Books and Authors Podcast
This podcast features Open Book and A Good Read. Open Book talks to authors about their work. In A Good Read Harriett Gilbert discusses favourite books.
Episodes to download
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Open Book: Michael Donker on his novel, Hold and poet Jackie Kay on the work of Audre Lorde
Sun 15 Jul 2018
Michael Donker on his debut novel and Jackie Kay on how poet Audrey Lorde inspired her.
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A Good Read: Isy Suttie and Lolly Adefope talk favourite books with Harriett Gilbert
Tue 10 Jul 2018
Their choices included books by Meg Wolitzer, Ottessa Moshfegh's and Carol Ann Duffy.
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Open Book: A M 成人快手s on her new short story collection Days of Awe
Mon 9 Jul 2018
Plus the Wellcome Collection's Kirty Topiwala on how fiction has approached the NHS
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A Good Read: Loyd Grossman & Skin
Tue 3 Jul 2018
Loyd Grossman and Skin talk to Harriett Gilbert about their favourite books.
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A Good Read: Juno Dawson & Pandora Sykes
Tue 26 Jun 2018
Juno Dawson and Pandora Sykes discuss favourite books with Harriett Gilbert.
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Exploring the lives of Beiruti women and Ceridwen Dovey
Sun 24 Jun 2018
Hanan Al-Shaykh and Nada Awar Jarrar on writing about Beirut close up and from a distance
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A Good Read: Tony Parsons and Olly Mann talk favourite books with Harriett Gilbert
Tue 19 Jun 2018
The choices are Big Little Lies, Never Mind & The Phantom Tollbooth. Are they good reads?
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Michael Ondaatje on his new novel, Warlight.
Sun 17 Jun 2018
Michael Ondaatje, Nell Dunn on her book, Talking to Women and a postcard from Croatia.
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A Good Read: Adam Kay and Farrah Jarral talk favourite books with Harriett Gilbert
Tue 12 Jun 2018
Books by David Sedaris & Mohsin Hamid are up for discussion. Are they good reads?
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Cressida Connolly on her new book After the Party
Sun 10 Jun 2018
Cressida Connolly, posthumous short stories and a literary postcard from Iraq.
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A Good Read: Robert Webb and Hugo Rifkind
Tue 5 Jun 2018
Robert Webb and Hugo Rifkind talk favourite books with presenter Harriett Gilbert.
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Fiona Kidman, children's non fiction and celebrating 30 years of the Lambda Literary Award
Sun 27 May 2018
Fiona Kidman discusses her new book, All Day at the Movies.
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Anthony Horowitz on his new James Bond novel
Sun 20 May 2018
Anthony Horowitz on his second James Bond adventure and a universal library in Seville
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Crime writer John Harvey on his new book Body and Soul
Sun 29 Apr 2018
John Harvey and favourite characters in fiction
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Carys Davies on her new novel, West and the work of Octavia Butler
Sun 22 Apr 2018
Carys Davies on her new book, West and unfaithful women in fiction.
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Jennifer Clement on her latest novel, the London Book fair and Tony Parsons on the book he'd never lend.
Sun 15 Apr 2018
Jennifer Clement and we discuss the increasing influence of book bloggers.
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Diana Evans, the fictional lives of painters and bringing books to life on stage
Sun 8 Apr 2018
Diana Evans discusses her new novel, Ordinary People and how to stage literary classics.
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A Good Read: Phill Jupitus and Robin Ince
Tue 27 Mar 2018
Comedians Phill Jupitus and Robin Ince talk to Harriett Gilbert about books they love.
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Uzodinma Iweala on his new book 'Speak No Evil'
Sun 25 Mar 2018
Crime writers Abir Mukherjee Val McDermid and Graeme Macrae Burnet on a tour of Kolkata.
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A Good Read: Bernardine Evaristo and Jolyon Rubinstein share favourite books with Harriett Gilbert
Tue 20 Mar 2018
Harriett Gilbert's guests are writer Bernardine Evaristo and comedian Jolyon Rubinstein.
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Joseph Knox and Stella Duffy on Ngaio Marsh
Sun 18 Mar 2018
Joseph Knox's new book The Smiling Man and the archives of Gabriel Garzia Marquz
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A Good Read: Nina Stibbe and Kit de Waal talk favourite books with Harriett Gilbert
Tue 13 Mar 2018
Writers Nina Stibbe and Kit de Waal share their recommendations for good reads
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James Wood, childhood reading and Mary Shelly's Frankenstein
Sun 11 Mar 2018
James Wood discusses his new book, Upstate and we discuss the joys of being a bookworm.
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A Good Read: Joanna Trollope and Sabrina Mahfouz
Tue 6 Mar 2018
Harriett Gilbert, Joanna Trollope and Sabrina Mahfouz talk about their favourite books.
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A Good Read: Diana Henry and Mark Miodownik on their favourite books
Tue 27 Feb 2018
Mark Miodownik and Diana Henry tell Harriett Gilbert about the books they love.
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Jessie Greengrass on her new novel, Sight and what the suffragettes read in prison
Sun 25 Feb 2018
Jessie Greengrass and Jeremy Gavron on creating a new novel from classic texts.
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A Good Read: Sathnam Sanghera and Hadley Freeman talk favourite books with Harriett Gilbert
Tue 20 Feb 2018
Sathnam Sanghera and Hadley Freeman talk favourite books with Harriett Gilbert
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Jane Harper on her new book Force of Nature
Sun 18 Feb 2018
Jane Harper discusses her latest book, Force of Nature and Penelope Lively on E Nesbit
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A Good Read: Steph McGovern and Jayde Adams on being publicly shamed, getting back into reading and the late Carrie Fisher.
Tue 13 Feb 2018
Broadcaster Steph McGovern and comedian Jayde Adams talk books with Harriett Gilbert.
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Julian Barnes and other literary love stories
Sun 11 Feb 2018
Julian Barnes on his new, The Only Story.
Books
Celebrating reading and the 100 novels that have shaped our world.
How many of these 100 Novels have you read?
After a passionate debate, our panel has come up with this surprising literary selection.
Opening Lines
John Yorke unpacks the themes behind the stories in Radio 4's weekend afternoon dramas.
Finding Your Story
Ten remarkable novels about identity: Which one will help you discover yourself?
