Lit with Charles

Time to close another season of the Lit with Charles podcast! During this second season, I've had the opportunity to speak to some truly amazing authors about the books that have influenced them, the books they've written, and how they approach their work. For this episode, I've gone through the archive of interviews to shine a spotlight on a few of my favourite moments. It's an eclectic mix of authors sharing their thoughts on a varied list of subjects and books, and I hope you enjoy it!Lit with Charles loves reviews. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd be so grateful if you could leave a review of your own, and follow me on Instagram at @litwithcharles. Let's get more people listening – and reading!

Gertrude Stein is a name that inspires equal amounts of both awe and fear in prospective readers. An absolute icon in her time, she was an unparalleled tastemaker: collecting work from Picasso and Matisse when they were unknown local painters; mentoring Hemingway and Fitzgerald as bright-eyed, unpublished hopefuls; and hosting ‘talk of the town' salons at her Parisian abode. However, when it comes to her writing, things have always been a bit more complicated.To help me unpack the life, legacy, and ‘afterlife' of this fascinating figure, today I have the pleasure of speaking with biographer, author and journalist Francesca Wade. Her new book, Gertrude Stein: An Afterlife, is set to hit shelves in the upcoming month. It was a great chat, and I hope you enjoy it.

In this episode, I'm joined by Irish writer Sarah Maria Griffin to talk about the four books that have most shaped her creative journey – from early influences to enduring literary obsessions. It's a fantastic conversation, ending with her newest work, Eat The Ones You Love, a bold and visceral work of feminist horror. In the episode we talk about writing as transformation, the power and joy of horror, and what it means to create with teeth.Sarah Maria Griffin's four books were:Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones (1986)Circle of Friends by Maeve Binchy (1990)Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay (2015)House of Leaves by Mark Z Danielewski (2000)Lit with Charles loves reviews. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd be so grateful if you could leave a review of your own, and follow me on Instagram at @litwithcharles. Let's get more people listening – and reading!

Today's episode looks a lot like the last one. Again, I wanted to dive deeper into one of our Book Club selections and in March, we read “Dream Count” by the Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. In this episode, we look at her biography, at this specific novel, and how it fits into her wider work. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and follow me on Instagram (@litwithcharles) to keep the literary conversations going. Let's get more people listening - and reading!

Today's episode looks a little different – rather than interviewing a guest about their work, I'm getting to grips with our last Lit With Charles book club pick. We read James Baldwin's Giovanni's Room last month as a community, and I, along with many of you, absolutely loved it. So, I'm using this space to reflect on that experience, share my thoughts and feelings about the book, and take a moment to dive deep into Baldwin's life and bibliography. I'd love to hear from you what you think about this new format, as something that could potentially slot in alongside our regularly scheduled content. Personally, I really enjoyed recording it, and I hope you get as much out of it as I have!If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and follow me on Instagram (@litwithcharles) to keep the literary conversations going. Let's get more people listening—and reading!

Today, I've got an absolute treat for you: I sat down with Oluwaseun Olayiwola—poet, choreographer, and all-around creative powerhouse—to talk about his latest collection of poems, Strange Beach.Oluwaseun is one of those rare artists who moves seamlessly between the page and the stage. As a choreographer, his work has graced performance spaces from London to Paris, and as a poet, he's got a voice that feels like it's bending language in real time. His collection Strange Beach grapples with Blackness, queerness, intimacy, migration—all through a lens that feels at once deeply personal and intellectually expansive. It's like standing at the shore of something vast, something shifting, something you can't quite pin down but can absolutely feel.In our conversation, we get into the themes of the book, the connections between dance and poetry, and what it means to make art that moves—literally and figuratively.If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and follow me on Instagram (@litwithcharles) to keep the literary conversations going. Let's get more people listening—and reading!

In this episode of Lit with Charles, I sit down with Benjamin Markovits to discuss his latest novel, The Rest of Our Lives. This beautifully reflective book follows Tom, a middle-aged father who, after dropping his youngest daughter at college, keeps driving, embarking on an unplanned journey that forces him to confront the unresolved trauma of an affair, a failing marriage, and a mysterious health condition. Blending the themes of a road trip novel, midlife crisis, and personal reckoning, Markovits crafts a story that is much more than the sum of its parts—meditative, intimate, and profoundly moving.Markovits, a British-American novelist and former professional basketball player, has a long and acclaimed bibliography, including You Don't Have to Live Like This, which won the James Tait Black Prize for Fiction in 2016. In this conversation, we explore his own transatlantic upbringing, how his writing is influenced by his experiences, and why midlife transitions make for such compelling literary themes. The Rest of Our Lives is set for release in the UK in late March, and I wholeheartedly recommend adding it to your reading list.If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and follow me on Instagram (@litwithcharles) to keep the literary conversations going. Let's get more people listening—and reading!

The improbable destinies of two Soviet female spies, connected by a modernist building in North London, is an intriguing premise for any spy novel, let alone one that introduces elements of architectural design in its story. But when those destinies reflect a larger literary opus and sources of inspiration, as they do for today's guest, then the conversation expands significantly. My guest today is Maryam Diener, an Iranian-born author, publisher and poet, whose work has been translated into French, German and English. Her picks are absolutely stellar, and I'm happy to admit that I've actually gone out and bought a couple of them to add to my shelves since this interview took place. Our conversation today took place in person, in Maryam's West-London home, which was a real treat. It's always so enriching to speak with people in their ‘natural habitat', as it were. Today's chat was a very special one for me – stay tuned to find out why. Maryam Diener's four books were: Green Mountain, White Cloud: A Novel of Love in the Ming Dynasty, François Cheng (2004) Another Birth (Tavallodi Digar), Forough Farrokhzad (1963) In praise of the shadows, Junichiro Tanizaki (1933, translated into English in 1977) Marie-Antoinette; The Portrait of an Average Woman, Stefan Zweig (1932) Lit with Charles loves reviews. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd be so grateful if you could leave a review of your own, and follow me on Instagram at @litwithcharles. Let's get more people listening – and reading!

Childhood, and specifically adolescence, is a period of life that can be pretty tough and at times traumatic. It's very fertile ground for literature but it's not easy to get right.  In this episode, I'm joined by Michael Amherst, the author of the upcoming novel The Boyhood of Cain which deals with the period of adolescence, and themes of moral & sexual turmoil. The book feels timeless, with an eeriness that mirrors the protagonist's growing confusion about himself and the world around him.  Michael and I sat down for our chat in-person today, in a recording studio in West London. It was a pleasure to speak with him, and The Boyhood of Cain is a great read, which I can't recommend strongly enough. It's not out yet, but it's slated to hit the shelves on February 13th. So, keep your eyes peeled for the upcoming release or pre-order it through any self-respecting bookstore. Lit with Charles loves reviews. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd be so grateful if you could leave a review of your own, and follow me on Instagram at @litwithcharles. Let's get more people listening – and reading! Michael Amherst's four books were: Peter Shaffer, Equus (1973) John Steinbeck, East of Eden (1952) Damon Galgut, In a Strange Room (2010) John Cheever, Collected Stories (but particularly ‘Goodbye, My Brother') (1978)

In today's episode I have the pleasure of speaking with Rachel Cockerell, a London-based author, whose first foray into writing began as a family memoir, and evolved into a remarkable and innovative work of historical non-fiction called Melting Point. Melting Point is a great 2024 release from Headline, and will be coming out in Spring of 2025 in the States. The book was longlisted for the 2024 Baillie Gifford Prize, and explores the origins of the Zionist movement, and one of its particular, little-known chapters – the Galveston Plan.  Most interestingly, perhaps, is the structure – it's a polyphonic blend of primary sources and texts, which she splices to build a story arc. The book is an absolutely fascinating read that touches on identity, belonging, and the search for a place to call home. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and would strongly recommend it. Lit with Charles loves reviews. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd be so grateful if you could leave a review of your own, and follow me on Instagram at @litwithcharles. Let's get more people listening – and reading! Rachel Cockerell's four books were: Big Magic, Elizabeth Gilbert (2015) Lincoln in the Bardo, George Saunders (2017) The Old Ways, Robert Macfarlane (2012) Golden Hill, Francis Spufford (2016)

Well, we've made it to the end of 2024. I love putting together this list each December because it forces me to look back on a year of reading, try to create some order out of the chaos, and figure out what it is about the stories that I came across that I did and didn't appreciate. Some books were clear losers. But some took me on crazy journeys, which I knew from the first few pages would stay with me long after the story was finished. I don't want to spoil my picks here, so I'm not going to say what they are – you'll have to listen to the episode for that! However, I can say that in the mix are a crime novel turned Hollywood classic, a powerful piece on colonialism, and an emotional contemporary book about addiction and artistry. So without further ado, here are my top five books for 2024 – and I look forward to seeing you all in 2025! Lit with Charles loves reviews. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd be so grateful if you could leave a review of your own, and follow me on Instagram at @litwithcharles. Let's get more people listening – and reading!

There's something about the idea of a ‘genius' that has always captivated us. Whether it's the artist painting their masterpiece or the entrepreneur betting on the future, we're captivated by people who seem to see the world differently – and stake everything on that vision. While Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos might be household names, there's one figure who I'd argue is even more fascinating: the maverick billionaire investor and founder of SoftBank, Masayoshi Son. Equal parts visionary and gambler, Masa as he's more commonly known has built an empire on being an early investor in companies like Alibaba, Yahoo and Uber. My guest today is Lionel Barber. Lionel is an acclaimed journalist and author, best known for his 15-year tenure as Editor-in-Chief at the Financial Times. A veteran reporter, over the course of his career he has conducted interviews with a real ‘who's who' of the international stage, including Vladimir Putin, Angela Merkel, Barack Obama, Donald Trump. His recent book, Gambling Man: The Wild Ride of Japan's Masayoshi Son, takes readers on a journey through the life and business ventures of one of the tech world's most thrilling figures. The book is a great read, and I strongly recommend it for anyone who's interested in business, tech, or international affairs. It was such a pleasure to have the opportunity to sit down with Lionel and pick his brains, and I'm very pleased to be able to share our conversation with you. Lit with Charles loves reviews. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd be so grateful if you could leave a review of your own, and follow me on Instagram at @litwithcharles. Let's get more people listening – and reading! Lionel Barber's four books were: Doctor Faustus, Thomas Mann (1947) The Maltese Falcon, Dashiell Hammett (1930) Present At The Creation, Dean Acheson (1969) Pachinko, Min Jin Lee (2017)

The memoir is a fascinating form to explore. I'm always intrigued as to how an author can adapt their life and fit it into the confines of a page. How does one capture all its complexities, contradictions, and fleeting moments, in a narrative that feels both honest and coherent? My guest today is Susanna Crossman, a British-French writer, essayist, and clinical arts therapist, who has just published Home is Where We Start with Penguin Random House. The book is her own account of growing up in ‘the fallout of the Utopian Dream' – in a politically revolutionary Community in the late 1970s. In the fascinating work, she blends memoir and social commentary, weaving philosophical ideas into the wider narrative of her own experiences with community and disillusionment. It was great talking with Susanna today, and I'm so pleased to be able to share her insightful, nuanced thoughts about literature in general. Susanna has recently started a Substack, which you can check out here. Susanna Crossman's four books were: On The Banks of Plum Creek, Laura Ingalls Wilder (1937) The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Milan Kundera (1984) Memoirs of Hadrian, Marguerite Yourcenar (1951) What is Ancient Philosophy?, Pierre Hadot (1995) Lit with Charles loves reviews. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd be so grateful if you could leave a review of your own, and follow me on Instagram at @litwithcharles. Let's get more people listening – and reading!

So this episode is a bit unusual for a variety of reasons. First of all, it's with a good friend of mine – novelist Arthur Larrue. As you might have guessed from his name, though, Arthur Larrue is French and this entire interview is conducted in French. So unless you speak French, or are trying to test your linguistic abilities, this episode might not be the one for you. However, if you are a fellow Francophone, join me for a lively and insightful chat with an author who has navigated both the clandestine world of anarchist squats in Saint-Petersburg and the literary splendor of Russian novels. From the whiskey-fueled brilliance of Faulkner to the modernist zest of Apollinaire, and the revolutionary writings of Jean-Patrick Manchette, this episode is a whirlwind tour through the minds and lives of literary greats. Tune in for a fun and thought-provoking discussion – and if not, see you next time instead. Lit with Charles loves reviews. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd be so grateful if you could leave a review of your own, and follow me on Instagram at @litwithcharles. Let's get more people listening – and reading!

Welcome to this very special episode of the Lit With Charles podcast, where instead of interviewing an interesting guest, I'm actually responding to 10 listeners' burning questions! Today, you'll get to hear about my earliest memory of falling in love with reading, and how Stephen King's thrilling tales resonated in  my pre-teen years. I'll be spilling the beans on why Roberto Bolaño's 'The Savage Detectives' didn't click for me, and chatting about my scepticism around 'must-read' lists – like those ones that crop up from Barack Obama and the New York Times. Also on the menu: the recent Nobel Prize announcement, and the shock disclosure of which one single classic novel fails to impress me – it's a cultural favourite, and I think it might be a controversial pick. I even manage to touch on my Instagram book review origins (a collection of COVID-19 quarantine updates that went viral) and the shape of this book-loving ecosystem that we've built as a community. It's a roller-coaster of reflections, confessions, and some good old fashioned literary nostalgia. Let's jump in! Lit with Charles loves reviews. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd be so grateful if you could leave a review of your own, and follow me on Instagram at @litwithcharles. Let's get more people listening – and reading!

Today I sat down with Vanessa Beaumont, a former literary agent and novelist about her debut novel The Other Side of Paradise which follows Jean Buckman, a young American newspaper heiress, who arrives in London in the glittering 1920s, and evolves throughout the story, through personal tragedy and loss. Over the course of the story, we watch her grapple with the pressures of mid-Century society on a woman, what it means to do one's duty, and the pull of desire in the face of it all. It's kind of a Downtown Abbey meets Francis Scott Fitzgerald, with a modern feminist perspective As always, Vanessa picked the four books which have had the biggest impact on her as both a reader and a writer, and we also discussed her career trajectory. Before publishing The Other Side of Paradise, Vanessa spent 8 years as a Commissioning Editor at Short Books, and co-founded and ran a literary agency, so it was fascinating to get some insights from that. It was such a great conversation, and as always, such a pleasure talking with Vanessa. Lit with Charles loves reviews. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd be so grateful if you could leave a review of your own, and follow me on Instagram at @litwithcharles. Let's get more people listening – and reading! Vanessa Beaumont's four books were: Little Women, Louisa May Alcott (1868) The Age of Innocence, Edith Wharton (1920) Brideshead Revisited, Evelyn Waugh (1945) Tender is the Night, F Scott Fitzgerald (1934)

Today I sat down with Éric Chacour, a Canadian novelist born to Egyptian parents, to discuss his stunning debut novel. What I Know About You has captivated readers in its original French, winning the prestigious Prix Femina des Lycéens, and been translated into numerous languages, and with Pablo Strauss' 2024 translation, now makes its grand entrance into the English-speaking world. Eric's novel, which he spent 10 years working on before it was published in 2023, is a richly woven tapestry of family, love, loss, and the queer identity. Set against the backdrop of a changing Egypt, the story shines a light on the tension between personal desires and cultural expectations, offering readers a nuanced look at what it means to belong in different settings. In this episode, as always, Eric has selected for us the four books which have most strongly influenced his life and literary journey – from tales of mysterious libraries to the adventures of dashing heroes. But, we also spend some time getting to grips with Eric's creative process, the inspirations behind his storytelling, and what it means to write a novel that crosses both geographical and emotional borders. I was so interested to learn about his path to becoming a novelist, from youthful inspiration to the sometimes challenging reality of life as a published author, and how Canadian national treasure Celine Dion fits into the picture. This was a great chat, and I've definitely come away from it with my mind expanded.  Lit with Charles loves reviews. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd be so grateful if you could leave a review of your own, and follow me on Instagram at @litwithcharles. Let's get more people listening – and reading! Eric Chacour's four books were: The Shadow of the Wind, Carlos Ruiz Zafón (2001) The Three Musketeers, Alexandre Dumas (1844) Promise at Dawn, Romain Gary (1960) The Orphan Muses, Michel Marc Bouchard (1989)

In this week's podcast episode, I sat down with Florence Gaub, the Director of Research at the NATO Defense College in Rome. A World Economic Forum's Global Future Council member, and Vice-President of the European Forum Alpbach, Florence is a master of strategic foresight and international security. Her latest book, The Future, is a must-read, exploring how humanity's visions of tomorrow have shifted in different historical contexts. Our conversation spanned various domains, from the fascinating work being done at NATO to her new book, which I read and absolutely loved. Although it's not out in English yet, I have been assured that the release is on the horizon – so keep your eyes peeled! In our conversation, Florence walked us through her career, the impact of her recent publication, and, as always, the four books which have been most pivotal in her life and her work. From a mysterious Dutch novel from her childhood to Isaac Asimov's The Foundation, each pick tells a unique story about how we perceive time, and how this has changed in line with the maturation of our societies. Excitingly, Florence also shared some insights into the methodology of strategic foresight and the ethical implications of forecasting the future – and the technologies she thinks we'll look back on and laugh at in 100 years time. Lit with Charles loves reviews. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd be so grateful if you could leave a review of your own, and follow me on Instagram at @litwithcharles. Let's get more people listening – and reading! Florence's four books were: The Towers of February, Tonke Dragt (1973) The Foundation Part 1, Isaac Asimov (1951) Nos Derniers Festins, Chantal Pelletier (2019) Julia, Sandra Newman (2023)

My guest today is the writer Charlie Higson, author of On His Majesty's Secret Service, the latest Bond continuation novel. Written to coincide with King Charles's coronation and the 60th anniversary of On Her Majesty's Secret Service, the book brings Bond into the modern era in a narrative that identifies very real geopolitical threats with some good old Bondian adventure.  For those of you to whom the name Charlie Higson his familiar, that's because he was one of the writers and performers of The Fast Show, a cult British comedy show from the mid-90s. In this episode, Charlie and I discuss his literary tastes through the four books that have shaped his work, as well as his creative practices, and of course the way to achieve a new rendition of the world's most fabulous spy. Modern Bond is less anchored in mid-Century wartime solemnity, and more attuned to the nuanced global landscape of 2024, which made for a really refreshing read. From his diverse reading selections to his personal take on the character, Charlie's insights were both enriching and hilarious. Whether you're a Bond enthusiast or just generally a lover of literary discussions, this episode is an absolute treasure trove of insight and inspiration – and not one to be missed! Lit with Charles loves reviews. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd be so grateful if you could leave a review of your own, and follow me on Instagram at @litwithcharles. Let's get more people listening – and reading! Charlie's four books were: Gormenghast, Mervyn Peake (1946-59) Pop 1280, Jim Thompson (1964) The Watcher, Charles Maclean (1982) From Russia with Love, Ian Fleming (1957)

Stanley Kubrick was a visionary American filmmaker, whose groundbreaking work redefined cinema. Renowned for his meticulous attention to detail, visual innovation and the complexity of his narratives, Kubrick's films crossed many genres. Perhaps most interestingly for Lit With Charles listeners, many of his most famous movies also began their lives as books. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) set new standards in science fiction, while A Clockwork Orange (1971) delved into dystopian violence. His horror masterpiece, The Shining (1980), remains a genre-defining classic. Beyond his creative output, he had a reputation as a complicated somewhat anti-social man, with both foibles and genius aplenty. Kubrick's relentless pursuit of perfection and his ability to push cinematic boundaries have solidified his legacy as one of the most influential and enigmatic directors of all time. This week, I had the incredible opportunity to talk with Robert P. Kolker and Nathan Abrams, the joint co-authors of Kubrick, a new and comprehensive biography of the great director, published by Faber & Faber earlier this year, which for fans of Kubrick and beyond,  is an absolutely enlightening read. Robert Kolker is an American film historian, theorist and critic, who has authored a number of books on film, including A Cinema of Loneliness and Triumph over Containment. Nathan is a professor of Film Studies at Bangor University in the UK, and the co-founder of Jewish Film and New Media, an international academic journal which analyses Jewish film, television and other media across the years. In today's episode, Robert, Nathan and I discuss, as always, the four books which have shaped them most as thinkers, scholars and writers, along with the luminary life of their fascinating subject. So, join us as we peel back the curtain on the personal, public, and creative life of the 20th Century's most important movie-maker. Lit with Charles loves reviews. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd be so grateful if you could leave a review of your own, and follow me on Instagram at @litwithcharles. Let's get more people listening – and reading! Book selections: Robert:  Anatomy of Criticism, Northrope Frye, (1957) The collective works of Samuel Beckett, particularly the novels Malone Dies (1951) and The Unnamable (1953), and the play Endgame (1957). Nathan: The Unfinished Journey: America Since WWII, William H Chafe (1986) Ordeal of Civility: Freud, Marx, Levi-Strauss, and the Jewish Struggle With Modernity, John Murray Cuddihy (1974)

Leila Slimani is a highly acclaimed French-Moroccan author who has written some absolutely fantastic novels over the last few years. She burst into the mainstream consciousness when she won the prestigious Prix Goncourt in France in 2016 for her second novel Chanson Douce, which was translated into English in 2018 as The Perfect Nanny in the US, or Lullaby in the UK. She followed this up with non-fiction work as well as a fantastic trilogy which is two-thirds finished, called  “Le Pays des Autres” (The Country of Others) in which the second novel “Regardez-nous danser” (Watch Us Dance) has just been translated into English. In today's episode, Leïla and I discuss, as always, the four books which have most influenced her writing – spanning all the way from early childhood literary beginnings, all the way to some very contemporary picks.

The London-based writer and journalist, Aniefiok Ekpoudom, joins me today to discuss his recent debut book, Where We Come From, which is a ‘history of rap, home and hope in modern Britain', recently published by Faber & Faber in the UK.  When grime music emerged in the early 2000s, born on the streets of East London, it fused elements of UK garage, drum and bass, and dancehall into a dynamic, fast-paced sound. With raw authenticity and sharp lyrical narratives, grime quickly made its mark, both changing the shape of contemporary British music influencing global trends with its undeniable flair. In his book, “Neef” goes to the very origin points of some of the earliest artists in this genre, across different areas of Britain to investigate its earliest beginnings, as well as its growth, and the artists who were most influential in pushing it. In today's episode, we discuss the four books which have most informed his development as a thinker and a writer – be that in terms of literary styles, interesting subject matters, or new approaches to integrating creative elements into non-fiction stories. It was such a great conversation, and I'm very excited to share it with you.

Italian literature is widely known for its rich tradition of passion, intellect and innovation, and it has always been a standard-bearer for imaginative & emotive literature. This week I'm speaking with the Italian author, screenwriter and BAFTA Award nominee, Ilaria Bernardini. One of Italy's leading contemporary novelists, Ilaria has penned nine novels, one graphic novel, and two collections of short stories, as well as being a screenwriter collaborating with the legendary director Bernardo Bertolucci. Two of her novels, including We Will Be Forest – her most recent book, which we're discussing today – have been longlisted for the Strega Prize, the most prestigious book award in Italy.  In today's episode, Ilaria and I discuss, as always, the four books which have had the biggest influence on her life and creative development, along with her experience writing fiction drawn from her own life, and the process of translating a book from one language to another. The books she chose are eclectic and inspirational so it was a really fun discussion with some great recommendations.  Lit with Charles loves reviews. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd be so grateful if you could leave a review of your own, and follow me on Instagram at @litwithcharles. Let's get more people listening – and reading!

This week, I had the pleasure of speaking with Peter Singer, one of the world's leading moral philosophers, known for his work in building the philosophical foundations of the modern animal rights movement, which he helped develop with his landmark book “Animal Liberation” published in 1975 which was one of the first to highlight hideous conditions of animal suffering and the vacuity of “speciesism”. He is a prominent advocate of Utilitarianism, and over the years, he's written about euthanasia, infanticide, and global poverty, amongst many other issues, and his scholarship continues to influence public discourse and ethical policy. If you're interested in learning more about his philosophy, Peter Singer has just launched his own podcast called “Lives Well Lived” where he interviews guests who have lived lives with extraordinary contributions. In today's episode, Peter and I discuss, as always, the four books which have most influenced him as a thinker and a person, as well as the modern animal rights movement, veganism, and his introduction to philosophy.

The 1930s Hollywood star Anna May Wong was a trailblazer in the Golden Age of Hollywood. While navigating the treacherous waters of racial prejudice, she carved a path to international fame, becoming the first Chinese-American bona fide Hollywood movie star. This week, I had the pleasure of speaking with author Katie Gee Salisbury, who's written a biography of Anna May Wong called Not Your China Doll, published earlier this year to huge acclaim. In today's episode, Katie and I discuss, as always, the four books which have most shaped her as a writer, as well as talking about the sparkling life of Anna May Wong, and Katie's experience writing the biography.

The Caribbean is a region with an incredible history of vibrant cultures blending into each other, which is reflected in so many elements from the food, the local traditions, the music and of course, the literature. Today's guest hails from the nation of Trinidad and Tobago, and the region has clearly left an indelible mark on her writing, infusing it with the rhythms, flavors, and complexities that define the Caribbean experience. Based on the new format of the show, Costa Prize winning author Ingrid Persaud will share four books that have left an indelible mark on her life and work. From literary classics to contemporary gems, these books have shaped her perspective, influencing the stories she tells and the voices she amplifies. In this episode, we also discuss her latest novel, "The Lost Love Songs of Boysie Singh." Inspired by the true story of the titular Trinidadian gangster from the 1930s to the 1950s, this novel looks at the complex web of relationships surrounding him and the four women who shaped his life. Set against the backdrop of a rapidly changing society, this novel offers a poignant exploration of love, loss, and redemption, inviting readers to journey through the heartaches and triumphs of its unforgettable characters. The four books that Ingrid Persaud selected were:  A House for Mr Biswas, VS Naipaul (1961) Reading Turgenev, William Trevor (1991) As I Lay Dying, William Faulkner (1930) Song of Solomon, Toni Morrison (1977) If you'd like to get in touch, you can contact me on my Instagram account @litwithcharles and you can also check out my weekly Substack newsletter: https://litwithcharles.substack.com/

Welcome to a special episode that marks a whole year of Lit with Charles. As we wrap up a full year of podcasting, it's time to reflect on the journey we've embarked on together. From the very beginning, the goal was clear – to create a space for the curious souls eager to explore the world of literature, authors, and the intricate process of writing. In today's episode, we take a trip down memory lane, revisiting some of the most captivating questions and answers that have lingered in my mind. This special highlight reel is divided into two parts, each focusing on a distinct facet of the literary landscape. In the first half, we delve into "The Author's Process," unraveling the mysteries behind how authors conceive their ideas and bring them to life on the page. What sparks the creative flame? How do they navigate the intricate pathways of their minds to craft compelling narratives? The second part of our annual highlight shifts its spotlight to "The Life of a Book". Books, beyond their narratives, are extraordinary objects with unique journeys – from creation to consumption. We explore the intricate processes involved in printing, storing, managing, and selling these literary treasures. Before we embark on this retrospective journey, heartfelt thanks are in order. To the 51 incredible guests who graced this podcast with their wisdom and insights – thank you for sharing your stories and making each conversation enlightening. So, without further ado, let's relive some of the best answers that unveil the authors' fascinating processes, guiding us through the intricate world of storytelling that we all cherish. Lit with Charles loves reviews. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd be so grateful if you could leave a review of your own, and follow me on Instagram at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@litwithcharles⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Let's get more people listening – and reading!

The Chinese Cultural Revolution was launched by Chairman Mao in 1966 and lasted a whole decade until his death. It aimed to purify China of perceived bourgeois elements and reinforce hardline communist ideology. The era left a huge impact on China's socio-political landscape, but despite its seismic impact, it's not that well understood by many Westerners. Today, I'm speaking with Tania Branigan. Tania spent 7 years as the Guardian's China correspondent, and is also the author of a recent non-fiction book called Red Memory, which explores stories that have emerged about the Cultural Revolution and its lingering impact on contemporary China. I read and reviewed it earlier this year, and I was absolutely blown away.  In this episode, Tania and I go deep into her book, Red Memory, the process she went through in writing and researching the text. For those of you who don't know all that much about the Cultural Revolution, don't panic – Tania does an incredible job of covering the basics while also getting into the intricacies of the relevant political history. I thoroughly recommend the book for anyone looking to improve their knowledge of China, especially how this contemporary society is still haunted by many ghosts of the Cultural Revolution. Tania mentioned Sparks, by Ian Johnson (2023), a work of non-fiction which follows “counter-historians” documenting contemporary China. Her favourite book that I'd never heard of was The Memory Police, Yōko Ogawa (1994), a dystopian tale in which a totalitarian regime controls collective memory. Also by that author was The Housekeeper and The Professor, by Yōko Ogawa (2003), which follows an ageing mathematician whose memory is limited to 80 minutes. The best book she has read in the last twelve months was Waiting to be Arrested at Night, by Tahir Hamut Izgil (2023), which is a Uyghur poet's memoir of China's genocide of the majority-Muslim population in Xinjiang Province in Northwestern China. This also reminded her of another favourite with similar undertones, The Appointment, by the Romanian author Herta Müller (1997), which follows the life of a young woman living under a communist regime. The book she would take to a desert island is the collected short stories of Anton Chekhov. On that note, she also mentioned the fantastic book A Swim in The Pond in the Rain by George Saunders (2021), in which the author, a master short story writer, examines four classic Russian short stories, including one by Chekhov. Finally, a book that changed her mind was Heidi Larson's Stuck (2020), which explores vaccine rumours, and how best to deal with people who have different opinions on that subject.

There's little more universally enticing than a story about someone setting off on a great voyage: an intrepid adventurer protagonist. This week, the book I'm discussing is just that – a journey into unknown frontiers, both geographically and linguistically. Today I'm speaking with author and journalist Lauren Collins. Lauren, a staff writer with the New Yorker since 2008, published her incredible debut novel, When In French: Love in a Second Language, to huge acclaim in 2016. In this episode, Lauren and I get into the idea of language – the experience of being a person who lives between two languages, the evolution and porosity of language, L'Academie Francaise (the three-headed dog that guards French grammar), and some technical aspects of a few high-impact linguistic theories. In our interview today, Lauren told me about the book Je ne suis pas Parisienne, by Alice Pfeiffer (2019) – a series of essays written by a journalist, repudiating the ‘Parisian woman' cliché. Her favorite book that I've probably never heard of is The Smile Revolution, by Colin Jones (2014), a cultural history of smiling. Her four best books from the last 12 months are We Don't Know Ourselves: A Personal History of Modern Ireland, by Fintan O'Toole (2021), Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments, by Saidiya Hartman (2019), Biography of X, by Catherine Lacey (2023), and South to America, by Imani Perry (2022). Finally, the book she would take to a desert island is Lucy Sante's The Other Paris: An illustrated journey through a city's poor and Bohemian past (2015), a guided-tour through the Paris of a bygone era.

Our relationship with our parents and, more widely, with our ancestors' stories are some of the most formative & influential connections in many people's lives, both for good and bad. The impact of this relationship can be felt in so many different ways, not least of which in artistic expression.  With me today is Violaine Huisman, a French author based in New York who recently became the Director of Cultural Affairs at the Alliance Française. She's the author of a trilogy of novels about her and her family. The first is called The Book of Mother published in 2018 and translated into English last year, the second is called Rose désert (translated maybe as “Desert Pink”) published in 2019 but not yet translated, and the third is Les monuments de Paris (“The Monuments of Paris”) which will be published this year.  In this episode, Violaine and I cover a wide array of topics – the structure and linearity of her novels, the existential question of ‘Frenchness' and being a ‘French author in New York', and of course we speak of Marcel Proust, as well as some of the other major influences in her writing. It was a real pleasure to speak with Violaine about this powerful, family-driven trilogy which I absolutely recommend. In today's interview, we discussed Les Essais, by Michel de Montaigne (1580), a wide-ranging collection of essays, originally written in ‘Middle French', Saxifrage, by Catherine Cremnitz (1993) – Violaine's mother's own autobiography, and 10:04, by Ben Lerner (2014), a modern book of auto-fiction about a Manhattan-based author recently diagnosed with a life-threatening heart-condition. The best book Violaine has read in the last 12 months was Les Misérables, by Victor Hugo (1862), which tells the story of Jean Valjean and the other ‘miserable' characters of the early 1800s Paris underworld. The book she would take to a desert island was the Bible. Finally, a book that changed her mind was In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust (first published in 1913), about its narrator's life and childhood, and his reflections on the persistence of memory. Lit with Charles loves reviews. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd be so grateful if you could leave a review of your own, and follow me on Instagram at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@litwithcharles⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Let's get more people listening – and reading!

Cowboys, golden dust-plains, and wide open spaces. This is the stuff of the Far West, a setting that has been visited & re-visited in literature & film, often pitting good versus evil in stark terms. And today I'm talking about one of the greatest novels of the American West: Lonesome Dove, by the Texan author Larry McMurtry, published in 1985.  In this episode, I speak to Kate Slotover, co-founder of The Book Club Review – a book club in podcast form, which loves debate and discussion – about a work we're both huge fans of. We're going to really narrow in on some of our favourite moments, specifics and characters for an in depth and exciting discussion of this very special book. If you haven't checked out her excellent podcast, the Book Club Review, then I suggest you have a listen, it's brilliant. Books mentioned in the episode: The best book Kate has read in the last 12 months was Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma, by Claire Dederer (2023), a topical exploration of whether or not we can separate the art from the artist. We also discussed the recent Booker Prize winner, Prophet Song, by Paul Lynch (2023) – a dystopian book about the Republic of Ireland slipping into a Totalitarian regime.  Lit with Charles loves reviews. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd be so grateful if you could leave a review of your own, and follow me on Instagram at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@litwithcharles⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Let's get more people listening – and reading!

In this episode, I highlight the top 5 five books that I read last year. It's a great way to remember what I've read and what I value in my reading experiences. I dive deeper than I usually would into what makes these books especially great and what they meant to me.Sometimes I'll enjoy something quite linear and - gasp! - commercial whilst, at other times, I'll prefer something quite experimental & different. In today's list, those eclectic choices shine through meaning that there's a bit of everything for everyone. I also throw in a couple of honorary mentions of books which weren't necessarily my favourites, but had something special that I thought were worth a mention. Lit with Charles loves reviews. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd be so grateful if you could leave a review of your own, and follow me on Instagram at ⁠⁠⁠⁠@litwithcharles⁠⁠⁠⁠. Let's get more people listening – and reading!

My guest today is Nandini Das, a Professor of Early Modern Literature & Culture at Exeter College at Oxford University, and author of the book “Courting India” which is an account of England's first ambassador to the Mughal court, Sir Thomas Roe, who was tasked with building a relationship with the emperor Jahangir in order to build English trade with India.  It's a fascinating book because it takes everything you thought you knew about the historic relationship between the two countries and completely turns it on its head. The English are poor and humble supplicants, whilst the Indian court is wealthy, powerful and very much in charge of directing the shape & direction of the relationship.  In today's episode, we talk about this first British embassy to India, how successful (or not) it really was, how it sowed the seeds for the British empire in India & beyond, and we touch upon the current relationship between the two countries, as well as hearing Nandini's favourite books & reading recommendations. Her favourite book that I've never heard of: “Coryat's Crudities” by Thomas Coryat (1611) Her favourite book of the last 12 months: “Leo Africanus Discovers Comedy: Theatre and Poetry Across the Mediterranean” by Nathalie Zemon Davis (2021) The book that she would take to a desert island: “The Principal Navigations, Voyages and Discoveries of the English Nation” by Richard Hakluyt (1589) The book that changed her mind: “Three Ways To Be Alien” by Sanjay Subrahmanyam (2011) Buy her book: https://amzn.eu/d/hAMRkg7 Lit with Charles loves reviews. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd be so grateful if you could leave a review of your own, and follow me on Instagram at ⁠⁠⁠@litwithcharles⁠⁠⁠. Let's get more people listening – and reading!

Today I had the pleasure of speaking to Lauren Easum, co-founder of the Parisian bookplate company Ex-Libris. Along with her business partner, Igor Telinge, Lauren has opened Ex-Libris Paris with the intention of bringing tradition back to life, and offering bibliophiles a way to imprint their books with their names & heritage. In today's episode, Lauren and I cover a wide range of topics – the history of bookplates, or ex-libris stamps as we sometimes refer to them, what makes a good bookplate, how they got the idea from a centuries-old discovery in the cellar of a Parisian townhouse, and the connection between bookplates and erotica. It was such an interesting conversation, and I learned a lot about the history of this object – from armorial origins, the exclusive purview of the social elite, to a democratised artform anyone can enjoy. Lauren's favourite book that I've never heard of was Marie Antoinette: The Portrait of an Average Woman, by Stefan Zweig (1932), which is a psychological portrait of the famous French queen. The best book that she has read in the last 12 months is Bel-ami, by Guy de Maupassant (1885) – which follows a charming and ambitious man confronted with the sordidity and corruptness of belle epoque Paris. The book she would take to a desert island is Mount Analogue: A Novel of Symbolically Authentic Non-Euclidean Adventures in Mountain Climbing, by René Daumal (1952), a surrealist ‘cult classic' which tells the allegorical story of an expedition to an elusive mountain. Finally, the book that changed her mind was Sophie's World, by Norwegian writer Jostein Gaarder (1991), which follows teenage Sophie as she is introduced to the world of philosophy. Lit with Charles loves reviews. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd be so grateful if you could leave a review of your own, and follow me on Instagram at ⁠⁠@litwithcharles⁠⁠. Let's get more people listening – and reading!

Today I spoke to Blindboy Boatclub – a multi-disciplinary Irish artist and author of the recently published short story collection Topographia Hibernica, a tongue-in-cheek update to the original. Blindboy exploded onto the international scene in late 2010 with his band The Rubberbandits and segued into a weekly podcast which is a cultural phenomenon, with over 1.2 million monthly listeners. He has released three critically acclaimed short story collections and this is his latest one. I thoroughly enjoyed Topographia Hibernica and its absurd, empathetic depictions of contemporary Irish society, flora and fauna. If you're a fan of dynamic short stories with a hard & modern edge, this will appeal to you. Tonally, it's gritty, subversive, and slightly surreal, and narrows in on the way we relate to animals and the natural world in modern culture. Above all, many of the stories are funny. There was something in the energy here that reminded me of early short stories by the Scottish writer Irvine Welsh. The book is a relatively easy read – not lighthearted, but still accessible – and its thematic threads of animal kingdoms interacting with elements of contemporary mythology holds the collection together in a really coherent way.  This episode features an extremely wide-reaching conversation, dipping in and out of Irish folklore, Hiberno English, the impending collapse in global biodiversity, Hieronymus Bosch, creating art with ‘fire in your veins', and a plethora of other fascinating topics. What shines through our conversation most apparently is the remarkable breadth of Blindboy's knowledge, and the all-consuming way he approaches creative pursuits. Incredibly informed and interested in the world around him, he's an artist in the truest sense of the word. Lit with Charles loves reviews. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd be so grateful if you could leave a review of your own, and follow me on Instagram at @litwithcharles. Let's get more people listening – and reading! Books mentioned in the episode: During the episode, Blindboy talked about the Argentinian horror short story collection, The Dangers of Smoking in Bed by Mariana Enríquez (2021); Dance Move, by Wendy Erskine (2022), an eclectic collection of stories set in Belfast; A Shock, by Keith Ridgeway (2021), a subversive novel exploring the absurdity of contemporary London life; The Wounded Cormorant and Other Stories by Liam O'Flaherty (1973), a compassionate portrayal of Irish nature; and Neuromancer, by William Gibson (1984), a genre-forming cyberpunk novel. His favourite book that I've probably never heard of was Ossian's Ride, by Fred Hoyle (1951), a sci-fi detective novel, where Ireland has become a technological superpower. The best book he's read in the last 12 months was Homesick for Another World, by Ottessa Moshfegh (2017), a collection of 14 short stories, most of which were originally published in The Paris Review.  The book he would take to a Desert Island would be The Third Policeman, by Flann O'Brien (1967) a dark, surrealist murder mystery set in a village police force. Finally, a book that changed his mind is The Dead, which is the final, novella-length, story from James Joyce's collection Dubliners (1914). Lit with Charles loves reviews. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd be so grateful if you could leave a review of your own, and follow me on Instagram at ⁠@litwithcharles⁠. Let's get more people listening – and reading! Find Blindboy: Instagram: @blindboyboatclub

Part of what I try to do on this channel is to, in some small way, examine the history of literature. But for today's guest, Spanish writer and Philologist Irene Vallejo, it's the history of the book itself – from early beginnings as delicate cuneiform tablets, scrolls, and reeds on the banks of the Nile – that truly excites. Papyrus is a stunning introduction to (and explanation of!) philology, and is definitely an accessible read for any lover of books or history. In this episode, we dive into 6000 years of history – connecting ancient episodes with anachronistic references to the modern day – and zoom in on some of the most powerful stories contained within. Lit with Charles loves reviews. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd be so grateful if you could leave a review of your own, and follow me on Instagram at @litwithcharles. Let's get more people listening – and reading! Books mentioned in the episode: The Name of the Rose, by Umberto Eco (1980) a tale of monks, murder mystery, and religious misgivings The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, by Edward Gibbon (1776) The Tale of Tales, Giambattista Basile (1634), which the brothers Grimm credit as the first national collection of fairy tales One Thousand and One Nights also known as the Arabian Night, a compendium of Middle Eastern folktales from the Islamic Golden Age. A book Irene would recommend to give beginners a better understanding of philology is Scholars and Scribes: A Guide to the Transmission of Greek and Latin Literature, by Nigel Wilson (1968) – an explanation of how texts have survived from Greek and Roman times, and why it was considered such an important endeavour. A book she'd recommend that I've never heard of is Pedro Páramo, by Juan Rulfo (1955), the story of a man who promises his dying mother he will find his father in a town called Comala, only to discover it's a place where ghosts and spectres walk amongst us. The best book she has read in the last 12 months is The Bitch, by Pilar Quintana (2020), which is an exploration of motherhood and love, following protagonist Damaris and her fisherman husband, set against the backdrop of the Colombian jungle. The book she would take to a desert island is an encyclopaedia – possibly Britannica. The book that changed her mind was The Odyssey by Homer, because when her father read it to her as a 4-year-old, that was the very moment she thinks she became a classicist. Find Irene: Buy Papyrus: ⁠ ⁠https://amzn.eu/d/aW3ABoR Instagram: ⁠@irenevallejomoreu

Famously undefinable, in many ways art is an ‘I'll know it when I see it' kind of thing. It's a giant sociological concept whose tendrils snake into all our lives. In today's episode, I speak to Farah Nayeri: journalist and author of Takedown: Art and Power in the Digital Age, a fascinating overview of some of the most difficult questions currently being asked in the contemporary art world. What should we be doing about culturally valuable works from problematic artists? Are the demographics of the industry (historically a hotbed of old, straight white men) changing fast enough? How can artists tread the line between appreciation and appropriation? In today's wide-ranging conversation, we cover this and much, much more – along with a snapshot into Farah's literary tastes and recommendations. Lit with Charles loves reviews. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd be so grateful if you could leave a review of your own, and follow me on Instagram @litwithcharles. Let's get more people listening – and reading! Books mentioned in the episode: Farah's favourite book I had probably never heard of was Venice is a Fish: A Sensual Guide, by Tiziano Scarpa (2008), an intoxicating and lyrical exploration of the parts of the city traditional guidebooks won't show you. The best book she has read in the last 12 months was David Smith: The Art and Life of a Transformational Sculptor, by Michael Brenson (2022), a biography of the industry titan who helped spark a love for the plastic arts in the US ‘scene'. The book she would take to a desert island was À la recherche du temps perdu, by Marcel Proust (1913), whose translated title is In Search of Lost Time, a Bildungsroman following the life of narrator ‘Marcel', set in high-society France. The book that changed her mind was Empireland: How Imperialism Has Shaped Modern Britain, by Sathnam Sanghera (2021), which offers a fresh critique of the history of British colonialism. Finally, the book that pleasantly surprised her was The Human Stain, by Philip Roth (2000), the story of an ageing classics professor in a small New England town forced to retire amidst allegations of racism. Find Farah: Book: https://amzn.eu/d/cdIRzdf Website: http://www.farahnayeri.com/ Instagram: @nayeri.farah

It's the age-old question: was the book really better than the movie? For the last however many millennia, the book has been the unrivalled compendium of human knowledge. However, since the turn of the last century, there's been a new kid on the proverbial block: the movie. Today I got to speak to Tom Williams, a film producer based out of LA, whose 25 year film industry tenure has given us a brief window into the glitz, glamour, and (perhaps) practical realities of working in the biz. In this episode we cover a wide range of topics, and have a go at recontextualising the historic chasm between cinema and literature – not a brutal clash of deadly foes, but actually something rather symbiotic. Find some of the books mentioned in the episode below: His favourite book I've never heard of was The Adventures and Misadventures of Maqroll, Alvaro Mutis (1992) His favourite book from the last 12 months was Seven Empty Houses, Samanta Schweblin (2022) A book he found disappointing was The Archivist by Rex Pickett (2021) The book he would bring to a desert island was Foucault's Pendulum, by Umberto Eco (1988)  The book that changed his mind was The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand (1943) Lit with Charles loves reviews. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd be so grateful if you could leave a review of your own, and follow me on Instagram at @litwithcharles. Let's get more people listening – and reading!

At first glance, the book I'm talking about today seems like the ultimate odd-couple pairing – a insightful analysis of the condition & economic prospects of women in India, combined with the adoration of a national movie icon. However, as it turns out, these two subjects might not be so disparate after all. Today I had the pleasure of speaking with Shrayana Bhattacharya, an Indian economist about her 2021 book, Desperately Seeking Shah Rukh. The book follows Shrayana's time spent collecting data on women's ambiguously defined and chronically undervalued employment across India. Over time, she started to notice a thread common to many of the women and girls she spoke to: a love for a certain Bollywood superstar called Shah Rukh Khan – a love which she in fact shared. Unlike other male action movie stars in India who are big on muscle and short on emotion, Shah Rukh, with his sad, gentle eyes, slighter frame, and willingness to help his cinematic leading ladies peel carrots and wash dishes, has struck a unique chord with the country's women. A lack of financial freedom and bodily autonomy hangs over the lives of the women Shrayana talks to – eighty percent of Indian women need approval from a family member to go outside the home to visit a health centre (171), and three in five adolescent girls feel unsafe in public places (196), she tells us. However, what shines through this text is the off-the-charts wattage of respect and affection with which she tells their stories – allowing both the harsh realities of these women's day-to-day lives and their playful, pragmatic crush on a good-looking movie star to exist simultaneously. Even though the book is a rigorous and detailed sociological analysis, the writing is accessible, fun and witty. It would be a perfect read for someone who is interested in feminism, economics and politics, but who might equally be a little apprehensive about approaching the drier tomes that tend to populate non-fiction bestseller lists. Books mentioned in the episode: One book about India (non-fiction): (50.10) Dreamers: How Young Indians are Changing the World, Snigdha Poonam, about the dreams of various segments of Indian youth. One book about India (fiction): (51.55) Ghachar Ghochar, Vivek Shanbhag (translated by Srinath Perur), a family rags to riches story set in Bangalore. Favourite book I've probably never heard of (52.33): The Higher Education of Geetika Mehendiratta, Anuradha Marwah a coming of age story about a young girl. Best book she's read in the last 12 months (53:22): Sakina's Kiss, Vivek Shanbhag (translated by Srinath Perur), (54.01)  Book she has found disappointing in the last 12 months (54.10): She found a whole genre disappointing – nonfiction accounts of very powerful men writing about themselves and the economy, vanity trip stories about themselves and how they became powerful Desert Island Book (55.24): The Odd Woman and the City, Vivian Gornick, a memoir about friendship and aging, set in New York City, published in 2015 Book that changed her mind (56.15): Future Sex: A New Kind of Free Love, Emily Witt, a guide to modern sexuality, published in 2016 ⁠⁠Find Shrayana: Instagram: ⁠@bshrayana Twitter: @bshrayana Buy her book: https://amzn.eu/d/2YpWR4A Follow me ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@litwithcharles⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more book reviews and recommendations!

In today's episode, I speak to the writer Avery Carpenter Forrey, who wrote the fun & enjoyable debut novel “Social Engagement”. It's a young woman's journey to getting married that is full of obstacles & revelations. At first glance, this may seem like standard chick-lit fare but I was pleasantly surprised to find that there was a darker undertone to this work that gave it an interesting shape. Aside from struggling with the aftermath of a past relationship as well as family trauma, the young woman at the heart of this novel deals with an eating disorder, and there's a whole angle of body symbolism that gives it an unusual flavour. It is Edith Wharton in the age of TikTok, with David Cronenberg as a cameo guest star. Its' tribe of privileged Upper East Siders are well-defined and certainly more palatable than the brats of Bret Easton Ellis, and it's no spoiler to reveal that the wedding at the heart of this novel is a total car crash – and who doesn't love a good car crash at a wedding – given that the novel opens at the end.  In this episode, Avery & I talk about her work and how it came to be, and we meander down her literary path to uncover her literary influences in her journey to becoming a writer.  Books mentioned in the episode: The book that changed her mind: Never Let Me Go, by Kazuo Ishiguro (2005) The genre that she is drawn to: Carmen Maria Machado, author of the short story collection “Her Body & Other Parties” (2017) and her memoir “In The Dream House” (2019) Favourite book I've never heard of: “Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance” by Alison Espach Favourite book of the last 12 months: “The Rachel Incident”, by Caroline O'Donoghue The book that she found over-rated: “Lessons in Chemistry” by Bonnie Garmus The book she's embarrassed not to have read: “Anna Karenina” by Leo Tolstoy  The book she would take to a desert island: “You Think It, I'll Say It”, a short story collection by Curtis Sittenfeld . This is the book she was reading as she gave birth so it's got to be entertaining. She also recommends the book “Prep” and “American Wife”, a fictionalized portrait of Laura Bush, and “Rodham” an alternative history where Hilary Clinton never meets Bill Clinton. Instagram: @averycarpenterforrey Buy her book: https://amzn.eu/d/6lBZlkh Follow me ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@litwithcharles⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more book reviews and recommendations!

There are classic books from a few centuries ago, and then there are classic classic books from distant and remote regions covering events that are long-lost to the sands of time. Today's episode is about this kind of book: the Icelandic sagas written in the 1300s and covering events from the start of the second millennium. The saga I read for this week's episode is called Njal's Saga and it is written anonymously, as many of the texts at the time were, probably through a long oral tradition and it is a fictionalized history of the start of what was called the Icelandic Commonwealth, which was a pretty unique society, largely agrarian, with no king or aristocracy and a system of laws and norms that maintained some form of stability.  However, that stability would soon come under grave threat with a series of spiralling feud, mostly based on stupid slurs leading to bloody murders, that would eventually lead to the collapse of the Icelandic Commonwealth. My guest today is Dr. Matthew Roby, who's an assistant professor at Mount Saint Vincent University in Nova Scotia, Canada, and he's a leading academic on the sagas and medieval literature in general. Today, he takes us through what exactly are the Icelandic sagas, why and how they were written, what influenced them and what did they influence (e.g The Lord of the Rings) and all sort of other fascinating tidbits on this long-lost form of story-telling.  Books mentioned in the episode: “Old-Norse Icelandic Literature: A Short Introduction” by Heather O'Donoghue (2004) “Gisla Saga” is the saga he recommends, which has noble heroes, and it centres on concepts of family, friendship and ties and it is relatively accessible. Favorite book that I've never heard of: “Letters from Iceland” by the poet WH Auden & Louis MacNeice (1937), which is a series of vignettes of life in Iceland at the time. The book that he loves but can't recommend to friends: The family sagas which are a sub-genre of the sagas focused on the historical aspects of Iceland.  The best book that he's read in the last 12 months: “Tess of the d'Urbervilles” by Thomas Hardy (1891), a classic novel about the tragic treatment of a woman in 19th century British society. The book that he finds over-rated: “Great Expectations” by Charles Dickens (1861) in which he found the morals too contrived and overt. The book that he would take to a desert island: “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy by JRR Tolkien (1954) The book that changed his mind: “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” by TS Eliot (1915), his first published poem, which made him want to pursue literature. He also mentioned the children's book “We Sang You Home” by the Canadian indigenous author Richard Van Camp, published in 2016. Follow me ⁠⁠⁠⁠@litwithcharles⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more book reviews and recommendations!

One of the best propulsive forces in literature, the force that keeps me turning pages as I read a novel is the question “Where on earth is this going?” And that question kept coming back to me as I read a very exciting debut novel called “How To Be A French Girl” by Rose Cleary, a young British writer. In the book, a twentysomething young girl who's given up on a promising art education to work a boring temp job in London in order to survive starts to develop an unhealthy obsession in an elegant French colleague called Gustave (you'll hear that name a few times in the interview) . Inspired by tropes driven by our technological world, she tried to transform herself into the titular & idealized French Girl. Her romantic pursuit & evolution twists & turns in ways that are increasingly uncomfortable but potentially, maybe justified? Overall, this novel felt to me like the secret love child of Bridget Jones and Fatal Attraction, with a touch of Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.  Anyway, this is a fun book, it went places that were genuinely surprising and uncomfortable and I recommend it. In this episode, Rose Cleary and I go through some of the themes featured in the book like power, identity, technology, art, class and all the other themes that populate this great novel.  Favourite book that I've never heard of: Siblings, by Magnus Florin (2021) Best book she's read in the last 12 months: “Near Distance”, by Hannah Stoltenberg The book that she would take to a desert island: “Infinite Jest” by David Foster Wallace (1996) The book that changed her mind: “Super-Sad True Love Story”, by Gary Shteyngart (2010) Find Rose: Website: https://rosecleary.com/ Instagram: @rclearyrcleary Buy her book: https://amzn.eu/d/fij3FI8 Follow me ⁠⁠⁠@litwithcharles⁠⁠⁠ for more book reviews and recommendations!

Sometimes a single act can resonate across the ages, its impact felt through generations, both politically and personally. In 1914, the feminist suffragette Mary Richardson slashed a painting called “The Rokeby Venus” by Diego Velasquez in the National Gallery in London, to raise awareness for the feminist cause. This event is the central trauma driving the great novel “Asunder”, written by my guest today, the Mexican & American novelist Chloe Aridjis and published 10 years ago. Her main protagonist, Marie, is a museum guard at the National Gallery, for whom the slashing has a very personal aspect, as her great-grandfather was the guard on duty at the time of the attack in 1914, who failed to stop the attack.  This is a subtle and contemplative novel that asks questions around the small crack and large tears around our lives. In today's episode, we talk about Chloe's writing process and methods, the direction of her novel, the central event of the 1914 slashing and how it compares to today's actions. As usual, I also ask Chloe about her inspirations and recommendations in terms of books she's read and enjoyed.  Her favourite book that I've never heard of: “The Haunted Screen”, by Lotte Eisner Her favourite book of the last 12 months: “The Blue Fox”, by Sjon The book she would take to a desert island: The short stories of Franz Kafka The book that changed her mind: The works of Thomas Bernhard Buy Asunder: https://amzn.eu/d/0PBQJy2 Follow me ⁠⁠⁠@litwithcharles⁠⁠⁠ for more book reviews and recommendations!

The impact of war on art - specifically on literature - is a subject that I find pretty fascinating. The First World War is maybe one of the first conflicts to incubate some brilliant writers. Some of the most prominent literary figures of the First World War were two British war poets called Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen. I didn't know much about their story until I read an excellent book called “Soldiers Don't Go Mad” by Charles Glass which was published this year.  In this book, the journalist Charles Glass who was the Middle East correspondent for ABC for ten years and the author of numerous books on war, describes the story of these two poets specifically in terms of their mental health, and the treatment they received for what was then called “shell shock”, which today we might call Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). These two great poets were treated together at a mental hospital called Craiglockhart at Edinburgh. Both those poets came to Craiglockhart using different paths but connected in that institution and the book does an incredible job of describing the interplay of mental health, war and the creation of art. Siegfried Sassoon was an established poet and a war hero, whereas Wilfred Owen was just getting started but their stay together at this mental hospital would affect them both, personally and artistically.  Siegfried Sassoon lived well into his eighties but Wilfred Owen was tragically killed on November 4th 1918, only a week before the war ended on November 11th.  In this interview, Charles Glass & I discuss his book and specifically the themes of war, mental health and how they impact the creation of art. Books mentioned in this episode: Early in the interview, he mentions Pat Barker's Regeneration trilogy which is a series of three novels about the First World War published in the early 1990s. His favourite book that I've never heard of: “Parade's End” by the British writer Ford Maddox Ford, a tetralogy of novels (that's 4 novels) set before, during and after WWI, published in the mid-1920s. The best book that he's read in the last 12 months: “Women of Troy”, by Pat Barker (2021), which is a retelling of the Iliad from the point of view of Trojan women.  The book that changed his mind: “American Power and the New Mandarins” by Noam Chomsky which changed his views about American imperial adventures. Find Charles Glass: Website: https://www.charlesglass.net/ Books: https://www.charlesglass.net/books/ Follow me ⁠⁠⁠@litwithcharles⁠⁠⁠ for more book reviews and recommendations!

We live in a changing world with geopolitical forces and academic ideas that are challenging our democratic norms. Extreme politics, both on the right and the left, are very much on the rise in many different countries. Both of these extreme forms of politics are undermining our classic democratic norms of universalism, principles that originated with and were enshrined by the American and French Revolutions.  Today's guest is Yascha Mounk, a German-American political scientist who teaches at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. He is the author of numerous books and articles defending the liberal and universal values of free democratic societies, but today we're going to focus on just two of his books.  The first of these two books is called “The Great Experiment” which was published last year. In that book, he writes that our modern multi-cultural societies in the West are under tremendous pressure to integrate these diverse populations in ways that ensure prosperity for all, and most importantly that manage to maintain our democratic norms. This year, he's back with a new book that focuses specifically on one of those traps, the book is called “The Identity Trap” and in it, he examines the meteoric rise of an ideology which he calls the identity synthesis, in the last couple of decades, especially in the United States from obscure academic environments to the mainstream. In this episode, we talk about what needs to happen to ensure the success of multicultural democracies, we talk about the origins of the identity synthesis and its development, and how different countries have different models to meet these challenges head-on. I hope you enjoy this episode. Books mentioned in the episode: The best book I've never heard of: Darkness at Noon, by Arthur Koestler (1940) The book that he loves but just can't recommend to others: The Half-Girlfriend by Chetan Bhagat (2014) The best book that he read in the last 12 months: Essays by George Orwell The book that he found disappointing in the last 12 months: Klara and the Sun, by Kazuo Ishiguro (2021) The book that he would take to a desert island: The Leopard, by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa (1958) The book that changed his mind: The Happiness Curve, by Jonathan Rauch (2018) Find Yascha: Website: https://www.yaschamounk.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yaschamounk/ Pre-order his new book: https://amzn.eu/d/gePpkZ8 Follow me ⁠⁠⁠@litwithcharles⁠⁠⁠ for more book reviews and recommendations!

Today's episode follows an interesting literary path. The first stop in that path is a book written in 1974 by Robert Caro, called The Power Broker. It's one of the most brilliant biographies of all time. If you're looking for a magnificently researched, and totally gripping book on the life of one of the most influential men of the 20th century, then this the one. It's the story of Robert Moses.  That name may not mean much to a lot of people but in short, he's basically the man who built New York City from the 1930s to the 1960s. Through a finely tuned network of money and power that he put together, he was able to decide, pretty much single-handedly, what was built in New York: roads, parks, bridges, buildings. Robert Moses' ideas started spinning out of control and he developed visions of massive highways ploughing through New York and to do that, he was going to tear down vast neighbourhoods of the city.  The person who ignited the opposition to Robert Moses was a journalist and urban activist called Jane Jacobs. In 1961, she wrote a book called “The Death and Life of Great American Cities” in which she outlined a very different path for urban planning, one that was more focused on organic human interaction, based on historic urban traditions, as opposed to abstract planning based on data. I was curious to know how she and her book were perceived today in the urban planning community and how this book had aged. I was very lucky to connect with today's guest, Chuck Marohn who is the founder of Strong Towns, a movement based in Minnesota, dedicated to helping cities and towns in the United States achieve financial resiliency through civic engagement, and seeks to improve communities through urban planning concepts such as walkability, mixed-use zoning, and infill development. Strong Towns manages a blog and a podcast of the same name, hosted by Chuck. In today's episode, we discuss the influence of Jane Jacobs' book, the context that surrounded its publication and how the urban planning debate has evolved over time and what's at stake for cities today. The most brilliant book: Economy of Cities by Jane Jacobs (1969) His favorite book I've never heard of: The Lives of a Cell by Lewis Thomas (1974) The best book he's read in the last 12 months: “The One: How an Ancient Idea Holds the Future of Physics” by Henrich Päs (2023) The book he found disappointing in the last 12 months: “Doughnut Economics” by Kate Raworth (2017) The book that he would take to a desert island: The Bible The book that changed his mind: “What the Dog Saw”, by Malcolm Gladwell (2009) Links: Chuck's Book: https://amzn.eu/d/4tpGm1I Strong Towns Website: https://www.strongtowns.org/contributors-journal/charles-marohn Follow me ⁠⁠⁠@litwithcharles⁠⁠⁠ for more book reviews and recommendations!

If ever there was a need for a single definition of the novel's function, it may well be to establish an architecture around characters that leads them directly to unique moral quandaries. These shorts of choices are ultimately what drives some of the greatest novels.  And what better framework than war to create situations that lead characters towards real perplexity? After all, it consists of two sides fighting for what both believe to be right, with outcomes involving ruin, destruction and death.  Now throw in the fact that the novel may or may not be based on true events, perhaps embellished by the novelist's pen but ultimately rooted in history, and you find that the membrane between fact and fiction becomes very porous indeed. My guest today is the novelist James MacManus who is a former journalist, a correspondent for the Guardian in Africa and the Middle East. Currently, he's also the Managing Director of The TLS (The Times Literary Supplement), an august weekly literary review. During his time in Africa, he covered the Zimbabwe War for Independence, and his sixth novel “Love in a Lost Land”, is based on these experiences in Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, at a time of guerrilla warfare. It's a very authentic read which looks at both sides of the conflict and features a love story that bridges those factions. The setting brings to life the work of a journalist in a perilous environment and the plot created moral quandaries that were reminiscent, to me, of Graham Greene novels. A list of books mentioned in the interview: Favourite Book That I've Never Heard Of: “Love Lessons” by Joan Wyndham Best Book That James Read in the Last 12 Months: “A Moveable Feast” by Ernest Hemingway The Book That He Finds Over-Rated: The works of William Faulkner The Book That He Would Take To A Desert Island: “The Rattle Bag”, an anthology of poems compiled by Seamus Heaney and Ted Hughes The Book That Changed His Mind: “Kon-Tiki” by Thor Heyerdahl

How do we, as readers, detect new and emerging talent in writing? We can look at book sales or book prizes but young writers don't necessarily gain huge commercial success or awards early on in their careers. One list that has proved almost oracular in the last 40 years has been established by the venerable literary magazine Granta and that's the list of Best Young British Novelists. My guest today, Olivia Sudjic, is a young British writer, who was included on the latest lists published this year. She has now published two novels as well as an extended essay on the art & process of writing. Her first novel, “Sympathy” was published in 2017 and is a tale of obsession & connection in our ever-creeping technological age. This was followed by “Exposure”, an essay published in 2018, which allowed her to look back and reflect on this momentous step of writing and how that had impacted her. It was a great look into the mindset, approach and perception of a young female writer in today's world. This was then followed by another novel, “Asylum Road” in 2021, about the voyages of a young woman in the UK who is in a relationship on the brink. I was excited to speak to Olivia to learn about her journey as a writer, her inspirations, her voice and of course her recommendations. Books mentioned throughout the episode: Favourite book I've never heard of: “Confessions of a Justified Sinner”, by James Hogg. (1824) The best book Olivia read in the last 12 months: “My Phantoms” by Gwendoline Riley (2021) The book that she's embarrassed not to have read: “The Golden Notebook” by Doris Lessing (1962) The book that she would take to a desert island: “Super-Infinite” by Katherine Rundell (2022) The book that changed her mind: “The End of the Story” by Lydia Davis (1995) Find Olivia: Instagram: @olivia.sudjic Buy Asylum Road: https://amzn.eu/d/hiAKTJI Follow me ⁠⁠⁠@litwithcharles⁠⁠⁠ for more book reviews and recommendations!

On May 25th 2020, in Minneapolis, a black man named George Floyd was murdered by a white police officer named Derek Chauvin who put his knee on George Floyd's neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds, thus asphyxiating him. That tragic event had an immediate global impact, sparking off demonstrations and riots, not just in the US but across the world. But who was George Floyd? Where did he come from? What was he like? What was his life? These questions are all addressed in the book co-authored by my guest today, Robert Samuels, and Tolu Olorunnipa called “His Name is George Floyd: One Man's Life & Struggle for Racial Justice” which won the Pulitzer Prize for General Non Fiction this year. It's a superbly researched book which provides a look at George Floyd's ancestry and how the trauma of slavery & discrimination is typically passed down in Black families in America. In today's interview, I ask Robert Samuels what the research was like given the raw emotions that must have been omnipresent. This is obviously a difficult subject, but one that must be discussed and this book certainly helps to open our eyes and instigate these important conversations.  Books mentioned in the episode: Favourite book I've never heard of: “Nowhere Man” by Aleksandar Hemon (2002) Favourite book of the last 12 months: “The Haunting of Hajji Hotak & Other Stories” by Jamil Kochai (2022) The book that he would take to a desert island: “The Grapes of Wrath” by John Steinbeck The book that changed his mind: “Locking Up Our Own” by James Forman Jr. (2017) Buy Robert Samuels book: https://amzn.eu/d/jeix2UR Follow me ⁠⁠⁠@litwithcharles⁠⁠⁠ for more book reviews and recommendations!

The British writer LP Hartley opened his novel “The Go-Between” with an unforgettable line “The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there.” There's a long-standing idea of literature being a vehicle to explore these “foreign countries”, be they temporal or geographical or cultural.  My guest today has been one of the most innovative voices with regard to the immigrant experience, especially through his 2007 novel “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao”. Junot Díaz is a Dominican-American writer who won the Pulitzer Prize for that novel, thanks to its incredibly modern story-telling. The prose was insane, with different characters' vernacular switching on and off, the timelines, inspirations, characters felt incredibly fresh and exciting. It's the story of a young Dominican-American boy who navigates this new world of America, whilst pining for the homeland of the Dominican Republican, and he copes with this, and with the turmoil of adolescence, by immersing himself in typical teen nerd culture of comics, and sci-fi. If you haven't read that book, then I strongly suggest that you do. Junot Diaz is now a Professor of Creative Writing at MIT (the Massachussetts Institute of Technology) as well as a contributing editor to the Boston Review of Fiction. In this episode, we talk about his inspirations for his work, his process and what makes him tick as an artist. A list of the books mentioned in the episode: The book I've never heard of: Incantations and Other Stories, by Anjana Appachana (1991) Best book of the last 12 months: “The Sellout” by Paul Beatty (2015) Most disappointing book of the last 12 months: “Star Maker”, by Olaf Stapledon (1937) Which book would he take to a desert island: Either “Beloved” by Toni Morrison (1987) or “Dhalgren”, a sci-fi novel by Samuel Delany (1975) What book changed his mind: “City of Quartz” by Mike Davis (1990) Follow me ⁠⁠⁠@litwithcharles⁠⁠⁠ for more book reviews and recommendations!

Today's guest is a poet named Iona Lee, who I was lucky enough to meet at Glastonbury a few months ago. One night I was in a queue for an event, and Iona mentioned that she was about to publish her first collection of poems. Obviously, that peaked my interest and when I asked her if she would be willing to recite a poem, she delivered a really authentic, amazing performance, right there in the queue. Iona generously shared with me a copy of her book, a collection of poems with the title “Anamnesis” which is an Ancient Greek word for recollection, especially a recollection of a previous life, it means an “unforgetting”. And I liked this collection a lot. For starters, I love anything that evokes memory and remembrance, but also I appreciate eclectic approaches to literature, and this collection is definitely that: eclectic. It weaves between classical & contemporary subjects, it's playful and creative in the structure of the poems and above all, it feels really authentic, like this poet is putting her feelings, emotions and perhaps memories out there, which is what we ask of artists.  I was so excited to speak to Iona about how she gets inspired, her path as an artist and what she recommends in the poetry world.  Here is the list of books mentioned throughout the episode: Her favourite poetry collections: “Glass, Irony and God”, by Anne Carson (1995) “Shine Darling” by Ella Frears (2020) “Motherland Fatherland Homelandsexuals” by Patricia Lookwood (2014) “When I Grow Up I Want To Be A List of Further Possibilities” by Chen Chen (2017) Her favourite book that I've never heard of: “Forests: The Shadow of Civilization” by Robert Pogue Harrison, (1992) Her favourite book of the last 12 months: “The Dangers of Smoking in Bed” by Mariana Enríquez (2009) Her most disappointing book in the last 12 months: “The Passion of New Eve”, by Angela Carter The book she would take to a desert island: “The Encyclopedia Britannica” The book that changed her mind: “Where Are The Women?” by Sara SheridanFollow me ⁠⁠⁠@litwithcharles⁠⁠⁠ for more book reviews and recommendations!