William Gibson, author of the seminal speculative fiction novel 'Neuromancer', chats to Nihal about why his work has never predicted the future, why punk was the last pre-digital counterculture and on spending the afternoon with Mick Jagger (who is a huge fan of his work). His chosen inspiring objects include a pair of AI glasses which are a character is his new novel 'Agency'. #PenguinPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Feb 26, 2020•27 min
Andrew Hunter Murray, writer for the BBC’s QI programme and co-host of the hugely successful ‘No Such Thing as a Fish’ podcast, chats to Katy Brand about his new thriller set in 2059. Used to researching unusual facts and writing comedy, Andrew explains what it was like writing fiction set in the near future. He brings objects to the studio that have inspired him including an iceberg (not the real thing) and a stuffed dog (which currently resides at Slough station). #PenguinPodcast Hosted on Aca...
Feb 12, 2020•36 min
The 13th Doctor meets classic Doctor Who companion Ace, in a novel written by Sophie Aldred (who played Ace alongside Sylvester McCoy in the BBC TV series). Sophie joins Katy in the studio to talk about writing 'Dr Who: A Childhood's End' and brings with her objects that inspired her including the famous bomber jacket that she wore in the TV series. Sophie reveals how she was cast in the role of Ace originally, what it was like filming the episodes and on meeting the current Dr. Who, Jodie Whitt...
Jan 29, 2020•33 min
‘Wonder’ has sold well over 15 million copies and was made into a major feature film starring Julia Roberts. Its author RJ Palacio has written and illustrated a new graphic novel ‘White Bird’ that sees a ‘Wonder’ character explore his family history. RJ brings a list of objects into the studio that have inspired her including a wooden bird and a sketchbook and also talks about the craft behind creating her graphic novel. #PenguinPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information...
Jan 15, 2020•33 min
Sir Paul McCartney talks about his new children’s book ‘Hey Grandude’. In a special Christmas edition, the rock superstar tells Nihal about persuading John Lennon to believe in himself, the one famous person that even he feels nervous around and how being a grandad inspires him. #PenguinPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 18, 2019•33 min
Jonathan Safran Foer is the American author of bestselling novels ‘Everything is Illuminated’ and ‘Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close’. His books have been made into major feature films starring the likes of Tom Hanks, with his latest work 'We are The Weather’ looking at what we can do about the climate crisis on a personal level. Jonathan tells Katy about the objects that inspire his writing, including a collection of framed blank sheets of paper from other famous authors. #PenguinPodcast Host...
Dec 04, 2019•32 min
Suggs chats to Nihal about Madness' new book 'Before We Was We', which charts the very funny and moving story of the band's early days. Madness, who've been together for 40 years, have played on top of Buckingham Palace, at the 2012 Olympics and had 17 UK top ten hits. Suggs brings in objects that tell the story of the band including a Prince Buster record, a pub sign and a plaster cast of some teeth #PenguinPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Nov 20, 2019•35 min
‘His Dark Materials’ author Philip Pullman, talks to Sophie Dahl live from the Sheldonian Theatre in Oxford. Philip has a new novel in The Book of Dust trilogy entitled ‘The Secret Commonwealth’, which continues the story of his protagonist Lyra, now aged 20. Philip brings objects that have inspired him including a ‘real’ alethiometer and he also reads an extract from his new book #PenguinPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Nov 05, 2019•33 min
Jacqueline Wilson has a new Tracey Beaker book: ‘We Are the Beaker Girls’. The former children’s laureate, who has sold over 40 million books, talks to Katy Brand about how she gets inspired, bringing objects into the studio that help her create including a pair of swimming goggles and a trains timetable. #PenguinPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Oct 23, 2019•36 min
Emma Kennedy, author, actress and TV writer talks to Katy Brand about her new book ‘The Things We Left Unsaid’. Emma’s previous books include ‘The Tent, The Bucket and Me’ which was adapted into The Kennedys for the BBC. She has also written children’s books and worked with the good and the great of British comedy (including Katy - so expect lots of laughter). Emma brought in objects that have inspired her including a tin of buttons and a discarded wedding bouquet #PenguinPodcast Hosted on Acast...
Oct 09, 2019•36 min
Rory Sutherland, the charismatic Vice Chairman of advertising agency Ogilvy, tells Katy how thinking counterintuitively can lead to success. Using examples from his Ted Talks (viewed 6.5 million times), his new book ‘Alchemy’ and the objects he brought in - he explains how ‘psycho-logic’ sells #PenguinPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sep 25, 2019•35 min
In this special LIVE edition from the Lowry in Manchester, Malorie Blackman OBE talks about the long-awaited fifth book in her Noughts and Crosses Series: ‘Crossfire’. Malorie has written over 70 books, is a former Children’s Laureate and has artists such as Stormzy counting themselves as super-fans. Malorie's chosen inspirational objects include ‘The Colour Purple’ by Alice Walker and a CD by Marvin Gaye. #PenguinPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Sep 11, 2019•32 min
Jonathan Coe, author of political satires ‘What a Carve Up!’ and ‘The Rotters’ Club’ chats to Nihal about his new novel ‘Middle England’. Jonathan brings with him objects that have inspired his work and reveals what it’s like to be an Elvis impersonator warm-up act. #PenguinPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Aug 28, 2019•35 min
Bestselling author Diana Evans (‘26a’, ‘The Wonder’) is the perfect guest for this podcast. She tells Katy how objects are an integral part of her writing process and brings some along including a mini London telephone box and her trusty sketchbook. Diana also chats about her new award-winning novel ‘Ordinary People’ which was one of the New Yorker’s books of the year. #PenguinPodcast #InspirationalObjects Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Aug 14, 2019•30 min
Kit De Waal, author of the critically acclaimed bestseller ‘My Name is Leon’ joins Katy in the studio. Kit talks about her latest book ‘The Trick to Time’ and brings objects that have inspired her including a track by Scott Matthews and a photo of Forlorn Point in Ireland. #PenguinPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jul 31, 2019•32 min
Howard Jacobson joins Nihal in the studio to chat about his new book ‘Live a Little’. Howard, who has written sixteen novels including Booker prize-winning ‘The Finkler Question’, brings objects that have inspired him including a playbill and a painting. He also tells the story of the time Kylie Minogue called him ‘a b**tard’ (in a good way). #PenguinPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jul 17, 2019•32 min
Mark Haddon tells Katy Brand how art inspires him – choosing objects including an oil painting and a David Hockney print to explain. The award-winning ‘Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time’ author also talks about his new book ‘The Porpoise’ based partly on the legend of Antiochus, it also features tales of time travel, pirates and semi-naked wrestling. #PenguinPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jul 03, 2019•33 min
Nigella talks about her first cookbook ‘How To Eat’, which is 20 years old and has now been made into an audiobook. She tells Katy why she thought this would the only book about food she would write, why some of her ideas have changed since writing and what her rider is when working abroad. Nigella beings in some objects that inspire her including a tea caddy and a photograph of her kitchen table. #PenguinPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Jun 19, 2019•33 min
Bestselling Turkish-British author Elif Shafak, chats to Nihal about the brilliant idea behind her new novel ’10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World’ (10:38 is the period of time a brain can still be active after death). Elif, who has also received standing ovations at Ted Talks and is an academic and journalist, explains how she finds it impossible to write without noise and brings with her objects that inspire her work including a pair of headphones and a wooden statue of Don Quixote. #Pe...
Jun 05, 2019•32 min
'The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read’ by Philippa Perry recently topped the Sunday Times Bestseller List and has been called ‘a parenting book for people who don’t normally buy them’. Philippa, a psychotherapist and broadcaster, talks about not judging parents, how there is no 'good and bad' and what to do about screen time. Philippa’s objects that inspire her writing, include a tiny pair of walking boots and a TV remote control. We also hear an extract from the audiobook. #PenguinPodcast Ho...
May 22, 2019•33 min
John Boyne, bestselling author of ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’ chats to Nihal Arthanayake about harnessing ideas around his new YA book ‘My Brother’s Name is Jessica’. John brings objects into the studio that have inspired him including a football, a locked black box and reveals the reason behind his Kate Bush tattoo. #PenguinPodcast #KateBush #JohnIrving #JohnBoyne Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 08, 2019•33 min
Booker prize-winning author Ian McEwan visits the Penguin studio to talk about his new novel ‘Machines Like Me’ - set in an alternatives 1980’s in which synthetic humans are on sale. Ian and Katy talk about the ethics of AI, why drinking wine on the top of a mountain is good for your health and how being an A list Hollywood screenwriter can be ‘the ruin of many an English novelist’. Ian’s objects of inspiration include steel drinking cups and a drawing of a squirrel’s skull. #PenguinPodcast Host...
Apr 24, 2019•29 min
What happened when engineers fixed an aeroplane window with bolts ever so slightly too short (spoiler: the pilot did not stay seated). Mathematician and stand-up comedian (yes, he does both), Matt Parker, explains to Katy Brand how maths mistakes in everyday life can have BIG consequences. He brings with him the rogue aeroplane bolts to the studio as well as objects that have helped him write his latest book ‘Humble Pi: A Comedy of Maths Errors’. #PenguinPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/pr...
Apr 10, 2019•41 min
In this special edition, Katy Brand selects highlights from past episodes featuring Stephen Fry, Salman Rushdie, Ruby Wax, Zadie Smith, Caitlin Moran, Romesh Ranganathan, Reggie Yates, Ian Rankin, Michael Palin, Pat Barker, Arundhati Roy, Michael Morpurgo and many more. #PenguinPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 27, 2019•32 min
Man Booker prize winner Marlon James tells Nihal why his new novel ‘Black Leopard, Red Wolf’ is a sort of African ‘Game of Thrones’. The Jamaican author of ‘A Brief History of Seven Killings’ talks about objects that inspire his creativity including comic books, superheroes and how he loves to draw maps. #PenguinPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 13, 2019•26 min
Simon Amstell - comedian, presenter, director and writer talks to Katy Brand about his new book ‘Help’, a memoir interspersed with sections of his stand-up gigs. Simon brings with him objects that have helped him to write and create (including post-it notes and a voice recorder) and explains why people told him to stop being funny, and how taking Ayahuasca in the Amazon rainforest helped cure his depression. #PenguinPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Feb 27, 2019•30 min
‘The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock’ was nominated for the Women’s Prize for Fiction and was The Times Historical Fiction Book of the Year. Imogen Hermes Gowar talks to Katy Brand about the highs and lows of huge success as a first time author and brought in objects to the Penguin studio that inspire her creativity, including an old bottle of red ink and a packet of Jaffa Cakes. #PenguinPodcast ‘The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock' is available as an audiobook to download now. https://itunes.apple.com/gb/audio...
Feb 13, 2019•30 min
In this special edition, Katy Brand selects some of the best bits from past episodes featuring Johnny Marr, Romesh Ranganathan, Ruby Wax, Tim Peake, Zadie Smith, Sebastian Faulkes, William Boyd, Jeff Kinney, Michael Palin, Pat Barker and Caitlin Moran. #PenguinPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jan 30, 2019•31 min
Comedian Romesh Ranganathan tells Nihal why he thinks Richard Pryor is the greatest stand-up of all time and how he practices his set in front of an imaginary audience in his garage. Romesh’s chosen inspirational objects include a Public Enemy CD, a microphone stand and a Trading Places poster. Expect lots and lots of laughter. #PenguinPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jan 16, 2019•29 min
Michael Morpurgo has written a new version of ‘The Snowman’ inspired by the original story by Raymond Briggs which is now 40 years old. The author of 130 books including War Horse, Michael tells Katy why Christmas is so special. If you’re not feeling festive this will definitely get you in the mood with Michael’s special objects including a family Santa Claus decoration with an amazing history. #PenguinPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Dec 21, 2018•30 min
