The TLS

The TLS Podcast

Society EN ↓ 665 episodes

A weekly podcast on books and culture brought to you by the writers and editors of the Times Literary Supplement. To read more, welcome to the TLS . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Author

The TLS

Category

Society

Podcast website

www.the-tls.co.uk

Latest episode

Jul 9, 2026

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Episodes

Economies of Scale 09.07.2026

This week, Scarlett Baron puzzles over an attempt to cut Joyce down to size; and Ian Sansom on the sobering realities of balancing the books if you want to be an artist. 'A Shorter Ulysses', by James Joyce and Anthony Burgess 'Making Art and Making a Living: Adventures in funding a creative life', by Mason Currey 'How to Enter the Art World: After a late start, a first career, illness, raising chi...

Beach bonanza! 02.07.2026

This week, Toby Lichtig joins us to mull over what TLS writers are reading this summer; and Hannah Lowe reads a new poem with a botanical theme. 'Jamaican Forget-Me-Not', by Hannah Lowe Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Toby Lichtig in conversation with Nigel Planer 25.06.2026

This week, we continue to enjoy festival season as we listen to Toby Lichtig's conversation with Nigel Planer live from the Hay Festival. Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Live From the Hay Festival: Toby talks to Colm Tóibín 18.06.2026

This week, we join Toby live from the Hay Festival where he talks to Colm Tóibín where they discuss exile and return, secrets and evasion, the avoidance of drama, and how (not) to end a story. Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Live From the European Writers' Festival with Toby Lichtig 11.06.2026

This week, we join Toby live from the European Writer's Festival where he spoke to novelists Beatriz Serrano and Sulaiman Addonia. Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Live From the Hay Festival 04.06.2026

This week, join us live from Hay Festival. Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May Highlights 31.05.2026

May has flown by — here's a listen back at some of the conversations we've had this month on The TLS Podcast. We hear from Merlin Holland on the afterlife of his grandfather Oscar Wilde, David Horspool on the luscious world of the lido, Samantha Ellis on Charlotte Brontë's relationship with material reality, and Dinah Birch finds solace in letters and diaries from the past. Produced by Charlotte P...

Antidotes to doomscrolling 28.05.2026

This week, Dinah Birch finds solace in letters and diaries from the past, whether they be joyous, heartbreaking or down-to-earth; John Talbot reads us his poem of a very specific corner of London.  A Literary Letter for Every Day of the Year, edited by Liz Ison   The Writer’s Room: The hidden worlds that shape the books we love by Katie da Cunha Lewin   Diaries of Note: 36...

Fabrications 21.05.2026

This week, David Streitfeld takes us to Earthsea and the wonderful imagination of Ursula K. Le Guin; and Samantha Ellis on Charlotte Brontë's relationship with material reality. 'The Word for World: The maps of Ursula K. Le Guin', edited by So Mayer and Sarah Shin 'Searoad: Chronicles of Klatsand', by Ursula K. Le Guin 'Ursula K. Le Guin's Book of Cats' 'So Far So Good: Final Poems: 2014-2018' 'A...

Exclusive: Ed Vulliamy in Full 17.05.2026

Here is our exclusive conversation with Ed Vulliamy in full as he gives us a look at the letters between his Great-Aunt Gladys and Ezra Pound. Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Signed, Sealed, Delivered 14.05.2026

This week, Ed Vulliamy gives us an exclusive look at the letters between his Great-Aunt Gladys and Ezra Pound; and David Horspool dips a toe into the luscious world of the lido. 'Lido Land: How Britain Learned to Make a Splash', by Tom Fort Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Looking at the Stars 07.05.2026

This week, Toby Lichtig on a constellation of new fiction; and Merlin Holland on the afterlife of his grandfather, Oscar Wilde. 'The Palm House', by Gwendoline Riley 'Devotions: Eight Stories', by Lucy Caldwell 'The Tribe', by Michael Arditti 'Lázár', by Nelio Biedermann, translated by Jamie Bulloch 'You Are the Führer's Unrequited Love', by Jean-Noël Orengo, translated by David Watson 'After Osca...

April Highlights 03.05.2026

April is behind us - here's a look back at some of the conversations we've had this month on The TLS Podcast. We hear from Fiona Stafford on encounters with remarkable trees, Emily Herring on why we should all slow down a little, Emma Smith on how Shakespeare scholarship wrestles with the gaps in what we know, and Sara Wheeler on the monumental task of becoming Jan Morris’s biographer. Produced by...

Strike! 30.04.2026

This week, Russell Williams on the French writers laying down their pens; and John-Paul Stonard hails a bravura production of Bertolt Brecht. The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, until May 30 Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the Road 23.04.2026

This week, Sara Wheeler reflects on monumental task of becoming Jan Morris's biographer; and Abigail Dembo reads us an intriguing new poem. 'Jan Morris: A Life', by Sara Wheeler 'He Wore His Leather Coat', by Abigail Dembo Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Grief Work 16.04.2026

Emma Smith on how Shakespeare scholarship grapples with gaps; and Muriel Zagha admires François Ozon's noir adaptation of Camus's classic novel 'Book Culture in Shakespeare's Stratford: The Quiney Connections', by Marlin E. Blaine, Lena Cowen Orlin, Robert Bearman and Alan H. Nelson 'L'étranger', various cinemas Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more...

March Highlights 12.04.2026

It's been quite a month on The TLS Podcast, here's a listen back at some of the conversations we've had in March. We hear from Christy Edwall on the joys of being a lifelong bookworm, Sarah Lonsdale on the remarkable Clemence Dane, Julian Evans on two books exploring the link between food and war in Ukraine, and we revisit our interview with the inspirational Michael Morpurgo. Produced by Charlott...

Cool Your Jets! 09.04.2026

This week, Emily Herring explains why we all need to take it a bit easier; and Ana Alicia Garza on the novelist whose ancestor inspired a Victorian classic. 'In Defence of Leisure: Experiments in living with Marion Milner', by Akshi Singh 'The Brain at Rest: Why doing nothing can change your life', by Joseph Jebelli Oliver Twist & Me: The true story of Dickens's best-loved novel', by Nicholas...

That Old Chestnut 02.04.2026

This week, John Banville considers the work of a formidable Irish writer; and Fiona Stafford on meetings with remarkable trees. 'An Arrow in Flight', by Mary Lavin, selected by Colm Tóibín 'The Genius of Trees: How trees mastered the elements and shaped the world', by Harriet Rix The Great Tree Story: How forests have shaped our world', by Levison Wood Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast....

Food fights 26.03.2026

This week, Julian Evans on two books exploring the link between food and war in Ukraine; and Lily Herd introduces this issue's In Brief reviews. 'Strong Roots: A Ukrainian family story, interrupted', by Olia Hercules 'Bread and War: A Ukrainian story of food, bravery and hope', by Felicity Spector In Brief: 'Postcards, translators and Esperanto pioneers', by Guilherme Fians, Bernhard Struck and Cl...

In Conversation with Michael Morpurgo 23.03.2026

Here is the interview with Michael Morpurgo in full. Produced by Charlotte Pardu Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From trains to treaties 19.03.2026

This week, an interview with the inspirational Michael Morpurgo; and David Horspool discusses the Second World War with Tim Bouverie, the winner of this year's Pol Roger Duff Cooper Prize. 'The Line to Legend Land', with an introduction by Michael Morpurgo 'Black Beauty: A retelling', by Michael Morpurgo 'Allies at war: The politics of defeating Hitler', by Tim Bouverie Produced by Charlotte Pardy...

Revolutionary Roads 12.03.2026

This week, the extraordinary stories of two pioneering women: Francesca Wade on Rhoda Power, and Sarah Lonsdale on Clemence Dane. 'In the Storm: Caught in the chaos of the Russian revolution 1917-18', by Rhoda Power 'Clemence Dane and Good Housekeeping: Modernity and common reading', by Stella Deen Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Full Interview with Francis Spufford 08.03.2026

Here is our full conversation with Francis Spufford, he joined us to talk about his new novel, Nonesuch. Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Escape Artists 05.03.2026

This week, Christy Edwall on the boon of being a bookworm; and Norma Clarke is impressed by a memoir of a childhood survived. 'Books: A manifesto, or, How to build a library', by Ian Patterson 'The gifts of reading for the next generation: Essays on nurturing a passion for reading', edited by Jennie Orchard 'Relearning to read: Adventures in not-knowing', by Ann Morgan 'Leaving Home: A memoir in f...

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