Simon Mayo's Books of the Year

The Arsonist tells the real-life story behind one of Australia’s darkest days and the deadliest bushfire disaster in Australia’s history, Black Saturday. On the scorching February day in 2009 that became known as Black Saturday, a man lit two fires in Victoria’s Latrobe Valley, then sat on the roof of his house to watch the inferno. In the valley, where the rates of crime were the highest in the s...

Two hugely successful authors have a crack at our book Q&A Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michelle Paver is an international bestselling author with over 3 million copies of her books sold in 37 countries across the globe. She writes for both adults and children and her work includes two of the most critically and commercially acclaimed ghost stories of modern times, Dark Matter and Thin Air and the prize-winning, million copy selling, children’s series, Chronicles of Ancient Darkness....

Science writer Prof Lewis Dartnell tells Simon and Matt about his favourite books and writers. And how long you could survive in a supermarket after The Apocalypse. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The best selling author of Origins: How The Earth Made Us - the story of the human species as shaped by the environment. Prof Lewis Dartnell is a research scientist, presenter and author based in London. He has published four books including The Knowledge - which was a Sunday Times Book of the Year and international bestseller. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Broadcaster and journalist Anita Anand picks her favourite books and authors - including Roald Dahl, Gitta Sereny, Emily Eden and Fern Riddell. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anita Anand tells the remarkable story of one Indian's twenty-year quest for revenge, taking him around the world in search of those he held responsible for the Amritsar massacre of 1919, which cost the lives of hundreds.    The Patient Assassin shines a devastating light on one of the Raj's most horrific events, but reads like a taut thriller, and reveals some astonishing new insights into what r...

Find out the reading habits of thriller writer (and Guardian journalist) Jonathan Freedland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jonathan Freedland is a Guardian journalist who has written 7 thrillers under the name Sam Bourne. To Kill the Truth springs from one question. What if, in this era of post-truth, someone tried to destroy all evidence of the past – starting with the records and documents by which we know what is true and what is false? Thanks to galloping technology – which now makes fake ‘archive footage’ possibl...

The author of "Last Train To Hilversum - A Journey In Search Of The Magic of Radio" talks us through his favourite books and authors Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Charlie Connelly is a bestselling author and award-winning broadcaster. His many books include Attention All Shipping: A Journey Round The Shipping Forecast, In Search of Elvis: A Journey To Find The Man Beneath The Jumpsuit and Our Man In Hibernia: Ireland, The Irish And Me. Three of his books have featured as Radio 4′s Book of the Week. His book Gilbert: The Last Years of WG Grace was shortliste...

The author of one of the most anticipated thrillers of 2019 - The Silent Patient Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Listen to author Alex Michaelides talk about his favourite books and authors. His debut novel THE SILENT PATIENT has been sold to over 30 countries and the film rights have been optioned by the makers of 12 Years A Slave Alex studied English literature at Cambridge University and got his MA in screenwriting at the American Film Institute in Los Angeles. He wrote the film The Devil You Know (2013)...

The Atlas of Happiness author tells Simon about her favourite authors, which include Kate Atkinson, Jill Murphy, David Niven, Naomi Alderman, Siri Hustvedt and Bill Bryson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Atlas of Happiness is a round-the-world trip through 33 international happiness concepts, from the bestselling author of The Year of Living Danishly, Helen Russell. Feeling terrified of that upcoming job interview? Take inspiration from the Icelanders and get some fietta reddast, the unwavering belief that everything will work out in the end. Lost your way in life? Make like the Chinese and fin...

Legendary journalist John Simpson tells us about his favourite books and authors Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sir Michael Parkinson talks us through his favourite books Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comedian Robin Ince tackles our book Q&A. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A very thoughtful chat with Robin about his latest book - I'm A Joke And So Are You - A Comedian's Take On What Makes Us Human. Covering brains, death and the voices inside your head. Yes, your head. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An undiagnosed broken back, turning up to Woodstock in a VW Beetle, and 6 of the best on his bare arse. The legendary frontman of The Who tells all about his autobiography Thanks A Lot Mr Kibblewhite Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A taster from our next pod...about life on tour with The Who - and news of the new Keith Moon film Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sir Parky pops in to chat about his friend, the flawed footballing genius George Best- the focus of his new memoir. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

John Simpson has been the BBC's World Affairs Editor for more than half his fifty-two year career. The legendary journalist tells us about his new novel Moscow, Midnight. MP Patrick Macready has been found dead in his flat. The coroner rules it an accident, a sex game gone wrong. Jon Swift is from the old stock of journos - cynical, cantankerous and overweight - and something about his friend's de...

Find out the writing and reading habits of this week's authors. Cressida is the multi million selling creator of How To Train Your Dragon. And Edward has compiled a book of maps which chart the rise of exploration. They talk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cressida Cowell is the multi million selling creator, author and illustrator of How To Train Your Dragon. Her latest book is the second in the Wizards Of Once series. Edward Brooke-Hitching is the author of the critically acclaimed books The Phantom Atlas and Fox Tossing, Octopus Wrestling and Other Forgotten Sports . The son of Franklin Brooke-Hitching, collector of the largest and most comprehen...