The Guardian Books podcast

Ease into the weekend with our brand new podcast, showcasing some of the best Guardian and Observer writing from the week, read by talented narrators. In this episode, Marina Hyde looks at the new additions to Downing Street (2m00s), Hadley Freeman interviews Hollywood actor Will Arnett (9m56s), Sirin Kale tries her hand at quiz show[...]

Ease into the weekend with our brand new podcast, showcasing some of the best Guardian and Observer writing from the week, read by talented narrators. In our first episode, Marina Hyde reflects on another less than stellar week for Boris Johnson (1m38s), Edward Helmore charts the rise of Joe Rogan (9m46s), Laura Snapes goes deep[...]

Have you ever wondered what famous people actually eat? In our new podcast, Guardian restaurant critic Grace Dent does just that, asking well-known guests to lift the lid on the food they turn to when they’re at home alone – and what comfort foods have seen them through their lives. In the first episode, screenwriter[...]

On our final episode, the diplomat who spearheaded the Paris Agreement discusses why we should feel optimisitic about our ability to tackle the climate crisis. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

We speak to Horrible Histories consultant and podcaster Greg Jenner about the history of celebrity and share what listeners are reading. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

Mathematician Adam Kucharski talks about how the concept of ‘contagion’ is rooted in our social lives and we share your reading tips for lockdown. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

On this week’s show we talk to Toby Ferris about his pursuit of the Dutch master and look at how the literary world is dealing with the pandemic. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

On this week’s show we talk to the Northern Irish writer about his new novel and discuss how headlines can impact our appetite for certain books. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

On this week’s podcast, we talk to Tsiolkas about his novel on the life of St Paul and the historian Holland explains what we know about the man. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

On this week’s show, the bestselling fantasy author talks about how he came to invent a magical branch of the Met, and we discuss Hilary Mantel’s new novel The Mirror & The Light. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

On this week’s show, we talk to graphic novelist Isabel Greenberg about her comic Glass Town and the 2020 longlist for the International Booker prize. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

Alexander Boxer talks about his book A Scheme of Heaven and we discuss why Harvey Weinstein’s lawyers tried to remove a juror for her reading history. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

The novelist explains how she discovered her family was woven into history, plus the new wave of Ethiopian literature in English. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

The crime writer joins us to discuss the mechanics of mystery novels, plus Margaret Atwood at the Hay festival in Cartagena. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

The geneticist explains why science offers no support for prejudice. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

We welcome not one but two Costa winners, as the victors in the novel and the debut fiction categories join us in the studio. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

The novelist explains her sudden decision to write her controversial thriller, and we hail TS Eliot prize winner Roger Robinson. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

On this week’s show, the novelist explains how she came to write about her insomnia and we consider why indie bookshops are booming in the UK and Ireland. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

This week, the creator of the biggest child villain in literature talks about comedy writing and seeing his creation adapted by Disney. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

Priya Basil talks about the dynamics of the dinner table and her book Be My Guest, and we chat about the best books of the year. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

Ben Lerner and Meena Kandasamy talk about drawing on their most embarrassing and vulnerable moments to write fiction. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

A former member recalls growing up in ‘America’s most hated family’ and Claire McGlasson explains why we’re fascinated by cults. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

On this week’s show, we talk to Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck, the two authors who published as James SA Corey and the space opera The Expanse. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

On this week’s show, the Pulitzer prize winning novelist talks about the return of her wonderfully difficult character in Olive, Again. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

Rory MacLean and Luke Harding talk about the challenges of writing about Russia, the subjectivity of experience and getting high on ‘Putin’s Pecker’. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

On this week’s show, Jamie talks about her new essay collection Surfacing and we hear a rare recording of the Cider with Rosie author. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

On this week’s show, the US novelist talks about Donald Trump’s border policy and the personal toll of researching those left behind by the cartels. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

On this week’s show, we talk about endangered languages with Belarusian poet Valzhyna Mort, Maori poet Vaughan Rapatahana and publisher Clive Boutle. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

On this week’s show, we talk about books as physical objects and look at the history of Gilgamesh through centuries of translation. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

We discuss the shock decision to split the 2019 prize, and look at two books about the UK’s Windrush generation. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

On this week’s show, the British-American author talks about her 1,000-page stream-of-consciousness and we chat about ‘difficult books’. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

On this week’s show, the US novelist talks about The Dutch House and we discuss your additions to our top 100 books of the 21st century list. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

Journalist Nesrine Malik talks about her book We Need New Stories and we discuss the Guardian’s top 100 books of the 21st century. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

On this week’s show, we look at the history of political memoirs, and speak to fantasy author Brian Catling and Weil sibling biographer Karen Olsson. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

On this week’s show, we talk to Laura Cumming and Rhik Samadder about their memoirs, take a look at the Booker shortlist and give a verdict on Margaret Atwood’s The Testaments. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

In this week’s show, Rushdie talks about his Booker-nominated novel and we discuss the best literary road trips. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

The Turkish author talks about 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World, her new, Booker prize-longlisted novel. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

Writers including Penelope Lively, Caryl Philips, Howard Jacobson and Yomi Sode explore how this idea has changed over time. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

Rachel DeLoache Williams recalls her time with hoaxer Anna Sorokin in My Friend Anna and we rank the best true crime books. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

David Shariatmadari reveals how English is evolving – or in Jacob Rees-Mogg’s case, refusing to – and Cecelia Watson shares her passion for the semicolon. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

This week, Taddeo discusses her bestseller about the intimate lives of women, and we take a look at the 2019 Booker prize longlist. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

On this week’s show, we speak to the poet about his debut novel On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous and discuss the evolution of the Great American Novel. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

On this week’s show, we talk to Jacobson about his new novel, and discuss the compelling career of Murdoch. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

Johny Pitts and Roger Robinson talk about Windrush, the rise of rightwing populism – and why they both feel still hope. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

The outgoing US poet laureate talks about her career, and we chat about the work of Alice Oswald, the new Oxford professor of poetry. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

This podcast contains descriptions of violence which some may find distressing. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

For Refugee Week, two writers discuss their experiences as asylum seekers and the challenges facing refugees around the world. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

On this week’s show, we meet the author of An American Marriage fresh from her win, and speak to Newman about her time-travelling novel The Heavens. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

Claire and Sian bring you some of the highlights from the annual books festival held in the Welsh town of Hay-on-Wye. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

Sarah Krasnostein talks about her biography The Trauma Cleaner and we remember children’s author Judith Kerr. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

On this week’s show, Andrea Wulf shares her new graphic novel biography of Alexander von Humboldt and professional forager John Wright takes us on a hunt for wild food in London. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

The American Psycho author talks about the reactions to his first book in 10 years, and we discuss the UK’s new poet laureate, Simon Armitage. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

On this week’s show, we speak to Heida Ásgeirsdóttir about her life as a farmer, and to Irish writer Sinéad Gleeson about her collection Constellations. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

On this week’s show, Crossan talks about using poetry in her novel-in-verse Toffee and Dunthorne shares why he writes poetry to escape novels. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

On this week’s show, we sit down with Shakespeare expert Emma Smith and novelist Tash Aw talks about his latest book, We, the Survivors. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

On this week’s show, we discuss the 2019 shortlist for the best fiction in translation with Boyd Tonkin, and speak to Nicole Flattery about her short story collection, Show Them a Good Time. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

This week we hear two contrasting approaches to eternal questions of belonging, plus regional differences in literature. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

This week we talk comedy with Nina Stibbe and turn to the serious topic of booksellers’ pay. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

On this week’s show, academic Robin DiAngelo talks about her book White Fragility and Margaret Busby reflects on her new collection of black female writers, New Daughters of Africa. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

On this week’s show, we talk to AK Benjamin and Anthony Good about two very different takes on therapy, plus the most exciting books due in the next year. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

The music journalist and writer takes Claire for a wander through Epping Forest as they discuss his book Out of the Woods. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

Historians Hallie Rubenhold and Lindsey Fitzharris discuss their books The Five and The Butchering Art. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

The scientist talks about his latest book Origins: How the Earth Made Us. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/bookspod

The two authors discuss their stories about modern love and sex, and we reflect on the legacy of novelist Andrea Levy

On this week’s show, thriller fan Alison talks to Alice Clark-Platts about her terrifying novel The Flower Girls – and we share the books we found too unsettling to finish

Jason Reynolds talks about tackling difficult subjects for children, and we discuss the ‘new’ work on the way from the Catcher in the Rye author

When McBee stepped into the boxing ring at Madison Square Gardens to fight, he made history as the first trans man to do so – a journey he documents in his book, Amateur

We head back to 16th-century Constantinople with Énard, explore the troubled legacy of the second world war with Van Es and look ahead to the Costa book of the year

On this week’s show, we speak to Sullivan about her winning Three Poems, and US author Kevin Powers about his novel A Shout in the Ruins

On this week’s show, we take a look ahead at the books coming out this year, and speak to Josh Cohen about why we should all slack off a little at work

Forty years after he first discovered it, Sebastian Barry explains why he loves James Joyce’s short story Eveline, then reads it for you, as part of our seasonal series of short stories selected by leading novelists

Zadie Smith shares why she loves this almost ‘anti-Italian’ story from Giuseppe Pontiggia, then reads the story, as part of our seasonal series of short stories selected by leading novelists

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie shares why she admires the ‘old-fashioned social realism’ of the Ghanaian writer’s No Sweetness Here, then reads the story, as part of our seasonal series of short stories selected by leading novelists

Neil Gaiman introduces Rudyard Kipling’s The Gardener, a melancholy tale from 1925, as part of our seasonal series of short stories selected by leading novelists. Afterwards, the story is read by actor Marion Bailey

You’ll never sleep in a twin bedroom again after hearing this classic Edwardian ghost story, selected by Penelope Lively and read by Simon Callow as part of our seasonal series of short stories selected by leading novelists

From La Belle Sauvage to Lincoln in the Bardo, Claire and Sian review the most creative and compelling listening experiences and debate whether audiobooks are ‘cheating’

On this week’s show, we reveal the books we loved most in 2018 and discuss the future of prose poetry with poets Rankine, Jeremy Noel-Tod and Emily Berry

This week, it’s Claire’s birthday so she’s meeting with two of her favourite authors: crime author Paretsky and Call Me By Your Name writer Aciman

New Yorker cartoonist Krimstein discusses his pictorial life of Hannah Arendt and we head to the British Library with MacCulloch to learn about Thomas Cromwell

We talk to The Essex Serpent author Perry about the spine-tingling Melmoth and take Beowulf into the 21st century with Headley’s The Mere Wife

On this week’s show, Robertson talks about his narrative poem The Long Take and McMillan explores adolescent rites of passage in Playtime

Behavioural geneticist Plomin picks apart the idea of nature versus nurture in Blueprint, and novelist Ivy Pochoda explains her latest novel, Wonder Valley

As the midterm elections loom, we welcome a poet whose verse is carved from this divided moment and search for the deep roots of political writing

We travel to a faraway land, where brave writers fight deadly stereotypes and discover inspiring new ways to tell old stories

Milkman delivers the 2018 Man Booker prize, while we listen in as a poet discusses the lyric art with her editor

We step back in time for a stroll around the Tower of London with Chris Skaife, who looks after the landmark’s ravens; and we sit down with philosopher Kwame Anthony Appiah to discuss identity

The BBC presenter talks about the travels in his memoir Step By Step, and the celebrated curator reflects on the beliefs explored in Living With the Gods

As The Little Stranger opens in cinemas, its author considers screen adaptations. Boyne discusses his novel of desperate ambitions – and we discuss the Booker finalists

As the final volume of his autobiographical novel arrives in English, the Norwegian literary sensation discusses how the books have changed his life

We sit down with the one and only Kate Atkinson, author of modern classics including Life After Life and Behind the Scenes at the Museum, to talk about her latest time-bending novel

This week, we turn away from the crowds of catastrophist headlines and dystopian fiction and discover hope in the world of science

We hear from two novelists who have taken inspiration from Greek myth. And the Guardian’s chief culture, writer Charlotte Higgins, discusses all things classical, plus what’s been going on at Edinburgh book festival

Paul Kildea explores how Frédéric Chopin wrote his Preludes and what became of them after his death, while Amy Sackville looks at power and PR through the lens of Diego Velázquez

We explore the unhealthy nature of modern life with Haig in Notes on a Nervous Planet, while Dalcher talks about her thriller Vox

American poet Jericho Brown talks about his latest collection The New Testament

On this week’s show, we walk with a group who are using Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales to tell the stories of the displaced, and speak to a publisher who wrote a novel with refugees in a Beirut camp

We look at the runners and riders in this year’s Man Booker longlist, and hear from Golden Booker winner Michael Ondaatje at a Guardian Live event

We talk about the troubling future of tech with artist and writer James Bridle, and the idea of infinity with Marcus du Sautoy

We discuss holiday reading habits and what we’ll be reading this year, and the novelist Ross Raisin explains why he has published a writing guide

A trend for authors to use their real lives as a template for stories has been widely noted. Two writers who complicate this picture join us to look for the facts

The famously hands-on journalist talks about his colourful history of psychedelic drugs and their potential for treating addiction, depression and PTSD

On this week’s show, we discuss the challenges – and joys – of becoming an author with Paula Cocozza and Preti Taneja