RNIB Talking Books - Read On

An all-star ensemble comes together to celebrate RNIB Talking Books 9th decade of bringing the joy of reading to blind and partially sighted people. A special recording of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice features some of the UK's best-known actors and today we chat to four of them. Ben Willbond, Phil Dunster, Lisa George and Shazia Mirza talk about narrating Jane Austen and give us some great book recommendations.

A love themed show for Valentine's Day featuring Fiona Lucas on Always and Only You, Joanna Toye on The Little Penguin Bookshop, Rachel Greenlaw on The Woodsmoke Women's Book of Spells, and audio describer Liz Gutman on writing spicy AD for Bridgerton. Plus we find a handful of books on all sorts of love in the RNIB Library.

James Bartlett, Reading Services Manager at RNIB tells Robert Kirkwood about a new recording of Pride and Prejudice with many famous narrators, made to celebrate 90 years of Talking Books. We also hear the foreword by Julian Fellowes.Full book - https://audioboom.com/playlists/4635906-talking-books-at-90-pride-and-prejudice-by-jane-austen

Today we continue our deep dive into last year's Booker shortlist as Robert Kirkwood has a long chat with Susan Choi on her novel Flashlight. They chat about the significance of the title, the importance of historical research and even end up chatting about ashtrays from McDonalds and smoking in the office!

The year 2026 is National Year of Reading and this along with World Book Day 2026 on March 5, is a great chance for every child, including those with reading impairments and vision impairments, to enjoy and celebrate their love of reading and storytelling.To mark the occasion, leading sight loss charity, Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) is running a creative writing competition so children with vision impairments can express their creativity and love of books.The competition is open to any child or young person between the ages of 5-12 years with a vision impairment in the UK. The last date to submit entries is Monday 23 February 2026.We can't wait to read your submission and wish you the very best of luck!For full details of how to enter the competition, email worldbookday@rnib.org.uk

In today's episode Robert Kirkwood chats to Katie Kitamura about her novel Audition, an exhilarating, destabilising novel that asks whether we ever really know the people we love.They chat about dimension shifts, narration and why the book was almost called Performance.Plus we find some new books in the RNIB Library.

The Land in Winter by Andrew Miller is an atmospheric novel set during a famously freezing 1960s winter, exploring the minutiae of married life through the interior lives of two couples. Robert Kirkwood talks to Andrew about his inspiration for the novel, why it's not based on his parents and about his first time narrating one of his novels.

A book 19 years in the making, The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai is a spellbinding story of two young people whose fates intersect and diverge across continents and years – an epic of love and family, India and America, tradition and modernity. Robert Kirkwood asks Kiran about her writing process, casting the audio version and where to get a good kebab in New York.

A listen back to the times I was set free at both Boswell and Wigtown Book Festivals featuring Rupert Everett, Louise Minchin, Wayne Sleep, Dom Joly and Andrew O'Hagan.

A listen back to some 2025 highlights from later in last year including Percival Everett, Yael van der Wouden, Nate Lessore, Margaret McDonald, David Szalay and pay tribute to Frederick Forsythe and Dame Stella Rimington.

A listen back to some 2025 highlights from early last year including AJ West, Yael van der Wouden, Rachel Kushner, Clare Mackintosh, Lucy Edwards and pay tribute to narrator Steve Hodson.

In today's Read On, Robert Kirkwood chats to the Map Men, also known as Jay Foreman and Mark Cooper-Jones about their debut book This Way Up - When Maps Go Wrong (and why it matters). In the second part of their chat they discuss accessibility, made up mountains, an audiobook co-incidence and even have a feel of a tactile map from RNIB. Plus we'll find some more festive books in the RNIB Library.

In today's Read On, Robert Kirkwood chats to the Map Men, also known as Jay Foreman and Mark Cooper-Jones about their debut book This Way Up - When Maps Go Wrong (and why it matters). In this first part of a two part show Jay and Mark talk about accents, breaking the fourth wall and addressing the listener directly and about turning a very visual book into an audiobook. Plus we'll find some festive books in the RNIB Library.

Author of many favourites in the RNIB Library, Joanna herself was very aware of the importance of accessibility as she had an eye condition that made her partially sighted. Here she is on the importance of Talking Books

From her home in Los Angeles, author E.K. Wise tells Robert Kirkwood about The Keepers of the Rock - Book 1 The Debilis Rising, a thrilling YA fantasy full of secrets, crystals and history. We discuss the science behind the book, about neurodivergent representation and ask why the audio version was recorded in the UK Plus we find some new books in the RNIB Library

In the final show this year recorded in Scotland's Book Town, we chat to author Annaliese Avery about her new series, The Wycherleys, storyteller Renita Boyle has some Wild Words and listener Charlotte Bennie, and her guide dog Christie, tell us what the Wigtown Book Festival is like for accessibility. Plus as always, we find some new books in the RNIB Library.

Today Robert Kirkwood chats to Nicholas Jubber about Monsterland, a journey around the world's dark imagination and he also talks to an author with two heads ... those being that of Christopher Brookmyre and Marisa Haetzman AKA Ambrose Parry, about the latest Raven and Fisher mystery, The Death of Shame. We also travel to the RNIB Library to find some brand new books.

On today's Read On a long chat with the winner of the Booker Prize 2025, David Szalay. Robert Kirkwood chats to David about the life of his character István, and how he seems to live in the gaps between chapters, and about the narration of the audio version by Daniel Weyman. We also find some brand new books in the RNIB Library.

Full interview on Friday - but for now huge congratulations to David Szalay for his Booker win for Flesh - available in audio and Braille from RNIB Library.

Today a supercut of interviews with all six Booker shortlisted authors for 2025 with Susan Choi on Flashlight, Kiran Desai on The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny, Katie Kitamura on Audition, Ben Markovits on The Rest of Our Lives, Andrew Miller on The Land in Winter, and David Szalay on Flesh. All books on the shortlist are available both in audio and Braille from RNIB library.

In today's episode from Scotland's Book Town we chat to friend of the show, and author of over 300 books, Vivian French. We chat end of the world survival with author Robert Twigger and hear about King Charles' book collection from The Royal Butler, Grant Harrold. Plus we find new books in the RNIB Library.

Today on Read On from the Wigtown Book Festival, we have some journeys, conversations and stories after dark in Dan Richards' book, Overnight and chat to Suzanne O'Sullivan about The Age of Diagnosis: How the Overdiagnosis Epidemic is Making Us Sick. Plus we'll find some brand new books in the RNIB Library.

In an episode recorded on location at the Wigtown Book Festival, Robert Kirkwood talks to Louise Minchin about 'Isolation Island', a novel inspired by both Agatha Christie and her time on I'm A Celeb, and to historian Lucy Hughes-Hallett about her book 'The Scapegoat: The Brilliant Brief Life of the Duke of Buckingham' plus we find new books in the RNIB Library.

With the Booker shortlist released recently we look at who is up for the prize this year, and listen to some past winners including Shehan Karunatilaka, Paul Lynch, Douglas Stewart, Margaret Atwood & Bernardine Evaristo plus some book recommendations from last year's winner, Sam Harvey.

Today we chat to poet and author Elspeth Wilson about her debut novel, These Mortal Bodies, a gripping and atmospheric dark academia novel about toxic female friendships and obsession. Plus we find some brand new books in the RNIB Library.

This week Robert Kirkwood is joined by Ali Harris as they discuss her new novel, This Wasn't Meant to Happen, a book described to be for anyone who has ever lost, longed, or held on when letting go felt impossible. Content Warning - This book, and therefore this episode, deals with child loss and stillbirth.

Looking forward to this year's Wigtown Book Festival by listening to chats with Graham McRae Burnett, Stuart Kelly, Alex von Tunzelmann, Henry Manse, Paula Hawkins and Maggie O'Farrell. Plus we find some brand new books in the RNIB Library.

Three authors who write in very different genres all wrapped up in the one package. Lisa Timoney writes family drama, Kate Storey writes books about books, and Naomi Williams writes psychological thrillers, but they are all the same person. As The Forgotten Book Club is released I talk to Lisa/Kate/Naomi about all her personas and why she keeps them separate. Plus as always we find new books in the RNIB Library. 

Today we're taking some books into the Garden. Ruth Scurr tells us about Napoleon: A Life in Gardens and Shadows, Monty Don tells us about sensory gardening and Victoria Bennett discusses All My Wild Mothers: Motherhood, loss and an apothecary garden. All that plus we've got some new books on all things gardening in the RNIB Library.

Today we set sail with author Caroline James and hear all about her new book, The Cruise Club, plus we dive into her background and back catalogue.  We get some self-help recommendations from the team at the Happy Hour and find some new books in the RNIB Library.

Today Robert Kirkwood is joined by journalist and author Clémence Michallon from her home in New York, as we explore Our Last Resort, the brand new psychological thriller from the bestselling author of The Quiet Tenant We also find some brand new books in the RNIB Library.

Charlotte Butterfield joins Robert Kirkwood to talk about The Sister Switch, the brand new hilarious, emotional and thought-provoking book club read about twin sisters who make a bet to switch lives for a week We also find some brand new books in the RNIB Library.

"The Light of Day" by Christopher Stephens and Louise Radnofsky, tells the story of Roger Butler, a man who came out as gay in the British press in 1960, before the decriminalization of homosexuality. The book explores Butler's life, his activism, and his later struggles with blindness and isolation.  Plus Blind Poet Dave Steele and filmmaker Matt Hopkins discuss 'The Film I'll Never See' and we get some book recommendations from poet and Carnegie Shortlisted author Matt Goodfellow.

Author Dame Stella Rimington has died at the age of 90. As the first female director of MI5 she poured years of lived experience into her spy novels featuring both Liz Carlyle and Manon Tyler. She spoke to RNIB Connect Radio's Read On show about her latest novel, her career and her membership to RNIB Talking Books. For that full interview you can download Read On episode number 420 from wherever you get your podcasts, just search for RNIB Read On

Today Robert Kirkwood is joined by Alis Hawkins as we explore 'The Oxford Mysteries' with her books A Bitter Remedy and The Skeleton Army, plus we explore her past series on 'The Teifi Valley Coroner' with blind protagonist Harry Probert-Lloyd.

In today's final visit to Dumfries House and the Boswell Book Festival we get out in nature as we forage for Free Food with Mo Wilde and find the Wilderness Cure, we go to Bird School with Adam Nicolson and we travel behind the former Iron Curtain with Charlie English and the CIA Book Club. Plus we'll find some new books in the RNIB Library.

In today's Read On we hear from Andrew O'Hagan after his keynote address on humour, sponsored by RNIB Connect Radio, and discuss his book Caledonian Road which is set to become a recurring series on Netflix.  Former News at Ten host John Suchet goes In Search of Beethoven in his latest book about the composer, plus in the sprit of Boswell we find some new biography and memoir in the RNIB Library. 

In today's edition of Read On, we're once again on location at Dumfries House at this year's Boswell Book Festival. Robert Kirkwood chats to Wayne Sleep OBE about his book, Just Different, artist Juano Diaz tells us about Slum Boy, his heart-breaking memoir that he insisted be available in audio and comedian Dom Joly becomes The Conspiracy Tourist and asks if Finland really exists.  We step away from the festival for some book recommendations from author Clare Furniss and find new memoir and biography in the RNIB Library.

In today's edition of Read On, we're on location at Dumfries House at this year's Boswell Book Festival. Robert Kirkwood chats to Hollywood Icon Rupert Everett about his book, The American No, Buddhist monk, meditation teacher and author Gelong Thubten tells us about his Handbook for Hard Times and comedian Helen Lederer tells us about her memoir, Not That I'm Bitter. Plus in the spirit of the festival we find some new biographies in the RNIB Library.

Today we travel to the Isle of Skye with Sue Moorcroft as the third volume of her best selling Skye Sisters Trilogy is released. Plus we find some new books entering the RNIB Library.

Our final Carnegie Medal for Writing show with winner of the Shadowing Award Nathanael Lessore for King of Nothing and winner of this year's Medal for Writing, Margaret McDonald on Glasgow Boys. Plus we take a swift visit to the RNIB Library to find some brand new books.

Today on Read On we're continuing our interviews with authors on the shortlist for the Carnegie Medal for Writing. This week Kelly McCaughrain on Little Bang and Matt Goodfellow on The Final Year, plus we find some new audiobooks out now and available from RNIB Library.

Frederick Forsyth, the author of The Day Of The Jackal, has died at the age of 86 after a brief illness.  He was a great supporter of RNIB Talking Books, visiting the studios many times to record messages and raise awareness, and even to record a small non-fiction tale he wrote for us as part of a fundraising effort to re-archive our old tape recordings to a digital format. On one visit, Robert Kirkwood grabbed him for a chat about his books and his dangerous research trips and to ask why he supported RNIB. 

In today's episode, we talk to two more authors on the Carnegie Medal for Writing shortlist, Luke Palmer on his book Play and Brian Conaghan on Treacle Town, plus we find some new books out now and available from the RNIB Library.

In today's episode, we talk to two authors on the Carnegie Medal for Writing shortlist, Blessing Musariri on her book All That It Ever Meant and Clare Furniss on The Things We Leave Behind, plus we find some new books out now and available from the RNIB Library.