The Waterstones Podcast

The Iranian Embassy siege of 1980 was one of those ‘where were you when it happened?’ moments, but beyond the explosive live footage of the SAS assault that ended things, what of the previous six days of tense standoff and the lives of the 26 hostages and the 6 armed men who held them? Ben Macintyre writes narrative history like no-one else and after extensive research and interviews with those who were there he sat down with us for an interview of his own. Who were these people, what exactly did they go through, and how would any of us have reacted if put in the same situation?

The sound of change jangling in our pockets may be less familiar in these days of contactless payment, but we all know how important money can feel in our lives. But might it actually have shaped human history? From the very beginnings of money as a concept, through ideas like credit, forecasting, and cryptocurrency, to its connections to literary classics and great works of art, economist David McWilliams finds the stories that will help the reader to understand the innate link between money and human innovation, and why it might be the secret to our success as a species.

After creating the irresistible anti-hero Grace in How To Kill Your Family, Bella Mackie returns with more familial dysfunction, more unlikeable characters and, yes, more murder in What A Way To Go. We sat down to discuss the lives of the super wealthy, her fascination with the appeal of true crime, and finding humour in the darkest of places.

Clare Chambers knows how to hook readers, with her previous novel, Small Pleasures, winning The British Book Awards 2022 Pageturner Book of the Year. She looks set to do it all over again with her latest, Shy Creatures, which unearths the story of a mute patient in a psychiatric hospital. We sat down to talk about factual inspiration, the influence of lockdown on even this period piece, and why human flaws provide such narrative fuel.

After introducing us to legal dogsbody Gary Thorn in The Satsuma Complex, comedian Bob Mortimer returns with its sequel, The Hotel Avocado. We sat down with a nice slice of Battenberg cake to discuss death row meals, memories of his days as a South London solicitor and the correct ratio of marzipan to cake.

Ferdia Lennon’s riotously funny debut disarms from the very first page. With a setting of Syracuse in 412 BC but a very modern Irish vernacular, readers will enjoy every minute they spend with best friends Gelon and Lampo as they seek to stage a performance of Euripides with a group of captured Athenian soldiers. We spoke with him about finding the right voice, has fascination with the classics, and why what will survive of us is art.

Chris Whitaker's previous novel, We Begin At The End, was a multi-award-winning smash with readers, who fell in love with its characters and pressed copies on friends so as to have someone to discuss it with. He’s done it again with All The Colours of the Dark, which again features characters that will get under your skin, a plot so propulsive the pages fly past, and a story that doesn’t release its grip on your heart. We spoke with Chris to find out more about creating characters, writing about a country he doesn’t live in, and the moments of trauma from his own life that find their way into his fiction.

The Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize is powered by our brilliant booksellers, whose keen eye for the most exciting new talent makes it a thrilling short list every year. In this third year, we spoke with authors from around the globe about having the support of booksellers, the release of seeing years of work finally realised and how specificity in their stories builds bridges with all readers. Enjoy!

The concept of following Brooklyn with a sequel took even the author by surprise, but after 15 years the story of Eilis continues in Long Island. We spoke with Colm Tóibín about his rigorous approach to avoiding the tedious, his long working relationship with editor Mary Mount and his connection to his hometown Enniscorthy in County Wexford, Ireland.

Some debuts are so assured and so distinctive that you just have to know more about what went into their creation. Kaliane Bradley’s The Ministry of Time is one such debut. We sat down with her to discover how the book was originally meant to be something else entirely, the inspirations behind its brilliant plot, and how she managed to balance comedy and trauma in such an entertaining read.

With a novel that spans twenty years, marked by three celestial events and characters with their feet firmly on the ground, we sat down for a fascinating conversation with former Waterstones Book of the Year author, Sarah Perry. How do faith and science intersect, what do we really mean by love, friendship and family, and when our orbits bring us back together how do we mark this significance?

On 12 Aug 2022, over 30 years after a fatwa had been ordered against him, Salman Rushdie was attacked as he was about to give a public lecture at the Chautauqua​ Institution. By his own admission, he shouldn’t have survived such serious injuries. So what was it that helped him to persevere and how has it changed his outlook on life. We spoke with him about the hard work of recovery, the need to write about the ordeal, and what it means to have a second chance at living.

Fresh from breaking hearts with the TV adaptation of his bestselling One Day, David Nicholls came in to talk to us about his new novel, You Are Here, which introduces us to Marnie and Michael, two souls on an epic walk, on the precipice of a new friendship, and maybe more. We sat down to talk about his love of walking, music and, well... love.

Not many writers would be brave enough to take an American classic like The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and rework it from a new perspective, but then Percival Everett isn’t like most writers. We sat down to talk about giving fresh voice to one of American literature’s most important characters, the whole concept of ‘black voices’ and what drives his prolific output.

With African history having largely been told through a western lens, Zeinab Badawi travelled to over 30 countries in the continent of her birth over the course of 7 years, speaking with historians, archaeologists and academics in order to give them voice and weave an epic narrative from the cradle of humanity to a vibrant future.

Rejoice! For Marian Keyes is back with another hilarious novel which follows Anna Walsh's move from New York back to Ireland, leaving expensive beauty products and easy access to HRT behind, for a moving confrontation with her past - and some small-town politics. We spoke with her about the surprisingly personal inspiration for this new tale, changing your personal narrative and what it takes to forgive people.

When Chimene Suleyman went to an abortion clinic with her partner, she had no idea that this would be the last time she would see him; even less that she was not the only woman to have been manipulated and betrayed by him. In a frank and revelatory conversation we speak with her about the social media post that united these women in their experience, the chain of support they were able to offer each other, and how the persistent misogyny that allowed smart and self-aware women to be duped in this way must be interrogated and challenged.

With a debut that became an immediate bestseller and a second novel that joined his first as a Waterstones Thriller of the Month, we were of course front of queue to find out where Stuart Turton might take us with his latest book. Did anyone guess a crime thriller set in a utopian community made up of the last humans on earth after a catastrophe has wiped out most of humanity? We sat down with him to talk about the hurdles of writing, how he got over them, and why he’s enjoying creating his fictional worlds more now than ever.

If you’ve ever seen someone in the supermarket who you’re sure you know, but can’t remember their name, or had the answer for something on the tip of your tongue, or had that sense of deja-vu; this is the book for you. Using the latest memory research, neuroscientist Dr. Charan Ranganath helps us to understand more about how memory works, why it’s important to forget, and some tips to help you remember that person in the supermarket.

Anna Jones has always been a passionate advocate for vibrant, sustainable cooking that places vegetables centre stage. In her latest book, Easy Wins, she highlights 12 hero ingredients that will allow you to get maximum flavour into your food with minimum effort, the perfect solution for those who don’t want to compromise on taste but may have limited time to prepare meals. We visited her kitchen to whip up a little something and to find out more about the philosophy behind the book and to get some great tips and tricks to transform your culinary life.

Growing up in the shadow of Canary Wharf’s towers, Gary Stevenson always yearned for more. In an eye-opening conversation we learn how a simple card game changed his life and how a nose for how the world turns combined with a skill for maths led him to become the most successful trader in one of the world’s largest banks. Featuring larger-than-life characters we discuss why making millions from wealth inequality led to him leaving the obscene bonuses behind in an attempt to alert people to a dangerously broken system. This is The Trading Game.

The facts are compelling: A couple sailing to the other side of the globe, adrift after their yacht sinks and a battle to survive for 117 days. But the telling of that story is taken to whole new level by Sophie Elmhirst who uses her journalistic skills to uncover the facts and then takes us inside the marriage of her eponymous heroes. Who were Maurice and Maralyn, where did their spirit of adventure come from, and how was their relationship the key to survival?

Fresh from co-writing the brilliant Adventures on Trains series with M. G. Leonard, Sam Sedgman has created an ingenious new adventure for children that follows aspiring inventor, Isaac Turner, across London landmarks on the trail for clues to his father’s disappearance. We spoke with Sam about how a visit to Big Ben with his own father proved to be all the inspiration he needed to create this new series, why he finds the real world so much more fascinating than fantasy and where Isaac’s adventured may take him next.

An idyllic, private Greek island in the company of a movie star may sound like paradise but things are about to turn deadly in The Fury, the latest thriller from Alex Michaelides. In a fascinating conversation we learn more about how his Cypriot upbringing infuses his storytelling, the new approach to writing that freed up his style, plus the real-life Hollywood inspiration behind his latest creation.

You've been told the problem is salt, or sugar, or even you! But in a fascinating conversation with Chris Van Tulleken we discover why it’s not you, it's the food. And by food we mean 'industrially produced edible substance' - YUM! What is ultra-processed food, what is it doing to our bodies and the planet, and what can we do to improve our health?

After charming the nation with Love, Nina - the collection of letters written to her sister during a five year stint as a nanny in '80s London, surrounded by literary types all new to her - Nina Stibbe returns to London once again, this time under the roof of author Deborah Moggach, with a hilarious diary of her life as a woman now in her 60's. Went to London, Took The Dog sees her wit as sparkling as ever, as she negotiates discarded takeaway on the streets of London, women's health issues amongst her circle of friends, and sharp observations on everything from dating profiles and literary festivals to the obsession with the whereabouts of Keir Starmer's charisma.

Looking back on his life so far through the prism of food, Ed Gamble’s Glutton is a hilarious take from a foodie obsessive who’s come to recognise quality over quantity. We sat down to talk about the ultimate cheeseboard, why Guinness is magical, and how type 1 diabetes impacts his favourite pastime.

Widely regarded as one of Britain’s greatest actresses, Dame Judi Dench has conquered both stage and screen in a career spanning six decades. In Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays The Rent, her conversations with actor and director Brendan O’Hea provide illuminating insights into the works of the Bard as well as hugely entertaining stories from her life on stage. We sat down for our own conversation with them both to talk about first steps on the stage, the genius of Shakespeare, and why being part of a company in service of an audience is the most important thing.

With a career spanning seven decades, Sir Patrick Stewart is still probably best known to many as Captain Jean-Luc Picard or Professor X - but what of the journey towards these career highs? With his memoir, Making it So, now on shelves, we sat down to speak with him about his childhood in Yorkshire, the influence of a troubled father, and the inspiring teachers who set him on the path to stardom.

Having created thrills on screen as an actor it was perhaps only a matter of time before Richard Armitage decided to create a literary thriller of his own. After memorable appearances in TV thrillers like Spooks and three separate Harlan Coben dramas, Armitage has penned his own, Geneva, which sees a Nobel Prize-winning scientist forced to question everything as intrigue swirls around a new bio-tech innovation. We sat down to talk about literary influences, his approach to writing, and why acting and music have both helped him create this first novel.

Familiar to millions as the woman who brought Indian cookery into UK kitchens through her books and TV series, Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cookery is celebrating its 40th anniversary with a sumptuous new edition featuring some brand new recipes. We sat down to speak with her from New York about her childhood in India, training as an actress in London, and her influence to this day as the author of the book that many still maintain is the best Indian cookbook available.

In her latest book, eminent historian and author, Mary Beard, presents a thematic approach to the role of Roman Emperor. What did it mean to be at the head of the empire, what daily work was involved, and what did it mean to have access to his inner circle? We sat down to talk about Roman dining, statues and coins, and why this period of history holds such fascination to people living today.

Well-known to fans of The Young Ones, Bottom, or any number of alternative comedy shoots from the 1980s onwards, Adrian Edmondson’s anarchic comedy of violence has surprising roots in an unsettled childhood. We sat down to talk about boarding school, found family and why the whole comedy thing was a bit of an accident.

No matter how you feel about them, there’s no doubt that the Royal Family still play a crucial role in our national identity - but how did we get to where we are? And how much do we really know about the Kings and Queens of our past? We sat down with comedian and writer David Mitchell to discover why the early Kings were just successful bullies, why royal succession is a bit like losing your mobile phone, and why Magna Carta is important for many reasons, but doesn’t get you off wearing a face mask or paying your council tax.

The cause of more dropped jaws than almost any other entertainer, Miriam Margolyes shared a lifetime of hilarious incident in her first memoir, This Much Is True. Thankfully, she has plenty more to say, and in Oh Miriam! we have more hilarity, but also reflection, emotion, and a healthy dose of passion too; all of which is on display in our exclusive conversation with her.

Former Waterstones Children’s Book Prize-winner Katherine Rundell has turned to fantasy to create her latest fictional world. The Archipelago is a cluster of magical islands where humans live alongside the creatures of myth, but the magic is under threat. We sat down to speak about a childhood of adventure, standing on the shoulders of giants, and what readers can expect from this exciting new trilogy.

It was amusing at first when Naomi Klein found people would confuse her with fellow author Naomi Wolf. But when her namesake started to develop increasingly extreme views during the COVID pandemic, it required more attention, and opened up a mirror-world of conspiracy, misinformation and shifting ideologies. In a fascinating conversation with the author of No Logo we discuss why what Doppelgänger depicts is such a pressing issue for us all, and how to get back to what really matters.

The Wren, The Wren, the new novel from Booker Prize-winner Anne Enright, continues her examination of themes around motherhood, family relationships and connection. As we sat down to talk about it, we discussed how it is really a novel about its characters and an investigation into what language is trying to do, and what happens when it reaches its limits.

From her debut novel 23 years ago, Zadie Smith has held both readers and critics in rapt attention. That debut was of course White Teeth, which went on to become a multi award-winning bestseller, and whilst the novels that have followed have taken readers to different parts of the world, she has for many been an essential chronicler of life in London. Her new novel, The Fraud, is set once again in our capital city but in a surprise to some, including the author herself perhaps, it is set during the Tichborne Case of 1873, making this her first historical novel. We spoke to discover what it was about this case and those involved in it that caused her to give in to the genre she had avoided so assiduously.

Anyone who’s had the chance to meet a favourite author at an event knows that it can add something really special to the books you love; and book festivals offer the opportunity to do it again and again. In a special episode of the podcast we head to the Edinburgh International Book Festival to meet authors Josie Long, Monica Heisey, Will McPhail, Brandon Taylor and K Patrick, as well as readers too, and discover what makes it so special.

The Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize returns for its second year and our booksellers have once again identified the most exciting new writing talent out there. We spoke with all six authors about how it feels to hand over that all-important manuscript for others to pass judgement on, discover how much autobiography feeds into their work, the kind of research it takes to create fiction, and that trickiest of questions: where does the inspiration and compulsion to write come from?

Find all the books here.

When Caitlin Moran was out promoting her series of books about women and feminism, she would often encounter the same question from audiences at the end of the event: What about Men? At a time when people can claim that men actually have it harder than women in some respects, what advice did she have for them? So she went away, spoke to male friends, did the research and came back with her thoughts. We sat down to talk about the strange ways men talk to each other, the dangers of the manosphere and what positive aspects of masculinity we should be celebrating.

Lorrie Moore has continued to delight readers with her short stories but it has been 14 years since her last novel, the Women’s Prize-shortlisted A Gate at the Stairs. Her new novel, I Am Homeless If This Is Not My Home, contains dual narratives which deal with the themes of love, loss and memory. As one of America’s most distinctive voices it’s best not to try and summarise things for a pith intro, far better to join our conversation about literary forms, the absurdity of loss and why romantic love is a tricky thing.

Caroline O’Donoghue’s new novel for adults, The Rachel Incident, is a love story but just not the one you might be expecting from the book’s premise. Set in the post-economic crash Republic of Ireland of 2009 it sees our eponymous heroine looking for love and to be taken seriously in a world full of uncertainty. We sat down to talk about friendship, making memories and cultural touchstones.

After her attention-grabbing debut novel, The Girls, Emma Cline has been quietly getting on with the business of writing. A story collection, Daddy, is now followed by a new novel, The Guest, another stylish display of Cline’s considerable skills that follows a young woman, drifting amongst the elite of Long Island, with the threat of everything being washed away with one wrong decision. We sat down to speak about literary influences, avoiding the obvious and portraying femininity.

Stories of seafaring, shipwreck, mutiny and murder have long held a fascination, particularly for dwellers of this island nation and in his latest investigative piece of narrative non-fiction, David Grann has a tale that grips from first page to last. The Wager was a vessel shipwrecked in the 1740s, its crew presumed lost, until a group of survivors washed up on the coast of Brazil. Their story of survival would have been incredible enough except for a second group of survivors to appear in Chile with stories of mutiny, murder and even cannibalism. What follows is not so much a question of who is telling the truth, but of who gets to tell the story that will become the truth. A court martial of individuals but also the idea of Empire itself. We sat down to talk about the pursuit of truth, human survival and the power of stories to endure.

It’s an old question but one that seems to be asked with increasing frequency in the era of so-called cancel culture: can you separate the art from the artist? After Essayist and memoir-writer Claire Dederer wrote a viral article about her own response to Roman Polanski she looked further into the lives and works of other problematic figures. The result, Monsters, is a personal and entirely subjective look at creatives like Woody Allen, Miles Davis, Michael Jackson, Pablo Picasso and more, that invites the reader to really think about how they feel about the art they love that comes to be stained in some way. We sat down to talk about art monsters, creative genius, and self-indictment.

There is no stopping Rebecca Kuang. With the Poppy War trilogy already under her belt and the fantastic success of Waterstones Book of the Year nominee Babel, she has reinvented herself once again this year with Yellowface, a literary thriller that satirises the very industry she’s involved in, publishing and bookselling. As someone who has worked in both of those industries myself, not to mention the world of social media for 15 years, I couldn’t wait to read this one and was even more excited to sit down and talk with Rebecca about her approach to writing, her insights from the industry, and where she might take readers next.

Caleb Azumah Nelson made a huge impression with his debut novel Open Water, an emotionally complex novel of love that was also a celebration of black creativity. His new novel, Small Worlds, continues both of those themes, whilst also looking at notions of family, home and a connection with the authors own Ghanaian culture. We sat down for a talk about love, memory and the creative urge.

When Han Kang won the International Booker Prize in 2016 the bonus for readers was that there were more of her books ready to be translated into English. Her latest, Greek Lessons, features a woman who has stopped speaking and her professor, a man who has gradually been losing his sight in a tale of human connection and communication, translated once again by her fellow Booker-winner Deborah Smith, working this time with Emily Yae Won. I sat down with her and interpreter Mi Na Sketchley to talk about the novel’s inspiration, style and experience for the reader.

Emily Henry had already published four young adult novels before turning 30 but with her fifth, Beach Read, and a switch to writing romantic comedy for adults she found a whole new level of engagement with readers. With huge popularity on TikTok and a boom in romantic fiction in general, we sat down to talk about writing through phases in life, creating relatable characters and whether those cartoon covers are hiding something a little darker inside.

In Diana Evans’ previous book we were introduced to the couple Melissa and Michael. That novel, Ordinary People, was shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction, the Rathbones Folio Prize, and the Orwell Prize for Political Fiction. It was also beloved by readers and so many of those will be delighted to hear that her latest novel, A House for Alice, continues their story, together with that of Melissa’s family, headed up by her mother, the titular Alice. I sat down with Diana to talk about being driven by your characters, the complexities of family dynamics and why there will never be any place like home.

In 2022, Sheena Patel published her debut novel I’m A Fan and was chosen as one of the Observer’s Top 10 best debut novelists. In the book, an unnamed narrator tells us about the similarly unnamed ‘woman I am obsessed with’ and ‘man I want to be with’ in a tale of social media, obsessive love, power, privilege and race. It’s an incendiary novel, chosen by Foyles as their fiction Book of the Year and one I knew would allow us to have a frank and funny conversation about where we find ourselves right now.

Benjamin Myers is the kind of writer who has devoted readers. A series of novels over the last 15 years or so, particularly those published by indie imprint Bluemoose, have earned him awards, plaudits, and many dedicated booksellers keen to hand-sell his books. His prolific output belies the fact that for the last 5 years he has been working on Cuddy, a novel that takes inspiration from Saint Cuthbert, the unofficial patron saint of the North of England. What led an atheist to write a novel about faith, and how did he alight on the novel’s multiple timelines and connected narratives? Join us as we find out.

Tiffany McDaniel’s previous novel, Betty, made such a huge impact with booksellers and readers that we were delighted to make it the fiction book of the month back in August 2021. It was brutal read at times, but violence and poverty were combined with an attention to language that made it a must-read for many. Her new novel, On the Savage Side, deals in similarly dark terrain so I sat down with Tiffany to talk about the real unsolved crime that inspired it, writing about the most difficult things and finding hope in the darkness.

Together with the disruption caused by the global pandemic and the lockdown periods that accompanied it, many people were left with a sense that things weren’t quite right, though it proved hard to put a finger on exactly what was wrong. Feelings of fatigue, anxiety and the great overwhelm led writer Katherine May to seek a closer connection to nature’s ability to inspire both wonder and something slightly more magical - enchantment. We sat down to talk about play, pebbles and why you’ll never regret a paddle.

The novels of Sebastian Barry form an intriguing web of family history and his latest, Old God's Time, follows a retired policeman who is forced to reckon with the past as an old case rears its head. We spoke with two-time Costa Book of the Year-winner Sebastian Barry about fleshing out the past, fatherhood and falling in love.

Peter Frankopan's epic new history, The Earth Transformed, begins at the very dawn of our planet, 4.5 billion years ago, and shows how climatic changes have shaped nations, notions, religions and empires. We sat down to talk about the science behind his new work, some of the astounding discoveries, and what the past can teach us about our current crisis.

Many people find it difficult to know how to speak with others about death and grieving, especially when the experience of it can be so intensely personal. In an extended conversation we speak with three authors who have shared their own experiences and wisdom; Chloe Hooper, author of Bedtime Story, Michael Rosen, author of Getting Better and Cariad Lloyd, creator of Griefcast and author of You Are Not Alone. 

Tom Rob Smith became an international bestselling author with his debut, Child 44, but he's not a writer to rest on his laurels. His new novel, Cold People, is a piece of speculative fiction which sees the human race adapting to survive in the most inhospitable part of the planet: Antarctica. We spoke with him about alien invaders, human tenacity and what the future might really hold.

Shooting to stardom with his debut Less Than Zero aged just 21, courting controversy with his bestseller American Psycho, Bret Easton Ellis returns with his first novel for 13 years, a fusion of fact and fiction called The Shards. We spoke with the author about notoriety, being a teenager and the similarities between writers and serial killers.

After almost two years where book events had to take place online only, we take a moment to celebrate the return of in-person events with a trip to the Cheltenham Literature Festival and our flagship shop in London Piccadilly. We speak with Ian Rankin, Malorie Blackman, Anna James and Geena Davis about connecting with readers, the questions that come up, and why you should always meet your heroes.

When E. H. Gombrich's seminal work of art history, The Story of Art, was first published in 1950 it featured precisely zero female artists. Even today its latest edition features only one. Luckily Katy Hessel has produced The Story of Art Without Men, a timely corrective that puts women centre stage as we have too in this episode of the podcast which sees Katy in conversation with artist and illustrator, Lizzy Stewart, whose latest graphic novel, Alison, follows her heroine's creative awakening against the London art scene of the 50s, 60s and 70s.

Featuring Bonnie Garmus, Tess Gunty, Louise Kennedy, Sequoia Nagamatsu, Eloghosa Osunde and Tara M. Stringfellow.

A unique opportunity to hear all six authors shortlisted for the inaugural Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize. With a prize celebrating debut novels across genres it's no surprise to find such variety amongst our six nominees. Social commentary, science fiction, family sagas, spirituality, great characters and unforgettable lessons in life from the most exciting new voices in fiction. Join us as we discover their road to publication and hear their answers to questions from those who've championed their books: Waterstones booksellers.

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good podcast, must be in want of four historical fiction writers ready to entertain listeners with their insights on why the nineteenth century has so much to tell us about today, how to balance research with storytelling, and why history’s habit of erasing women’s significance is all the invitation they need to set the record straight. Luckily we had Susan Stokes Chapman, Gill Hornby, Karen Joy Fowler and Sophie Irwin on hand to do just that. Enjoy!

As we mark Mental Health Awareness Week and its theme of loneliness, we speak with four writers who know the importance of talking about difficult things and why conversation is at the heart of better mental health. Marian Keyes and Candice Carty-Williams share the personal stories that fed into their fiction, whilst Dr Julie Smith brings her clinical expertise to a wider audience and broadcaster Nihal Arthanayake shows how a career based on dialogue has taught him what can help us all to have better conversations.

Consequences brings together two books that seemed to have one thing in common and then turned out to be connected in entirely different ways. Sam Knight's The Premonitions Bureau is a fascinating look at the work of psychiatrist John Barker and a network of psychic visionaries in the 1960s. A Terrible Kindness is the debut novel from Jo Browning Wroe which shows how compassion and sacrifice can shape a life and how hard it can be to change course. In a fascinating discussion we discover more about the nature of time, of structure and of averting disaster.

All books respond to the world we live in but in this fascinating episode we speak to three incredible authors who have all written books which speak to something absolutely of this time and very often beyond it. How much has the pandemic changed the way we view the world and each other, what about the impact of technology, and what does the future hold? Featuring The Candy House by Jennifer Egan, Our Country Friends Gary Shteyngart, How High We Go In The Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu and Companion Piece by Ali Smith

Cosy crime has been popular for over a hundred years now but with a surge in popularity recently we speak to three authors who've all done something slightly different with the genre to discover the reasons for its enduring appeal, the techniques they use to build up their stories and why we as humans have a fascination with the dark side of life. Featuring Janice Hallett, Nita Prose and the Reverend Richard Coles.

Derek Owusu's debut novel was the first fiction to be published by Stormzy's fledgling imprint #Merky Books and went on to win the Desmond Elliot Prize in 2020. In this episode we hear from Derek about the mental health crisis that first encouraged him to put pen to paper, from his editor Tom Avery about changing the mainstream and from chair of judges Preti Taneja, herself a previous winner of the prize, about why this book is so special.

Featuring: Derek Owusu, Tom Avery, Preti Taneja

It was during a lockdown tidying spree that Stephen Fry reacquainted himself with his substantial tie collection. It will come as no surprise that a man who had over 40 ties by the age of 15, now had a collection in the hundreds. What was surprising was how easily the memories associated with those ties came back to him and so after sharing some of the stories on Instagram we now have a gorgeous book version, Fry’s Ties. To celebrate it we took a walk with Stephen along Jermyn Street, home to both him and Waterstones and a series of men’s outfitters whose history is inextricably tied to this most individual piece of clothing.

Marlon James became the first Jamaican-born writer to win the Booker Prize in 2015, when his multi-voiced epic, A Brief History of Seven Killings triumphed amongst a strong shortlist. In this episode we hear from the author about how the novel took its shape, from the publisher about what makes the book such a compelling read and from one of the judges about why it emerged as their unanimous winner. 

Featuring: Marlon James, Juliet Mabey, Sam Leith.

We Are Not Like Them shows the impact of a police shooting of an unarmed black teenager from a different angle. Two close friends, Jen and Riley, one white, one black, one the wife of the police officer responsible, one the news anchor charged with covering the story. A premise made all the more intriguing as it was written by not one author but two, Jo Piazza and Christine Pride, one white, one black, both working together to create an unflinching novel that will start conversations.

Featuring: Jo Piazza, Christine Pride, Manpreet Grewal, Stephanie Heathcote

Some debut novelists arrive fully formed and as we’ll discover in this episode, Karina Lickorish Quinn is one such novelist; an Anglo-Peruvian writer who has drawn on family memories and the wider history of Peru to create a novel about home, injustice and ghosts that recalls Faulkner’s famous line, ‘The past is never dead. It's not even past.’ Coming from a publisher that has already chalked up multiple Booker Prize wins in recent years you’ll want to know why this year, for them, This Is The Book.

Featuring: Karina Lickorish Quinn, Juliet Mabey, Kate Bland, Ben Summers, Seren Adams.

Sometimes all you need is a one sentence pitch to immediately get excited about a book. And when publisher Knights Of announced earlier this year that they would be publishing Empress & Aniya, a YA novella from Candice Carty-Williams which would be South London’s answer to Freaky Friday, you could almost hear the whoops and squeals across social media. In this episode we’ll hear from author, publisher and early readers about why, particularly if you’re a teenage girl, This Is The Book.

Featuring: Candice Carty-Williams, Aimée Felone, Eishar Brar, Tanya Byrne.

The rich mythology and linguistic skills on display in Yuri Herrera's Signs Preceding The End Of The World had been thought by some to make it untranslatable but in this episode we hear from the author about the mythical basis for this modern tale of border crossing, from translator Lisa Dillman about meeting the challenges of bringing the Spanish text to an English readership, from cultural critic and commentator Maya Jaggi about what makes the book so special and from publisher Stefan Tobler about why translating fiction is so important to And Other Stories as they celebrate their 10th birthday.

Featuring: Yuri Herrera, Stefan Tobler, Lisa Dillman, Maya Jaggi

Publisher And Other Stories have spent the last decade bringing bold new voices to English readers and in their anniversary year they continue to break new ground. Interdisciplinary artist Tice Cin takes the reader inside the Turkish men's clubs and households of North London for a unique perspective on the heroin trade that spans generations and borders. In this episode we hear from those around the publication about what makes Cin so exciting as an artist and she shares some of what she has had to go through to bring us this striking debut novel. 

Featuring: Tice Cin, Max Porter, Stefan Tobler, Nichola Smalley, Donald Winchester.

When Susanna Clarke's magical vision of an alternate Georgian England arrived it became an instant bestseller but as we discover in this episode, the book's journey was far from certain. Clarke shares how a writer's confidence can wax and wane and we discover how secret support behind the scenes helped her writing come into the light. Featuring Neil Gaiman and voices from publishing and bookselling, this is the inside story of an 'instant' classic.

Featuring: Susanna Clarke, Neil Gaiman, Alexandra Pringle, Kathleen Farrar, Josh Prince, Becky Kelly

In 2014 a book with a striking bird on its cover appeared in bookshops but what kind of book was it? Was it a memoir about grief, or a book about training a goshawk? Was it a biography of T. H. White, or was it nature writing? Or was it perhaps a melding of all of these things? And how did this hybrid book go on to become an award winner and international bestseller? In this episode we hear from Helen Macdonald about turning grief into almost a new genre of writing and from the team at publisher Jonathan Cape, which celebrates its centenary this year, about creating a modern classic.

Featuring: Helen Macdonald, Dan Franklin, Suzanne Dean, Chris Wormell, Ruth Waldram, Rob Verner Jeffreys, Steve Bundy

Being a small, independent publisher doesn't mean thinking small, and with prize-winning successes already under their belt, Galley Beggar Press took on the challenge of publishing a novel consisting of a single sentence that ran for more than a thousand pages. Ducks, Newburyport went on to win prizes too as well as Booker recognition and in this episode we hear from Lucy Ellman about how you write a stream-of-consciousness novel on this scale and from those involved in publishing it about the challenges in typesetting it, printing it, and narrating the audio book.

Featuring Lucy Ellman, Sam Jordison, Eloise Millar, Alex Billington, Stephanie Ellyne, Aaron Myles, Rob Verner-Jeffreys

With perfect timing, our episode telling the inside story of A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll arrives just as we announce that it has been chosen as the overall winner of the Waterstones Children's Book Prize 2021. We speak to those involved about the serendipity of how it came to be published, why it's important to get the right people in the room when it comes to publishing and why this book is not just important but also one of the best books for children of the last decade.

Featuring: Elle McNicoll, David Stevens, Eishar Brar, Lauren Gardner, Marissaié Jordan, Kay Wilson, Lizzie Huxley Jones, Florentyna Martin

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.

Featuring: Michael Holding, Ed Hawkins, Ian Marshall, Samar Habib

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.

Featuring: Zakiya Dalila Harris, Alexis Kirschbaum, Erin Kelly

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.

Featuring Brit Bennett, Sharmaine Lovegrove, Nico Taylor, Millie Seaward, Candice Carty-Williams

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.

Featuring James Clammer, Sam Jordison, Eloise Millar 

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!

Featuring: David Mitchell, Carole Welch, Jamie Hodder-Williams, Martin Latham.

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.

Featuring: John Lloyd, Jacqueline Graham, Chris Riddell, Peter Whitehead, David Haddock, Yvette Keller, Mayara Santos, Nemo Thorx

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.

Featuring: Hilary Mantel, Nicholas Pearson, Bea Carvalho

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.

Featuring
Leone Ross, Niki Chang, Louisa Joyner, Sara Collins, Lucy Houghton, Peter Adlington.

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.

Featuring

Catriona Ward, Jenny Savill, Miranda Jewess, Joanna Harris, Chris Whitaker, Kiran Millwood-Hargrave.

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.

Featuring

Emma Stonex, Madeleine Milburn, Sophie Jonathan, Katie Bowden, Katie Tooke, Georgina Moore, Raynor Winn, S. J. Watson

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. 

Featuring

Hafsa Zayyan, Emma Wallace, Abi Fellows, Lemara Lindsay-Prince, Nikesh Shukla, Ceara Elliot

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.

Books mentioned: Clanlands, Outlander

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.

Books mentioned: The Hand and Flowers Cookbook

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.
Books mentioned: Leave The World Behind

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. 

Books mentioned: Loved and Wanted

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?

Books mentioned: The Courage To Care, Labours of Love, The Language of Kindness

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.

Books mentioned: Ghosts, Everything I Know About Love.

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.

Books mentioned: Home Stretch, Holding, A Keeper.

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.

Books mentioned: Word Perfect, The Liar's Dictionary, Attrib. and other stories

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. 

Books mentioned: Know My Name

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.

Books mentioned: Think Like A Monk

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.

Books mentioned: Ramble Book

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.

Books mentioned: What is Life?

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.

Books mentioned: How To Stay Sane In An Age Of Division, 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World

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.

Books mentioned: The Book of Trespass, Woody Guthrie, Cormorance.

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.

Books mentioned: Look Up!, High Rise Mystery, Bearmouth

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.

Books mentioned: Olive

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.

Books mentioned: How Do We Know We're Doing It Right?

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.

Books mentioned: Outraged: Why Everyone is Shouting and No One is Talking 

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.

Books mentioned: Twilight, Midnight Sun, The Mercies, Sisters

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.
Books mentioned: Humankind

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.

Books mentioned: Notes From An Apocalypse

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.

Books mentioned: The Mystery of Henri Pick, The Second Life of Inspector Canessa, HHhH, In Paris With You.

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.

Books mentioned: Together

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. 

Books mentioned: This Too Shall Pass

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

Books mentioned: Table Manners

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.

Books mentioned: Weather, Three Hours, Going Dark, House of Leaves, The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse

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.

Books mentioned: What Dementia Teaches Us About Love, Strange Hotel, East, Somebody I Used To Know, The Sense of an Ending, Playthings

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.

Books mentioned: Letters on Motherhood, Hamnet, Motherwell, The Unit, The Republic of Motherhood. 

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.

Books mentioned: Escape Routes, Grand Union, Salt Slow, Friday Black, The Light Years, Difficult Women.

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.

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

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. 

Books mentioned: Feel Better in 5, Everybody Died, So I Got A Dog, The Art of Rest, All Among The Barley, Queenie

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.

Books mentioned: My Last Supper, North Korea Journal, Supper Club, An Echo of Scandal, An Apple A Day, The Best of A. A. Gill

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.

Books mentioned: Talking To Strangers, Normal People, The Ministry of Utmost Happiness, 1913, The Psychopath Test, Just Kids.

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.

Books mentioned: The Dutch House, Long Way Down, Look Both Ways, Unicorn, Forgotten Women, Queer Intentions, Sanctuary, Under Milk Wood, Bold Girls.

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.

Books mentioned: Ayoade on Top, Face It, Trick Mirror, A Field Guide To Getting Lost, The Lonely City, The Importance of Music to Girls.

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.

Books mentioned: Underland, Ness, Whose Story Is This?, In Praise of Walking, Modern Nature, Haunts of the Black Masseur, The Secret Garden.

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.

Books mentioned: Imaginary Friend, Starve Acre, Frankissstein, Ghost Stories, Rivers of London, Thin Air.

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.

BOOKS MENTIONED: Frankissstein, This Brutal House, The Mistresses’ Daughter, May We Be Forgiven, Notes To Self, The Unmumsy Mum, Never Mind, Educated.

Elizabeth Day, creator of the How To Fail with Elizabeth Day podcast and book joins the team to share failures and to see what their connection is to success. After putting so many of her personal failures in her book, would Elizabeth have any new ones to share? We hear from Man Booker Prize-winner Arundhati Roy about becoming a global sensation with her debut, Man Booker Prize-winning novel and what that meant for her, her friends and her family. And we also hear from Sarah Perry about what it meant to have The Essex Serpent named as Waterstones Book of the Year.

BOOKS MENTIONED: How To Fail, The God of Small Things, Ministry of Utmost Happiness, The Essex Serpent, Mothering Sunday, Painter To The King, On The Come Up, Range, Golden Hill.

What do we mean by perfection and is the pursuit of it a pointless exercise? We hear from poet Charly Cox about why just the word alone is enough to induce anxiety, Sebastian Faulks considers where in the arts perfection might lie and why capturing it might mean a journey to perfection and then back again. Finally we hear from novelist Gabriel Tallent who shares the sheer blood, sweat and tears of writing his debut novel.

BOOKS MENTIONED: She Must Be Mad, Paris Echo, Love Is Blind, My Absolute Darling, Dept of Speculation, Ink, Carol, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

Hannah Witton joins Will and Holly in the studio to talk about Sex. As a sex-positive vlogger on YouTube, author of Doing It and The Hormone Diaries, plus a podcaster in her own right, Hannah Witton is the perfect guest to discuss why we’re so silly about sex writing in the UK and what makes for great sex on the page and between the sheets. They also listen to broadcaster and author, Caitlin Moran and Women’s Prize-winner A.M. Homes talking about writing sex in their fiction as well as Candice Carty-Williams, who shares some of the personal experiences that feed into her bestselling debut, Queenie.

Doing It, The Hormone Diaries, How To Be Famous, Music For Torching, Queenie, Pimp State, Jack of Hearts, Trumpet, An American Marriage, Eleven Minutes, The Dilly, Three Women.

In this first episode we get to meet hosts Will Rycroft, Holly Davies and Dan Bird as they talk with bestselling author and screenwriter David Nicholls about their beginnings with books. Nicholls also shares his experiences as actor which feed directly into his new novel, Sweet Sorrow, which charts one life-changing summer as Charlie meets Fran during rehearsals for Romeo and Juliet and the two experience the transformative power of first love. Nicholls also speaks about his BAFTA Award-winning adaptation of Edward St Aubyn’s Patrick Melrose novels for TV.

There’s also the chance to hear from Michael Palin as he talks about the fear and excitement that attends to the beginning of almost any enterprise, whether that be a journey, a new TV programme or sitting down to write fresh comedy. His latest book, Erebus, tells the story of HMS Erebus, the famous exploring vessel which went missing in the Arctic and whose wreck was recently discovered.

We also hear from Tomi Adeyemi’s event to launch her Waterstones Children’s Book Prize Older Fiction category-winning YA novel, Children of Blood and Bone. She shares a brilliant story about a young girl jumping to the head of the signing queue to demonstrate the importance of representation in encouraging younger generations to begin writing themselves.

BOOKS MENTIONED: Sweet Sorrow, Erebus, Children of Blood and Bone, Patrick Melrose, The Bad Beginning, Tales of the City, Dear Ijeawele