The Booker Prize Podcast
Listen for lively conversations and fascinating insights from the Booker Prizes. We revisit winning novels from years past, speak to authors and experts from the literary world and peer behind the curtain of the International Booker Prize and Booker Prize.
Fri, May 24, 2024
International Booker Prize 2024 Winner Special
Earlier this week, author Jenny Erpenbeck and translator Michael Hofmann were announced as the winners of the International Booker Prize 2024, for the novel, Kairos. Jenny and Michael join Jo and James to talk about whether their win has truly sunk in yet and what might be next, and administrator of the International Booker Prize, Fiammetta Rocco also joins to give some insight into how the prize works. It's our last episode of this season of The Booker Prize Podcast so make sure you don't miss this one – but all our previous episodes will continue to be available so you can listen whenever you want. Find out more about Kairos: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/kairos A full transcript of the episode is available at our website. Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit http://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @thebookerprizes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Thu, May 16, 2024
The International Booker Prize 2024 Shortlist (Part 2)
With under a week until the International Booker Prize 2024 ceremony, we're back with the second part of our deep dive into this year's six shortlist books. Listen in to hear what Jo and James think of the remaining three books on the list, common themes that run across the shortlisted reads and which book they want to see win the award. In this episode Jo and James discuss: Brief biographies of each author, and short summaries of each book Their thoughts on the three books books discussed in this episode The common themes running through these books Which book they think might win Reading list: Mater 2-10 by Hwang Sok-yong, translated by Sora Kim-Russell and Youngjae Josephine Bae: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/mater-2-10 Crooked Plow by Itamar Vieira Junior, translated by Johnny Lorenz: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/crooked-plow Not a River by Selva Almada, translated by Annie McDermott: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/not-a-river A full transcript of the episode is available at our website. Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit http://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @thebookerprizes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Thu, May 02, 2024
The International Booker Prize 2024 Shortlist (Part 1)
We're three weeks away from the International Booker Prize 2024 award ceremony, so we thought it was high time to take a deep dive into this year's six shortlist books. In the first of two parts, we're exploring three of the books on this week's podcast episode. Listen in to hear what Jo and James make of them, common themes that run across the shortlisted reads and how the International Booker can expand one's world through literature. In this episode Jo and James discuss: Their initial thoughts on the 2024 shortlist as a whole The common themes running through these books Brief biographies of each author, and short summaries of each book Their thoughts on the three books books discussed in this episode Reading list: The Details by Ia Genberg, translated by Kira Josefsson: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/the-details Kairos by Jenny Erpenbeck, translated by Michael Hofmann: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/kairos What I'd Rather Not Think About by Jente Posthuma, translated by Sarah Timmer Harvey: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/what-id-rather-not-think-about A full transcript of the episode is available at our website. Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit http://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @thebookerprizes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Thu, April 11, 2024
Washington Black by Esi Edugyan: April's Monthly Spotlight
Esi Edugyan’s thrilling novel follows the astonishing adventures of its titular character, Washington Black, whose escape from the brutal cane plantations of Barbados was only the beginning. Shortlisted for the 2018 Booker Prize and set to be released as a glitzy television adaptation starring Sterling K Brown and co-produced by Edugyan later this year, what better excuse to dive into the novel? In this episode Jo and James: Introduce our April Monthly Spotlight pick Share a brief biography of Esi Edugyan and her work to date Summarise the novel Discuss the plot and their thoughts Suggest the kind of reader who will love the book Reading list: The Second Life of Samuel Tyne by Esi Edugyan Half Blood Blues by Esi Edugyan: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/half-blood-blues Washington Black by Esi Edugyan: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/washington-black Daughters of Africa, edited by Margaret Busby The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/the-amber-spyglass Any Human Heart by William Boyd: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/any-human-heart This Other Eden by Paul Harding: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/this-other-eden A full transcript of the episode is available at our website. Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit http://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @thebookerprizes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Thu, March 28, 2024
Empire of the Sun or Hotel du Lac: The Booker vs the Bookies
In 1984, many assumed that J.G. Ballard's Empire of the Sun had the Booker Prize in the bag. But actually, it was Anita Brookner's Hotel du Lac that clinched the prize in the end. This week, we're exploring the bookies' favourite vs the Booker winner to ask which book should have won: Brookner's short, quiet novel set in a genteel Swiss hotel or Ballard's long and action-packed autobiographical epic set in wartime Shanghai. In this episode Jo and James: Discuss the Booker Prize 1984 shortlist Share a brief biography of Anita Brookner Summarise the plot of Anita Brookner's Hotel du Lac Explore the characters in Brookner's novel Share a brief biography of J.G. Ballard Summarise the plot of Empire of the Sun Who should read these books Discuss their thoughts on both novels and which they think should have won the Booker Prize 1984 Reading list: Empire of the Sun by J.G. Ballard: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/empire-of-the-sun Hotel du Lac by Anita Brookner: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/hotel-du-lac Small World by David Lodge: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/small-world Flaubert's Parrot by Julian Barnes: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/flauberts-parrot In Custody by Anita Desai: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/in-custody According to Mark by Penelope Lively: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/according-to-mark A full transcript of the episode is available at our website: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/features/the-booker-prize-podcast-episode-37-empire-of-the-sun-or-hotel-du-lac Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit http://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @thebookerprizes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Tue, March 12, 2024
Announcing the International Booker Prize 2024 longlist
It's a big week in the literary calendar (if we do say so, ourselves), as we've just announced this year's International Booker Prize longlist. To mark the occasion, James is joined by Fiammetta Rocco, the administrator of the International Booker Prize, and Eleanor Wachtel, chair of the 2024 judging panel. Listen in as they discuss the prize, this year's longlisted books and why translated fiction matters. Conversation topics in this episode: Fiammetta shares how the International Booker Prize began, and how it works in tandem with the Booker Prize The importance of translators The surging popularity of translated fiction, especially amongst younger readers What it's like to be a judge for the International Booker Prize Common themes in contemporary literature across the world The 2024 longlist Reading list: Not a River by Selva Almada, translated by Annie McDermott: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/not-a-river Simpatía by Rodrigo Blanco Calderón, translated by Noel Hernández González and Daniel Hahn: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/simpatia Kairos by Jenny Erpenbeck, translated by Michael Hofmann: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/kairos The Details by Ia Genberg, translated by Kira Josefsson: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/the-details White Nights by Urszula Honek, translated by Kate Webster: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/white-nights Mater 2-10 by Hwang Sok-yong, translated by Sora Kim-Russell and Youngjae Josephine Bae: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/mater-2-10 A Dictator Calls by Ismail Kadare, translated by John Hodgson: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/a-dictator-calls The Silver Bone by Andrey Kurkov, translated by Boris Dralyuk: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/the-silver-bone What I'd Rather Not Think About by Jente Posthuma, translated by Sarah Timmer Harvey: https://thebookerpri
Thu, February 29, 2024
The Booker at the Oscars: The Remains of the Day
It’s the third and final installment in our mini-series where we revisit Booker Prize novels whose cinematic adaptations were nominated at the Academy Awards. In this episode, we’re taking a closer look at The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro, which won the 1989 Booker Prize. Ishiguro’s moving portrait of the perfect English butler was adapted four years later by James Ivory, in a film which received eight nominations at the Oscars. Tune in to hear Jo and James discuss the novel – which also happens to be our March Monthly Spotlight – and its silver screen counterpart. In this episode Jo and James: Share a brief biography of Kazuo Ishiguro Summarise the plot of the book, and share their thoughts on it Explore the character of Stevens and the idea of dignity which he based his life on Discuss the narrative devices Ishiguro uses throughout the novel Delve into James Ivory’s adaptation, and the differences between book and film Reading list: The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/the-remains-of-the-day An Artist of the Floating World by Kazuo Ishiguro: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/an-artist-of-the-floating-world A full transcript of the episode is available at our website. Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit http://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @thebookerprizes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Thu, February 22, 2024
The Booker at the Oscars: The English Patient
Welcome back to the second of our Booker at the Oscars mini-series where we explore Booker Prize novels whose silver screen adaptations went on to experience Academy Award success. This time we're revisiting The English Patient, the joint Booker Prize 1992 winner by Michael Ondaatje (the other winner was Barry Unsworth's Sacred Hunger) and its silver screen counterpart, directed by Anthony Minghella. In this episode Jo and James: Share a brief biography of Michael Ondaatje Summarise the plot of the book, and discuss their thoughts on it Explore the four main characters we meet in the novel Delve into Anthony Minghella's film adaptation and the differences between book and film Reading list: The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/the-english-patient Sacred Hunger by Barry Unsworth: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/sacred-hunger Black Dogs by Ian McEwan: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/black-dogs Butcher Boy by Patrick McCabe: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/the-butcher-boy Warlight by Michael Ondaatje: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/warlight Anil's Ghost by Michael Ondaatje The Histories by Herodotus In the Skin of a Lion by Michael Ondaatje A full transcript of the episode is available at our website. Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit http://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @thebookerprizes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Thu, February 15, 2024
What makes a classic novel? Plus six Booker Prize classics
When does a book transcend from contemporary literature to a classic? Does someone have to confirm its classic status? And can all Booker Prize novels be considered classics just by being part of the Booker canon? This, and more, is what Jo and James are trying to get to the heart of in this week's episode. Listen in as they discuss what makes a classic novel and chat about which Booker books should be known as classics. In this episode Jo and James: Consider what makes a classic Each pick three novels from the Booker Library that are – or should be – considered classics Discuss the plots of their chosen novels and why they are deserving of classic status Reading list: Something to Answer For by P.H. Newby: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/something-to-answer-for A Month in the Country by J.L. Carr: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/a-month-in-the-country How Late It Was, How Late by James Kelman: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/how-late-it-was-how-late St. Urbain's Horseman by Mordecai Richler: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/st-urbains-horseman Atonement by Ian McEwan: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/atonement The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/the-remains-of-the-day The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/the-handmaids-tale Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/shuggie-bain Schindler's Ark by Thomas Keneally: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/schindlers-ark The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/the-english-patient Autobiography by Morrisey The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie: <a href="https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booke
Thu, February 08, 2024
The Booker at the Oscars: Schindler's Ark vs Schindler's List
It's Oscars season so we're off to the movies. Welcome to the first in a new mini-series where we explore Booker Prize novels whose silver screen adaptations went on to experience Oscar glory. We're starting with Schindler's Ark, the Booker Prize 1982 winner, which also happens to be the first Booker-winning novel to become a film that won a Best Picture Oscar. Listen in as we dive into the book and its film counterpart. In this episode Jo and James: Share a brief biography of Thomas Keneally Revisit the origin story of Schindler's Ark Consider whether “non-fiction novels” are really novels Summarise the plot of the book, and discuss their thoughts on it Explore the character of Oskar Schindler Delve into Steven Spielberg's adaptation, Schindler's List, and the differences between book and film Reading list: Schindler's Ark by Thomas Keneally The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro Empire of the Sun by J.G. Ballard Hotel du Lac by Anita Brookner Erasure by Percival Everett The Trees by Percival Everett The Place at Whitton by Thomas Keneally The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith by Thomas Keneally Gossip from the Forest by Thomas Keneally Confederates by Thomas Keneally An Ice-Cream War by William Boyd The Daughters of Mars by Thomas Keneally A full transcript of the episode is available at our website. Take a look at all of the TV and film adaptations of Booker Prize novels here . And to watch the full interview with Thomas Keneally, head to our YouTube channel here . Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit http://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @thebookerprizes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Thu, February 01, 2024
Why Sally Rooney's Normal People is more than just a love story
Sally Rooney is one of the best-loved writers of her generation and her second novel, Normal People, has been overwhelmingly popular across the world – first in book form and then its TV adaptation. Nominated for the Booker Prize 2018, Normal People follows Marianne and Connell as they come of age and figure out their place in the world. It's a love story that has touched readers everywhere but it's also a novel that has something to say about class and politics, in particular. So tune in to this episode to hear Jo and James discuss our February Monthly Spotlight pick. In this episode Jo and James: Consider how the book became so popular Whether the haters have a leg to stand on Share a brief biography of Sally Rooney Summarise the plot of Normal People Discuss the themes explored in the novel Reading list: Normal People by Sally Rooney Conversations With Friends by Sally Rooney Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney A full transcript of the episode is available at our website. Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit http://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @thebookerprizes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Thu, January 25, 2024
Why you should read Shuggie Bain (If you haven't already)
A happy Burns Night to one and all. In honour of this day of celebration for ol' Rabbie Burns, and by extension all Scottish literature, we're taking a dive into one of the most popular Booker Prize winners: Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart. The novel, Stuart's debut, presents a blistering and heartbreaking exploration of the unsinkable love that only children can have for their damaged parents. In this episode Jo and James: Share a brief biography of Douglas Stuart Summarise the plot of Shuggie Bain Discuss their thoughts on the novel Delve into the characters, particularly Shuggie and his mother, Agnes Consider the idea of the divided self in Scottish literature Reading list: Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart Loitering With Intent by Muriel Spark His Bloody Project by Graeme Macrae Burnet A full transcript of the episode is available at our website. Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit http://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @thebookerprizes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Thu, January 18, 2024
Three short Booker books you can read in a weekend
It's winter in the northern hemisphere right now and we are simply filled with the urge to hibernate. If you're feeling the same vibe and want to stay in with a good book, allow us to recommend three short books that could keep you company through a weekend. Listen in this week to hear Jo and James discuss some of the most bijou of novels from the Booker Prize and International Booker Prize archive. Reading list: Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan Offshore by Penelope Fitzgerald Boulder by Eva Baltasar, translated by Julia Sanches A full transcript of the episode is available at our website . Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit http://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @thebookerprizes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Thu, January 11, 2024
Possession by A.S. Byatt: January's Monthly Spotlight
A.S. Byatt's Possession is a blockbuster of a novel, loved by both critics and readers. If you haven't already read it, you've probably heard of it. (And if you haven't heard of it, well, we're here to fill you in.) Possession won the 1990 Booker Prize and it's a romp of a novel that's part detective thriller and part romance. It also happens to be the subject of our first Monthly Spotlight of 2024 – formerly known as Book of the Month – so tune in as we delve into the book and the life of its author. In this episode Jo and James: Share a brief biography of A.S. Byatt Explore Byatt's literary rivalry with her writer sister, Margaret Drabble Summarise the plot of Possession Hear a clip of Byatt reading from the book at the 1990 Booker Prize ceremony Discuss their thoughts on the novel Reading list: Possession by A.S. Byatt: https://thebookerprizes.com/archive/books/possession An Awfully Big Adventure by Beryl Bainbridge: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/an-awfully-big-adventure The Gate of Angels by Penelope Fitzgerald: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/the-gate-of-angels Lies of Silence by Brian Moore: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/lies-of-silence Amongst Women by John McGahern: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/amongst-women Solomon Gursky Was Here by Mordecai Richler: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/solomon-gursky-was-here The Virgin in the Garden by A.S. Byatt The Djinn in the Nightingale's Eye by A.S. Byatt The Biographer's Tale The Children's Book by A.S. Byatt: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/the-childrens-book A full transcript of the episode is available at our website: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/features/the-booker-prize-podcast-episode-28-possession-by-a
Thu, January 04, 2024
Books to look out for in 2024
WARNING: this episode contains some adult language. We’re back after our festive hiatus – and how better to start the year than with a rundown of some of the most-anticipated reads of 2024. This week, Jo and James are joined by journalist and TLS podcast host Alex Clark, so listen in as they discuss the books, by Booker Prize authors and beyond, that we should all keep an eye out for this year. 2024 reading list: Long Island by Colm Tóibín The Women Behind the Door by Roddy Doyle James by Percival Everett Choice by Neel Mukherjee What Will Survive of Us by Howard Jacobson Parade by Rachel Cusk The Spoiled Heart by Sunjeev Sahota The Heart in Winter by Kevin Barry The Underground Sea by John Berger The Summer We Crossed Europe in the Rain by Kazuo Ishiguro Knife by Salman Rushdie My Heavenly Favourite by Lucas Rijneveld, translated by Michele Hutchison The Road to the Country by Chigozie Obioma Parasol Against the Axe by Helen Oyeyemi Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner Mr Geography by Tim Parks Fourteen Days: A Collaborative Novel Day by Michael Cunningham Enlightenment by Sarah Perry Godwin by Joseph O'Neill Caledonian Road by Andrew O'Hagan Other books mentioned: Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín The Woman Who Walked into Doors by Roddy Doyle Paula Spencer by Roddy Doyle The Committments by Roddy Doyle The Snapper by Roddy Doyle The Van by Roddy Doyle Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha by Roddy Doyle Two Pints by Roddy Doyle The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain The Sellout by Paul Beatty The Trees by Percival Everett Erasure by Percival Everett Suder by Percival Everett The Lives of Others by Neel Mukherjee Who's Sorry Now? by Howard Jacobson Kalooki Nights by Howard Jacobson J by Howard Jacobson The Finkler Question by Howard Jacobson Live a Little by Howard Jacobson Mother's Boy by Howard Jacobson The Dog's Last Walk: (and Other Pieces) by Howard Jacobson The Outline trilogy by Rachel Cusk Into the Fold by Rachel Cusk Second Place by Rachel Cusk Self-Portrait by Celia Paul The Year of the Runaways by Sunjeev Sahota China Room by Sunjeev Sahota City of Bohane by Kevin Barry Beatlebone by Kevin Barry Night Boat to Tangier by Kevin Barry The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie The Discomfort of Evening by Lucas Rijneveld, translated by Michele Hutchison The Hours by Michael Cunningham The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry Virginia Woolf's Nose by Hermione Lee Mayflies by Andrew O'Hagan A
Thu, December 14, 2023
An interview with Time Shelter's Georgi Gospodinov and Angela Rodel
In our last episode of the year (time flies!), we catch up with International Booker Prize 2023 winners Georgi Gospodinov and Angela Rodel. The winning novel, Time Shelter, follows an enigmatic therapist who runs a ‘clinic for the past’ that offers a promising treatment for Alzheimer’s sufferers. It was the first book from Bulgaria to win the International Booker – and, in fact, to be shortlisted – and its win has been received with much excitement in Gospodinov's home country and beyond. This week, we catch up with author and translator to find out how the award has changed their lives and what they've been up to since their win. In this episode Jo and James speak to Georgi and Angela about: The book, its plot and its themes What the night of their International Booker Prize win was like How their lives have changed since winning the prize What it means for translators to receive recognition alongside the writers they work with The importance of music in their work The unique working relationship between writers and translators Why Bulgarian literature deserves more recognition and which books to look out for A full transcript of the episode is available at our website. Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit http://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @thebookerprizes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Thu, December 07, 2023
December Book of the Month: Any Human Heart by William Boyd
Sara Cox, host of BBC Two's TV book club, Between the Covers, joins Jo and James to discuss our December Book of the Month: Any Human Heart by William Boyd. Told through the journals of Logan Mountstuart, it's an engrossing – and often funny – novel that takes in many of the defining events of the 20th century and the people who shaped them. The Booker Prize 2002-longlisted book was recently discussed on Between the Covers, so tune in to our podcast as Sara, James and Jo talk about William Boyd's beloved novel, as well as Sara's own reading habits and inspirations. In this episode Jo, James and Sara talk about: The idea behind television book club Between the Covers The variety of books guests have been bringing to this series of Between the Covers The novels that got Sara into reading at a young age Sara's favourite Booker Prize books How Sara balances reading and her own writing – and whether what she's reading influences her work What the book clubbers on Between the Covers thought of Any Human Heart A brief summary of Any Human Heart and a discussion about its plot Who they'd recommend the book to Reading List: Any Human Heart by William Boyd: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/any-human-heart Life of Pi by Yann Martel: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/life-of-pi The Way We Live Now by Anthony Trollope War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy Pessimism is for Lightweights by Salena Godden Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. by Judy Blume Catherine Cookson novels Jilly Cooper novels Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha by Roddy Doyle: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/paddy-clarke-ha-ha-ha John Boyne novels Margaret O'Farrell novels Redhead by the Side of the Road by Anne Tyler: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/redhead-by-the-side-of-the-road A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/a-spool-of-blue-thread A full transcript of the episode is available at our website . Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit <a href="http://theb
Thu, November 30, 2023
Behind the scenes at the Booker Prize 2023 ceremony
Step behind the velvet rope and let Jo and James take you on a VIP tour of the Booker Prize 2023 award ceremony. Listen in as they speak to some of this year's shortlisted authors and judges, as well as other guests at the ceremony and hear, first-hand, how the shortlisted authors felt in the run up to the announcement, how the judges enjoyed being part of the jury and what it feels like to be a guest at one of the most exciting events in the booklover's calendar. In this episode Jo and James speak to: Paul Lynch, 2023 Booker Prize winner Paul Murray, 2023 Booker Prize shortlistee Robert Webb, 2023 Booker Prize judge Adjoa Andoh, 2023 Booker Prize judge Graeme Macrae Burnet, 2016 Booker Prize longlistee Frederick Studemann, literary editor of the Financial Times A full transcript of the episode is available at our website . Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit http://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @thebookerprizes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Bonus · Mon, November 27, 2023
Bonus Episode: Live Reaction to the Booker Prize 2023 Winner
Hot off the press, we're bringing you The Booker Prize Podcast's reaction to the Booker Prize 2023 winner. Recorded at the Booker Prize award ceremony on 26 November, Jo and James share their thoughts on the winning book and hear directly from winner Paul Lynch and Esi Edugyan, chair of judges and previous Booker Prize nominee. That's not all for this week though, as we'll be back with a special episode in our usual Thursday slot. A full transcript of the episode is available at our website . Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit http://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @thebookerprizes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Thu, November 23, 2023
Shehan Karunatilaka's Booker Prize Year
We're only three days away from finding out who will take home the Booker Prize 2023 so who better to speak to than last year's winner? Sri Lankan writer Shehan Karunatilaka won the prize for his searing satire The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida in 2022, and the 13 months since his win has been a whirlwind of activity. This week, Shehan joins us on the podcast to tell us all about the past year and what the 2023 winner can expect on the night of the award ceremony and beyond. In this episode Jo and James speak to Shehan about: What it's like to be at the Booker Prize award ceremony – and how it felt to be announced as the 2022 winner The strangeness of winning the Booker Prize amidst economic crisis and civil unrest in Sri Lanka The impossibility of making an acceptance speech in one minute Why he paints his fingernails black How he spent his prize money The whirlwind that has been the 13 months since he won the Booker Prize His daily writing and reading routine Books and authors mentioned: The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka Agatha Christie Salman Rushdie Raymond Chandler John le Carré Armistead Maupin A full transcript of the episode is available at our website . Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit http://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @thebookerprizes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Thu, November 16, 2023
November Book of the Month: The Black Prince by Iris Murdoch
Iris Murdoch was a prolific writer, completing 26 novels and several philosophy books in her lifetime. She still holds the record for most Booker Prize shortlistings (a joint record with Margaret Atwood) and the Booker Prize trophy has recently been renamed the 'Iris' in her honour. This month, we've picked The Black Prince, which was shortlisted for the Booker in 1973, as our Book of the Month. It's a part-thriller, part-love story that follows Bradley Pearson – an elderly writer with a ‘block’. Adding and contributing to his torment are a host of predatory friends and relations: his melancholic sister, his ex-wife and her delinquent brother, and a younger, deplorably successful writer, Arnold Baffin. In this episode Jo and James share: Their thoughts on Iris Murdoch's novels Why Murdoch was an exceptionally funny writer, as well as a gifted one A brief biography of Murdoch A summary of The Black Prince What they thought about The Black Prince Who should read The Black Prince Reading list: The Black Prince by Iris Murdoch: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/the-black-prince The Sea, The Sea by Iris Murdoch: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/the-sea-the-sea Under the Net by Iris Murdoch A Severed Head by Iris Murdoch The Bloater by Rosemary Tonks A full transcript of the episode is available at our website . Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit http://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @thebookerprizes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Thu, November 09, 2023
The Booker Prize 2023 Shortlisted Authors Live at Cheltenham Literature Festival
This week we're bringing you a special episode recorded live at Cheltenham Literature Festival in October. Tune in as James is joined by all six Booker Prize 2023 shortlisted authors and we get to hear all about their books, the varied inspirations behind them and why and how they write. Reading list: If I Survive You by Jonathan Escoffery This Other Eden by Paul Harding Study for Obedience by Sarah Bernstein Chetna Maroo's Western Lane Paul Lynch's Prophet Song Paul Murray's The Bee Sting A full transcript of the episode is available at our website . Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit http://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @thebookerprizes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Thu, November 02, 2023
Exploring the Booker Prize 2023 Shortlist + Winner Predictions (Part 2)
As we hurtle towards the Booker Prize 2023 announcement later this month, we're continuing our deep dive into this year's shortlist. This week, in the second of two parts, Jo and James take a closer look at the remaining three books. Listen in to hear what they make of them and which book they think will take home the prize this year. In this episode Jo and James discuss: Chetna Maroo's Western Lane Paul Lynch's Prophet Song Paul Murray's The Bee Sting Their winner predictions for this year's Booker Prize Reading list: Western Lane by Chetna Maroo Prophet Song by Paul Lynch The Bee Sting by Paul Murray A full transcript of the episode is available at our website . Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit http://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @thebookerprizes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Thu, October 26, 2023
Exploring the Booker Prize 2023 Shortlist (Part 1)
We're a month away from finding out which title will take home the 2023 Booker Prize so what better time to take a deep dive into this year's final six? This week, in the first of two parts, we're exploring half of the books. Listen in to hear what Jo and James make of them, whether virtuousness is a desirable quality in these novels and what the shortlist says about the state of fiction today. In this episode Jo and James discuss: Their overview of the 2023 shortlist, and what it says about the state of fiction today How these books would behave if they were guests in your house The common themes that run through these novels Jonathan Escoffery's If I Survive You Paul Harding's This Other Eden Sarah Bernstein's Study for Obedience Reading list: If I Survive You by Jonathan Escoffery This Other Eden by Paul Harding Study for Obedience by Sarah Bernstein A full transcript of the episode is available at our website . Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit http://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @thebookerprizes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Thu, October 19, 2023
A Halloween Special: Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung
Spooky season is upon us. While the Booker Prizes' archive might not be filled to the rafters with tales of horror, Bora Chung's Cursed Bunny is certainly ghostly and horrifying – a perfect read for this time of year. Shortlisted for the International Booker Prize in 2022, Cursed Bunny, translated from Korean to English by Anton Hur, presents a collection of fantastically surreal stories that address the very real horrors of capitalism and the patriarchy. In this episode Jo and James talk about: Their own Halloween traditions Bora Chung and her background in writing The unexpected way the book found its way to western readers The stories in this collection, and which are their favourites Their theories on themes throughout the book and what the author is trying to say Whether these tales of terror are going to keep them up at night Reading list: Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung, translated by Anton Hur Tomb of Sand by Geetanjali Shree, translated by Daisy Rockwell The Vegetarian by Han Kang, translated by Deborah Smith Hags by Victoria Smith Further viewing: Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, directed by Park Chan-wook Old Boy, directed by Park Chan-wook Lady Vengeance, directed by Park Chan-wook Parasite, directed by Bong Joon-ho Memories of Murder, directed by Bong Joon-ho A full transcript of the episode is available at our website . Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit http://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @thebookerprizes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Thu, October 12, 2023
An Interview with 2017 Booker Prize Winner George Saunders
George Saunders is best known as a writer of short stories. In fact, he's often considered to one of the greatest living short story writers in the world. In 2017, however, he took home the Booker Prize for his first (and so far only) novel – the startlingly original Lincoln in the Bardo. The book follows Willie Lincoln, son of Abraham Lincoln, as he succumbs to illness and ends up in the bardo, a limbo-like state between the living and the dead. This week, George Saunders joins James and Jo to tell us all about how winning the Booker Prize changed his life, his writing, and what makes a great writer. In this episode Jo and James speak to George about: What it was like to win the Booker Prize, and how winning affected his work Why George decided to turn his hand to penning a novel – and whether he'll ever write another The differences between novel writing and short story writing How to write about historical figures without being trite His popular Substack, Story Club with George Saunders , which explores the art of writing (and analysing writing) Liberation Day, his latest collection of short stories Why channelling one's charm is an important aspect of great writing Reading list: Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders 4321 by Paul Auster Autumn by Ali Smith Exit West by Mohsin Hamid Elmet by Fiona Mozley History of Wolves by Emily Fridlund Further reading: George Saunders, The Art of Fiction by Benjamin Nugent for The Paris Review My Writing Education: A Timeline by George Saunders for The New Yorker A full transcript of the episode is available at our website . Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit http://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @thebookerprizes. Learn more about your ad choice
Thu, October 05, 2023
Our October Book of the Month: The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa
Yoko Ogawa's The Memory Police, translated by Stephen Snyder, is a haunting and provocative fable about the power of memory and the trauma of loss, which was shortlisted for the International Booker Prize in 2020. On an unnamed island, things are disappearing and most of the island's residents are forgetting all about them. It starts small with hats and ribbons but it soon escalates. When a novelist discovers that her editor – who, for some reason, doesn't forget – is in danger from the draconian Memory Police, she concocts a plan to save him. Join us as we explore our latest Book of the Month. In this episode Jo and James: Share a brief author biography Summarise the novel's plot Consider whether the book is about totalitarian regimes or fascist politics, as many of the book's reviewers suggested, or whether it's about something altogether more mysterious Discuss how translations may affect our reading of the book, in quite significant ways Wonder whether forgetting is really that bad Suggest who should read the book Reading list: The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa, translated by Stephen Snyder Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro Diary of a Void by Emi Yagi Further reading: A profile of Yoko Ogawa in The New York Times A full transcript of the episode is available at our website . Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit http://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @thebookerprizes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Thu, September 28, 2023
The Sea or Arthur & George: The Booker vs the Bookies
Last week we crowned the best Booker shortlist ever and this week, we're going even deeper into that list. In 2005, the odds were on Julian Barnes to win the Booker Prize with Arthur & George but the judges chose The Sea by John Banville. Arthur & George traces the intersecting lives of an obscure solicitor and the world-famous creator of Sherlock Holmes, while The Sea follows a man attempting to escape a recent loss while confronting a past trauma. So, we're taking a closer look at both books and asking: who was right – the Booker judges or the bookies? In this episode Jo and James: Give plot summaries of Arthur & George and The Sea Share a short biography of Julian Barnes and John Banville Discuss the merits of each novel Consider whether the bookies' favourite should have won the Booker Prize in 2005 Reading list: The Sea by John Banville Arthur & George by Julian Barnes On Beauty by Zadie Smith The Accidental by Ali Smith A Long Long Way by Sebastian Barry Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro Shalimar the Clown by Salman Rushdie In the Fold by Rachel Cusk A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian by Marina Lewycka Beyond Black by Hilary Mantel Saturday by Ian McEwan Further resources: How do you place a winning bet on the Booker Prize? via The Atlantic A full transcript of the episode is available at our website . Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit http://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Faceb
Fri, September 22, 2023
A Booker Prize 2023 Shortlist Reaction + The Best Shortlist Ever
Following the Booker Prize 2023 shortlist announcement, Jo and James share a hot off the press reaction to this year's six finalists before heading onto the topic at hand: which year saw the best ever Booker Prize shortlist? To help Jo and James along the way, they're joined by Bob Jackson – a man who has read every single book ever shortlisted for the award. That's over 300 books, spanning from the Booker's inception in 1969 up to the present day. So, listen in and find out which shortlist gets crowned as the best one ever. In this episode Jo and James: Ask Bob to reveal his favourite (and least favourite) books from the Booker archive Hear how Bob approached his quest to reading every Booker-shortlisted book Discuss their contenders for which year's shortlist is best Argue it out until just one shortlist is crowned the winner Reading list: Study for Obedience by Sarah Bernstein If I Survive You by Jonathan Escoffery This Other Eden by Paul Harding Prophet Song by Paul Lynch Western Lane by Chetna Maroo The Bee Sting by Paul Murray The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan How late it was, how late by James Kelman A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara The Bone People by Keri Hulme The Good Terrorist by Doris Lessing Last Letters from Hav by Jan Morris The Good Apprentice by Iris Murdoch The Battle of Pollocks Crossing by J.L. Carr Illywhacker by Peter Carey</
Thu, September 14, 2023
Our September Book of the Month: His Bloody Project by Graeme Macrae Burnet
His Bloody Project tells the story of a fictional 19th-century triple murder in a remote crofting community, through the memoir of the accused and documents such as court transcripts, medical reports, police statements and newspaper articles. The book was shortlisted for the 2016 Booker Prize – and while Paul Beatty's The Sellout took home the award that year, His Bloody Project remained the bestseller of the bunch until the winner was announced. This week, its author Graeme Macrae Burnet joins us in the studio to tell us about the inspirations behind His Bloody Project, what it was like to be nominated for the prize again with Case Study in 2022 and what we can expect from him next. In this episode Jo and James speak to Graeme about: The plot of His Bloody Project and the real-life inspiration behind it How the Booker Prize transformed his writing career The power of ambiguity and allowing readers to make up their own minds Why thinking about readers' reactions while writing can undermine the authenticity of a story Why he doesn't plan his novels, so the process of writing remains somewhat of a mystery His lifelong fascination with the idea of madness and how views of mental health have changed over the centuries What we can expect from him next Reading list: His Bloody Project by Graeme Macrae Burnet The Sellout by Paul Beatty Hot Milk by Deborah Levy Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh All That Man Is by David Szalay Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien I, Pierre Riviére, Having Slaughtered My Mother, My Sister, and My Brother edited by Michel Foucault Madness and Civilization by Michel Foucault Case Study by Graeme Macrae Burnet A full transcript of the episode is available at our website . Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit http://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @thebookerprizes. Lear
Thu, September 07, 2023
Back to School with Ian McEwan's Atonement
🚨 An advance warning that this episode features spoilers for Atonement. September is here, which means it's the start of another academic year. So get out your brand new stationery and settle down as we head back to school... no polyester uniforms or exams though, don't worry. This week, we're taking a look at Booker-nominated books that feature on school syllabuses in the UK and, particularly, we're diving into Ian McEwan's Atonement. Shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 2001, the novel explores how a young girl’s imagination runs riot with far-reaching and devastating consequences. In this episode Jo and James discuss: Their favourite Booker-nominated books that feature on school syllabuses A brief history of Ian McEwan's writing career The plot of Atonement The characters and themes of the novel How Joe Wright's film adaptation of Atonement compares to the books The Booker Clinic: books to help quell homesickness Reading list: Atonement by Ian McEwan Amsterdam by Ian McEwan Joseph Andrews by Henry Fielding A Handful of Dust by Evelyn Waugh A Month in the Country by J. L. Carr The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood Saturday by Ian McEwan Spies by Michael Frayn Brick Lane by Monica Ali Waterland by Graham Swift Love and Summer by William Trevor Pigeon English by Stephen Kelman Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro True History of the Kelly Gang by Peter Carey Oxygen by Andrew Miller number9dream by David Mitchell <a hr
Thu, August 31, 2023
Why you should read The Elected Member by Bernice Rubens
In 1970, when the Booker Prize was still in its infancy (its second year running, in fact), the prize was awarded to Bernice Rubens. Rubens was the first woman to win the award and is still the only Welsh person to ever win the prize. 2023 marks the centenary of Rubens' birth so, this week, we're taking a closer look at The Elected Member – a piercing novel that explores what happens to a respectable, close-knit Jewish family when their prodigious son becomes a middle-aged drug addict. In this episode Jo and James: Ponder the weight of being the eldest child Share a brief biography of Bernice Rubens Give a slightly spoiler-y summary of The Elected Member Discuss whether parental expectation can turn from encouragement to abuse Consider how love can be damaging Wonder why Bernice Rubens has fallen off the radar Decide who should read The Elected Member Reading list: The Elected Member by Bernice Rubens Bruno's Dream by Iris Murdoch Mrs Eckdorf in O'Neill's Hotel by William Trevor Eva Trout by Elizabeth Bowen The French Lieutenant's Woman by John Fowles When I Grow Up by Bernice Rubens The Old Devils by Kingsley Amis In Transit by Brigid Brophy The Fire-Dwellers by Margaret Laurence The Hungry Grass by Richard Power Loitering with Intent by Muriel Spark A full transcript of the episode is available at our website . Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit http://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @thebookerprizes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Thu, August 24, 2023
The Sellout: The first American novel to win the Booker Prize
In 2014, the Booker Prize broadened its submission rules to allow books from any nationality, as long as they were written in English and published in the UK. This change in eligibility led to worries around whether American novels would dominate the award's nominations, but it wasn't until 2016 when Paul Beatty scooped the prize with The Sellout that the prize went to an author from the States. The Sellout is a biting satire on race relations told through its protagonist, who is on trial for trying to reinstate slavery and segregation – and this week on the podcast, we're revisiting the story. In this episode Jo and James: Consider what the inclusion of American authors and novels has meant for the Booker Prize Share a brief biography of Paul Beatty Give a slightly spoiler-y summary of The Sellout Discuss whether the novel is an on-point laugh-a-minute satire or a relentlessly nihilistic trudge Try to get to the bottom of what Paul Beatty is trying to say through this novel Chat about whether the question of who something is for can really be answered authentically Suggest who should read The Sellout Reading list: The White Boy Shuffle Tuff Hokum: An Anthology of African-American Humor Slumberland The Sellout Further resources: Paul Beatty's 2016 Booker Prize acceptance speech Dear Britain, please take your Booker Prize back home by Ron Charles for The Washington Post A full transcript of the episode is available at our website . Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit http://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @thebookerprizes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Thu, August 17, 2023
An Interview with 2015 Booker Prize Winner Marlon James
Cast your minds back to the heady days of 2015... It's early autumn and Hanya Yanagihara's A Little Life is hotly-tipped to scoop the Booker Prize but the judges award that year's prize to A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James – an epic novel inspired by the true story of an attempted assassination attempt on Bob Marley. This week, Marlon James joins Jo and James on the podcast to tell us how winning the Booker Prize changed his life, his writing, and what he's working on next. In this episode Jo and James speak to Marlon about: Why Marlon didn't think he was going to win the Booker Prize How he spent his prize money The reception A Brief History of Seven Killings received in Marlon's home country, Jamaica, versus further afield Get Millie Black, the new original HBO / Channel 4 crime drama he's working on TikTok and why reading is not the same as identifying as a reader How he loves writing but hates coming up with ideas for new work The new novel he's writing Reading list: A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James Satin Island by Tom McCarthy The Fishermen by Chigozie Obioma The Year of the Runaways by Sunjeev Sahota A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara Further resources: Marlon and Jake Read Dead People A 10th anniversary edition of A Brief History of Seven Killings will be published, with a new introduction, in June 2024. A full transcript of the episode is available at our website . Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit http://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @thebookerprizes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Wed, August 09, 2023
Our August Book of the Month: Loitering with Intent by Muriel Spark
Muriel Spark was a prolific poet and novelist who was nominated for the Booker Prize three times over the course of her writing career. In 1981, Spark's Loitering with Intent was shortlisted for the prize alongside that year's eventual winner Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie. The novel is a wonderfully gossipy and entertaining literary joyride which sees a would-be novelist takes inspiration from her life only to find the tables are mysteriously turned – and it's our August Book of the Month. In this episode Jo and James: Continue getting to know each other by chatting about the life event James would start his memoir with and Jo's favourite albums of all time Share a brief biography of Muriel Spark Give a slightly spoiler-y account of what happens in Loitering with Intent Discuss how much of Muriel Spark's writing may be influenced or based on her own life Consider why Muriel Spark is not as widely read now as she once was Who should read Loitering with Intent Reading list: Loitering with Intent by Muriel Spark The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark The Driver's Seat by Muriel Spark The Public Image by Muriel Spark The Ballad of Peckham Rye by Muriel Spark Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie The Comfort of Strangers by Ian McEwan A full transcript of the episode is available at our website . Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit http://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @thebookerprizes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Thu, August 03, 2023
The Booker Prize 2023: Longlist Reaction
This week, we're joined by Frederick Studemann, literary editor of the FT, to bring you a Booker Prize longlist reaction hot off the press. Listen in as Fred, James and Jo share their opinions of this year's longlist as a whole, and give you a flavour of each of the 13 books that make up this year's Booker Dozen: it's speed dating meets the Booker Prize. Books discussed in this episode: A Spell of Good Things by Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀ Old God's Time by Sebastian Barry Study for Obedience by Sarah Bernstein If I Survive You by Jonathan Escoffery How to Build a Boat by Elaine Feeney This Other Eden by Paul Harding Pearl by Siân Hughes All the Little Bird-Hearts by Viktoria Lloyd-Barlow Prophet Song by Paul Lynch In Ascension by Martin MacInnes Western Lane by Chetna Maroo The Bee Sting by Paul Murray The House of Doors by Tan Twan Eng A full transcript of the episode is available at our website . Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit http://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @thebookerprizes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Thu, July 27, 2023
The Strange Case of Vernon God Little
What exactly is “a Booker book”? Some might jump to a specific kind of high-minded, serious fiction, while others argue for a broader definition inclusive of more mainstream titles. Over the years, the pendulum has swung between the two and in 2003, DBC Pierre's debut, Vernon God Little, was awarded the prize. In this episode, we take a closer look at the novel and why it was an unexpected winner. In this episode, Jo and James talk about: Their childhood reading inspirations A brief – and slightly spoiler-y – summary of Vernon God Little The reaction to its 2003 Man Booker Prize win The author behind the novel, DBC Pierre Whether Vernon God Little stands up to reading 20 years after its release Books to read after reading Vernon God Little Books and authors discussed in this episode: Matilda by Roald Dahl Rudyard Kipling Charles Dickens Vladimir Nabokov Virginia Woolf The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry The ‘His Dark Materials’ trilogy by Philip Pullman The Moomins books by Tove Jansson Hotel du Lac by Anita Brookner Notes on a Scandal by Zoë Heller Brick Lane by Monica Ali Schopenhauer's Telescope by Gerard Donovan Life of Pi by Yann Martel Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood True History of the Kelly Gang by Peter Carey The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon In Cold Blood by Truman Capote Us by David Nicholls The Patrick Melrose novels by Edward St. Aubyn Burnt Sugar by Avni Doshi Philip Larkin A full transcript of the episode is available at our website . If you've got a problem
Thu, July 20, 2023
Summer Special: The Booker Prizes Does Love Island
The sun is shining, the sea is glistening and we're heading off to Booker Island – our very own version of Love Island. This week we're pairing up fictional characters from novels in the Booker archive, so tune in to find out who's coupled up, who's getting mugged off and who's getting dumped in our quest to find the ultimate literary romantic couple. Books discussed in this episode: Notes on a Scandal by Zoë Heller The Sea, The Sea by Iris Murdoch Exit West by Mohsin Hamid Atonement by Ian McEwan The Sellout by Paul Beatty On Beauty by Zadie Smith Us by David Nicholls Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro Any Human Heart by William Boyd G by John Berger Mother's Milk by Edward St Aubyn Normal People by Sally Rooney A full transcript of the episode is available on our website . Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit http://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @thebookerprizes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Thu, July 13, 2023
Why The Amber Spyglass is the only children’s book nominated for The Booker Prize
Philip Pullman’s The Amber Spyglass is the third and concluding volume of the epic His Dark Materials trilogy – and might just be the only children’s book ever nominated for The Booker Prize. The story follows the journey of Lyra – a young girl destined to bring about unfathomable change in her world and beyond. It was longlisted for The Booker Prize in 2001, alongside Ian McEwan’s Atonement, David Mitchell’s number9dream and that year’s winner, Peter Carey’s True History of the Kelly Gang. In this episode, Jo and James talk about: The animal forms their daemons would take A brief – and slightly spoiler-y – summary of what happens in The Amber Spyglass, as well as the previous books in the trilogy Whether The Amber Spyglass is really a children's book The literature that has inspired His Dark Materials Whether more children's books should be in contention for The Booker Prize The Booker Clinic: Books to rediscover the joys of reading Books discussed in this episode: Paradise Lost by John Milton Songs of Innocence and Experience by William Blake The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis The Iliad and The Odyssey by Homer Swann's Way by Marcel Proust A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket The books of Agatha Christie The Silver Sword by Ian Serraillier Stardust by Neil Gaiman The books of Raymond Chandler Four Bare Legs in a Bed by Helen Simpson The Patrick Melrose novels by Edward St. Aubyn A full transcript of the episode is available on our website here . If you've got a problem you'd like some literary help with, email us at contactus@bookerprizefoundation.org using the subject line “The Booker Clinic”. Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit http://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @thebookerprizes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Thu, July 06, 2023
Introducing July's Book of the Month: The Vegetarian by Han Kang
Warning: this episode contains references to suicide. The Vegetarian, an International Booker Prize winner and the first of Han Kang's books to be translated into English, explores shame, desire and our faltering attempts to understand each other. In 2016, the International Booker Prize moved from a bi-annual award recognising an author's body of work to a prize that celebrated an individual book translated into English, giving its author and translator equal billing – The Vegetarian was the first novel to win the revamped prize, and this month we're revisiting the story to explore it more deeply. In this episode Jo and James chat about: Jo and James' best and worst ever meals, spurred on by the omnipresence of food throughout The Vegetarian A slightly spoiler-y account of what happens in the novel and whether it's about Korean society and the pressures faced by women living under the patriarchy... even though the author has stressed that this isn’t the case Whether Yeong-hye, the book's protagonist, is “mad” or not The nuances of translating fiction, including the controversy that riled people up to such an extent that it was dubbed “Han Kang-gate” Who should read The Vegetarian The Booker Clinic: a segment where we recommend books in response to listeners' dilemmas. This week: books to ease your guilt if you're conducting an illicit affair Books discussed in this episode: The Vegetarian by Han Kang The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman Fingersmith by Sarah Waters The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy The Stranger by Albert Camus The Maples Stories by John Updike Heartburn by Nora Ephron Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert Further resources: ‘Raw and Cooked’ by Tim Parks for The New York Review ‘Lost in (mis)translation? English take on Korean novel has critics up in arms’ by Claire Armitstead for The Guardian ‘How the bestseller “The Vegetarian,” translated from Han Kang’s original, caused an uproar in South Korea’ by Charse Yun for the LA Times ‘What We Talk About When We Talk About Translation’ by Deborah Smith for Los Angeles Review of Books <
Thu, July 06, 2023
The Best Booker Books of All Time (Maybe)
In our first episode, our hosts – author and critic Jo Hamya and broadcaster and critic James Walton – get to know each other by discussing their favourite books from the Booker Library – the name we give to all the books that have been nominated for (or won!) the International Booker Prize and Booker Prize over the last 50-odd years. This episode contains significant plot details. In this episode Jo and James talk about: Why No One is Talking About This, a novel that captures our deep entanglement with the internet through its blend of laugh-out-loud humour and beautifully-observed prose, could have won the 2021 Booker Prize. Why Patrick McCabe's The Butcher Boy’ a 1992 Booker shortlistee that follows a young man's descent into madness in small-town Ireland, isn't a virtuous read but it is one that will blow your socks off. Books discussed in this episode: Priestdaddy by Patricia Lockwood No One is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwood Fake Accounts by Lauren Oyler The Butcher Boy by Patrick McCabe Further reading: A Q&A with Patricia Lockwood A full transcript of the conversation is available on our website here . Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit https://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @thebookerprizes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Trailer · Thu, June 29, 2023
Launching 6 July: The Booker Prize Podcast
Only one week to go until the release of The Booker Prize Podcast. We'll be revisiting past longlisted, shortlisted and winning Booker novels to see if they've stood the test of time. Sometimes our hosts will love them and sometimes, well, they might not... Stay tuned until 6 July. Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit http://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @thebookerprizes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Trailer · Thu, June 22, 2023
Introducing The Booker Prize Podcast
Launching on 6th July, this is a weekly podcast featuring lively conversations and fascinating insights from The Booker Prizes. Join us as we revisit winning novels from years past, speak to authors and experts from the literary world and peer behind the curtain of this year's prizes. Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit http://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @thebookerprizes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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