Is the Paris Review Free?

By Michael Ferguson

Are you an avid reader or a writer looking for resources to improve your craft? Chances are, you may have stumbled upon The Paris Review – a literary magazine that has been showcasing the best in contemporary writing since its inception in 1953. But the question on many people’s minds is – is The Paris Review free?

The Short Answer

The Paris Review offers a mix of free and paid content. Visitors to their website can access select interviews, essays, and fiction pieces for free. However, access to their full archive, which includes over 60 years of content, requires a subscription.

What’s Available for Free?

If you’re not ready to commit to a subscription just yet, there’s still plenty of content available on The Paris Review website that won’t cost you anything. For starters, their blog features regular posts about literature and the writing life. You can also find select interviews with authors such as Toni Morrison and James Baldwin, as well as fiction pieces by writers like Haruki Murakami and Alice Munro.

Additionally, The Paris Review offers a podcast called “The Paris Review Podcast,” which is available for free on platforms like Spotify and Apple Podcasts. This podcast features readings and discussions of classic pieces from the magazine’s archives.

What Do You Get with a Subscription?

Subscribers to The Paris Review gain access to their entire archive of over 300 issues – including interviews with literary giants like Ernest Hemingway and Vladimir Nabokov, as well as early works from up-and-coming authors like Ottessa Moshfegh. In addition to the digital archive, subscribers receive four print issues per year delivered straight to their door.

But that’s not all – subscribers also get access to exclusive online content such as web-only interviews and artwork. Plus, they get discounts on books and merchandise from The Paris Review store.

Why Subscribe?

If you’re serious about your reading and writing, a subscription to The Paris Review is well worth the investment. Not only does it give you access to a wealth of literary content, but it also supports the magazine’s mission to promote great writing and foster a love of literature.

Final Thoughts

While The Paris Review may not be entirely free, there’s still plenty of great content available on their website for those who aren’t ready to commit to a subscription. But if you’re a true lover of literature, consider subscribing – you won’t regret it.