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The TLS Podcast

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.

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Episodes

Live From the Hay Festival: Toby talks to Colm Tóibín

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.

Jun 18, 202646 min

Live From the European Writers' Festival with Toby Lichtig

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.

Jun 11, 202657 min

Live From the Hay Festival

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

Jun 04, 202640 min

May Highlights

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 Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

May 31, 202620 min

Antidotes to doomscrolling

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: 366 lives, one day at a time, edited by Shaun Usher St Petersburgh Mews, W2, a poem by John Talbot Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hoste...

May 28, 202636 min

Fabrications

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 Larger Reality', edited by Conner Bouchard-Roberts 'Charlotte Brontë's Life Through Clothes', by Ele...

May 21, 202653 min

Exclusive: Ed Vulliamy in Full

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.

May 17, 202633 min

Signed, Sealed, Delivered

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.

May 14, 202646 min

Looking at the Stars

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 Oscar: The Legacy of a Scandal', by Merlin Holland Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acas...

May 07, 202656 min

April Highlights

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 Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

May 03, 202623 min

Strike!

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.

Apr 30, 202654 min

On the Road

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.

Apr 23, 202641 min

Grief Work

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 information.

Apr 16, 202650 min

March Highlights

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 Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Apr 12, 202616 min

Cool Your Jets!

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 Blincoe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Apr 09, 202645 min

That Old Chestnut

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. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Apr 02, 202654 min

Food fights

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 Claire Taylor; 'Rapture of the deep', by Robert Irwin, completed by Andrew Crumey; 'Here comes the sun...

Mar 26, 202648 min

In Conversation with Michael Morpurgo

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

Mar 23, 202655 min
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