Wild and Precious: A Celebration of Mary Oliver – Details, episodes & analysis

With Pushkin+ audiobooks, you'll get access to a new Pushkin+ audiobook every other month. That's 6 free audiobooks a year! From March 1 to April 30 (which is National Poetry Month!), listen to Wild and Precious: A Celebration of Mary Oliver narrated by Sophia Bush. Pushkin+ subscribers also get access to ad-free listening, exclusive bonus episodes of podcasts like Cautionary Tales, full binges to our top true crime shows like Deep Cover and Valley of Shadows, and more. Sign up now on the Wild and Precious Apple show page or at pushkin.com/plus.

Actress and activist Sophia Bush guides listeners on a journey of contemplation and discovery into the artistry of Mary Oliver as remembered by many who were most greatly impacted by it. For the first time, Oliver’s Bennington College students open up about what it was like to have her for a teacher, friends and neighbors recall her love of place and nature, multi-faith leaders contemplate her spiritual lessons, and high-profile artists and fans like Carmen Maria Machado, Ross Gay, and Rainn Wilson, among others, reflect on the profound influence of her poetry on their own work and lives.

Wild and Precious features over 30 poems (including “The Summer Day,” “When Death Comes,” and “In Blackwater Woods”) alongside abiding admiration for Oliver’s craft and sheds new light on one of the greatest poets and writers in modern history. The result is a tapestry of sound that weaves together recollections of first-hand accounts with the poet, readings of her poetry by contributors and by Oliver herself, and personal testimonials—both heart-wrenching and joyful—of Oliver’s imprint on American culture.