# "Bartleby, the Scrivener" by Herman Melville

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/zero-to-well-read-7458054/bartleby-the-scrivener-by-herman-melville
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/zero-to-well-read-7458054/bartleby-the-scrivener-by-herman-melville.md
Podcast: [Zero to Well-Read](https://stenobird.com/podcast/zero-to-well-read-7458054)
Published: 2026-01-27T10:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://bookriot.com/listen/bartleby-the-scrivener-by-herman-melville/
Audio file: https://traffic.megaphone.fm/ARML8613581607.mp3?updated=1772820441
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/zero-to-well-read-7458054/episodes/bartleby-the-scrivener-by-herman-melville
Duration seconds: 4627

## Resource

Jeff and Rebecca take up "Bartleby, the Scrivener," Herman Melville’s famously baffling tale of passive resistance, work, and opting out. They unpack why “I would prefer not to” still feels uncannily modern, how the story resists tidy interpretation, and why Bartleby remains one of the great Rorschach tests in American literature. Subscribe to our free newsletter, and become a member for access to early, ad-free listening and bonus content. Follow Zero to Well-Read on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Email us: zerotowellread@bookriot.com Zero to Well-Read is a proud member of the Airwave Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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## Transcript

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