Alle afleveringen
206 afleveringen, van nieuw naar oud
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This Is The Book: Why We Kneel, How We Rise
22 juni 2021 · 35 min
As a bowler for the West Indies, Michael Holding was well known for his measured run up and devastating fast bowling, an approach he has taken into his punditry where he is always calm and controlled but also frank and honest with his opinions. So when rain delayed the start of play and conversation was steered to the impact of racism in cricket in the wake of the murder of George Floyd, Holding spoke with a clarity which forced everyone watching and those who caught up later to take notice of his words. A year on, the conversation he started has become a book, including the conversations he's had with other sporting icons, and another view of history that shows how important education is in eradicating racism and improving equality for all. In this episode we find out from those involved why this book is so important and their hopes for what it might achieve. Lees meer
Featuring: Michael Holding, Ed Hawkins, Ian Marshall, Samar Habib
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This Is The Book: The Other Black Girl
1 juni 2021 · 32 min
After a few years working at one of the most established publishers in New York, Zakiya Dalila Harris was inspired to write a novel which would turn its gaze on the world of publishing itself and set up one of the most intriguing literary thrillers of the year. She spoke to us about the encounter that provided the novel's seed and the experience of working both inside publishing and outside it as an author. We also hear from editor Alexis Kirschbaum about this book's unique qualities and fellow author Erin Kelly about why she couldn't stop turning its pages. Lees meer
Featuring: Zakiya Dalila Harris, Alexis Kirschbaum, Erin Kelly
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This Is The Book: The Vanishing Half
25 mei 2021 · 42 min
The Vanishing Half, our current Fiction Book of the Month was first published last year, as the impact of lockdown hit us all and, over in America, the murder of George Floyd stirred up debate and protest. With the book now available in paperback we hear from Brit Bennett about the impact of that but also what came before it, from her editor about the battle to get to publish her and from early readers about why this tale of twin sisters living such separate lives has resonated with so many readers. Lees meer
Featuring Brit Bennett, Sharmaine Lovegrove, Nico Taylor, Millie Seaward, Candice Carty-Williams
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This Is The Book: Insignificance
18 mei 2021 · 27 min
As an independent publisher that consistently punches above its weight, with Booker Prize shortlisting and other notable successes, we speak to Sam Jordison and Eloise Millar, the two people behind Galley Beggar Press, about their latest publication, Insignificance by James Clammer. We also hear from James about the world of the working class, his own past as a plumber, and the emotional journey of his protagonist, Joseph. Lees meer
Featuring James Clammer, Sam Jordison, Eloise Millar
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How We Made: Cloud Atlas with David Mitchell
11 mei 2021 · 48 min
The novel that cemented the reputation of David Mitchell as one of the most exciting and innovative writers of his generation is also a masterclass in structure. In this episode of the podcast we get to hear about the painstaking work that went into its construction but also the happy accidents that emanated from that to help make the novel such a rich and rewarding reading experience. We also hear about how his background as a Waterstones bookseller helped to make him the novelist he is today! Lees meer
Featuring: David Mitchell, Carole Welch, Jamie Hodder-Williams, Martin Latham.
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How We Made: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
4 mei 2021 · 41 min
Not many books make a big fanfare about their 42nd anniversary but fans will know why this year is important for Douglas Adams's comic masterpiece. To celebrate its enduring legacy we speak with long-time friends, colleagues, collaborators and fans to try and put our finger on why the universe he created remains so popular today. From his famed struggles with deadlines to the legendary tales that surround his ideas we take a look at what made him so funny and still so very much missed by all. Lees meer
Featuring: John Lloyd, Jacqueline Graham, Chris Riddell, Peter Whitehead, David Haddock, Yvette Keller, Mayara Santos, Nemo Thorx
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How We Made: Wolf Hall with Hilary Mantel
27 april 2021 · 46 min
The first in a new series that discovers the story behind books which went on to become prize-winners, trail-blazers, or are now seen as modern classics. We speak exclusively with Dame Hilary Mantel and her editor, Nicholas Pearson, about Wolf Hall, the first part of her Cromwell trilogy which not only won the Booker Prize but set up a series of books that went on to become a unique cultural moment at their conclusion. We hear how plans for one book became three, what it felt like to win the Booker Prize, twice, and how she feels now looking back on a 15 year project. Lees meer
Featuring: Hilary Mantel, Nicholas Pearson, Bea Carvalho
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This Is The Book: This One Sky Day
13 april 2021 · 44 min
After two critically acclaimed novels it has been a long wait for Leone Ross's third but you know what they say about all good things. Fifteen years in the making, This One Sky Day transports us to Popisho, a fantastical island archipelago, where every resident has some kind of magical ability. Food, politics, satire, sex and magic combine in this rich and evocative novel and we hear how pain, hard-work and healing combined to make such a delicious dish. Lees meer
Featuring
Leone Ross, Niki Chang, Louisa Joyner, Sara Collins, Lucy Houghton, Peter Adlington.
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This Is The Book: The Last House on Needless Street
30 maart 2021 · 29 min
The buzz is real and in this episode we find out why so many people are talking about The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward. We speak with the author about the book's inspirations; agent and editor about shaping such an intricately plotted book with multiple narrative voices (including a cat), and find out from fellow authors why this book has blown them away. Join us for a spoiler-free journey into a dark tale. Lees meer
Featuring
Catriona Ward, Jenny Savill, Miranda Jewess, Joanna Harris, Chris Whitaker, Kiran Millwood-Hargrave.
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This Is The Book: The Lamplighters
23 maart 2021 · 29 min
Based on real events and a novel that has been ten years in the making, The Lamplighters by Emma Stonex is a pitch-perfect mystery that will tempt any reader. In this episode we discover the true story behind this literary mystery and the author's fascination with the lighthouses that dot our coastline. We also hear from her agent and editor about the writing process, from the publishers about why the book is so special and how it's striking design was created, and fellow authors Raynor Winn and S. J. Watson tell us why they admire the book so much. Lees meer
Featuring
Emma Stonex, Madeleine Milburn, Sophie Jonathan, Katie Bowden, Katie Tooke, Georgina Moore, Raynor Winn, S. J. Watson
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This Is The Book: We Are All Birds Of Uganda
16 maart 2021 · 30 min
Co-winner of the inaugural Merky Books New Writer's Prize, We Are All Birds of Uganda is the debut novel from Hafsa Zayyan. In this episode we find out how she entered this open-submission competition and the family history that fed into the idea for this story of displacement, home and identity. We also hear more about this publishing collaboration with Stormzy and why it is so important to enable people from under-represented communities to tell their story. Lees meer
Featuring
Hafsa Zayyan, Emma Wallace, Abi Fellows, Lemara Lindsay-Prince, Nikesh Shukla, Ceara Elliot
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BONUS: CLANLANDS with Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish
24 november 2020 · 38 min
A bonus episode in which we get to speak to two stars of the hugely popular TV series Outlander, actors Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish. Adapted from Diana Gabaldon’s historical novels set in 18th century Scotland in which Sam plays hero Jamie Fraser and Graham his uncle, Dougal MacKenzie, Outlander has become a TV sensation. After working together in seasons one and two, the two friends set out on a road trip around Scotland to investigate its history and culture, whilst also imbibing a good sample of its famous whiskey. We sat down with a wee dram of our own to talk about the book that came out of the trip. Lees meer
Books mentioned: Clanlands, Outlander
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42. PUB GRUB with Tom Kerridge
17 november 2020 · 32 min
A pub with two Michelin stars is no ordinary pub and in what has been no ordinary year for the entire hospitality industry we sat down with celebrated chef Tom Kerridge in The Hand and Flowers to celebrate the publication of their cookbook, 15 years in the making. Why are pubs so important to communities and how do you keep that friendliness when serving food at the highest level? We spoke about the public house, the path to perfection and the right sauce to have with a bacon sandwich. Lees meer
Books mentioned: The Hand and Flowers Cookbook
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41. OBLIVION with Rumaan Alam
11 november 2020 · 29 min
Sometimes novels come along that seem to show an uncanny prescience for the world we live in. And whilst no one could have quite predicted what 2020 has thrown at us, Rumaan Alam has managed to write a novel about a simple family holiday that touches on the pressing issues of today. Class, Race, Privilege and confusion at what's happening in the world; all of these will feel familiar, as will the sense of not knowing what to do about it. Luckily Rumaan is here to talk us through them and to share what really scares him. Lees meer
Books mentioned: Leave The World Behind
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40. CHOICE with Christa Parravani
2 november 2020 · 34 min
As Americans go to the polls to chose their next president it's clear the result could have far-reaching repercussions in many areas. For many American women it may be that wheels are already in motion to further restrict their access to reproductive healthcare with the rushed new appointment to the Supreme Court. Christa Parravani talks to us about the surprise pregnancy that she wanted to end, only to be confronted by the confounding machinery of the American healthcare system in a red state. Lees meer
Books mentioned: Loved and Wanted
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39. CARE with Christie Watson and Madeleine Bunting
27 oktober 2020 · 37 min
When the pandemic hit, it was nurses who provided the critical care needed to save lives. And when the waves have passed it will be nurses providing the care needed in the aftermath. In this episode we examine what it really means to care with nurse and author Christie Watson and writer Madeleine Bunting, both of whom have travelled the country to see how care works in hospitals, surgeries, care homes and our own houses. What drives people to care for others and what do we need to so to ensure that care exists for all in the future? Lees meer
Books mentioned: The Courage To Care, Labours of Love, The Language of Kindness
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38. JUST KEEP LIVIN' with Matthew McConaughey
20 oktober 2020 · 26 min
Whichever of his many film roles first made an impression on you, you definitely never forget a Matthew McConaughey performance. With his new memoir Greenlights, we get personal insight into the man behind the roles as he shares his frank and funny insights into family, film-making and finding your path in life.
Books mentioned: Greeenlights Lees meer -
37. GHOSTS with Dolly Alderton
14 oktober 2020 · 34 min
After sharing her own experiences in the memoir Everything I Know About Love, Dolly Alderton turns to fiction in her new book and explores the perils of online dating, the strains of time on friendship and the theme of identity amongst her cast of characters. Ghosts come in many forms in this ambitious novel and we encounter a few of them in this conversation. Lees meer
Books mentioned: Ghosts, Everything I Know About Love.
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36. SECRETS with Graham Norton
6 oktober 2020 · 27 min
With his third novel, Graham Norton is now cementing his place as a writer with a keen sense of community, repression and the power of buried secrets. Heralded as his most personal novel yet, Home Stretch follows the aftermath of a tragedy and the different trajectories of those that stay at home and those that attempt to exile themselves. We spoke to him about sticking his neck out as an author, the parts of him within the book, and the ability of characters to surprise the author themselves. Lees meer
Books mentioned: Home Stretch, Holding, A Keeper.
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35. WORDS with Susie Dent & Eley Williams
30 september 2020 · 40 min
Join us in dictionary corner as we chat to Countdown's Susie Dent about her love of language and her new book, Word Perfect, which shares the stories behind a word for every day of the year. We also speak with writer Eley Williams about her novel, The Liar's Dictionary, and enter the murky world of the mountweazel. A truly treat for logophiles everywhere. Lees meer
Books mentioned: Word Perfect, The Liar's Dictionary, Attrib. and other stories
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34. MY STORY with Chanel Miller
22 september 2020 · 32 min
When Chanel Miller published her memoir it was the first time that many people discovered that she was Emily Doe, the Stanford sexual assault survivor, whose victim impact statement had gone viral. As her book comes out in paperback we spoke to her about her she set down in words the awful experience of assault, the criminal justice system and the aftermath. Contains discussion of sexual assault, so listener discretion is advised. Lees meer
Books mentioned: Know My Name
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33. PURPOSE with Jay Shetty
15 september 2020 · 33 min
After three years as a monk in India, Jay Shetty set off to bring wisdom to the world using the modern tools of the internet and the ability to make what he'd learned go viral. With many looking at their lives afresh during lockdown and beyond we spoke to him about finding the right path in life, what we mean by purpose and why a life in service of others is the key to fulfilment. Lees meer
Books mentioned: Think Like A Monk
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32. RAMBLING with Adam Buxton
8 september 2020 · 50 min
In this extended episode we go for a ramble with Adam Buxton, back to an eighties childhood, boarding school, Bowie, Baadad! And also to confront recent grief after the loss of both parents. In this frank and honest conversation we look at family relationships, emotional connection and also get to hear a truly great Bowie impression. Lees meer
Books mentioned: Ramble Book
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31. LIFE with Paul Nurse
1 september 2020 · 33 min
It doesn't matter how you fared in biology at school, Nobel Prize-winning geneticist Sir Paul Nurse is here with the perfect book to understand biology in five steps. We spoke with him about the moment he first became fascinated by how life works, the luck and mistakes that led to his great discoveries, and the family secret that revealed a genetic surprise much closer to home. Lees meer
Books mentioned: What is Life?
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30. DIVISION with Elif Shafak
25 augustus 2020 · 26 min
Even before the turmoil of 2020, the last few years have seen the rise of populist politics, people split into tribes, and the disintegration of constructive discourse around the topics that affect all of our lives. In this age of division, what can we possible do to maintain our sanity? We sat down with Booker Prize-shortlisted author Elif Shafak to look at some of the reasons for our current state of affairs and to ask what needs to change for a more positive future. Lees meer
Books mentioned: How To Stay Sane In An Age Of Division, 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World
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29. TRESPASSING with Nick Hayes
19 augustus 2020 · 30 min
A love of the natural world has always suffused the graphic novels of Nick Hayes but his latest book takes things even further as he trespasses the English countryside in order to explore the limits and absurdities of the property law that excludes us from much of the country we live in. As lockdown eases and we yearn to get out again we spoke to him about the importance of making that connection with nature and what we can do to ensure that we all have access to it. Lees meer
Books mentioned: The Book of Trespass, Woody Guthrie, Cormorance.
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28. CHILDREN with Nathan Bryon, Dapo Adeola, Sharna Jackson & Liz Hyder
4 augustus 2020 · 41 min
A celebration of the best new talent in children's writing and illustration, the Waterstones Children's Book Prize has recently announced its winners. In this episode we enjoy chats with all four of them about the importance of children's literature and the books that helped form them as readers, writers and illustrators. Join Nathan Bryon, Dapo Adeola, Sharna Jackson and Liz Hyder for a trip back to childhood and a look ahead to a rosy future for kids everywhere. Lees meer
Books mentioned: Look Up!, High Rise Mystery, Bearmouth
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27. EXPECTATIONS with Emma Gannon
21 juli 2020 · 31 min
We all grow up with a sense of the expectations our family or, indeed, wider society might have of us: grow up, get a job, buy a house, get married, have kids, settle down. And yet every single one of those has been challenged by millennial life. Emma Gannon is well-known for her observations on modern working life and in her debut novel, Olive, her eponymous heroine dares to articulate that she doesn't want to have children, only to find that it remains taboo. We spoke with Emma about choosing to be child-free, choosing fiction to express it, and the special bonds of female friendship. Lees meer
Books mentioned: Olive
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26. DOING IT RIGHT with Pandora Sykes
14 juli 2020 · 35 min
The millennial generation have grown up with more choice available than ever before and the encouragement always to be living your best life. So why, for so many, does it feel like they're getting modern life all wrong? With her essay collection How Do We Know We're Doing It Right? Pandora Sykes examines everything from authenticity, binge-watching and modern working lives to 'that dress'. We spoke with her about capturing a moment and what the changes of 2020 have hopefully taught us about living better lives when we emerge on the other side of it. Lees meer
Books mentioned: How Do We Know We're Doing It Right?
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25. OUTRAGE with Dotty Charles
7 juli 2020 · 35 min
Anyone who has spent any time on social media will have seen how outrage provides the fuel for many a discussion. And despite well-meaning intentions, is our desire to make the world a better place being clouded by the rush to insult and those moments where we can be baited into a response. BBC presenter and DJ Ashley ‘Dotty’ Charles is familiar with the provocations of the modern world and joined us for a discussion about returning to a truer course of activism, recorded in the midst of the Black Lives Matter protests. Lees meer
Books mentioned: Outraged: Why Everyone is Shouting and No One is Talking
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24. GUILTY PLEASURES with Kiran Millwood Hargrave and Daisy Johnson
26 mei 2020 · 31 min
With the recent announcement that Stephanie Meyer’s retelling of the Twilight saga from Edward Cullen’s perspective (Midnight Sun) will finally be published in August there has been some ravenous excitement around the original books and perhaps even a reappraisal of their value. Should one feel guilty about enjoying them so much and indeed should one feel guilty about reading anything at all? To help answer those questions I spoke to former Waterstones Children’s Book Prize-winner Kiran Millwood Hargrave and Booker Prize-nominee Daisy Johnson. Lockdown has allowed these near-neighbours to create a bookclub amongst their friends and things have get very intense recently with the Twilight saga turning them all. Lees meer
Books mentioned: Twilight, Midnight Sun, The Mercies, Sisters
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23. KINDNESS with Rutger Bregman
10 mei 2020 · 35 min
We have been told for centuries that humans are not much more than brutal animals with a thin veneer of civilisation on top but in his radical new history of humankind Rutger Bregman seeks to flip things on their head and ask if in fact we're pretty decent after all and if in fact our kindness has helped us to develop so far as a species. Challenging long-held views from philosophy and fiction, we spoke to him about his revolutionary perspective. Lees meer
Books mentioned: Humankind
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22. APOCALYPSE with Mark O'Connell
10 mei 2020 · 34 min
Now, it might seem a strange time to be calling a podcast episode Apocalypse but in many ways now is the perfect time to enjoy the insights of Mark O’Connell’s odyssey into the end times. We have much to learn from those preparing for civilisational collapse in America, or millionaire bolt holes in New Zealand, the drive to take humans to Mars and an engagement with nature much closer to home. We spoke to him from his home in Ireland about the end, parenthood, and finding hope amidst the chaos. Lees meer
Books mentioned: Notes From An Apocalypse
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21. TRANSLATION with Walter Iuzzolino and Sam Taylor
5 mei 2020 · 33 min
After bringing the best of world TV to UK screens with Walter Presents, Walter Iuzzolino is now doing the same with literature in conjunction with Pushkin Press. We spoke to him from lockdown in London about why it's so important to get cultural input from around the globe and to find out more about the first book in the series with translator Sam Taylor, who speaks to us from his home in the US to help us understand more about the process of translating from one language to another. Lees meer
Books mentioned: The Mystery of Henri Pick, The Second Life of Inspector Canessa, HHhH, In Paris With You.
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20. TOGETHERNESS with Vivek Murthy
28 april 2020 · 33 min
A book about human connection would an essential read at any time but right now it seems vital. Vivek Murthy served as Surgeon General in the US and found that loneliness was at the heart of a lot of the health issues he wanted to tackle. We spoke to him from his home in America about why human connection is so powerful for mind, body and spirit and what we can do during this period of isolation to maintain that contact. Lees meer
Books mentioned: Together
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19. COPING WITH CHANGE with Julia Samuel
8 april 2020 · 33 min
As a psychotherapist with over 30 years of experience Julia Samuel knows that change can present moments of crisis and crisis can force moments of extreme change. Her new book, This Too Shall Pass, looks at the moments of change any of us might face in our lifetime and as well as speaking to her about that, we wanted to know what lessons from her book might help us all to navigate the current crisis. Lees meer
Books mentioned: This Too Shall Pass
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TABLE MANNERS BONUS EPISODE with Jessie Ware & Lennie Ware
31 maart 2020 · 19 min
A little bonus episode for you, recorded with Jessie Ware and Lennie Ware of Table Manners podcast fame when they came to launch their cookbook at Waterstones Piccadilly. What happens when you combine their passion for food with an equally greedy host and a fine selection of cheese from Paxton and Whitfield? A recipe for disaster? Far from it. Enjoy Lees meer
Books mentioned: Table Manners
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18. FEAR, HOPE & ACTION with Jenny Offill, Rosamund Lupton and Julia Ebner
24 maart 2020 · 52 min
In these uncertain times we bring you a podcast that confronts our fears and anxieties to bring a note of hope and even some ideas about what we can do to make the world a better place afterwards. Jenny Offill speaks to us from America about the current coronavirus pandemic, and how she managed to engage with climate change, the opioid crisis and American politics in her new novel, Weather. Rosmaund Lupton shares her techniques for creating suspense in the reader in her latest real-time thriller, Three Hours. And Julia Ebner shares details of her undercover work to document online extremism in Going Dark and what happens when you come face to face with such real world danger. Lees meer
Books mentioned: Weather, Three Hours, Going Dark, House of Leaves, The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse
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17. MEMORY with Nicci Gerrard, Eimear McBride and Meera Sodha
10 maart 2020 · 34 min
Memory gives us the chance to speak to three authors who all approach this theme from completely different directions. Eimear McBride takes us to a series of hotel rooms to see what memories they unearth and how they can warp and change over time. Bestselling food writer Meera Sodha shares some of her first food memories and why preserving family recipes is so important. And Nicci Gerrard shares her personal experience of her father’s dementia and why it encouraged her to write What Dementia Teaches Us About Love. Lees meer
Books mentioned: What Dementia Teaches Us About Love, Strange Hotel, East, Somebody I Used To Know, The Sense of an Ending, Playthings
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16. MOTHERHOOD with Giovanna Fletcher and Maggie O'Farrell
24 februari 2020 · 38 min
There is something unique about the bond of motherhood but with social media adding to the pressures already present, how do we keep our expectations realistic when it comes to being a good parent? And does history have anything to teach us about our modern approach? Maggie O’Farrell talks about bridging the gap of 400 years in her fictional portrait of Anne Hathaway and the Shakespeare family in Hamnet. And Giovanna Fletcher joins us in the studio to talk about the realities of modern motherhood; the tears and the tantrums. And that’s just the parents. Lees meer
Books mentioned: Letters on Motherhood, Hamnet, Motherwell, The Unit, The Republic of Motherhood.
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15. STORIES with Naomi Ishiguro, Zadie Smith and Julia Armfield
11 februari 2020 · 37 min
What is it that short stories can do that novels cannot? Why does it appeal to some writers and not others? In this episode we embrace the short form and talk to three female writers keen to engage with this unique form of storytelling. Zadie Smith straddles the Atlantic to look at the differences between story culture in the US, UK and beyond. Julia Armfield invokes body horror and genre as she plays with form and liberates herself. And Naomi Ishiguro joins us in the studio to share her journey from student to published author as she launches her debut story collection. Lees meer
Books mentioned: Escape Routes, Grand Union, Salt Slow, Friday Black, The Light Years, Difficult Women.
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14: ADAPTATION with R. J. Palacio, Neil Gaiman and Margaret Atwood
28 januari 2020 · 37 min
Books have provided the inspiration for countless films, plays, musicals, TV series, and other works of art. In Adaptation we speak to R. J. Palacio about seeing her best-seller, Wonder, transferred to the big screen. We hear from Neil Gaiman about the different ways he has adapted his own work into other forms and which he thinks have worked the best. And Margaret Atwood speaks to us about seeing The Handmaid’s Tale become a phenomenon and her own adaptation of the works of Shakespeare. Lees meer
Books mentioned: Wonder, The White Bird, The Ocean At The End of the Lane, Coraline, Good Omens, The Handmaid’s Tale, The Testaments, Hag-seed, This Thing of Darkness, An Astronaut’s Guide To Life On Earth, Not The End of the World
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13. CHANGES with Dr. Rangan Chatterjee, Emily Dean and Claudia Hammond
14 januari 2020 · 41 min
At the start of a new year, and indeed a new decade, we’re taking the theme of Changes to allow us to talk to Dr Rangan Chatterjee about the simple ways in which we can genuinely change our health, happiness and fulfilment without having to take out a gym membership or clear the diary. We also hear from Emily Dean about how losing her sister, mother and father in the space of three years, forced a huge amount of change on her and how she coped with this bereavement. And Claudia Hammond tells us why rest is as important as sleep for human health and happiness and why reading might be the very best way to achieve it. Lees meer
Books mentioned: Feel Better in 5, Everybody Died, So I Got A Dog, The Art of Rest, All Among The Barley, Queenie
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12. EATING with Jay Rayner, Lara Williams and Michael Palin
3 december 2019 · 35 min
Beware: this episode may make you hungry. We’re joined by gourmand Jay Rayner to look back at the life experiences that shaped his taste as he searches for the ingredients for My Last Supper. Michael Palin shares his experiences of eating around the world and how food can be a great unifier of people who may not even share a language. And Lara Williams talks about subverting the idea of appetite for her stunning debut novel about female friendship. Lees meer
Books mentioned: My Last Supper, North Korea Journal, Supper Club, An Echo of Scandal, An Apple A Day, The Best of A. A. Gill
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11. MEETINGS with Malcolm Gladwell, Sally Rooney and Arundhati Roy
26 november 2019 · 39 min
Malcolm Gladwell brings fascinating anecdotes and insight to why humans are so bad at reading each other on first meeting, drawing on events that end in tragedy, wrongful conviction or compromised security. We also look at another meaning to meeting entirely: that between author and character. Sally Rooney talks about the absurdity of ascribing real psychology to figments of her imagination, people who may not exist and yet whom she feels she knows intimately. Arundhati Roy takes things even further by revealing the unique relationship she has with the characters she creates and the way in which they influence decisions about the books they inhabit. Lees meer
Books mentioned: Talking To Strangers, Normal People, The Ministry of Utmost Happiness, 1913, The Psychopath Test, Just Kids.
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10. COMMUNITY with Ann Patchett, Jason Reynolds, Amrou Al-Kadhi and Zing Tsjeng
19 november 2019 · 35 min
Author and bookshop owner Ann Patchett joins us to talk about why a bookshop should be at the heart of any community and why book design is more important than ever. Jason Reynolds talks about what binds communities together and gives us his perspective on black culture and its influence around the world. And we also hear from an event around Pride in London at which Zing Tsjeng and Amrou Al-Kadhi interrogate whether corporate sponsorship of events like Pride is a good or bad thing. Lees meer
Books mentioned: The Dutch House, Long Way Down, Look Both Ways, Unicorn, Forgotten Women, Queer Intentions, Sanctuary, Under Milk Wood, Bold Girls.
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9. CULTURE with Richard Ayoade, Debbie Harry and Jia Tolentino
11 november 2019 · 33 min
Culture comes in many forms and we’ve tried to cram as much as we can into this week’s episode. Richard Ayoade takes us to the movies with his inimitable perspective on perhaps the best cabin crew dramedy ever filmed: View From the Top starring Gwyneth Paltrow. We get the chance to speak to cultural icon Debbie Harry, who shares what it was like to be in the New York of the 1970s involved in music, fashion, art and filmmaking. And essayist Jia Tolentino talks about the influence of the internet on our culture and why we should be very careful about what we give up to social media. Lees meer
Books mentioned: Ayoade on Top, Face It, Trick Mirror, A Field Guide To Getting Lost, The Lonely City, The Importance of Music to Girls.
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8. OUTSIDE with Robert Macfarlane, Rebecca Solnit and Shane O'Mara
5 november 2019 · 37 min
Robert Macfarlane joins us in the studio to talk about the world outside, the climate emergency and how the landscape has shaped his writing and thought over the years. With climate strikes becoming a regular feature we also speak to veteran activist and essayist, Rebecca Solnit, about whether we should be hopeful about the future of the planet. And we actually head outside with the microphone to speak to Professor Shane O’Mara about why the act of walking is far more miraculous and fundamental to being human than we may have imagined. Lees meer
Books mentioned: Underland, Ness, Whose Story Is This?, In Praise of Walking, Modern Nature, Haunts of the Black Masseur, The Secret Garden.
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7. HAUNTING with Stephen Chbosky, Andrew Michael Hurley and Jeanette Winterson
29 oktober 2019 · 35 min
You don’t start a new podcast season at this time of year without injecting some thrills and chills. Stephen Chbosky, author of The Perks of Being A Wallflower has made us wait 20 years for another novel but with Imaginary Friend he’s back with a bang. He spoke to us about where his idea for it came from and how he provokes reactions from readers. We also get to hear a genuine ghostly encounter from Jeanette Winterson who will have you checking the doors and windows before bedtime. And Andrew Michael Hurley shares his own fascinations with death and the afterlife and why we’re all a little bit obsessed with what happens next. Lees meer
Books mentioned: Imaginary Friend, Starve Acre, Frankissstein, Ghost Stories, Rivers of London, Thin Air.
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6. FAMILY with Jeanette Winterson, A. M. Homes and Emilie Pine
24 september 2019 · 38 min
For our final episode in season one we tackle our nearest (if not dearest). Jeanette Winterson talks about how being adopted has shaped her concept of family and why the future may not look great for its traditional form. A. M. Homes, another adopted child, talks about the differences of writing about family in fiction and memoir. And to finish off we hear from Emilie Pine about her honest and frank personal essay collection and how she managed to share the intimate details of her family life. Lees meer
BOOKS MENTIONED: Frankissstein, This Brutal House, The Mistresses’ Daughter, May We Be Forgiven, Notes To Self, The Unmumsy Mum, Never Mind, Educated.