea Nesbit talks with poet Yalie Saweda Kamara about her new book, Besaydoo, a book that Ross Gay describes as "a prayer for us all" and the New York Times Book Review highlighted the collection as "evoking ecstatic attention and generosity." In addition to sharing her insights about writing poems, …

1
Walter de la Mare 14:37

5M ago14:37

14:37

Walter is most famous for his lyrical poetry for children, but "the Listeners" still manages to scare this Warlock every time I read it - and it is perfect for a cold winter's evening! Warlock Vorobok Reads is a monthly storytime for grownups.By Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library

1
Emma Lazarus 11:17

6M ago11:17

11:17

Did you know the poet that penned the famous words on the Statue of Liberty also wrote poems about haunted places and Will O'the Wisps? Come get scared by the phantasmagoric verses of one America's most important poets. Warlock Vorobok Reads is a monthly storytime for grownups.By Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library

1
West End Stories Project Presents: Alexis Kidd-Zaffer 25:41

6M ago25:41

25:41

West End Stories Project Presents Alexis Kidd, Executive Director of Seven Hills Neighborhood Houses, one of the Library’s many community partners. Seven Hills Neighborhood Houses is one of the last neighborhood houses or settlement houses in Cincinnati. Founded in 1945, Seven Hills Neighborhood Houses provides basic needs assistance, advocacy for …

1
Fiona Sampson 59:17

7M ago59:17

59:17

In the final episode of this season of "Inside the Writer's Head" Manuel Iris interviews renowned British poet and writer Fiona Sampson. They discuss Sampson's musical background informs her writing, how poetry challenges us to read in a different way, the secret coherence that often arises in poems, and more. Fiona Sampson is a leading British poe…

1
Alfred Perceval Graves 10:50

7M ago10:50

10:50

This month, the Warlock brings forth the works of famous Irish folklorist Alfred Perceval Graves. Born in Dublin on July 22, 1846, Graves published his first poem in 1863, which sparked his emergence as a leader in the renewal of Irish literature. Warlock Vorobok Reads is a monthly storytime for grownups.…

1
Jarreld Parks 18:51

7M ago18:51

18:51

Retired Aviation Technician and United States Air Force Veteran Jarreld Parks grew up in the in the Lincoln Court housing projects in the 1960s. Hear his story on this episode of the West End Stories Project. If you or someone you know lived or spent a significant amount of time in the West End, please consider sharing your story. Call 513-369-6900…

1
Preview: Jarreld Parks 0:56

7M ago0:56

0:56

If you or someone you know lived or spent a significant amount of time in the West End, please consider sharing your story. Call 513-369-6900 or email westend@cincinnatilibrary.org for more information.By Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library

1
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 15:05

8M ago15:05

15:05

Henry was the most popular poet in America during his lifetime. And one of the richest, earning $3,000 per poem, which, in today's money would equal roughly $77,000! Join Warlock Vorobok as he explores the fantastical shipwrecks and haunted verses of one of America's most enduring poets. Warlock Vorobok Reads is a monthly storytime for grownups.…

1
David Daniels 19:32

9M ago19:32

19:32

Navy Veteran David Daniels grew up in the West End during World War II and lived on Fifth and Mill Streets and Cutter Streets with his mother, little sister, uncle, and grandparents. When he returned from the Navy in the late 1950s that section of Fifth and Cutter was gone, and Mill Street was eliminated completely. If you or someone you know lived…

1
Preview: David Daniels 1:16

9M ago1:16

1:16

If you or someone you know lived or spent a significant amount of time in the West End, please consider sharing your story. Call 513-369-6900 or email westend@cincinnatilibrary.org for more information.By Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library

1
Christina Rossetti 29:45

9M ago29:45

29:45

Despite being one of the most popular Victorian poets, Christina Rossetti challenged the Victorian morals with this poem about temptation. Even Warlock Vorobok looks over his shoulder while reading this one! Warlock Vorobok Reads is a monthly storytime for grownups.By Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library

1
Rossy Evelin Lima-Padilla 50:19

9M ago50:19

50:19

Manuel Iris talks with poet and academic Rossy Evelin Lima-Padilla. In this episode, Rossy shares how she crossed the border as an undocumented minor. Her struggle with the English language, and how her love for writing, literature, and community, gave her the strength to become a poet and professor in the United States. Rossy Evelin Lima-Padilla i…

1
Fannie Shaw 17:12

10M ago17:12

17:12

West End Community Council Beautification Chair, Fannie Shaw, moved to the West End from Whitfield, Georgia, when she was eight years old. When her family first moved to the West End, they lived in a building on Clark Street in what became the Laurel-Richmond Urban Renewal Project. She attended Dyer Elementary, Stowe Elementary, Porter Junior High,…

1
Preview: Fannie Shaw 0:43

10M ago0:43

0:43

If you or someone you know lived or spent a significant amount of time in the West End, please consider sharing your story. Call 513-369-6900 or email westend@cincinnatilibrary.org for more information.By Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library

1
Percy Bysshe Shelley 16:38

10M ago16:38

16:38

Percy Bysshe Shelley was more than just Mary Shelley's husband. He was an accomplished poet, a radical nonconformist, and a vegetarian atheist. Join Warlock Vorobok as he explores the hallucinatory words of a poet well ahead of his times. Warlock Vorobok Reads is a monthly storytime for grownups.By Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library

1
Carlos Aguasaco 57:44

10M ago57:44

57:44

In this episode, Manuel Iris speaks with Latin American cultural studies professor and Director of the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies at City College of the City University of New York, Carlos Aguasaco. Hear about his arrival to the US and how poetry and literature have been part of his immigrant story. This is a conversation on identity, …

1
James Starks 19:45

10M ago19:45

19:45

James Starks developed his musical talents at Sands Elementary School, Lafayette Bloom Junior High School, and Taft High School. During most of his time in the West End, he lived with his family on Wilstach St., which was slated for redevelopment in the 60's. If you or someone you know lived or spent a significant amount of time in the West End, pl…

1
Preview: James Starks 0:45

10M ago0:45

0:45

If you or someone you know lived or spent a significant amount of time in the West End, please consider sharing your story. Call 513-369-6900 or email westend@cincinnatilibrary.org for more information.By Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library

1
Lord Byron 33:54

11M ago33:54

33:54

Lord Byron's larger-than-life persona created some fantastic poetry. Listen to Warlock Vorobok explore the gloomy depths of prison as well as a stunning apocalyptic dream from one of England's most famous poets. Warlock Vorobok Reads is a monthly storytime for grownups.By Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library

1
West End Stories Project Presents: Commissioner Alicia Reece 53:19

12M ago53:19

53:19

In conjunction with the opening of the Black Music Walk of Fame, the West End Stories Project is sharing a new limited series highlighting Cincinnati’s musical influencers who have impacted music worldwide. For the first episode of the West End Stories Project Presents, we spoke to the founder and Creator of the Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame,…

1
Robert Blair 16:22

12M ago16:22

16:22

Is there a more haunted place than the graveyard? Join Warlock Vorobok and other things that go bump in the night as he reads the most famous work of Scottish poet, Robert Blair. Warlock Vorobok Reads is a monthly storytime for grownups.By Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library

1
Margaret Haley 16:38

1y ago16:38

16:38

Retired secretary, Margaret Haley, shares her experience living in the West End during the fifties and early sixties. She lived with her mother and father at 1805 Freeman Ave across from Findlay Street and attended Heberle Elementary School. If you or someone you know lived or spent a significant amount of time in the West End, please consider shar…

1
Preview: Margaret Haley 1:10

1y ago1:10

1:10

If you or someone you know lived or spent a significant amount of time in the West End, please consider sharing your story. Call 513-369-6900 or email westend@cincinnatilibrary.org for more information.By Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library

1
Tara Skurtu and Tanya Ko-Hong 1:00:42

1y ago1:00:42

1:00:42

Manuel Iris sits down with two internationally recognized poets, Tanya Ko-Hong and Tara Skurtu in the latest episode of “Inside the Writer’s Head.” In this episode, Manuel, Tanya, and Tara dive deep into how they define poetry, exploring topics like belonging, otherness, creativity, and the limits of language. Tara Skurtu is the author of "The Amoe…

1
Samuel Rowlands 9:39

1y ago9:39

9:39

Listen to Warlock Vorobok read from an obscure 17th century poet whose pamphlets depicting lower- and middle-class life were burned in the streets by the authorities. Warlock Vorobok Reads is a monthly storytime for grownups.By Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library

1
Herbert Winston 15:39

1y ago15:39

15:39

Former West End resident Herbert Winston lived with his family in Richmond Village (now The Arts Apartments of Music Hall) from the mid-sixties to mid-seventies. During his brief time in the neighborhood, he attended St. Joseph Catholic School, and frequented LeBlond’s Boy’s Club, which was close by in Over the Rhine. If you or someone you know liv…

1
Preview: Herbert Winston 0:47

1y ago0:47

0:47

If you or someone you know lived or spent a significant amount of time in the West End, please consider sharing your story. Call 513-369-6900 or email westend@cincinnatilibrary.org for more information.By Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library

1
Haiku North America: Interview with Jennifer Hambrick 47:45

1y ago47:45

47:45

Poet Jennifer Hambrick joins Manuel Iris on a new episode of "Inside the Writer's Head" ahead of the arrival of the largest and oldest gathering of haiku poets outside Japan to Cincinnati. The biennial conference Haiku North America is organized in part by Hambrick. Listen in as they discuss the lyrical power of haiku, Hambrick's musical lens of po…

1
Edmund Spenser 16:36

1y ago16:36

16:36

Cursed by a witch, a talking tree laments his failure to uphold virtue to a chivalric knight in Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queene, one of the longest poems written in the English language. Warlock Vorobok Reads is a monthly storytime for grownups.By Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library

1
Mayso Stevenson Jr. 20:05

1y ago20:05

20:05

For our twenty-second episode of the West End Stories Project, we spoke to former youth football coach, Mayso Stevenson Jr., who lived in the West End from the early 1950s to the 1980s. While living in the community, he attended St. Joseph Catholic School, Washburn Elementary School, Lafayette Bloom Junior High School, McMillan Adult Center, and Ro…

1
Preview: Mayso Stevenson Jr. 0:56

1y ago0:56

0:56

If you or someone you know lived or spent a significant amount of time in the West End, please consider sharing your story. Call 513-369-6900 or email westend@cincinnatilibrary.org for more information.By Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library

1
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 24:57

1y ago24:57

24:57

CHPL's resident warlock recites one of the most famous of the King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table tales: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, in which gallant Gawain agrees to trade axe strokes with the verdant knight only to discover a gruesome surprise. Warlock Vorobok Reads is a monthly storytime for grownups.…

1
Dr. Sylvia G. Rousseau 16:08

1+ y ago16:08

16:08

For our twenty-first episode of the West End Stories Project, we spoke with retired educator and advocate, Dr. Sylvia G. Rousseau, whose family resided and worked in three Cincinnati neighborhoods with historic Black communities; Madisonville, Walnut Hills, and the West End. Although Dr. Rousseau lived in Madisonville, she attended Harriet Beecher …

1
Preview: Dr. Sylvia G. Rousseau 0:46

1+ y ago0:46

0:46

With the COVID-19 pandemic in mind, the West End Stories Project has shifted from a video series to a podcast, so interviews are being conducted over the phone. If you or someone you know lived or spent a significant amount of time in the West End, please consider sharing your story. Call 513-369-6900 or email westend@cincinnatilibrary.org for more…

1
Ovid 24:32

1+ y ago24:32

24:32

The Ancient Romans had many myths about gods and humans transforming into beasts. Here are two of the most frightening ones penned by one of the finest poets of his day, Ovid. Warlock Vorobok Reads is a monthly storytime for grownups.By Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library

1
Sneak Peek at Season 3 1:08

1+ y ago1:08

1:08

The West End Stories Project is back! Tune in to another season full of stories from Cincinnati's historic West End community. Catch new episodes every last Thursday of the month starting on March 30, 2023. The West End Stories Project is an award-winning podcast presented by the Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library. Listen to hear experienc…

1
George Sterling 24:19

1+ y ago24:19

24:19

At the end of this season of Warlock Vorobok Reads, after reading otherworld poetry from ancient Greece up until the start of the twentieth century, CHPL's resident warlock ends his supernatural saunter with the King of the Bohemians, George Sterling. On this episode, Warlock Vorobok reads “A Wine of Wizardry,” published in the September 1907 issue…

1
Black History Month and Love 58:15

1+ y ago58:15

58:15

Is identity a cage or freedom? How do authors write for enlightenment and hope in the midst of despair? Is it possible to be a black artist today without being an activist? What is love’s power in poetry? In my inaugural episode of this season of “Inside the Writer’s Head,” I chose to interview two brilliant guests to have a conversation about Blac…

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