The TLS Podcast

This week, Devoney Looser on what we don't know about Jane Austen; and Peter Swaab introduces a previously unpublished story by the great Sylvia Townsend Warner.  'Jane Austen in 41 Objects', by Kathryn Sutherland 'Jane Austen’s Bookshelf: The women writers who shaped a legend', by Rebecca Romney Jane Austen and George Eliot: The lady and the radical', by Edward Whitley 'Wild for Au...

This week, Camille Ralphs confides the highs and lows of travelling by Greyhound bus; and Alev Adil boards a train to join current night owls and bygone tourists. 'Greyhound', by Joanna Pocock 'Moonlight Express: Around the World by Night Train', by Monisha Rajesh 'To the Sea by Train: The Golden Age of Railway Travel', by Andrew Martin Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/pr...

This week, Damian Flanagan explores the complex history of the Japanese masterpiece The Tale of Genji; and Miranda France on the eventful life and enduring work of Miguel de Cervantes. 'The Tale of Genji', by Murasaki Shikibu 'El Verano de Cervantes', by Antonio Muñoz Molina 'El Cautivo', directed by Alejandro Amenábar Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more inf...

This week, TLS contributors select their favourites from 2025; plus an interview with CD Rose, winner of this year’s Goldsmiths Prize. ‘We Live Here Now’, by CD Rose Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, how well does Alan Hollinghurst's novel The Line of Beauty translate to the stage? And Toby Lichtig interviews the newest winner of the Booker Prize, David Szalay. 'The Line of Beauty', by Jack Holden, based on the novel by Alan Hollinghurst, Almeida Theatre, London, until November 29 'Flesh', by David Szalay Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more in...

This week, Terri Apter reviews a quartet of books exploring the impact of parenthood on identity, particularly for women; and we revisit Helen Garner, as she wins the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction. 'Four Mothers: A year of motherhood around the world', by Abigail Leonard 'The Republic of Parenthood: On bringing up babies', by Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett 'Second Life: Having a child in the digit...

This week, Lily Herd introduces us to the concept of Fascist Yoga; and Mark Storey on America’s ghosts. ‘Sick Houses: Haunted Homes and the Architecture of Dread’, by Leila Taylor ‘Haunted States: An American Gothic Guidebook’, by Miranda Corcoran Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Margaret Drabble enjoys an enthralling biography of an adventure writer and his entourage; and Thea Lenarduzzi on the gothic mystery at the heart of her new book. 'Storyteller: The life of Robert Louis Stevenson', by Leo Damrosch 'The Tower', by Thea Lenarduzzi Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Mary Beard grapples with a noisy new version of Euripides at the National Theatre; and Norma Clarke on the mysterious world of Helen DeWitt's new novel. 'Bacchae', by Nima Taleghani, after Euripedes, Olivier Theatre, National Theatre, London, until November 1 'Your Name Here', by Helen DeWitt and Ilya Gridneff Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more i...

This week, Tim Lake explains why Bertie Wooster is not half the dimwit we think he is; and fiction editor Toby Lichtig introduces the novels to look out for this autumn. Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Nicola Shulman is entranced by the life of a naturalist; and Larry Wolff enjoys a night at the opera - with added superheroes. 'A year with Gilbert White: The first great nature writer', by Jenny Uglow 'The amazing adventures of Kavalier & Clay', by Mason Bates and Gene Scheer, based on the book by Michael Chabon, Metropolitan Opera, New York, until October 11 Produced by Charlotte...

This week, Richard Sennett delivers a powerful warning to universities to defend their freedom; and Helena Kelly on the revolutionary world that shaped Jane Austen. 'The Worlds of Jane Austen: The Influence and Inspiration Behind the Novels', by Helena Kelly Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, AE Stallings immerses herself in Daniel Mendelsohn's new translation of Homer's Odyssey; and Dinah Birch is intrigued by an ambitious novel twenty years in the making.  'The Odyssey', by Homer, translated by Daniel Mendelsohn  'The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny', by Kiran Desai Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, James Shapiro celebrates New York's love affair with Shakespeare; Mark Nayler goes on the hunt for monsters; and Lily Herd introduces this issue's In Brief pages.  'Monsterland: A journey around the world’s dark imagination', by Nicholas Jubber 'The Perilous Deep: A supernatural history of the Atlantic', by Karl Bell Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privac...

This week, Professor Jonathan Bate on a tiny Elizabethan portrait with an illuminating history; and novelist Gwendoline Riley assesses the mysterious life and work of Dame Muriel Spark. 'Electric Spark: The enigma of Muriel Spark', by Frances Wilson 'The Letters of Muriel Spark – Volume 1: 1944–1963', edited by Dan Gunn Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more in...

This week, the winner of this year's TLS Ackerley Prize, Jeff Young, discusses his spellbinding memoir; and Toby Lichtig talks to the Australian novelist Michelle de Kretser at this year's Hay Festival. 'Wild Twin', by Jeff Young 'Theory & Practice', by Michelle de Kretser Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, George Berridge instructs Lucy and Alex on the noble art of oenophilia; and Lucy takes in a trio of musicals. 'Who's Afraid of Romanée-Conti: A shortcut to drinking great wines', by Dan Keeling 'One Thousand Vines: A new way to understand wine', by Pascaline Peltier 'Good Night, Oscar', by Doug Wright, Barbican, until September 21 'Top Hat', by Irving Berlin, Chichester Festival Theatre...

Alex Clark celebrates the life and work of Edna O'Brien with filmmaker Sinéad O'Shea and novelists Eimear McBride and Jan Carson at this year's Belfast Book Festival. 'Blue Road: The Edna O'Brien Story', by Sinéad O'Shea Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, a special interview with farmer and writer James Rebanks about a life-changing stay on the Norwegian coast. 'The Place of Tides', by James Rebanks Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Emile Chabal braces himself against the barrelling force of the Mistral; and Kathryn Hughes is exhilarated by memories of dancing to Dickens in the carpark of the Horsham Odeon. 'The Mistral: A Windswept History of Modern France', by Catherine Tatiana Dunlop 'Showtime!', at the Charles Dickens Museum, until January 18, 2026 Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/priv...

This week, Norma Clarke explores the ancient arts of hedge-laying, thatching, hay-cutting and wood-turning; and highlights from this week's issue. 'Words from the Hedge: A hedgelayer’s view of the countryside', by Richard Negus 'Of Thorn and Briar: A year with the West Country hedgelayer', by Paul Lamb  'On the Roof: A thatcher’s journey', by Tom Allan 'Where Are the Fellows Who Cut the Hay?:...

This week, Alicia Rix charts Henry James's return to an unrecognisable homeland; and David Horspool on a Victorian conman and a contemporary swimmer. 'Henry James Comes Home: Rediscovering America in the Gilded Age', by Peter Brooks 'On Writers and Writing: Selected Essays', by Henry James, edited by Michael Gorra 'Swimmingly: Adventures in Water', by Vassos Alexander Produced by Charlotte Pardy H...

This week, Michael LaPointe celebrates a century of The Great Gatsby; and Miranda France on an epistolary novel by Natalia Ginzburg. 'The Cambridge Centennial Edition of  The Great Gatsby ', by F Scott Fitzgerald, edited by James LW West III, with an introduction by Sarah Churchwell 'The Annotated  Great Gatsby ', by F Scott Fitzgerald, edited by James LW West III, with an introduction b...

This week, Nicola Shulman is staggered by Sarah Vine's account of Westminster rivalry; and James Clackson on the irresistible rise of Indo-European. 'How not to be a political wife: A memoir', by Sarah Vine 'Proto: How one language went global', by Laura Spinney 'The Indo-Europeans rediscovered: How a scientific revolution is rewriting their story', by JP Mallory Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted...

... thinking about tomorrow. This week, Michael Caines on a musical inspired by a classic album; and Toby Lichtig talks to Mike Berners-Lee about the future of cliimate action at the Guernsey Literary Festival. 'Sterophonic', by David Adjmi, Duke of York’s Theatre, until October 11 'A Climate of Truth: Why We Need It and How to Get It', by Mike Berners-Lee Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Aca...