Podcast appearances and mentions of Booker Prize

The novelist Brandon Taylor has been a force to reckon with right from the start: His debut, “Real Life,” was a finalist for the Booker Prize in 2020, and he quickly followed that up with two other books, the story collection “Filthy Animals” in 2021 and another novel, “The Late Americans,” in 2023, along with a steady stream of reviews, essays and literary hot takes he publishes on his popular Substack account, Sweater Weather.Now Taylor returns with a new novel, “Minor Black Figures,” about a 31-year-old painter on the Upper East Side of Manhattan who falls unexpectedly in love with a former Catholic priest. On this week's episode, MJ Franklin speaks with Taylor about how he came to write “Minor Black Figures” and what drew him to the world of fine art as a setting.  Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

Ian McEwan is a Booker Prize winning author of nineteen novels, including Atonement, Enduring Love, The Children Act, and On Chesil Beach. Ian sits down with Jenna Bush Hager to talk about the inspiration for his latest novel, What We Can Know. Ian reflects on a lifetime of storytelling, from his early love of reading to his writing routine and how it feels to be an author in the age of AI. They also talk about the global impact of his books, the timeless power of literature to ask big questions about who we are and what we value, and what topics he's excited to explore in his next novel.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Imagine the impact of climate change is irreversible, and decades of flooding, famine, pandemics and war have upended life on earth. That world is explored in Ian McEwan's new novel, “What We Can Know.” Senior arts correspondent Jeffrey Brown sat down with the Booker Prize-winning novelist for our arts and culture series, CANVAS. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Actor Tamsin Greig discusses her role in Sally Wainwright's latest drama series, Riot Women, in which a group of middle-aged women in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, form a band of anarchist rock musicians. Booker Prize-shortlisted author Susan Choi tells us about her sprawling historical epic, Flashlight, set against the backdrop of the shared history of America, Japan and Korea. Conservation specialist Will Palin on the historic refurbishment of a series of magnificent murals by the great artist William Hogarth, which have just gone on display to the public for the first time at Bart's Hospital in London. And one hundred years since its invention, we discuss the history and cultural significance of the analogue photobooth. How did this new technology make photography more democratic and influence major artists? Presenter: Kirsty Wark Producer: Mark Crossan

The Drunk Guys universally like beer this week when they read Universality by Natasha Brown. Their gold is to drink: A Lot of Round Objects, None of Which are Perfectly Round by Other Half and Hudson Valley, Seaworthy by Oxbow, and Ghost Ship by South Shore Craft Brewery. Join the

Watch as a full video on YouTubeOn this week's episode, we are talking about a scarcity of books for the Booker Prize and wondering if that is due to poor books or too narrow a category for prizes. Plus, we join the Alchemised train and wonder if fanfic turned to publishing gold shows publishers are unwilling to gamble on new stories, and more generally discuss how risk-averse the industry can be and why that narrows the chances for new authors.00:00 Intro01:04 Anthropic Settlement Update03:22 Booker Prize in crisis?17:46 Alchemised success - Turning FanFic into Gold24.20 Betting on Bestsellers - Do Publishers Play the Odds?36:56 Off Script - Nadine finds another stranger than fiction story for inspiration43:14 Off Script - Our Favourite Horror MoviesLinks:Sign up for Anthropic settlementDoyle says Booker Prize struggled to find good novelsAlchemised - Fan fiction turned into a bestsellerWhy Romance Readers can't quit DramioneThe Publishing Industry has a Gambling ProblemNadine's Stranger than Fiction storyAdventures in Publishing-land is brought to you by STET Podcasts - the one stop shop for all your writing podcast needs, featuring Page One - The Writer's Podcast, The Conversation with Nadine Matheson and more!Follow us on BlueskyFollow us on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A film about a man trying to fund a gender-affirming operation by robbing a bank sounds like a modern-day plot. But 50 years ago, that was the scenario for the classic film Dog Day Afternoon. We're featuring our interviews with director Sidney Lumet and with Al Pacino, who starred as the bank robber. Lumet gave his lead license to take the role as far as he wanted, and then pushed Pacino to do more. "It's really one of the best pieces of movie acting I've ever seen. It was blinding in its intensity, agonizingly painful," he told Terry Gross in 1988.Also, Maureen Corrigan reviews The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai which has been shortlisted for the Booker Prize.  Follow Fresh Air on instagram @nprfreshair, and subscribe to our weekly newsletter for gems from the Fresh Air archive, staff recommendations, and a peek behind the scenes.  Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The novel The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny has been shortlisted for the Booker Prize and is a Kirkus Prize finalist. Author Kiran Desai discusses the novel, which tells the story of one couple throughout their lives in India and New York City.

Sarah Perry is the internationally bestselling author of the novels Enlightenment, Melmoth, The Essex Serpent and After Me Comes the Flood, and the non-fiction Essex Girls. She is a winner of the Waterstones Book of the Year Award and the British Book of the Year Award. Enlightenment was longlisted for the Booker Prize 2024 and her other work has been nominated for major literary prizes including the Women's Prize for Fiction, the Dylan Thomas Prize, the Folio Prize and the Costa Novel Award. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. On this episode of Little Atoms she talks to Neil Denny about her first full length work of non-fiction Death of an Ordinary Man. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Maria Reva's novel Endling about snails, romance tours, and the war in Ukraine, is longlisted for the Booker Prize. Show notes: Maria Reva (https://mariareva.ca) Endling (https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/609448/endling-by-maria-reva/) Ed Yong: The Last of Its Kind (https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/609448/endling-by-maria-reva/) Salvador Plascencia: The People of Paper (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_People_of_Paper) Booker Prize Facebook post with photos of authors' workspaces (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1209735351184632&set=pcb.1209736397851194) Anelise Chen: Clamdown (https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/599888/clam-down-by-anelise-chen/) Learn more about Scrivener (https://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener/overview), and check out the ebook Take Control of Scrivener (https://www.literatureandlatte.com/store). If you like the podcast, please follow it on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/write-now-with-scrivener/id1568550068) or your favorite podcast app. Leave a rating or review, and tell your friends. And check out past episodes of Write Now with Scrivener (https://podcast.scrivenerapp.com).

Steve Coogan on his new spoof documentary series. in which his alter ego Alan Partridge returns from some time in Saudia Arabia to tackle one of the most pressing issues of our time: mental health. In the first of our interviews with writers shortlisted for this year's Booker Prize, American novelist Katie Kitamura discusses her book Audition, a story told through the first person voice of an unnamed actor, which explores the roles we play in public and private. As Black History Month begins, and as a blue plaque is unveiled to Winifred Atwell, the first ever black artist to top the UK singles chart, journalist and broadcaster Sir Trevor McDonald and musician and researcher Uchenna Ngwe reflect on the life and career of this remarkable musician whose achievements have been largely forgotten. Presenter: Kirsty Wark Producer: Mark Crossan

Daisy Johnson made headlines when she became the youngest person ever shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 2018, when she was 27. But, as she tells us in this episode, her shortlisted novel Everything Under was born of a time of great transition and growth. Water ripples throughout Daisy's work, from the remote rain-lashed house in Sisters to the ambiguous murk of Fen, with its shapeshifting characters who are inseparable from their landscape. On the banks of the Thames in Oxford, the author explains how water has accompanied her throughout her life, from the fenlands of her adolescence to the canals and rivers of her adulthood and matrescence. Daisy Johnson's latest publication, The Hotel, is a collection of short stories that offer the perfect accompaniment to autumn evenings. Long Wave, her next book, will be out next year.This podcast is inspired by my book, ⁠Why Women Grow: Stories of Soil, Sisterhood and Survival⁠, which is available in all good bookshops. We've also been photographing our guests and their gardens and you can see the beautiful images captured by India Hobson on my ⁠website⁠ and instagram account @⁠⁠⁠alicevincentwrites⁠⁠⁠. Use code WWGAUTUMN at ⁠⁠⁠Crocus.co.uk⁠⁠⁠'s checkout to save 20% on full priced plants. It is valid when you spend a minimum of £50 on full priced plants and / or bulbs. Cannot be used in conjunction with any other codes or offers.

Jeff and Rebecca talk about The Booker Prize finalists, a judicial brow-beating, soft book sales, and more. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Ready for a cozy, bookish autumn? Let Tailored Book Recommendations help you find your next favorite read with handpicked suggestions from professional book nerds. Get started today from just $18! The Book Riot Podcast is a proud member of the Airwave Podcast Network. Discussed in this episode: Check out Zero to Well-Read! Subscribe to The Book Riot Newsletter for regular updates to get the most out of your reading life. Booker Prize finalists Judge dismisses Trump's lawsuit against NYT, PRH Book sales dropped in first half of 2025, romantasy losing steam The Fourth Wing adaptation has a showrunner Will There Ever Be Another You by Patricia Lockwood 107 Days by Kamala Harris Baldwin: A Love Story by Nicholas Boggs This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At 77, the Booker Prize-winning British novelist Ian McEwan shows no signs of slowing down. His new novel, What We Can Know, is set in Great Britain in the 22nd century – a country now partly underwater as a result of global warming. In today's episode, McEwan speaks with NPR's Scott Simon about the book's plot – it tells of a search for a lost poem that was written in our own times – and notes that he is less interested in the future of science than that of the humanities, love and daily life.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Culpability by Bruce Holsinger. When a self driving car crashes, a family's lives are thrown into chaos. In the aftermath, questions are raised about responsibility for the accident and where the ethical line between human culpability and the technology is drawn. The people in this family are all keeping secrets from one another, and as these are thrown into the spotlight this book just gets more and more compelling. I couldn't put it down. Mother Mary Comes to Me by Arundhati Roy. She won the Booker Prize in 1997 with The God of Small Things which was fiction – this new one is a memoir, about her life, and specifically about her relationship with her mother who was a singular, difficult woman who is referred to throughout the book as Mrs Roy. They had a challenging relationship – Arundhati said her mother was her shelter and her storm – and there are loads of fascinating and entertaining stories and anecdotes in the book. It's a terrific memoir. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With more people employed in the parking industry then as full time soldiers are they up to the job of giving Putin a ticket? Giles turns to some great war films for inspiration:“Did you issue the parking ticket!?” “Goddam right I did!”The Booker Prize announced its short list this week, with one notable omission and one baffling inclusion – Giles is not happy. After the break is it too early in the year to put on the central heating – over to you dear listener. Recent research suggests that bravery is a more attractive trait than brawn. But what if your date is a psychopath who just likes starting fights...?Lastly, yet another use for Bamboo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kiran Desai is the bestselling author of two novels, Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard and The Inheritance of Loss, which won both the Booker Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award. On this episode of Little Atoms she talks to Neil Denny about her new Booker Prize Shortlisted novel The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Peaky Blinders' screenwriter Stephen Knight on his new TV series, House of Guinness.Indhu Rubasingham talks about her vision as the new Artistic Director for the National Theatre and her first production there - BacchaeArt critic Waldemar Januszczak has been to see the Turner Prize Exhibition for us, which this year is in Bradford. We find out what he makes of it. Former Booker winner Roddy Doyle on the 6 books shortlisted for this year's Booker Prize. Presenter: Samira Ahmed

What happens when the ghosts you see are more reliable than the people you know?In this episode, Daisy Rockwell, the internationally acclaimed, Booker Prize-winning translator and author, takes us inside the unique world of her latest novel, Alice Sees Ghosts, a family story where a young woman sees her grandfather's ghost, who nudges her to unearth buried family secrets.Daisy shares how she began translating Hindi and Urdu literature and what inspired her to write her own fiction. She shared how she weaves history and the supernatural into a story that travels across continents and how she creates characters that are anything but ordinary.Plus, we get a look into her writing process, her upcoming projects, and how winning a major literary prize has changed her life.Tune in to experience a deep dive into family, ghosts and the beautifully unsettling way the past can haunt the present.Books mentioned in the episode: 1. Tomb of Sand by Geetanjali Shree2. Mai by Geetanjali Shree, translated by Nita Kumar3. Taste by Daisy Rockwell4. Heart Lamp: Selected Stories by Dr. Banu Mushtaq5. History's Angel by Anjum Hasan6. Falling Walls by Upendranath Ashk, translated by Daisy Rockwell7. A Gujarat Here, A Gujarat There by Krishna Sobti, translated by Daisy Rockwell8. Our Friend, Art (upcoming memoir by Daisy Rockwell)Movie mentioned in the episode: Frozen (2013)Upcoming Bound RetreatsImmersive, one-of-a-kind literary experiences that take writers into the heart of India's most breathtaking landscapes.Wanderlust Travel Writing Retreat in Chetinad | 16 - 21 September Whimsy Fiction Writing Retreat in Coonoor | 8 - 12 October Learn more: https://boundindia.com/retreats/ Apply to all retreats: http://bit.ly/44TzYpY ‘Books and Beyond with Bound' is the podcast where Tara Khandelwal and Michelle D'costa uncover how their books reflect the realities of our lives and society today. Find out what drives India's finest authors: from personal experiences to jugaad research methods, insecurities to publishing journeys. Created by Bound, a storytelling company that helps you grow through stories. Follow us @boundindia on all social media platforms.

Send us a textThis week we discuss Booker Prize shortlist nominee, The Rest of Our Lives by Ben Markovits. Spoiler free chats as per usual!

Anna and Annie discuss the settlement offer by Anthropic to pay $1.5bn to settle a book piracy lawsuit and the 2025 National Book Awards fiction longlist. Our book of the week is ENDLING by Maria Reva.  Yeva is a snail conservationist in Ukraine who becomes caught up in Nastia and Sol's scheme to disrupt the romance tour industry. A heist ensues but everything changes when Russia invades Ukraine. Longlisted for the Booker Prize and one of the New Yorker's Best Books Of The Year So Far, this is Reva's debut novel. We can't wait to see what she does next. Coming up: I MAKE ENVY ON YOUR DISCO by Erica Schnall Follow us! Email: Booksonthegopodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @abailliekaras and @mr_annie Substack: Books On The Go Credits Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz

Sarah Hall—twice Booker Prize–nominated author and the only writer to win the BBC National Short Story Award twice—on crafting fiction that is both lush and uncompromising, and how to captivate readers on the sentence level while staying true to creative freedom.We discuss:Her early reading life in the countryside and the characters who first sparked her imaginationLessons learned from an “unpublishable” first novel and how Haweswater found its true formThe discipline and intuition behind her writing process and when to share draftsWhy handwriting first drafts rekindled a sense of play and sharpened her editingHow to build short stories that hold “the world on a pin” and reverberate beyond the pageGiving voice to Britain's only named wind in Helm and weaving folklore, climate themes, and playfulnessDiscerning a story's ending and sustaining joy in the writing process About Sarah HallSarah Hall is one of Britain's most acclaimed contemporary authors. Twice nominated for the Booker Prize and the first and only writer to win the BBC National Short Story Award twice, she is the author of ten acclaimed novels and short story collections, including Haweswater, The Electric Michelangelo, The Carhullan Army, and Burntcoat. Her latest novel, Helm, blends myth, climate anxiety, and playful storytelling to bring Britain's only named wind to life.Resources and Links:

Ian McEwan is the critically acclaimed author of nineteen novels and two short story collections.  His novels include Atonement, Enduring Love, The Children Act and On Chesil Beach, and he is the recipient of many awards including the Booker Prize, the Somerset Maugham Award and the Whitbread Novel of the Year Award. In this episode, McEwan sits down with author and journalist Alex Preston to discuss the enduring power of the novel, the challenges of writing climate fiction and his new book What We Can Know. What We Can Know is a work of speculative fiction set in 2119. It is a book about poetry, archives, rising sea levels and the plight of humanity in the vast natural world, and is available now online or in bookstores near you. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events  ...  Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series … Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. … Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Den nächsten Dënschdeg ginn déi dräizéng Romaner vun der Booker Prize Longlist zur Shortlist kondenséiert. Op der Longlist sinn dëst Joer vill Neientdeckungen a wéineg bekannten Nimm - d'Romaner hunn tëschent 150 a 650 Säiten, een dovu koum esouguer eréischt zwee Deeg, nodeems d'Shortlist ëffentlech gouf, eraus. A senger Serie rezenséiert de Jeff Schinker Woch fir Woch déi 13 Romaner, déi et op d'Longlist gepackt hunn. Den Ufank mécht der Katie Kitamura hire Roman "Audition", an deem enger Schauspillerin hir Realitéit ëmmer méi enger Performance änelt - fir déi ee mysteriéise jonken Typ ee ganz spezielle Casting proposéiert.

Den nächsten Dënschden ginn déi dräizéng Romaner vun der Booker Prize Longlist zur Shortlist kondenséiert. Op der Longlist sinn dëst Joer vill Neientdeckungen a wéineg bekannten Nimm – d'Romaner hunn tëschent 150 an 650 Säiten, een dovun erschéngt esou guer eréischt zwee Deeg, nodeems d'Shortlist eraus koum. A senger Serie rezenséiert de Jeff Schinker Woch fir Woch déi 13 Romaner, déi et op d'Longlist gepackt hunn. Dem David Szalay säi Roman "Flesh" ass eng Zort ungaresche Ken Loach. De Roman handelt vun engem Teenager, deen eng Affaire mat enger Nopesch huet, déi am Alter vu senger Mamm ass - a weist, wéi ee Liewe kann entgleisen.

In our weekly review show, Kirsty Wark is joined by writer and critic Hannah McGill and writer and journalist Alan Taylor to discuss What Can We Know, the latest novel from Booker Prize winning writer Ian McEwan, an epic story set in a largely underwater Britain a hundred years in the future which touches on themes including climate change and great poetry. They also give their verdicts on Frances Poet's Small Acts of Love, a musical theatre production inspired by relationships formed across the Atlantic between victims of the Lockerbie disaster in December 1988. The production - a collaboration between the Citizens Theatre in Glasgow and the National Theatre of Scotland, and with songs by Deacon Blue's Ricky Ross, is the opening production in the newly refurbished 'Citz', a theatre which has played an important role in the city and also in the careers of the likes of Rupert Everett, Glenda Jackson and Miriam Margolyes, and which has just reopened after a major revamp. They also review The Girlfriend, a new psychological thriller from Amazon Prime, which stars Robin Wright as a possessive mother whose life begins to unravel when her son brings home a new partner she suspects is not all she seems. We also bring you the latest in our series of interviews with authors shortlisted for this year's BBC National Short Story Award, Colwill Brown. Presenter: Kirsty Wark Producer: Mark Crossan

‘It is vanishingly rare for a writer to both confront the ugliness of humanity and still search for its beauty. Roy is that rare writer.' – Naomi Klein Arundhati Roy is one of today's most esteemed public intellectuals. The author of novels including the Booker Prize-winning The God of Small Things, Roy is equally respected as a political essayist. Her words on topics from the COVID-19 pandemic to the plight of India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi have helped define public discourse in India and beyond. In September 2025 Roy came to the Intelligence Squared stage for two exclusive events. Combining the signature scale, sweep and depth of her novels, and the passion, political clarity and warmth of her essays, Roy drew on the themes of her new memoir for a compelling exploration of her life and work. Born out of the onrush of memories and feelings provoked by her mother Mary's death, Mother Mary Comes to Me is Roy's telling of her own story from childhood to the present, from Kerala to Delhi. An ode to freedom, a tribute to thorny love and savage grace, it is a memoir like no other. The event was a rare opportunity to hear from one of the greatest writers of our generation. --- If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full ad free conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events  ...  Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series … Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. … Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

‘It is vanishingly rare for a writer to both confront the ugliness of humanity and still search for its beauty. Roy is that rare writer.' – Naomi Klein Arundhati Roy is one of today's most esteemed public intellectuals. The author of novels including the Booker Prize-winning The God of Small Things, Roy is equally respected as a political essayist. Her words on topics from the COVID-19 pandemic to the plight of India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi have helped define public discourse in India and beyond. In September 2025 Roy came to the Intelligence Squared stage for two exclusive events. Combining the signature scale, sweep and depth of her novels, and the passion, political clarity and warmth of her essays, Roy drew on the themes of her new memoir for a compelling exploration of her life and work. Born out of the onrush of memories and feelings provoked by her mother Mary's death, Mother Mary Comes to Me is Roy's telling of her own story from childhood to the present, from Kerala to Delhi. An ode to freedom, a tribute to thorny love and savage grace, it is a memoir like no other. The event was a rare opportunity to hear from one of the greatest writers of our generation. --- This is the first instalment of a two-part episode. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full ad free conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events  ...  Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series … Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. … Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Anna and Geoff discuss Sally Rooney pledging royalties to Palestine Action and the Library of South Australia being second on the list of the world's most beautiful libraries.   Our book of the week is FLESH, the new novel by David Szalay which has been long-listed for the 2025 Booker Prize. It tells the story of Istvan, a Hungarian British man, in an episodic structure using key points in his life, moving from a poor upbringing in Hungary to the riches of  London, charting his rise and fall. We both read this quickly and found much to discuss.   Coming up: ENDLING by Maria Reva. Follow us! Email: Booksonthegopodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @abailliekaras  Substack: Books On The Go Credits Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz      

In recent years, it's been hard not to react to the possibilities of generative AI without a mixture of euphoria or dread. But after OpenAI's lackluster GPT-5 launch, a new, almost heretical-seeming question has emerged: what if progress on AI is stalled well short of the wild predictions we were promised? In today's episode, Cal draws from reporting on his recent New Yorker article to go deep into this question. What is going on with AI? How did we get here? What does it mean for our personal quest to live deeper lives? He then answers listener questions and ends by discussing his recent brush with literary acclaim.Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). Get your questions answered by Cal! Here's the link: bit.ly/3U3sTvoVideo from today's episode:  youtube.com/calnewportmediaDeep Dive: What if AI Doesn't Get Much Better Than This? [1:00]Will AI leave me unemployed in 10 years? [1:06:26]How should I structure the next 10 years as a recently retired college professor? [1:13:58]I just moved. How should I arrange my book collection? [1:15:36]CALL: Overhead tax [1:17:47]CAL REACTS: Ed Sheehan and the Booker Prize [1:27:55]Links:Buy Cal's latest book, “Slow Productivity” at www.calnewport.com/slowGet a signed copy of Cal's “Slow Productivity” at peoplesbooktakoma.com/event/cal-newport/Cal's monthly book directory: bramses.notion.site/059db2641def4a88988b4d2cee4657ba?newyorker.com/culture/open-questions/what-if-ai-doesnt-get-much-better-than-thisyoutube.com/watch?v=zju51INmW7Uyoutube.com/watch?v=Dtdue31z-X8youtube.com/watch?v=0SXCIfFK5r8youtube.com/shorts/dYZmGHOLNRUyoutube.com/watch?v=k82RwXqZHY8youtube.com/watch?v=qhnJDDX2hhUyoutube.com/watch?v=qbIk7-JPB2c&t=3syoutube.com/watch?v=k82RwXqZHY8youtube.com/shorts/JCImeOUVTJEThanks to our Sponsors: grammarly.com/podcastcozyearth.com/deepcalderalab.com/deepshipstation.com/deepThanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.

Content warning: Mentions of rape, sexual assault, and war.   In this episode of The Writing Life, bestselling author Pat Barker shares insights about the art of retellings, and the craftsmanship and research needed to write reimaginings of classic literature.   Pat Barker was born in Yorkshire and began her literary career in her late thirties, when she took a short writing course taught by Angela Carter. She has published sixteen novels, including her masterful Regeneration Trilogy which includes the Booker Prize-winning The Ghost Road. The Silence of the Girls was shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction and won an Independent Bookshop Award 2019. The Women of Troy was a number one Sunday Times bestseller. The Voyage Home continues the series.   She sits down with NCW's Holly Ainley to discuss her Regeneration Trilogy, and how retellings can bring stories to new audiences. They touch on offering fresh perspectives to Greek mythology, finding inspiration in unexpected places, and how reimaginings can make stories accessible to readers through contemporary language and references.

Disclosure: We are part of the Amazon Affiliate/LTK Creator programs. We will receive a small commission at no cost if you purchase a book. This post may contain links to purchase books.The Booker Prize 2025 longlist is here — and we've got the perfect guide to diving in.In this episode, I sit down with bookstagrammer and Substack writer Deedi Brown to talk about her book club Booker of the Month, her favorite reads from the 2024 Booker Prize, and predictions for this year's longlist. We also chat about how to approach literary fiction, tandem reading with audiobooks, and making the Booker list feel like a fun reading project instead of homework.✨ If you've been curious about reading the Booker longlist but felt intimidated, this episode is your friendly entry point.

It is great to be back after an unintended extended break.In the first episode of the new series Paul chats with Professor Allan Howellsabout the 2024 Booker Prize winning novel ‘Orbital' by Samantha Harvey. Thisleads to a conversation on of everything space exploration and beyond, withlots of book recommendations along the way.We mention the 2016 exhibition at the Science Museum ‘Cosmanauts:the birth of the space age'. Sadly the book that accompanied the exhibition ishard to get hold of now but if you are interested in finding out more about ithere is a useful link https://artsandculture.google.com/story/wQXhbpPvWOZ3JQWe also mention ‘Bringing Columbia Home' which I was unableto find on Bookshop.org but is available here https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bringing-Columbia-Home-Untold-Shuttle/dp/1948924617/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.eyGsiegTJWVPSDum2CyREsKaWO_aw9J-DNhEB0kdUlfrxJGE8SND7Gxc3kgvDAjrmLC-mZJrbSVrPCKB65bdCw.wosPogPwjcem-OFn635ZceSdubiku3Roan67WIEnl3c&qid=1755526557&sr=8-1As always here is a bookshelf with all the other books wementioned https://uk.bookshop.org/lists/bookylicious-series-5-episode-1

Australian author Charlotte Wood's latest book Stone Yard Devotional was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. Stone Yard Devotional talks about finding inspiration in personal upheaval and the stories that shaped Charlotte's childhood while merging with an entirely invented story about an enclosed religious community. Described as "one of Australia's most original and provocative writers" Charlotte Wood is the author of seven novels and three books of non-fiction. She's appearing at Word Christchurch at the end of this month.

We're switching it up a little bit this episode, as the Booker Prize Long List has just been released and it's fun to talk about what they've chosen — plus, the judges this year are really interesting! These are "chosen from 153 submissions, celebrates the best works of long-form fiction by writers of any nationality, written in English and published in the UK and/or Ireland between 1 October 2024 and 30 September 2025." Some of the books we've read, some we've just heard about, some we have no idea about. Play along!  Here's the list as we tackle it: - "Seascraper," by Benjamin Wood, which is not available in the U.S.  - "The Rest of our Lives," by Ben Markovitz, which is not available in the U.S. (though Ben is from the U.S. and used to be a professional basketball player) - "Audition," by Katie Kitamura, which is so out there that Hannah legit doesn't know how to talk about it. No one seems to know what's happening with this book.  - "Endling," by Maria Reva, which we talked about quite a bit in EP92 (not 94, as Sam says on the pod, for no good reason), and is a substantive, interesting, weird novel, but maybe not Sam's favorite.  - "Flashlight," by Susan Choi, a National Book Award winner, which Hannah started out super excited about, but then her fervor sort of faded... There's some great stuff in here about Japan-Korea history and the immigrant story, in general.  - "The Land in Winter," by Andrew Miller, which Hannah hasn't read, but she does remember that "The Optimists" was big and she meant to read it.  - "Love Forms," by Claire Adam, who was published by Sarah Jessica Parker, who also happens to be a judge! But we're sure it's a coincidence. "Like a Claire Keegan novel written by Elizabeth Strout," apparently. - "Universality," by Natasha Brown, which we know is short and is all about words and meaning.  - "Misinterpretation," by Ledia Xhoga, which is similarly about words and meaning. We don't know much, really. But there seems to be a theme here.  - "The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny," by Kiran Desai, who has a Booker Prize under her belt. This book is going to be big.  - "One Boat," by Jonathan Buckley, which is about a murder and a love affair on a Greek island.  - "The South," by Tash Aw, which is this year's young gay love story, Hannah thinks, though she's not sure, but it is the first of a quartet of novels, "a reimagined epic for our times." - "Flesh," by David Szalay, which is a stylish Hungarian novel, a coming-of-age sort of thing. 

It's not easy to adapt a classic of contemporary literature into an epic TV series, but that's exactly what Selwyn Seyfu Hinds has done with “Washington Black,” the Booker Prize-shortlisted novel by Canadian author Esi Edugyan. Set in a steampunk reimagining of the 19th century, the story follows a young boy named George Washington Black who is born on a Barbados sugar plantation. His globetrotting travels take him on a journey around the world, including Virginia, Halifax, and even the Arctic. For this project, Selwyn wore many hats, including creator, executive producer and showrunner. He joins guest host Garvia Bailey to tell us how “Washington Black” mirrors his own journey as a Guyanese immigrant, and how the theme of resistance was his guiding North Star to making the novel shine on screen.

My guest today is Tash Aw, the acclaimed author of The South, a moving coming-of-age novel set during the 1997 Southeast Asian financial crisis. The story follows 16-year-old Jay as he spends a summer on his family's orchard in southern Malaysia, navigating family tension, economic uncertainty, and a tender relationship with another boy. It's a quiet, potent emotional journey, as both wrestle with identity, desire, and belonging. In addition to The South, Tash is the author of several award-winning novels, including The Harmony Silk Factory and Five Star Billionaire, the latter of which was longlisted for the 2013 Booker Prize.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!Tash Aw's four books were:Giovanni's Room, James Baldwin (1956)The Buru Quartet, Pramoedya Ananta Toer (1980-1988)The Line of Beauty, Alan Hollinghurst (2004)Uncle Vanya, Anton Chekhov (1897)

Jeff and Rebecca break down the 2025 longlist for the Booker Prize, digest the news of a new book from Kamala Harris, lament the demise of class (behavior, not socio-economic status), and much more. Jeff and Rebecca decide what the It Book of August will be. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Sign up for the Book Riot Podcast Newsletter and follow the show on Instagram and Bluesky. Get more industry news with our Today in Books daily newsletter. Book Riot is hiring a digital content specialist! If you love books and know the ins and outs of social media strategy, and especially social video, consider joining the team. Find details and apply by August 22, 2025, at riotnewmedia.com/careers. Use code BOOKRIOT to get an exclusive 60% off an annual Incogni plan at https://incogni.com/bookriot This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Discussed in this episode: Kamala Harris to publish memoir about presidential race in September The 2025 Booker Prize longlist And a possible conflict of interest on the Booker panel We're getting a new George Saunders novel in January Maggie by Katie Yee The Carpool Detectives by Chuck Hogan Everyone is Lying to You by Jo Piazza The Feather Detective by Chris Sweeney  The Brain at Rest by Joseph Jebelli Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode, Chloe Waryan, a librarian and horror fan, discusses how the job of a librarian affects the reading life, their favorite types of horror books, and the way that an audiobook can work really well for her. You'll learn a bit more about the Chicago Public Library and we discuss the anticipation for the Booker Prize longlist, which came out after this was recorded.    Chloe on Substack  Chloe on Instagram    Books mentioned in this episode:    What Betsy's reading:  Jonathan Abernathy You Are Kind by Molly McGhee  They Dream in Gold by Mai Sennaar   Books Highlighted by Chloe: Grey Dog by Elliot Gish Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond Monstrilio by Gerardo Sámano Córdova The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai Build Your House Around my Body by Violet Kupersmith The Rabbit Hutch by Tess Gunty  A Touch of Jen by Beth Morgan  Uzumaki by Junji Ito  Turtles All the Way Down by John Green   All books available on my Bookshop.org episode page.   Other books mentioned in this episode: Italian Folktales by Italo Calvino  Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids by Jamie Rix  Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz & Stephen Gammell  The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones  Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez  Eynhallow by Tim McGregor  The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander  The South Side by Natalie Y. Moore  Reprieve by James Han Mattson All This Could Be Different by Sarah Thankam Mathews  Gossip Girl by Cecily Von Ziegesar  Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison

Kiran Desai reads her story “An Unashamed Proposal,” from the August 11, 2025, issue of the magazine. Desai is the author of the novels “Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard” and “The Inheritance of Loss,” which won the Booker Prize in 2006. A new novel, “The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny,” from which this story was adapted, will be published this fall. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Diverse Voices Book Review host Hopeton Hay interviewed Madeleine Thien, author of the novel THE BOOK OF RECORDS. The novel tells a time-bending, seven-year philosophical journey of a young girl named Lina, who is taught by her father and neighbors about the lives of three historical figures. They live in a surreal enclave, where Lina and her father have sought refuge after escaping a disaster in China. In the interview, we talked about how she weaves together the stories of three historical figures: Du Fu, an 8th-century Chinese poet; Baruch Spinoza, a 17th-century Dutch Jewish philosopher; and Hannah Arendt, a mid-20th-century German-American Jewish philosopher and political theorist. Lina learns about their theories and ideas and the grief, love, and tragedy they have experienced. Madeleine Thien is the author of four books, including Do Not Say We Have Nothing, which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. Her work has appeared in The New Yorker, Granta, The New York Review of Books, and elsewhere.  Diverse Voices Book Review Social Media: Facebook - @diversevoicesbookreview Instagram - @diverse_voices_book_review X - @diversebookshay Email: hbh@diversevoicesbookreview.com 

Claire Adam was born and raised in Trinidad and Tobago. She was educated in the US and now lives in London. Her first novel Golden Child won multiple prizes and was named one of the BBC's '100 Novels that Shaped the World'. On this episode of Little Atoms she talks to Neil Denny about her Booker Prize long listed new novel Love Forms. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Motherland writer Helen Serafinowicz on putting Wayne and Coleen Rooney at the heart of her debut play - The Legend of Rooney's Ring - which has just opened at the Royal Court in Liverpool.Literary critic Alex Clark examines the Booker Prize longlist which was announced today.Love Forms by Claire Adam The South by Tash Aw Universality by Natasha Brown One Boat by Jonathan Buckley Flashlight by Susan Choi The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai Audition by Katie Kitamura The Rest of Our Lives by Ben Markovits The Land in Winter by Andrew Miller Endling by Maria Reva Flesh by David Szalay Seascraper by Benjamin Wood Misinterpretation by Ledia XhogaThis month the National Science and Media Museum in Bradford presented the final stage in its £6.8 million redevelopment with the opening of its new Sound and Vision Galleries. The museum's director, Jo Quinton-Tulloch discusses how the redevelopment has changed what the museum now offers.The artist William Kentridge, known for his charcoal drawings, animations, and films, is presenting his first major sculpture show in the UK - The Pull Of Gravity at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park. Jo Sperryn-Jones, a Fine Art assistant professor and sculptor reviews.Presenter: Nick Ahad Producer: Ekene Akalawu

Edel Coffey, Author and Books Editor at The Gloss, discusses the release of the Booker Prize longlist later today

It's been a remarkable eighteen months for Dutch-Israeli author Yael van der Wouden. Her debut novel, The Safekeep, was shortlisted for the Booker Prize, and this year it won the Women's Prize for Fiction.  Set in the Netherlands 15 years after the end of World War II, The Safekeep is the story of a reclusive young woman living in her family's isolated country home, whose life is turned upside down by the arrival of an unpredictable house guest. In this episode, Yael sat down with host Mythili Rao to talk about her approach to writing historical fiction, the enduring legacy of the 20th century's greatest tragedy and the ways in which her novel challenges the Dutch national narrative about World War II and its treatment of Jewish people during and after the war.    Yael van der Wouden Yael lives and works in the Netherlands, where she lectures in creative writing and comparative literature. The Safekeep is available now in paperback.   If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events  ...  Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series … Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. … Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, the hosts review The Girls Who Grew Big, the powerful new novel by Leila Mottley.Set in a small Florida town, the story follows a group of teenage mothers who form a fierce and unconventional sisterhood while navigating the challenges of young motherhood, fractured families, and societal judgment. With Mottley's signature lyricism and emotional depth, the novel examines themes of identity, survival, and the resilience of girls growing into women in a world that often fails them. Through rich characters and poignant storytelling, The Girls Who Grew Big invites readers to consider what it means to come of age while raising a baby and yourself. *Please be advised this episode is intended for adult audiences and contains adult language and content. We are expressing opinions on the show for entertainment purposes only.Dedication: To our patrons as always!! We love you!Moni: To teenage moms and their families Kat: Takashi Murakami and the exhibit in Cleveland Museum of Art and the staff About the author: https://www.leilamottley.com/ Leila Mottley (born 2002) is an American novelist and poet.[1] She is The New York Times bestselling author of Nightcrawling, which was nominated for numerous awards, including the Booker Prize, making her the youngest author to have been nominated for the award. In 2018, at age 16, she was named the Youth Poet Laureate of Oakland, California.About the book: 352 pages, HardcoverFirst published June 24, 202: Audio book 11 hours 50 mins Narrated by: AhDream Smith, Erin Spencer and Khaya Fraiteshttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/219520677-the-girls-who-grew-bigMentioned on the show: FAB podcast Episode 101, Night Crawling by Leila Mottley:https://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-101-a-review-nightcrawling-by-leila-mottley-we-had-no-idea--54114107FAB podcast Episode, , https://www.spreaker.com/episode/review-of-ketera-of-punishment-island-on-netflix--56231879**Stranger than Fiction:

It's been said that Muriel Spark's career was not so much a life as a plot, and she did indeed repeatedly reinvent herself, closing one chapter of her life and opening another, regardless of how many friends and business associates she abandoned along the way. This month the Slightly Foxed team were joined by Muriel Spark's biographer Martin Stannard, and Spark enthusiast Emily Rhodes of Emily's Walking Book Club, to discuss the work of this highly original and somewhat forgotten writer and learn how Muriel first invited Martin to write her biography and then did her best to prevent it seeing the light of day. Born in 1918, Muriel grew up in a working class family in Edinburgh – the setting for her most famous novel The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, which was based on a charismatic teacher at her own school. At the age of 19 she closed that chapter of her life by marrying an older maths teacher, Sydney Oswald Spark, known (appropriately) thereafter as SOS, and going with him to Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) where their son Robin was born. Unfortunately it soon became obvious that Sydney had severe psychiatric problems and in 1943 Muriel left husband and son and returned to London where she began her career as a novelist. Several times shortlisted for the Booker Prize, and much admired by Evelyn Waugh and Graham Greene, Muriel produced 22 novels, most of them drawing on events in her own life. Everyone at the Slightly Foxed table had their favourites, including The Girls of Slender Means, A Far Cry from Kensington, Loitering with Intent, and Memento Mori, a clear eyed and also very funny look at old age. Everyone agreed on the brilliance of her writing with its dark humour, preoccupation with the supernatural and with the presence of evil in unlikely places. Her life was equally fascinating, moving from poverty to great wealth and success, and from the shabbier parts of London to intellectual life in New York centred on The New Yorker magazine, to which she became a contributor. In 1954 she was received into the Roman Catholic church and for some time she lived in Rome, relishing the glitter of Italian high society, finally settling in Tuscany with her friend Penelope Jardine, where she died in 2005. Summer reading recommendations included Caledonian Road by Andrew O'Hagan, Death at the Sign of the Rook by Kate Atkinson, Homework by Geoff Dyer and Of Thorn and Briar by Paul Lamb. Martin also praised Electric Spark, the new – and very different – biography of Muriel Spark by Frances Wilson. For episode show notes, please see the Slightly Foxed website. Opening music: Preludio from Violin Partita No. 3 in E Major by Bach Hosted by Rosie Goldsmith Produced by Philippa Goodrich

Leila Mottley gained critical acclaim at 19 with her debut novel Nightcrawling, which was longlisted for the Booker Prize. Now, she returns with her second novel, The Girls Who Grew Big. It follows a group of teenage mothers in the Florida Panhandle who form a close-knit community to support each other through the challenges of young motherhood. Mottley talks about why she views this novel as a response to the current political moment surrounding reproductive rights.And TV critic David Bianculli reviews the season premiere of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and its crossover with Abbott Elementary.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Late Show Book Club chats with Samantha Harvey, author of the Booker Prize-winning novel, "Orbital," our June book club pick. Find out which book Harvey would take into space with her, the significance of the International Space Station being deorbited in 2030, and her advice for aspiring writers. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Abdulrazak Gurnah is emeritus Professor of Post-Colonial Literatures at the University of Kent and the 2021 Nobel Prize winner in Literature. Born in Zanzibar in 1948, the second of six children, Abdulrazak grew up in the dying days of the island's status as a British protectorate before independence was declared in 1963. The revolution which followed made Zanzibar an undesirable and unsafe place to live in for young men of Arab heritage. In 1967, he left to seek opportunities in Britain.He subsidised his studies through a series of low paid jobs which included strawberry picking, factory work and time as a hospital porter. In the evenings he was studying at night school and after gaining a PhD in English, he joined the University of Kent, eventually becoming a Professor.Alongside his academic career, Abdulrazak was writing and it took him twelve years to find a publisher for his 1987 debut novel, Memory of Departure.He has published ten more novels since then, including 1994's Paradise and 2001's By the Sea (short and longlisted for the Booker Prize respectively) which explore themes of exile, displacement, belonging and colonialism. He was awarded the 2021 Nobel Prize in Literature for his body of work and “for his uncompromising and compassionate penetration of the effects of colonialism and the fates of the refugee in the gulf between cultures and continents”. He lives in Kent, with his wife, the Guyanese-born scholar, Denise de Caires Narain. DISC ONE: Hit the Road Jack - Ray Charles DISC TWO: Petite Fleur - Sidney Bechet DISC THREE: Nipepee - Seif Salim DISC FOUR: Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 7 - 1. Allegro maestoso. Composed by Clara Schumann. Performed by Isata Kanneh-Mason (piano) and Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Holly Mathieson DISC FIVE: A Day in the Life - The Beatles DISC SIX: Kaira - Toumani Diabaté DISC SEVEN: So What - Miles Davis DISC EIGHT: Folon - Salif Keita BOOK CHOICE: That Glimpse of Truth: The 100 Finest Short Stories Ever Written selected by David Miller LUXURY ITEM: A nail clipper CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Petite Fleur - Sidney Bechet Presenter Lauren Laverne Producer Sarah Taylor