This week we are truly honoured to welcome the legendary Susanna Clarke to You're Booked! Her debut novel was the beloved Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell which was longlisted for the Booker Prize and won the British Book Awards Newcomer of the Year, the Hugo Award and the World Fantasy Award. Her short story collection The Ladies of Grace Adieu, set in the world of Jonathan Strange, followed in 2006. Her latest is Piranesi, a New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller, and winner of this year'...
Dec 20, 2021•53 min•Season 10Ep. 106
This week we are delighted to peruse the bookshelves of author, performer and podcaster Janina Matthewson ! Janina created the acclaimed novel Of Things Gone Astray and co-created the Welcome to Night Vale affiliated podcast Within the Wires. Her latest book, co-written with Night Vale creator Jeffrey Cranor is You Feel It Just Below the Ribs. We talked to her about Bridget Jones picnics, suitable Jane Austen husbands, Susanna Clarke, Sarah Perry and the power of the Princess Diaries. BOOKS Dais...
Dec 13, 2021•56 min•Season 10Ep. 105
This week we present a cosy fireside chat in the fabulous home of journalist, presenter and author Sophia Money-Coutts! Sophia is the former features editor at Tatler, Daily Telegraph columnist and the author of the bestselling comedies What Happens Now , The Plus One , The Wish List and her latest, the hilarious Did You Miss Me ? We talked to her about interview technique, Roald Dahl's curious desserts, the joy of PG Wodehouse and, for the first time in You're Booked history, a special guest (a...
Dec 06, 2021•59 min•Season 10Ep. 104
This week we're delighted to present this fun and fascinating conversation with author and producer Miranda Cowley Heller! After a career in publishing and head honcho at HBO, Miranda's debut novel The Paper Palace has been a runaway bestseller, a Reese Witherspoon book club pick and is now being adapted as a TV mini-series. We talked to her about parenting in the 1970s, classic kids books, dream adaptations and naughty Victorian reads. BOOKS Daisy Buchanan - Insatiable Daisy Buchanan - Careerin...
Nov 29, 2021•55 min•Season 10Ep. 103
This week we're delighted to present this late night, transatlantic phone chat with the legendary Dave Eggers! Dave is the author of many books including The Circle, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, A Hologram for the King, What Is the What, and The Museum of Rain. His latest if the tech satire The Every. He's also the founder of publishing house McSweeney's and co-founder of 826 National, a network of youth writing and tutoring centres around America. We talked to him about avoiding T...
Nov 22, 2021•41 min•Season 10Ep. 102
This week we're delighted to present this frank, funny and thoroughly entertaining chat with author, journalist and podcaster Lindsey Kelk ! Lindsey is the bestselling author of the I Heart series of books, plus In Case You Missed It, One in a Million and her latest On a Night Like This. Lindsey also co-hosts the beauty podcast, Full Coverage, and Tight and Fights, a wrestling podcast, We talked to her about James Herbert issues, the importance of Paula Danziger, a variety of vampires and the ge...
Nov 15, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Season 10Ep. 101
It's our 100th episode! Sort of - we may have slightly lost count. But there is still plenty of cause for celebration as we are in the company of poet, author, memoirist and actor Yrsa Daley-Ward! Her poetry collection Bone was widely acclaimed while her memoir The Terrible won the PEN/Ackerley Prize. She co-wrote Black Is King with Beyonce and her latest book is The How described as "a gratifying exploration of the self". We talked to her about the best books to listen to, the genius of Jeanett...
Nov 08, 2021•58 min•Season 10Ep. 100
This week we're delighted to share this wonderful, nourishing conversation with novelist, playwright and short story writer Helen Oyeyemi ! Helen's debut, The Icarus Girl was called "a masterly first novel" by the New York Times. White is For Witching won a Somerset Maugham Award, while What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours won the PEN Open Book Award. Her latest novel is the eagerly anticipated Peaces. We talked to her about rereading Little Women, Emily Dickinson's jokes, unreliable memoirists and bu...
Nov 01, 2021•52 min•Season 10Ep. 99
This week we're delighted to chat to author and journalist Lucy Mangan! Lucy's book Bookworm has been discussed many times on the show and is a firm favourite in YB Towers. Her new novel Are We Having Fun Yet? is fun, furious and unforgettable. We talked to her about reading epiphanies, the literary merits of Les Dawson, quintessential children's books and finding writing solace in Ikea. BOOKS Daisy Buchanan - Insatiable Daisy Buchanan - Careering Lucy Mangan - Bookworm Lucy Mangan - Are We Havi...
Oct 25, 2021•55 min•Season 10Ep. 98
This week we are honoured to talk to globally acclaimed author, poet, screenwriter and Booker prize winner Ben Okri OBE! Ben has won numerous awards and honorary doctorates for his fiction and poetry and is considered one of the foremost African authors of the modern era. We talked to Ben about the meaning of being, the character of Walt Whitman, the idea of comfort reading and the importance of reading to our humanity. BOOKS Daisy Buchanan - Insatiable Daisy Buchanan - Careering Ben Okri - The ...
Oct 18, 2021•47 min•Season 10Ep. 97
We're preparing a brand new season of YB - but as a delicious taster, enjoy this wonderful conversation with avid reader, book blogger and lover of all things literary Tilly Fitzgerald AKA TillyLovesBooks (on all branches of social media). We were delighted when Tilly got involved with our Books to Nourish auction, raising funds for Fareshare, a charity fighting hunger and food waste - if you can, please do contribute to this fantastic cause at fareshare.org.uk . We talked to Tilly about antipod...
Oct 11, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Season 10Ep. 96
This week we are beyond delighted to welcome the brilliant and hilarious Isy Suttie to You’re Booked towers! Isy is a comedian, actor and the author of a memoir The Actual One and the wonderful novel Jane is Trying. We talked to her about eating mince, thriller addiction, the pain of rereading and getting a boy to buy you Forever. BOOKS Daisy Buchanan - Insatiable Isy Suttie - Jane is Trying Isy Suttie - The Actual One Sara Pascoe - Animal Sue Miller - The Good Mother Bev Thomas - A Good Enough ...
Aug 09, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Season 10Ep. 95
For our series finale, we are thrilled to present this conversation with author, podcaster and all-round inspiration Otegha Uwagba ! Otegha is the author of the bestselling career guide Little Black Book and the essay collection Whites: On Race and Other Falsehoods which was picked as one of the Guardian’s Books of The Year. Her latest book is the memoir We Need To Talk About Money. We talked to her about Enid Blyton deep cuts, books about families, jumping aboard the Ferrante bandwagon and why ...
Jul 05, 2021•49 min•Season 9Ep. 94
This week we welcome a genuine literary legend to YB: Nick Hornby! Nick is the bestselling author of eight novels, including High Fidelity, About a Boy and, most recently, Just Like You. He’s also published non-fiction such as Fever Pitch, and has written numerous award-winning screenplays for film and television including Brooklyn, Wild and Love Nina. We talked to him about Rin Tin Tin, the pain of rereading, the definition of a classic and why his dad kept Fanny Hill in his boot. BOOKS Daisy B...
Jun 28, 2021•54 min•Season 9Ep. 93
This week we are thrilled to present an illuminating chat with one of our favourite all-time writers: Olivia Laing ! Olivia is the author of To the River, The Trip to Echo Spring, The Lonely City and Funny Weather. Her novel Crudo was a Sunday Times bestseller, a New York Times notable book, shortlisted for the Goldsmiths and Gordon Burn Prizes and winner of the James Tait Black Memorial Prize. Her latest book is Everybody: A Book About Freedom. We talked to her about Warhol’s wigs, Kathy Acker ...
Jun 21, 2021•52 min•Season 9Ep. 92
This week we’re delighted to welcome the author of one of our favourite novels of recent times Clare Chambers! Clare’s novel Small Pleasures was a Women’s Prize nominee and a book of the Year in The Times, Daily Telegraph, Evening Standard, Daily Express, Metro and many more and beloved over here at You’re Booked towers. We talked to her about Katherine Heiny, out of print revelations, slow reading and using Nina Stibbe as a friendship barometer. BOOKS Daisy Buchanan - Insatiable Clare Chambers ...
Jun 14, 2021•58 min•Season 9Ep. 91
This week, we're delighted to sit down and chat with the multi-award winning author, speaker, podcaster and Financial Times columnist Elizabeth Uviebinené! Elizabeth's first book was the groundbreaking Slay In Your Lane: The Black Girl Bible, co-written with her best friend Yomi Adegoke. She also co-edited Loud Black Girls with Yomi and co-presented Slay in Your Lane: The Podcast. Her latest book is The Reset, a fundamental rethink of how we work and live. We talked to her about the genius of Ja...
Jun 07, 2021•47 min•Season 9Ep. 90
This week we're delighted to welcome the legendary novelist, playwright, performer, journalist and teacher Esther Freud to You're Booked. Esther is the author of nine novels, her first Hideous Kinky was shortlisted for the John Llewellyn Rhys prize and turned into a hit film starring Kate Winslet. Her latest is the captivating I Couldn't Love You More . We talked to her about the pain of book gifting, the genius of Jean Rhys, the power of poetry and the hilarity of Maria Semple. BOOKS Esther Fre...
May 31, 2021•55 min•Season 9Ep. 89
We are so excited to welcome one of our favourite ever authors to the You're Booked airwaves this week. Katherine Heiny is the author of the novels Standard Deviation and Early Morning Riser, plus the short story collection Single, Carefree, Mellow. Her books are funny, moving, wise and just fantastic. We talked to her about rice pudding, espionage, the pain of dinner parties, unnerving Judy Blume and rereading Nora Ephron. BOOKS Katherine Heiny - Standard Deviation Katherine Heiny - Single Care...
May 24, 2021•56 min•Season 9Ep. 88
This week we are delighted to welcome author, award-winner and Books to Nourish auction victor Emma Batchelor! Emma’s debut book, Now That I See You , is an acclaimed love story, told through letters and diary entries, reflecting Emma’s own experience of identity, gender and grief. The book won the Vogel Literary Award, Australia's most prestigious prize for an unpublished manuscript. We talked to her about great Australian literature, lady detectives, eroticism in Jane Austen and the genius of ...
May 20, 2021•47 min•Season 9Ep. 87
This week we welcome a true publishing legend to the show. Judy Piatkus founded Piatkus Books from her Essex bedroom in 1979. She went on to release books by globally bestselling authors such as Danielle Steel, VC Andrews, Mary Berry and Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton series. Now Judy has released her own memoir, Ahead of Her Time. We talked to her about her glittering publishing career, the books that got away, the genius of Ann Patchett and the power of Feng Shui. BOOKS Daisy Buchanan - Insatiable J...
May 17, 2021•51 min•Season 9Ep. 86
This week we are delighted to present a funny, freewheeling conversation with author, actor, podcaster and comedy legend Charlie Higson ! As well as co-creating The Fast Show and Down the Line, adapting Marple and Jekyll and Hyde for TV, hosting the Charlie Higson & Friends podcast and popping up in Broadchurch, he's the author of many books including the hugely successful Young Bond and The Enemy series. His latest is the sweet and hilarious kids book Worst Holiday Ever. We talked to him ab...
May 10, 2021•56 min•Season 9Ep. 85
What a great way to start a new series! The brilliant Emma Jane Unsworth joins us down the line from Brighton. Emma is the author of the critically acclaimed novels Hungry, the Stars and Everything, Adults and Animals, which was turned into a lauded film. Her latest work is a memoir about motherhood: After the Storm. We talked to her about werewolves, living in Jane Eyre's world, dirty girl gangs and the redemptive qualities of Carrie Fisher. BOOKS Emma Jane Unsworth - Animals Emma Jane Unsworth...
May 03, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Season 9Ep. 84
This week's guest is a full-blown National Treasure. Mel Giedroyc is a versatile presenter, actor and comedian, who formed a formidable comedy partnership with Sue Perkins, hosted the iconic Great British Bake Off and has starred in West End musicals. And now Mel can add novelist to her list of achievements with her critically acclaimed debut The Best Things already topping the charts. We talked to her about her ferocious devotion to Jean Valjean, the funny book she always gives as a gift and th...
Apr 05, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Season 8Ep. 83
This week's guest may just hold the record for the You're Booked interviewee with the most books sold at a modest 500 million and counting. Dean Koontz 's first book, Star Quest, was released in 1968 and since then he's produced over 100 more in a variety of genres. His books have been published in 38 languages and 14 have been New York Times number one bestsellers, with the latest being The Other Emily. We talked to Dean about dogs, self doubt, paperback binges, rereading and always hanging ont...
Mar 29, 2021•54 min•Season 8Ep. 82
This week we are delighted to have a genuine literary legend on the show: Patricia Cornwell ! Patricia has sold over 100 million books in thirty-six languages in over 120 countries. Her most iconic character is medical examiner Kay Scarpetta who features in Patricia's next novel Autopsy - her latest novel is the space thriller Spin. She has also written non-fiction books concerning the Jack the Ripper case and a cookbook. We talked to her about AI reading lists, Queen Victoria's knickers, what b...
Mar 22, 2021•39 min•Season 8Ep. 81
This week, we know you are going to enjoy this wonderful, nourishing conversation with the author Robert Jones, Jr. Robert's first dazzling novel, The Prophets , is a New York Times bestseller that Marlon James described as "devastating and glorious". As you'll hear, Robert is a wonderful, knowledgable advocate for books, authors and life in general. We talked to him about James Baldwin, Book Brothers, empathy, rereading and Wonder Woman. For more about Daisy's new podcast Daisy is Insatiable cl...
Mar 15, 2021•51 min•Season 8Ep. 80
This week we are delighted to welcome the author of our of our favourite books in recent times, Naoise Dolan. Naoise's debut novel was the critically acclaimed Exciting Times, shortlisted for the Waterstones Book of the Year and shortlisted for the Sunday Times/University of Warwick Young Writer of the Year Award. We talked to her about memorable book deaths, the literary allure of London, Zadie Smith and sneaking sexy books. For more about Daisy's new podcast Daisy is Insatiable head HERE . BOO...
Mar 08, 2021•47 min•Season 8Ep. 79
It's the turn of one of our absolute heroes to get the Book Inspector treatment this week - the majestic Jill Mansell! Jill is the author of OVER 20 Sunday Times bestsellers, has sold millions of books and won numerous awards during her glittering career. Her latest is the wonderful And Now You're Back . We talked to her about rereading (and not rereading), Jilly Cooper, the genius of Marian Keyes and the dangers of reading online evaluations of your work. For more about Daisy's new podcast Dais...
Mar 01, 2021•54 min•Season 8Ep. 78
This week we are giddy with excitement to welcome one of our longtime, beloved authors to the show: Simon Doonan . Writer, bon vivant, fashion icon and renowned TV judge - Simon's memoir Beautiful People was turned into an acclaimed BBC series, he's also the author of Eccentric Glamour , Gay Men Don't Get Fat , and many more. He's also a judge on the TV shows America's Next Top Model and Making It. His latest book is a biography of the artist Keith Haring . We talked to him about the wonders of ...
Feb 22, 2021•46 min•Season 8Ep. 77
