A Good Read

Comedian Natalie Haynes, Playwright David Greig and Harriett Gilbert discuss favourite books by Patricia Highsmith, David Foster Wallace and Zachary Mason. 'The Lost Books of the Odyssey' by Zachary Mason Publisher: Vintage 'A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again' by David Foster Wallace Publisher: Abacus 'Strangers on a Train', by Patricia Highsmith Publisher: Penguin First broadcast on BBC R...

Actress Samantha Bond and editor of The New Statesman, Jason Cowley join Harriett Gilbert to discuss their favourite novels by Donna Tartt, Joseph Conrad and Hamid Ismailov. The Secret History by Donna Tartt Publisher Penguin The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad Publisher Penguin The Dead Lake' by Hamid Ismailov translated by Andrew Bromfield Publisher Peirene First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in Februa...

Rebecca Root, the first trans actor to play a trans role in a mainstream BBC series, Boy Meets Girl, and The Long Firm author, Jake Arnott join Harriet Gilbert to discuss favourite books by Chris Ware, Damien Barr and Kurt Vonnegut. Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth by Chris Ware. Publisher: Jonathan Cape Maggie and Me by Damien Barr Publisher: Bloomsbury Mother Night by Kurt Vonnegut Publ...

Broadcaster Vanessa Feltz and music journalist, David Hepworth join Harriett Gilbert to discuss their favourite books by Hilary Mantel, Edith Wharton and Dodie Smith. A Tale of Two Families by Dodie Smith Publisher: Hesperus Press The Custom of the Country by Edith Wharton Publisher: Bantam Beyond Black by Hilary Mantel Publisher: Fourth Estate First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in February 2016.

Science writer and botanist,James Wong, TV's Dr Christian Jessen and Harriett Gilbert discuss their favourite books by Michael Crichton, Louis Begley and Amos Oz. Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton Publisher: Arrow Books Wartime Lies by Louis Begley Publisher: Penghuin The Same Sea by Amos Oz Translated Nicholas de Lange Publisher: Vintage Producer Sally Heaven First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in Dec...

Politician Shirley Williams and novelist Margaret Drabble join Harriett Gilbert to discuss their favourite books by Winifred Holtby, Mary McCarthy and James Joyce. The Group by Mary McCarthy Publisher: Virago South Riding by Winifred Holtby Publisher: Virago Dubliners by James Joyce Publisher: Penguin First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in November 2015.

Writer Tracy Chevalier, historian Niall Ferguson and Harriet Gilbert discuss favourite novels by Murial Spark, Robert Louis Stevenson and Irène Némirovsky. Driver's Seat by Muriel Spark Publisher: Penguin South Sea Tales by Robert Louis Stevenson Publisher: Oxford University Press Suite Française by Irène Némirovsky Publisher: Vintage Producer: Sally Heaven First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in Novemb...

Harriett Gilbert is joined by comic novelist Jonathan Coe and Radio 1 DJ Gemma Cairney to recommend favourite books. Jonathan's choice is the first part in a tragi-comic epic, 'The Complete Pratt',a semi-autobiographical novel by the late David Nobbs, creator of 'The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin'. It's called 'Second From Last in the Sack Race'. Gemma chooses a novel by Laura Dockrill, a vivid...

News presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy, crime writer Ann Cleeves and Harriet Gilbert discuss their favourite books by Alain-Fournier, George Orwell and Joanna Rakoff. The Lost Estate (Le Grande Meaulnes) by Alain-Fournier Publisher: Penguin The Road To Wigan Pier by George Orwell Publisher: Penguin My Salinger Year by Joanna Rakoff Publisher: Bloomsbury Producer: Sally Heaven First broadcast on BBC R...

Editor of The Spectator Fraser Nelson, Adam Mars-Jones and Harriett Gilbert discuss their favourite books by Vilhelm Moberg, Hugo Williams and Elmore Leonard. I Knew The Bride by Hugo Williams Publisher: Faber The Emigrants by Vilhelm Moberg Publisher: Borealis Books Rum Punch by Elmore Leonard Publisher: Phoenix Producer: Beth O'Dea First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in July 2015.

Author Philip Pullman, journalist Caroline Criado-Perez and Harriett Gilbert discuss their favourite books by Graham Greene, Tove Jansson and Alice Munro. Sculptor's Daughter: A Childhood Memoir by Tove Jansson Publisher: Sort of Books The Beggar Maid: Stories of Flo and Rose by Alice Munro Publisher: Vintage The Quiet American by Graham Greene. Publisher: Vintage First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in...

Actor David Morrissey and writer Julia Blackburn join Harriett Gilbert to discuss favourite books by John O'Hara, JD Salinger and Alexandra Fuller. Appointment in Samarra by John O'Hara, Publisher: Vintage For Esme with Love and Squalor by JD Salinger Publisher: Penguin Don't Lets Go To The Dogs Tonight by Alexandra Fuller Publisher: Picador Producer Mary Ward-Lowery. First broadcast on BBC Radio...

Green MP Caroline Lucas and columnist Rod Liddle join Harriett Gilbert to discuss favourite books by Barbara Kingsolver, David Peace and Alison Bechdel. Flight Behaviour by Barbara Kingsolver Publisher: Faber Red or Dead by David Peace Publisher: Faber Fun Home by Alison Bechdel Publisher: Jonathan Cape First broadcast in October 2015.

Actress Miriam Margolyes, writer Mark Haddon and Harriett Gilbert discuss their favourite books by Charles Dickens, Virginia Woolf and Truman Capote. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens Publisher: Penguin To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf Publisher: Penguin Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote Publisher: Penguin First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in July 2015.

Harriett Gilbert and her guests - journalist, Miranda Sawyer and singer, Tom Robinson - discuss their favourite books by Joan Didion, Alan Hollinghurst and Ben Aaronovitch. The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion Publisher: Fourth Estate Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch Publisher: Gallants The Swimming-Pool Library by Alan Hollinghurst Publisher: Vintage First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in Ju...

Harriett Gilbert and her guests - actress Helen Baxendale and writer Helen Cros - discuss favourite books by George Monbiot, Kirsten Thorup and Julia Blackburn. From 2015. The God of Chance by Kirsten Thorup Pub: Norvick Press The Three of Us by Julia Blackburn Pub: Vintage Feral: Rewilding the Land, Sea and Human Life by George Monbiot Pub: Penguin Producer Mary Ward-Lowery First broadcast on BBC...

Harriett Gilbert and her guests - crime writer, Ian Rankin and record producer, Joe Boyd - discuss their favourite books by Lesley Branch, Mohsin Hamid and Pascal Garnier. The Wilder Shores of Love by Lesley Blanch Publisher: Simon & Schuster How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia by Mohsin Hamid Publisher: Penguin The Islanders by Pascal Garnier Publisher: Gallic Books First broadcast on BBC R...

Harriett Gilbert and her guests - award-winning screenwriter, Abi Morgan and cultural historian, Christopher Frayling - discuss favourite books by Dave Eggers, Angela Carter and Kyril Bonfiglioli. The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter Publisher: Vintage A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers Publisher: Picador Don't Point that Thing at Me by Kyril Bonfiglioli Publisher: Penguin Fir...

Harriett Gilbert and her guests - actress, Claire Skinner and author, Louise Welsh - discuss their favourite books by Karl Ove Knausgaard, RL Stevenson and Dorothy L Sayers. A Death in the Family by Karl Ove Knausgaard Publisher: Vintage Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson Publisher: Penguin Classics Strong Poison by Dorothy L Sayers Publisher: Hodder First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in...

Harriett Gilbert and her guests - actress, Rebecca Front and poet and writer, Laura Dockrill - discuss their favourite books by Maria Semple, Jan Struther and Alice Munro. Mrs Miniver by Jan Struther Publisher: Virago Where'd You Go, Bernadette, by Maria Semple Publisher: Phoenix Runaway by Alice Munro Publisher: Vintage First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 2015.

Harriett Gilbert and her guests - presenter, Anita Rani and journalist, Katharine Whitehorn - discuss their favourite books by F Scott Fitzgerald, Terry Pratchett and Yiyun Li. The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald Publisher: Wordsworth Classics The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett Publisher: Random House The Vagrants by Yiyun Li Publisher: 4th Estate First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2015.

Harriett Gilbert and her guests - comedians, Josie Long and Romesh Ranganathan - discuss favourite books by Yann Martel, Clive James and Dan Hancox. The Village Against the World by Dan Hancox Publisher: Verso Life of Pi by Yann Martel Publisher: Cannongate Unreliable Memoirs by Clive James Publisher: Picador First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in February 2015.

The journalists John Sergeant and Helen Lewis, join Harriett Gilbert to discuss three favourite books. Jeeves and The Wedding Bells by Sebastian Faulks Publisher Arrow Books The Turkish Embassy Letters by Lady Mary Wortley Montagu Publisher Virago The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford Publisher Vintage Producer Beth O'Dea First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in February 2015.

Countdown dictionary buff Susie Dent and WI Chair Janice Langley share some good reads with Harriett Gilbert. Red Love - The Story of an East German Family by Maxim Leo, translated by Shaun Whiteside Publisher Pushkin Press A Walk Across the Sun by Corban Addison Publisher Quercus An Unsuitable Job for a Woman by P D James Publisher Faber Producer Sally Heaven First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in Feb...

Harriett Gilbert and her guests - comedian, Frankie Boyle and actress, Maureen Lipman - discuss their favourite books by Michael Blakemore, Barbara Trapido and Joseph Heller. Stage Blood by Michael Blakemore Publisher: Faber Something Happened by Joseph Heller Publisher: Vintage Brother of the More Famous Jack by Barbara Trapido Publisher: Bloomsbury First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in February 2015...