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The Poetry of My Oxford Year

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(Run Time 2:45)

Featuring an original foreword and 32 classic Victorian poems with individual commentary. Read by the author.

An audio anthology of the poems that appear in the international bestseller, My Oxford Year. Edited and read by Julia Whelan, it features an original Introduction about the writing and selection process, as well as individualized context and commentary for 30+ poems. This Audiobrary-exclusive also includes the text (accessible directly in the app) for each poem so you can read along while you listen! Whether you're new to poetry, intimidated by poetry, don't see the point of poetry, or are looking for a deep-dive into the Victiorian classics, there's something here for everyone.

Haven't listened to My Oxford Year yet? Check out this bundle — a $40 value for just $30!

Julia Whelan (Narrator) is an author, screenwriter, lifelong actor, and acclaimed audiobook narrator of over 700 titles.

She is, most recently, the recipient of Spotify's Narrator of the Year Award (the most listened-to narrator globally), the first-ever Gracie Award for Best Fiction Narrator (presented by the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation), the SOVAS (Society of Voice Arts and Sciences) Lifetime Achievement Award, and winner of the Audie Award for Best Fiction Narrator of 2025. She also captured both the winner and runner-up slots in the inaugural audiobook category of the Goodreads Choice Awards.

Her latest books — the Audie nominated duet romance, Casanova LLC (coming in print, Spring 2027), and the annotated Victorian poetry anthology The Poetry Of My Oxford Year — debuted exclusively on Audiobrary. jmwhelan.com

A note from Julia: Since My Oxford Year was published six years ago, I have been asked more times than I can count about the poetry featured in the book. How and why did I select the poems? Where did I find them? Which are my favorites? One of the most unexpected rewards of publishing MOY has been hearing that reading it reinvigorated someone's love of poetry, or it made them actually want to read some for the first time. I spent a decade tutoring students in literature and history, and I believe I have found a way to make even the most daunting material accessible, interesting, and — dare I say? — fun. I loved the opportunity this project gave me to revisit my own memories, tackle the challenges of these poems, and explore my relationship to poetry in general. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

I loved some works more then others and this is a good review on a collection of poetry. Loved Julias audio as always

Great Addition to My Oxford Year

Great addition to have along with My Oxford Year. Julia does an outstanding job talking about the poets and background information. Entry point to Poetry can be daunting. This does a great job at introducing the excerpts and the full poems she used in the novel. And the poems she wrote for the book.

The performance helps quite a big deal as well. Difference between seeing Shakespeare on a page then having someone speak it. Makes it come much more alive. Even ones Julia is not sure how she feels about like the William Morris one. Nice discussion about it, then we get 18 minutes or so of the reading. Full marks on the performances in this.

Hopefully a lot of people check this out, along with My Oxford Year.

loved this quick listen

I loved this quick listen from Julia Whelan, a compilation of all the poetry used in her novel, My Oxford Year. Her introduction was especially touching as she shared about the anniversary of the novel’s publication as well as the anniversary of her father’s death. As she said, “grief, like love, tends to fade into nothing more than a memory of that grief or love,” I got a bit misty-eyed myself. When she commented that “Donne is the sexiest poet. I’m not taking feedback on this declaration. Thank you” I laughed aloud and nodded my head in agreement. Her reflections on time, loss, and grief were personal. Her admission of not really connecting that well with poetry but somehow finding the beauty in how it can succinctly convey what longer stories take chapters to was refreshing. I immensely enjoyed listening to each of the poems, getting short lessons on Victorian history and Oxford University, and most of all, hearing how each of these poems were chosen and tied into the story of Ella and Jamie in one of my most-loved books. This was almost, almost, like going down the rabbit hole of My Oxford Year. I say almost because I’d very much appreciate a full behind-the-scenes/rabbit hole as well, please and thank you. I’m so glad I purchased and listened!

Spectacular

Hearing Julia read the poetry she used in My Oxford Year and the “why” she chose the poems was genius. I’m re listening to My Oxford Year with
new insights of her book. May even listen to each chapter with each poem, it’s brilliant.

The Poetry of My Oxford Year

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