PASSAGES: On Morrison

About PASSAGES: On Morrison

PASSAGES takes reading on the road. Come along with Namwali Serpell, novelist, critic, and Harvard professor, as she joins fellow writers and skilled readers in conversation to pore over excerpts of Toni Morrison's prose. Recorded on book tour for ON MORRISON—Serpell's electrifying, critical exploration of the author's oeuvre—each episode welcomes listeners into rooms full of readers and discussions of how Morrison made her words sing. This show is the record of a traveling salon, a celebration of Morrison's extraordinary work, and a love letter to reading closely in community. You can purchase ON MORRISON wherever books are sold or through this link: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/752344/on-morrison-by-namwali-serpell/ PASSAGES: On Morrison is a production of the Random House Publishing Group. Cover art includes "Toni Morrison as Song of Solomon" by John Sokol (1981).

Publisher

Namwali Serpell, Random House

Category

arts · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

4 May 2026

Latest episode

2 Jul 2026

Latest episodes

5 of 9 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   2 Jul 2026TRANSCRIPT

   8. Basking in Morrison's Shade with Saeed Jones

   Host Namwali Serpell and poet Saeed Jones explore Toni Morrison's masterful use of "shade" as critical practice in this interview.

2. 

   25 Jun 2026TRANSCRIPT

   7. Feeling in on JAZZ with Cathy Park Hong

   Host Namwali Serpell interviews poet Cathy Park Hong about Toni Morrison's depiction of Harlem's jazz age in "Jazz."

3. 

   18 Jun 2026TRANSCRIPT

   6. Dreaming TAR BABY with Angela Flournoy

   Host Namwali Serpell interviews writer Angela Flournoy about Toni Morrison's "Tar Baby," exploring myths, stereotypes, and surreal imagery in an interview.

4. 

   11 Jun 2026TRANSCRIPT

   5. Calling on BELOVED with Vinson Cunningham

   Host Namwali Serpell and writer Vinson Cunningham explore how Toni Morrison crafts unforgettable meaning through syntax in her novel Beloved, offering listeners a profound understanding of literary artistry.

5. 

   4 Jun 2026TRANSCRIPT

   4. Seeking PARADISE with Kortney Morrow

   Host Namwali Serpell and poet Kortney Morrow explore Toni Morrison's novel "Paradise" at the Toni Morrison Reading Room and CityClub Cleveland, uncovering insights into memory and community.

6. 

   28 May 2026

   3. Playing in SULA with Dionne Custer Edwards

   Host Namwali Serpell and writer Dionne Custer Edwards explore friendship and maturation through a passage from Toni Morrison's Sula in this interview.

7. 

   21 May 2026

   2. Flying into SONG OF SOLOMON with Hanif Abdurraqib

   Host Namwali Serpell interviews poet Hanif Abdurraqib about Toni Morrison's "Song of Solomon," exploring its film adaptation challenges and folk tale influences.

8. 

   21 May 2026

   1. Opening THE BLUEST EYE with Tracy K. Smith

   Namwali Serpell and poet Tracy K. Smith explore Toni Morrison's "The Bluest Eye," discussing its opening passage and the cultural treatment of Morrison's literary form in this interview.

9. 

   4 May 2026

   Trailer | PASSAGES: On Morrison

   Host Namwali Serpell and fellow writers explore Toni Morrison's prose with a live audience in this interview episode.

Inside a recent episode

8. Basking in Morrison's Shade with Saeed Jones

Published 2 Jul 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] And so you have here Morrison saying things, and the attitude in the sentence is what signals to you that she actually means the opposite. And one of the things that she does, which is very novelistic, is she channels... what Regina Nadelson must have been thinking, right? In order to say, for example, naturally, white intelligence informed them both. Morrison doesn't believe that, but this is what she's saying, Regina Nadelson believes, right? And so we're so used, I think, to sarcasm as the tone of the internet, right? But I think irony is actually more sophisticated, more nuanced. And Morrison is using her ability to get inside the mind of someone in order to parody what they're saying. […]

Who has been a guest on PASSAGES: On Morrison

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Saeed Jones
• Cathy Park Hong
• Angela Flournoy
• Vinson Cunningham
• Kortney Morrow

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.5 / 5

69 ratings

Contact PASSAGES: On Morrison

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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