Book Shambles

This week Robin is joined by the author, journalist and activist Joan Smith, alongside guest co-host Bec Hill. They focus on Joan's new acclaimed book Home Grown: How Domestic Violence Turns Men Into Terrorists as well as touch on some of her previous work of both fiction and non fiction. Due to the subject nature of her most recent book please be aware this episode contains open discussion about...

In the first Book Shambles of 2020, Robin is joined by his Science Shambles co-host Helen Czerski to chat with comedian and author Russell Kane. They chat about Russell's new book Son of a Silverback, the reactions to it from other alpha-man silverbacks and children thereof, as well as Evelyn Waugh, personalising comedy, emotional equality, Michael Rosen and much more. Support the podcast at patre...

It's our annual books of the year edition of Book Shambles recorded with various guests back stage at the Compendium and Nine Lessons shows. In this year's edition Robin chats to Josie Long, Michael Legge, Pete Etchells, Claudia Hammond, Gecko, Chris Lintott, Chris Hadfield, Jo Neary, Suzi Gage, Lucie Green, Ben Moor, Tim Peake, Lucy Rogers, Peter Buckley Hill, Melinda Burton and Trent Burton. Sup...

It’s Christmas Eve, so that means ghost stories surely? Robin is joined, for a Book Shambles Extra, by Johnny Mains. Book Shambles listeners may best know Jonny as the co-editor of Dead Funny and Dead Funny Encore, but he’s also a horror historian and author. They chat about his lost collections of old ghost stories written by women, including the new anthology, Remember the Dead at Christmas, Joh...

Our comics experts, Nathaniel Metcalfe and Tom Oldham joined Robin for an update on what'd good in comics and offer some excellent Christmas gift ideas. They chat about new work from Lala Albert, Vic Pratt, Daniel Clowes, Martin Scorese's take on Marvel movies and also try to work out why people didn't like mother! when it's clearly an excellent film. Support the podcast at patreon.com/bookshamble...

Angela Saini's Superior: The Return of Race Science has featured in a lot of Books of the Year lists of late so we thought it high time we had Angela on the show to chat about it, and her other work. She chats with Robin about what she discovered in researching for the book, books that inspired her growing up and the advantages of having an engineer for a father. Support the podcast at patreon.com...

Professor Jon Butterworth is a regular at many of our live shows and he's also written two top selling popular science books about physics, his latest, A Map of the Invisible, has recently come out in paperback. So he dropped by the studio to chat about it with Josie and Robin as well as climate change, where science meets politics, reading more fiction and Josie's update on Dark Matter. Support t...

Author Scarlett Thomas joins Robin and a returning Josie this week to chat about her new book Oligarchy. They look at the inspiration provided by boarding schools, the work of Elizabeth Taylor (not that one), Muriel Spark and Angela Carter. Also Robin and Josie both have a bit of a cold. Support the podcast at patreon.com/bookshambles to get extended editions of each and every episode.

Author John Higgs is in the studio this week with Robin and Bec to talk about all things William Blake, which makes sense being that John has just written a new essay on him for the Tate Exhibition and as a major new book coming out next year about Blake. They also talk about AI, climate and the future, the subject of John's latest book The Future Starts Here as well as Elizabeth Taylor, Matt Haig...

Robin is joined by author Lisa Blower this week to talk about her latest book, It's All Gone Dark Over Bill's Mother's. They chat about highlighting different voices in fiction, caravan holidays, Kit De Waal and the beauty of a novella. Support the podcast at patreon.com/bookshambles to get extended editions of each and every episode. 10 bonus minutes await pledgers this week.

Best selling science fiction author Peter F. Hamilton joins Robin and Bec in studio this week to talk about what goes into creating massive 'space opera' worlds like that of his latest book Salvation Lost. They talk about science fiction influences, which sci-fi books got turned into movies that were actually good and why Robin's local library wouldn't allow him to order a book by Eric Idle... Sup...

In a Halloween special, comedian and author John Robertson joins Book Shambles this week to talk of his novel, The Little Town of Marrowville with Robin and Bec. Then they talk about the spooky tales of childhood books from horror anthologies to Paul Jennings and the most unsettling things in fiction... Who's that woman standing by the window? The one without any eyes... Support the podcast at pat...

Lemn is back for part two after a shortened first (that was actually his second) visit to Book Shambles. Robin and Lemn, with Natalie Haynes a super sub for Josie Long, carry on their conversation about 'My Name is Why' and how it has connected with readers in the wider world. All mixed in with tales of Lenny Henry, Julian Barnes and Welsh Miners Workers Libraries. Support the podcast at patreon.c...

Lemn Sissay returns to Book Shambles to chat about his bestseller 'My Name is Why' to chat with Robin and Josie. This is part one of Lemn's return because there was a travel issue, which means this episode is shorter than normal, but we've recorded a full episode with Lemn, with Robin and Natalie Haynes because the following week, Josie was away, and that'll be out next week... In the meantime enj...

Author Dan Richards' new book Outpost is all about journeying into the wilderness and finding the edges of civilisation. But Robin and Dan got very sidetracked and didn't talk about that. So go get a copy of Dan's book after you've listened to a conversation about Wind in the Willows, miscast fictional detectives, Winnie the Pooh audiobooks and Keith Moon's interactions with grandmothers... Suppor...

Robin, and returning guest co-host Natalie Haynes, are joined by astronomer and astronomy writer Colin Stuart to talk about his new book Rebel Star. They chat about what we know about the sun, and how we know it, the dangers of space weather and why Natalie has issues with both Ray Bradbury and Christopher Nolan... Support the show at patreon.com/bookshambles to hear extended episodes.

Our first ever guest on Book Shambles was Stewart Lee, and with his new book, March of the Lemmings, just released he's back in the studio this week with Robin to chat about it. Given the new book is about Brexit, there's a lot of chat about Brexit, finding the comedy in, but also talk of Steve Jones, William Blake, Marvel comics and what Robin and Stew need to do to make sure they remain members...

This week it's all about the classics as Robin is joined by two classicists, Natalie Haynes and Charlotte Higgins. They chat about the best translations of The Odyssey, how much filth the monks permitted, why the classics are frowned upon as 'too high brow' and good entry points for getting into these great Greek tales. Also, spoiler alert, this episode contains spoilers for a number of works writ...

Our guest this week was meant to be Lemn Sissay but a mix up with timings meant Robin and Josie found themselves alone in the studio for 40 minutes or so. So what better way to fill the time than catch up with what they've been reading since they last saw each other a couple of months ago! Jean Rhys, Alistair Humphreys, Shirley Jackson, Roger Deakin and more! Support the podcast by pledging at htt...

Renowned physicist and broadcaster Prof Jim Al-Khalili has just written his first work of fiction, the sci-fi novel Sunfall. So he joins Robin and Bec in studio to talk about what that experience was like, making sure the science is right in fiction, favourite sci-fi authors and much more. Extended edition available, as always, to Patreon supporters. Become one at https://patreon.com/bookshambles

This week one of the most recognisable voices in British radio, Mark Radcliffe, joins Robin and Bec to talk about his new book Crossroads: In Search of the Moments That Changed Music. They chat about the book, why The Beatles aren't the perfect band, why Jimi Hendrix was the perfect guitarist and how Black Sabbath might've invented heavy metal after a machining accident. Also Bec recounts her brie...

On this episode of Book Shambles Robin Ince and Bec Hill are joined by former winner of the Royal Society Book Prize for science books, Gaia Vince. They chat about her award winning book, Adventures in the Anthropocene, the state of the climate, hope for the future of humanity and urinating in the wild... Get extended episodes and support the podcast by pledging at https://patreon.com/bookshambles

Robin is once again joined by guest co-host Bec Hill and their special guest this week is Wellcome Book Prize winner Will Eaves. They chat about Will's award winning novel Murmur plus Alan Turing, Montaigne, Andy Stanton and the role of mirrors in fiction... Support the podcast and everything at the CSN by pledging as little as a dollar a month at patreon.com/bookshambles Robin's tour dates at rob...

On this week's episode Robin and guest co-host Bec Hill are joined by comedian, novelist and 'Grumpy Old Woman' Jenny Eclair to chat about her new novel Inheritance. They chat about Jenny's lack of a plan when she starts writing, being a pioneering 'woman in stand up', John Niven and cling film... Support the show on Patreon to get extended episodes each and every week. Go to https://patreon.com/b...

It's a Book Shambles - Griefcast crossover this week as Cariad Lloyd joins Robin and (eventually) guest co-host Bec Hill in the studio. They chat about the best books that deal with grief, Jane Austen and the allure of a Penguin classic. A bumper 20 extra minutes awaits Patreon supporters this week. Become one at http://patreon.com/bookshambles