The TLS Podcast

In the second of our summer round-ups, we revisit Richard Smyth discussing the life and the work of the naturalist Ronald Blythe; and Lucasta Miller on an extraordinary collection of commonplace books. Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the first of our seasonal round-ups, we look back at Stephen Marche on the agonies of the writing life; and Nat Segnit dives into Adam Gopnik's survey of mastery. 'On writing and failure: Or, the peculiar perseverance required to endure the life of a writer', by Stephen Marche 'The real work: On the mystery of mastery', by Adam Gopnik Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/p...

This week, Kate Hext on women who have run or climbed their way through the world, despite efforts to stop them; and Alice Robb thinks about how - and why - we tell stories through dance. 'In Her Nature: How Women Break Boundaries in the Great Outdoors', by Rachel Hewitt Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, cycling commentator par excellence Ned Boulting on the Tour de France of a century ago; and Peter Parker delves into the many faces of the self-styled 'Master' playwright, Noel Coward. '1923: The Mystery of Lot 212 and a Tour de France Obsession', by Ned Boulting 'Masquerade: The Lives of Noel Coward', by Oliver Soden  Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/priv...

This week, AE Stallings, the new Oxford professor of poetry, on the lives of poets; and Ann Kennedy Smith considers the different faces of Cornwall. 'Sleeping on islands: A life in poetry', by Andrew Motion 'The American poet laureate: A history of US poetry and the state', by Amy Paeth 'The granite kingdom: A Cornish journey', by Tim Hannigan 'Treasures of Cornwall: A literary anthology', edited...

This week, Mary Beard is fascinated by an ancient graffito, and novelist Michael Hughes on the murder case that almost brought down the Irish government. A Don's Life:  https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/virgil-on-pots-and-walls-blog-post-mary-beard/ 'A Thread of Violence: A Story of Truth, Invention and Murder', by Mark O'Connell Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/pri...

Kathleen Taylor considers human personality under assault from advanced dementia. https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/alzheimer-dementia-sandeep-jauhar-dasha-kiper-susan-elkin-book-review-kathleen-taylor/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's bumper podcast, George Berridge assesses the legacy of Cormac McCarthy; Toby Lichtig on this summer's ideal reads; and an interview with American novelist Brandon Taylor. 'The Late Americans', by Brandon Taylor Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Owen Matthews on the triumph of the Kremlin propaganda machine https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/russia-ian-garner-jade-mcglynn-alexandar-mihailovic-alexander-etkind-book-review-owen-matthews/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, an exhibition of the Italian Renaissance painter Lavinia Fontana's work thrills Norma Clarke; and Kieran Setiya on Sarah Bakewell's bravura survey of the history of humanism. 'Lavinia Fontana: Trailblazer, rule breaker', at the National Gallery of Ireland until August 27, with accompanying book by Aoife Brady, Babette Bohn and Jonquil O'Reilly 'Humanly Possible: Seven hundred years of h...

Peter Thonemann on a civilization that questions its first principles. https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/the-west-naoise-mac-sweeney-book-review-peter-thonemann/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Lucy and Alex head to Hay, and find guest stars Eleanor Catton and Sarah Raven. Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Edward Chancellor considers why central bankers have lost the plot with inflation. https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/we-need-to-talk-about-inflation-stephen-d-king-book-review-edward-chancellor/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Norma Clarke unpicks the complicated business of family legacy in Polly Toynbee’s memoir; and Nicholas Clee immerses himself in Paul Murray’s multi-generational saga of Irish small-town life. 'An Uneasy Inheritance: My Family and Other Radicals’ by Polly Toynbee ’The Bee Sting’ by Paul Murray Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joe Moran explores the weird world of fandom. https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/fans-michael-bond-book-review-joe-moran/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, TLS contributors on what art and literature mean in a time of crisis; and we take a trip to the melancholy, beautiful, faded English seaside. ‘The Seaside: England’s Love Affair’, by Madeleine Bunting Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Kate Simpson introduces us to the precarious and vital world of the gastropods; and James McConnachie plunges into the teeming waters of the St George’s Channel. ‘A World in a Shell: Snail Stories for a Time of Extinctions’ by Thom van Dooren ’The Turning Tide: A Biography of the Irish Sea’ by Jon Gower Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informat...

Abigail Green considers a panoramic account of the continent-wide outbreak of revolutions in 1848. https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/revolutionary-spring-christopher-clark-book-review-abigail-green/   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Ben Hutchinson takes us to Paris to survey the invention of type; and Joe Moran on giving your creativity a workout. ‘Imprimer! L’Europe de Gutenberg’, Bibliothèque nationale de France, until July 16 'Imprimer! L’Europe de Gutenberg 1450-1520’, edited by Nathalie Coilly and Caroline Vrand ‘The Imagination Muscle: Where good ideas come from (and how to have more of them)’, by Albert Read...

Tyler Cowen on the advantages of gradual reform over long-term thinking. https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/the-long-view-richard-fisher-the-lost-future-jan-zielonka-gradual-greg-berman-aubrey-fox-book-review-tyler-cowen/   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Lucy and Alex discover how James Shapiro created his landmark work on a formative year in Shakespeare’s life; and Miranda France on her spellbinding study of memoir and creative writing. ‘1599: A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare’, by James Shapiro ‘The Writing School’, by Miranda France Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Throsby on the ruthlessness of the consulting industry. https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/consulting-mckinsey-mariana-mazzucato-rosie-collington-walt-bogdanich-michael-forsythe-book-review-david-throsby/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Laurie Maguire is in the audience for the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Maggie O’Farrell’s Hamnet; and Lucy and Alex catch up with novelist Curtis Sittenfeld on her whistle-stop visit to the UK. ‘Hamnet’, an RSC production, from the novel by Maggie O’Farrell ‘Romantic Comedy’, by Curtis Sittenfeld Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more in...

Tristram Hunt revisits the monuments controversy.  https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/monumental-lies-robert-bevan-everyday-like-of-memorials-andrew-shanken-on-the-street-edwin-heathcote-book-review-tristram-hunt/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Historian Emily Baughan on two books chronicling the immense impact of the NHS and the welfare state on the lives of Britons; and a new film explores Patricia Highsmith’s hinterland. ’The Welfare State generation: Women, agency and class in Britain since 1945’, by Eve Worth ‘Poster, protests and prescriptions: Cultural histories of the National Health Service in Britain’, edited by Jennifer Crane...