Podcast appearances and mentions of kassia st clair

Alongside General Motors, partner of ‘Monocle on Culture', we share the second in our three-part series of special programmes. In this episode, we continue our journey down the Côte d'Azur, with time to ponder a quick dip at the Club Dauphin. Along the way we tap into the design world of the Cadillac Lyriq with designer Magalie Debellis. Plus: we hear from design guru Stephen Bayley and colour expert and historian Kassia St Clair.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The year is 1888. Queen Victoria is celebrating her 50th year ruling over an empire on which, famously, the sun never sets. Her loyal subjects, as well as colonizing the heck out of the world, are breeding. And to signify whether they've got a little girl or a little boy in the family, sometimes the offspring break out from the usual white gowns and get dressed in their gender-assigned colors. For girls, blue. For boys, pink.  Blue, it was thought, is a more delicate and dainty shade and also the color associated with Mary Magdalene, the ultimate mother of Christendom. And pink, connected to red, is the stronger color with martial overtones. The British redcoats, after all, were the greatest fighting force of their time. And in fact, it wasn't until the 1940s that things got flipped and pink got stapled onto girls and blue to boys. Today's guest is Kassia St. Clair, a distinguished historian and author with a unique focus on color, textiles, and the everyday aspects of life that often go unnoticed. Her book, "The Secret Lives of Color," delves into the fascinating stories behind different colors throughout history. With a background in design and style writing, Cassia brings a blend of curiosity and discipline to her work, bridging the gap between academia and popular culture.  Get book links and resources at http://2pageswithmbs.com and subscribe to the 2 Pages newsletter at https://2pageswithmbs.substack.com. Kassia reads two pages from Homing: On Pigeons, Dwellings and Why We Return. [reading begins at 16:34] Hear us discuss: "I think the writer comes to the subject both because of this childhood experience, but also because he himself is struggling with the idea of home." - 00:20:55 | "Home is those friendships, many of which I still am lucky to have. Home is what I'm creating for my daughter. And home is London." [25:03] | "History books are given to subject matter experts and professional rivals. You will quite often see that mistakes are made. People don't tend to agree on the facts, and that's why history keeps on moving forward." [36:20] | "I think it's one of the fundamental dances, that dance between freedom and commitment." [38:56] | "Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose. You know, that sounds both lonely and also at times a little enticing." [39:07]

Cultural historian and best-selling British author Kassia St. Clair ("The Secret Lives of Color"; "The Golden Thread: How Fabric Changed History")  joins the podcast for a look back at the fascinating, improbable and culturally paradigm-shifting 1907 Peking-to-Paris Motor Challenge - as featured in her new book "The Race to the Future: 8,000 Miles to Paris - The Adventure That Accelerated the Twentieth Century":   From the "Race to the Future" dust jacket:   "The rise of the automobile as told through its Rubicon moment―a sensational, high-risk race across two continents on the verge of revolution. "The racers―an Italian prince and his chauffeur, a French racing driver, a con man, and several rival journalists―battle over steep inclines, through narrow mountain passages, and across the arid Gobi Desert. Competitors endure torrential rain and choking dust. There are barely any roads, and petrol is almost impossible to find. A global audience of millions follows each twist and turn, devouring reports telegraphed from the course. "More than its many adventures, the Peking-to-Paris Motor Challenge took place on the precipice of a new world. As the twentieth century dawned, imperial regimes in China and Russia were crumbling, paving the way for the rise of communist ones. The electric telegraph was rapidly transforming modern communication, and with it, the news media, commerce, and politics. Suspended between the old and the new, the Peking-to-Paris, as best-selling historian Kassia St. Clair writes, became a critical tipping point. "A gripping, immersive narrative of the race, The Race to the Future sets the drivers' derring-do (and occasional cheating) against the backdrop of a larger geopolitical and technological race to the future. Interweaving events from the fall of the Qing dynasty to the departure of the horse economy and the rise of gendered marketing, St. Clair shows how the Peking-to-Paris provided an impetus for profound social, cultural, and industrial change, while masterfully capturing the mounting tensions between nations and empires―all building up to the cataclysmic event that changed everything: the First World War."   + + +   SUPPORT THE SHOW: Show Merch:  http://tee.pub/lic/RdiDZzQeHSY Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable   SPONSOR THANKS: Old School Shirts.com (promo code: GOODSEATS) https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats Royal Retros (promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2   BUY/READ EARLY & OFTEN: The Race to the Future: 8,000 Miles to Paris - The Adventure That Accelerated the Twentieth Century (2024): https://amzn.to/3VoxYB7   FIND & FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable

Kassia St. Clair, author of the 2017 best-seller The Secret Lives of Color and the Sunday Times Book of the Year follow-up The Golden Thread: How Fabric Changed History (2019) joins me to talk about her new book, Race to the Future: The Adventure that Accelerated the 20th Century. It's the story of the utterly bonkers 1907 auto race from Peking to Paris, which didn't let things like the fact that roads and gas stations didn't exist stop some adventurous competitors from trying it. All 8000 miles of it.  The widescreen artwork accompanying this episode is Kassia's map of Russia, laden with thread and post-it notes, which she references during our chat. Please support Mass for Shut-ins, an independent and ad-free podcast, via Patreon. Contact me on Bluesky at edburmila.bsky.social. Thanks: Kassia St. Clair, the bands that contribute music (IfIHadAHiFi, The Sump Pumps, Oscar Bait), Zachary Sielaff, Question Cathy, and all Patreon supporters, subscribers, and listeners.

Colour historian and author of The Secret Lives of Colour, Kassia St Clair, leads Patrick through her pink front door to share her lifetime love of colour. From the beige her father was obsessed with to the bright pink of her mother's florist shop, she shares colours that connect the different chapters of her life. She also offers up some of her own fascinating colour tales, including the extraordinary story of mummy brown. At her request, Patrick also offers ideas for her yet-to-be decorated family home.Learn more about the colours featured in each episode hereSee the colours of Kassia's life hereFollow Kassia on InstagramSign up to our newsletter for weekly inspirationFollow us on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

10 June 1907, Peking. Five cars set off in a desperate race across two continents on the verge of revolution. An Italian prince and his chauffeur, a French racing driver, a conman and various journalists battle over steep mountain ranges and across the arid vastness of the Gobi Desert. The contestants need teams of helpers to drag their primitive cars up narrow gorges, lift them over rough terrain and float them across rivers. Petrol is almost impossible to find, there are barely any roads, armed bandits and wolves lurk in the forests. Updates on their progress, sent by telegram, are eagerly devoured by millions in one of the first ever global news stories. Their destination: Paris. More than its many adventures, the Peking-to-Paris provided the impetus for profound change. The world of 1907 is poised between the old and the new: communist regimes will replace imperial ones in China and Russia; the telegraph is transforming modern communication and the car will soon displace the horse. In this book bestselling author Kassia St Clair traces the fascinating stories of two interlocking races - setting the derring-do (and sometimes cheating) of one of the world's first car races against the backdrop of a larger geopolitical and technological rush to the future, as the rivalry grows between countries and empires, building up to the cataclysmic event that changed everything - the First World War. The Race to the Future is the incredible true story of the quest against the odds that shaped the world we live in today.

In June 1907, five plucky teams departed the Chinese capital and embarked on a 9,317-mile automobile race to Paris. Traversing scorching deserts and perilous mountain passes in ill-equipped vehicles, the participants regularly risked their lives – but their tenacity would transform attitudes towards the car forever. Kassia St Clair spoke to Jon Bauckham about the story behind the race, and what it can tell us about the wider history of transport, communication and globalisation. (Ad) Kassia St Clair is the author of The Race to the Future: The Adventure that Accelerated the Twentieth Century (John Murray Press, 2023). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Race-Future-Adventure-Accelerated-Twentieth/dp/1529386055/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kassia St Clair studied the history of women's dress and the masquerade during the eighteenth century at Bristol and Oxford. She has since written about design and culture for the Economist, House & Garden, TLS, Quartz and New Statesman, and has had a column about colour in Elle Decoration since 2013. Her first book The Secret Lives of Colour was a top-ten bestseller, a Radio 4 Book of the Week and has been translated into over a dozen languages; her second, The Golden Thread, was a Sunday Times Book of the Year and was shortlisted for the Somerset Maugham Award. She lives in London. Her new book,The Race to the Future, tells the incredible true story of a quest against the odds that shaped the world we live in today. With thanks for your support for 5x15 online! Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

Rachel and Simon speak to the journalist, author and former co-host of Always Take Notes, Kassia St. Clair. She has written for Architectural Digest, The Economist, the Times Literary Supplement and Wired, and had a column in Elle Decoration for many years. Her first book, “The Secret Lives of Colour”, recounted the “unusual stories of the 75 most fascinating shades, dyes and hues”; the book was a top-ten bestseller, a Radio 4 Book of the Week and has been translated into more than 20 languages. “The Golden Thread”, her second book, chronicled 30,000 years of textile history and was named a Book of the Year by the Sunday Times. Her latest book, “The Race to the Future”, revisits the Peking-Paris automobile race of 1907. We spoke to Kassia about getting started in journalism, writing “The Secret Lives of Colour” and changing direction for “The Race to the Future”. “Always Take Notes: Advice From Some Of The World's Greatest Writers” - a book drawing on our podcast interviews - is published by Ithaka Press. You can order it via ⁠Amazon⁠, ⁠Bookshop.org⁠, ⁠Hatchards⁠ or ⁠Waterstones⁠. You can find us online at ⁠⁠⁠alwaystakenotes.com⁠⁠⁠, on Twitter @takenotesalways and on Instagram @alwaystakenotes. Our crowdfunding page is ⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/alwaystakenotes⁠⁠⁠. Always Take Notes is presented by Simon Akam and Rachel Lloyd, and produced by Artemis Irvine. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and our logo was designed by James Edgar.

Curator Linsey Young spent five years working on the excellent Women In Revolt! exhibition at Tate Britain and, trust us, it was time very well spent. In this week's podzine, she talks to Mick about punk art, reclaiming bodies, a three-minute scream, working-class humour, constellations not stars, and eating a baby.Jen has been on the Zoom with historian Kassia St Clair to chat about women drivers, the history of the average motor, sexy (and sexual?) cars, and her new book, The Race to the Future: The Adventure That Accelerated the Twentieth Century. Meanwhile, in Jenny Off The Blocks, there's huge news in women's football, and the news has got Hannah smashing her (poorly) head against her desk in the Bush Telegraph. And seriously, who doesn't want to see a model village destroyed by pebbles? Just one of Hannah's excellent points in this week's Rated or Dated when – is it a bird? (No) Is it a plane? (Kinda) – 1978's Superman is in the hot seat/spiky starship.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/standardissuespodcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There's a theory that the invention of paint had something to do with the dawn of humanity. We are on a never-ending quest to create brighter, better colours. From grinding rocks, to crushing bugs, concocting chemicals and now manipulating nanotubes - a mind-boggling array of beautiful pigments and dyes litter our history.Today's guest is Kassia St Clair, author of international bestseller The Secret Lives of Colours.Produced by Freddy Chick, Senior Producer is Charlotte Long Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Colour up your world Secret Lives of Colour by Kassia St Clair

If you've ever lost a job, or been through a breakup, or failed an exam, you'll know that the aftermath can be painful and disorienting. But for some percentage of those who experience these disappointing outcomes, unforeseen opportunities will arise.In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman, we look at the occasional upside of being forced to quit a career, or a relationship, or even a favorite route to work.Kassia St. Clair brings us the story of William Henry Perkin. As a young man in 19th-century London, Perkin had set his sights on a career in chemistry and medicine. He devoted his time and energy to the search for a treatment for malaria, which was a growing problem around the world. Unfortunately, he failed in his quest, but his failure opened the door to a surprising new discovery that transformed an entire industry.Kassia St. Clair is a design journalist and the author of The Secret Lives of Color. Next, Annie Duke joins Katy to explain how events like a shutdown of the London subway system, or the COVID-19 pandemic, can sometimes surface new and previously unexplored options. She also discusses how our identities can be wrapped up in our choices, blinding us to alternatives that may actually serve us better.Annie Duke is a speaker and decision strategist. She's also the author of How to Decide: Simple Tools for Making Better Choices. Finally, Katy explains that while giving up on important jobs, relationships, or habits may not always be the best option, the behavioral bias of escalation of commitment can cause us to experiment and explore too little in life.Choiceology is an original podcast from Charles Schwab. If you enjoy the show, please leave a rating or review on Apple Podcasts.Important DisclosuresAll expressions of opinion are subject to change without notice in reaction to shifting market conditions.The comments, views, and opinions expressed in the presentation are those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent the views of Charles Schwab. Data contained herein from third-party providers is obtained from what are considered reliable sources. However, its accuracy, completeness or reliability cannot be guaranteed.The policy analysis provided by the Charles Schwab & Co., Inc., does not constitute and should not be interpreted as an endorsement of any political party.Investing involves risk, including loss of principal.All corporate names are for illustrative purposes only and are not a recommendation, offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy any security.The book How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (CS&Co.). Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (CS&Co.) has not reviewed the book and makes no representations about its content.(1022-29HP)

It's 1856 in London, and 18-year-old William Perkin is in the search for a cure to malaria when he stumbles upon something else. At the bottom of his test tube he sees a reddish lump. He dips cloth into it and discovers a purple dye. He becomes the first person to successfully market synthetic dyes. Gus Casely-Hayford tells the story of the craze that follows, nicknamed “mauve mania”. It starts with a purple dress worn by Queen Victoria and filters down to the masses who, until this point, did not have access to rich coloured dyes. Before Perkin's discovery led to an explosion of synthetic dyes, clothes were coloured with berries, with tree bark, ground up insects and other natural ingredients. These colours didn't bind well to the cloth and would often fade quickly.
 The legacy of the synthetic dyes is that textile dyeing and finishing mills use about 200 tonnes of water for every one tonne of textiles produced. These dyes and their mix of pollutants are difficult to remove from the wastewater and they often enter sewers and rivers. A new generation of entrepreneurs are working to produce bacterial dyes that they hope will have less of a negative effect on the environment. With author Kassia St Clair, entrepreneur Natsai Chieza and a historical letter sent to the inventor William Perkin. Presenter: Gus Casely-Hayford Executive Producer: Rosie Collyer Producer - Tiffany Cassidy Assistant Producer: Nadia Mehdi Production Coordinator: Francesca Taylor Sound Design: Rob Speight A Novel production for BBC Radio 4

"Pueblo, Concrete, Maniac" - MeLINKS:Buy The Secret Lives of Color by Kassia St. Clair here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/552503/the-secret-lives-of-color-by-kassia-st-clair/Purchase the new 10" single "Take Your Time" by Damien Jurado here: https://damienjurado.bigcartel.com/product/take-your-time-limited-edition-10-singleMe on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robyn_oneil/?hl=enHandwritten Notes: https://www.instagram.com/handwrittennotesontv/Me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Robyn_ONeilMy website: www.robynoneil.com

For this episode, Corene, Fiona, Liz, Sadie, and Virginia have to read a book with a colour in the title. Did everyone pick a title that corresponds to their favourite colour? Books mentioned in this episode: The Secret Lives of Colour by Kassia St Clair, Red Fox Road by Frances Greenslade, Black Mad Wheel by Josh Malerman, Black Water Sister by Zen Cho, and Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/keepitfictional/message

Carol talks to Kassia St Clair, author of The Secret Lives Of Colour, and Lucia Silvestri, creative director at Bulgari, about the enduring magic and mystery of colour, and how it affects, inspires and soothes us - with a particular focus on blue, the world's most loved colour.For more information, please see: www.carolwoolton.comFollow Carol Woolton: @carolwooltonProduced by Natasha Cowan @tashonfashMusic and editing by Tim Thornton @timwthorntonCreative direction by Scott Bentley @bentleycreativeIllustrations Jordi Labanda @jordilabandaRead Carol Woolton in Vogue magazine – vogue.co.uk/fashion/jewellery See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode Marshall and Sophia interviews the author of The Secret Lives of Colour, Kassia St. Clair who's insightful and delightful to listen to. Kassia is a writer and cultural historian who creates compelling narrative about topics and subject matter we casually overlook. Prepare yourself for an exploration into the wild world of color and how it effects not only our preconceived notions but our feelings as well. Kassia's website: kassiastclair.comKassia's books:The Secret Lives of Colour: LinkThe Golden Thread: How Fabric Changed History: LinkNew book - The Race to the Future: Peking to Paris by Automobile in 1907: LinkSupport the show (https://paypal.me/artgrindpodcast?locale.x=en_US)

THE GOLDEN THREAD: HOW FABRIC CHANGED HISTORYFrom 30,000-year-old threads found in a Georgian cave to the linen wrappings of Tutankhamun's mummy; from the lace ruffs that infuriated the puritans to the Indian calicoes and chintzes that powered the Industrial Revolution, Kassia St Clair reveals how the continual reinvention of cloth weaves a fascinating story of human ingenuity. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

If you’ve ever lost a job, or been through a breakup, or failed an exam, you’ll know that the aftermath can be painful and disorienting. But for some percentage of those who experience these disappointing outcomes, unforeseen opportunities will arise.In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman, we look at the occasional upside of being forced to quit a career, or a relationship, or even a favorite route to work.Kassia St. Clair brings us the story of William Henry Perkin. As a young man in 19th-century London, Perkin had set his sights on a career in chemistry and medicine. He devoted his time and energy to the search for a treatment for malaria, which was a growing problem around the world. Unfortunately, he failed in his quest, but his failure opened the door to a surprising new discovery that transformed an entire industry.Kassia St. Clair is a design journalist and the author of The Secret Lives of Color. Next, Annie Duke joins Katy to explain how events like a shutdown of the London subway system, or the COVID-19 pandemic, can sometimes surface new and previously unexplored options. She also discusses how our identities can be wrapped up in our choices, blinding us to alternatives that may actually serve us better.Annie Duke is a speaker and decision strategist. She’s also the author of How to Decide: Simple Tools for Making Better Choices. Finally, Katy explains that while giving up on important jobs, relationships, or habits may not always be the best option, the behavioral bias of escalation of commitment can cause us to experiment and explore too little in life.Choiceology is an original podcast from Charles Schwab. For more on the series, visit schwab.com/podcast.If you enjoy the show, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating or review on Apple Podcasts. Important DisclosuresAll expressions of opinion are subject to change without notice in reaction to shifting market conditions.The comments, views, and opinions expressed in the presentation are those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent the views of Charles Schwab.Data contained herein from third-party providers is obtained from what are considered reliable sources. However, its accuracy, completeness or reliability cannot be guaranteed.The policy analysis provided by the Charles Schwab & Co., Inc., does not constitute and should not be interpreted as an endorsement of any political party.Investing involves risk, including loss of principal.The book, How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be, is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (CS&Co.). Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (CS&Co.) has not reviewed the book and makes no representations about its content.All corporate names are for illustrative purposes only and are not a recommendation, offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy any security.Apple Podcasts and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.Google Podcasts and the Google Podcasts logo are trademarks of Google LLC.Spotify and the Spotify logo are registered trademarks of Spotify AB.(0521-1681)

As lockdowns have forced us to forgo the delights of the outside world, have we developed a taste for simple pleasures? Many have reported enjoying cooking and eating more than usual, or appreciating simple treats such as a walk in nature. Has the grey monotony of this period caused music to sound more vibrant, and colours to appear more vivid? And what is the science, philosophy and psychology behind the enjoyment of simple pleasures? Matthew Sweet asks taste and wine expert Barry Smith; colour expert Kassia St Clair; Lisa Appignanesi an author of books exploring psychology and memory; and historian of luxury Seán Williams to share their ideas about pleasure. Kassia St Clair is the author of The Secret Lives of Colour and The Golden Thread. Barry C Smith is a Professor of philosophy and Director of the Institute of Philosophy at the University of London's School of Advanced Study. He researches the multisensory nature of perceptual experience, focusing on taste, smell and flavour and also writes on wine. Seán Williams is a New Generation Thinker who teaches on German culture and history at the University of Sheffield considering topics ranging from the Alps, Spas and ideas about luxury, to a history of hairdressing. Lisa Appignanesi's books include Everyday Madness, All About Love: Anatomy of an Unruly Emotion, Memory and Desire and many others. You can find a whole playlist of programmes exploring different emotions from our Free Thinking Festival 2019 including 20 Words for Joy ... Feelings Around the World hearing from Thomas Dixon, Aatish Taseer and Veronica Strang; Does My Pet Love Me? Why We Need Weepies, and the Way we Used to Feel https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p036y2hb Producer: Eliane Glaser

This episode we head to Ireland for our review of Home Stretch by Graham Norton. We go on from there to revisit language learning with Spanish Short Stories for Beginners by Lingo Mastery.Our Audible editors have opted for the colourful selection of The Secret Life of Colour by Kassia St Clair and the gruesome Killing For Company by Brian Masters. Plus, we hope you're up for a much needed challenge with a clip from author Layla Saad's Audible Session. Here's the full list of reviews/recommendations:Crashed by Adam Tooze https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Crashed-Audiobook/B07FPPX125Home Stretch by Graham Norton https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Home-Stretch-Audiobook/1529331765Spanish Short Stories for Beginners by Lingo Mastery https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Spanish-Short-Stories-for-Beginners-20-Captivating-Short-Stories-to-Learn-Spanish-Grow-Your-Vocabulary-the-Fun-Way-Audiobook/B07B9GCWZVThe Secret Life of Colour by Kassia St Clair https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/The-Secret-Lives-of-Colour-Audiobook/1529336503Killing for Company by Brian Masters https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Killing-for-Company-Audiobook/1004012861Audible Sessions with Layla Saad https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Layla-Saad-Audiobook/B085WCWVKDMe and White Supremacy by Layla Saad https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Me-and-White-Supremacy-Audiobook/152940507620,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Tony Lee & Jules Verne https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/20000-Leagues-Under-the-Sea-Audiobook/B08D3V6K18 If you have an audiobook to recommend, please email us at yhihf@audible.co.uk – we love hearing your voice notes and reading what you have to say! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

"Light is therefore color, and shadow the privation of it." - J.M.W. Turner, 1818 "Have you ever had a black eye? Have you ever had pink eye?" - Me, 2021 LINKS: Sign up for my "World-Making" workshop! https://www.toledomuseum.org/education/classes Check out my Shop! https://www.robynoneil.com/shop My show in Toledo: https://www.toledomuseum.org/art/exhibitions/telling-stories-resilience-and-struggle-contemporary-narrative-drawing Me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robyn_oneil/?hl=en Handwritten Notes: https://www.instagram.com/handwrittennotesontv/ Me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Robyn_ONeil

Witchcraft and the archetype of the Witch are explored through interviews, found sound, commissioned music and storytelling. This second episode of A Common Craft looks to ritual and working with ritual. I talk to Trustee of the Doreen Valiente Foundation Ashley Mortimer, author and historian Kassia St Clair, celebrant Keli Tomlin and doula Dee Coe about Doreen Valiente, doulas, the colour purple and rituals for letting go. Episode Two Interviews were held with Ashley Mortimer (Trustee of the Doreen Valiente Foundation), Kassia St Clair (Cultural historian and writer), Dee Coe (Doula) & Emily Wilczek & Baby Ida, Keli Tomlin (Celebrant) Original music by Hawthonn. In Mighty Revelation by Hawthonn from the album Red Godess (Of This Men Shall Know Nothing) Improvised incantations composed and sung by Freya Barlow, Blue Firth & Isabel Jones Additional music by: Eden Ahbez - Full Moon, Daniel Kolbialka- Blue Spirals, Lena Platonos - The Witches, Third Ear Band - Fleance, Isla Cameron – O Willow Waly, Helen Banks – Do you know Obsidian Mirror written by Blue Firth read by Isabel Jones Audio extracts include: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1998), Secrets of the Unkown – Witches 1989, Hocus Pocus (1993), The Innocents (1961), The Owl Service (1969) A Common Craft is a series of podcasts about the archetype of the Witch, Witchcraft and magic and how these subjects may affect our daily lives- sometimes without us even noticing. Through interviews and storytelling, each episode will present a journey of occult ideas, feminism, healthcare, gender and popular culture. As Witchcraft becomes increasingly popular, I ask what we can learn from it's unorthodoxy and how it might make the future more magical for us all. A Common Craft was made by Blue Firth commissioned on behalf of Waking the Witch, a touring exhibition which looks to the importance of craft, ritual and land on the practice of the ever shifting figure of the witch.

Susan Young continues discussing her Sewover50 blog post about the community's discussion about your fabric purchases. This episode goes into weighing up purchasing long lasting plastic-based fabrics against ‘natural’ fibres. Susan refers to her review of the Fashioned from Nature exhibit that took place at the V&A Museum exhibit a few years ago. We then discuss reduce, reuse, recycle. Make sure you read The Golden Thread-how fabric changed history by Kassia St Clair.

Every year, the Giro d'Italia shows off the best countryside Italy has to offer. It's not to say that France and Spain are not blessed with great scenery but Italy seems to provide the most consistently beautiful backdrop for the racing. The Giro's slogan – the toughest race in the most beautiful place – might have a touch of hype but it's probably fair to say it is the most photogenic of the three grand tours. In this episode of Our Giro, Richard Moore, Lionel Birnie and Daniel Friebe look at the visual aspect of the Giro. We meet legendary photographer Graham Watson, who witnessed the drama of the Giro more more than three decades before retiring to New Zealand. Graham explains why the Giro was his favourite race to photograph and watch and looks back at some of the most memorable moments – from the duel between Stephen Roche and Roberto Visentini in 1987, to Marco Pantani's brilliance in 1998 and downfall in 99, to Alberto Contador coming straight from the beach to win a decade later. We also talk Italy's sense of style on and off the bike with Sir Paul Smith, who designed the maglia rosa in 2013, and Andy Storey, who runs through some of the most memorable Italian jerseys. Plus author and cultural historian Kassia St Clair talks about the power and charm of the colour pink. There's also the latest rider added to Ciro Scognamiglio's increasingly eclectic Giro Dream Team and François Thomazeau plays us out with La Vie En Rose. The Cycling Podcast is supported by iwoca and Science In Sport. LINKS You can check out some of Graham Watson's finest photographs on his website (https://www.grahamwatson.com/) . You can also buy his books, prints and posters. Andy Storey's book on the history of cycling jerseys is called The Art of the Jersey. You can buy some great retro remakes at prendas.co.uk (https://www.prendas.co.uk/) Kassia St Clair's book is called The Secret Lives of Colour. COMING TOMORROW We meet the only American to win the Giro, Andy Hampsten. This is the first of a two-part interview with the 1988 champion. In part one, we talk about his breakthrough stage win during the 1985 race. COPPA ITALIA OF CYCLING JERSEYS What is the best-looking Italian cycling jersey of all-time? You decide. Starting tomorrow on our Twitter (https://twitter.com/cycling_podcast) page is the Coppa Italia of Italian cycling jerseys. Vote for your favourites in the group stage from Sunday. LIFE IN THE PELOTON While we've been doing Our Giro, Mitch Docker and his old Orica-GreenEdge teammates have been remembering Their Giro when they won the opening team time trial of the 2014 race in Belfast. WATCH OUR FIRST FILM Our first film, And So We Rode… is available for Friends of the Podcast to watch now. This is the story of Larry Warbasse and Conor Dunne packing their bags and going on a bikepacking trip in the French and Italian Alps after their pro team Aqua Blue Sport folded mid-season. It costs £15 to sign up as a Friend of the Podcast and you will be able to watch the film as well as listen to all our special episodes. http://thecyclingpodcast.com/join OUR SPONSORS iwoca became The Cycling Podcast’s title sponsors in March 2020. Iwoca specialises in supporting small businesses and can lend between £1,000 and £250,000. Applications can take only a few minutes to complete and they promise a fast and fair decision. To find out more, go to http://iwoca.co.uk Science In Sport is The Cycling Podcast’s longest-standing supporter. It’s a relationship that stretches back to the 2016 Giro d’Italia. Listeners can get 25% off Science In Sport’s range of energy drinks, bars, gels and cakes at http://scienceinsport.com with the code SISCP25 This episode is also supported by Beer52 (https://www.beer52.com/cycle) . You can try a case of eight great beers for just the cost of delivery by going to https://www.beer52.com/cycle RIDE OUR GIRO If you have a smart turbo trainer, you can ride Our Giro on the RGT digital platform. Each stage is around 30 kilometres long and will be online for three days. Go to RGTcycling.com/our-giro (https://thecyclingpodcast.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=e30db910a0fe0ac7464cd458e&id=b47ea6766a&e=be8e0a97d5) for details of how to download the app and sign up. Thanks to RGT and http://Veloviewer.com for helping us create Our Giro. GIRO WINE CLUB Our friends at http://Dvinecellars.com have put together a ‘Selezione Our Giro’ case of 12 wines from around Italy. There’s also a ‘Baby Giro’ case of six bottles. Use the code ‘Our Giro’ when ordering. Cases can be delivered in the UK, excluding the Highlands and Northern Ireland, and a donation from each case will be made to the Scuola Ciclismo in Cene.

This week, we've got the sequel to last week's Shandyland episode as Mark and Matt chat to Gareth Farr, the writer of Shandyland, Gareth also wrote The Bridge, The Quiet House and Britannia Waves the Rules. It's a corker with Gareth giving a great insight into his writing process, teaching, the nerves of press night and winning the Bruntwood Prize. Transcript available to download here. Resource links: Gareth Farr – Curtis Brown page: www.curtisbrown.co.uk/client/gareth-farr Hannah Banister - Curtis Brown page: www.curtisbrown.co.uk/client/hannah-banister The Quiet House: www.dramaonlinelibrary.com/plays/the-quiet-house-iid-179381 Brittania Waves the Rules: www.dramaonlinelibrary.com/plays/britannia-waves-the-rules-iid-187700 The Bridge: www.curtisbrown.co.uk/client/gareth-farr/work/the-bridge-3 The Old Vic 12: www.oldvictheatre.com/join-in/for-creatives/the-old-vic-12 The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC): www.rsc.org.uk The Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting: www.writeaplay.co.uk Arts Ed: artsed.co.uk Royal Exchange Theatre: www.royalexchange.co.uk In The Dark - podcast: www.apmreports.org/in-the-dark You're Dead To Me - podcast: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07mdbhg/episodes/downloads The Secret Lives of Colour by Kassia St Clair - available from all good and evil bookshops Once Upon A River by Diane Setterfield - available from all good and evil bookshops

The unforgettable history of colours and the vivid stories behind them in a beautiful multi-coloured volume. The Secret Lives of Colour tells the unusual stories of the 75 most fascinating shades, dyes and hues. From blonde to ginger, the brown that changed the way battles were fought to the white that protected against the plague, Picasso's blue period to the charcoal on the cave walls at Lascaux, acid yellow to kelly green, and from scarlet women to imperial purple, these surprising stories run like a bright thread throughout history. In this book Kassia St Clair has turned her lifelong obsession with colours and where they come from (whether Van Gogh's chrome yellow sunflowers or punk's fluorescent pink) into a unique study of human civilisation. Across fashion and politics, art and war, The Secret Lives of Colour tell the vivid story of our culture.

Kassia St Clair - The golden Thread...with TRE's Selina Mackenzie

This episode we do a quick run-down of the things we loved and found most interesting about this book "The Secret Lives of Color" by Kassia St. Clair. Michelle’s week: Michelle took a stay-cation this week which was really nice and much needed. Though she is still a mom and that's a full-time job on its own. It is the last week of summer before her daughter starts kindergarten, so this week was a chance for Michelle to spend time with her daughter before school starts. However, it still is very challenging. Michelle let her daughter watch TV while she took a nap, and sadly her daughter found the scissors and chose that to be the time of a haircut for herself.  Joelle’s week:  Joelle has been running and training to run a 10k in October, so that has been taking up a lot of time. Still in the beginning stages of the training, but she’s getting there. Besides that, it’s just been outside work with the little baby plants. Brandi’s week: Brandi took her kids to Santa Fe to visit her parents and she was able to play tourist in her home town. They took the train and made a fun day of it. She went to Sky Coffee who, Jason Munn, did their design work, and they had amazing coffee! Takeaways from this episode: If you want to hear more about this book, the podcast 99% Invisible, has an episode where Roman Mars interviews Kassia St. Clair. It is episode 340 -The Secret Lives of Color. The meanings that we get from colors and even the names of colors are there for a reason We advise having something to take notes, or just have a willingness to write in this book. “You kind of have to be in a good space to be able to sit down cause it's like you're reading science, you're reading geology, you're reading history and you're reading like psychology, like every two pages for every single color.” -Brandi Sea A fun mention is colormen, "Those who produced and trained in colors". Similar to Leatris Eisman who we have an interview with. Episode 021 of Design Speaks Fun fact, Baker-Miller pink was the color that they painted a lot of prisons and insane asylums because it is such a calming color. They stopped using it because it affected everyone including workers. Why does red increase a person's heart rate but light red calm them down?  The majority of the quotes in this book come from artists. You will quickly learn that you are not alone in your love of color. Blue is most likely the most popular favorite color because it is always there. It is the most trusted; the most constant of colors.  Joelle’s song: See Through by The Band Camino  Brandi’s song: Game of Survival by Ruelle   THIS QUARTER, we finished reading, The Secret Lives of Color by Kassia St. Clair. We had a ton of things to say about this super fun book!   Please rate and review our podcast in iTunes and if you want to support our show please go to Patreon.com/designspeakswe would love it! You can give as much as you want. Every little bit goes to helping us keep this podcast going. Thank you to Vesperteen for allowing us to use his song Shatter in the Night as our intro and outro music for Design Speaks Want to support us? Go to Patreonand help support our podcast! Find us on all forms of social media via @BrandiSea on Instagram,Twitter,Facebook, and you can email us any burning questions you want Brandi to answer on an episode at brandi@brandisea.com. THANK YOU to the ultra-talented  Vesperteen (Colin Rigsby) for letting us use his (“Shatter in The Night”) track in every episode of Design Speaks.         TRANSCRIPTION: Brandi Sea: 00:00:01 I don't know how this happened. Two of my best friends in high school, we're both gingers. I'm like, Michelle: 00:00:06 It's 'cause they're fiery and they can deal with you. Joelle: 00:00:08 Yeah. Brandi Sea: 00:00:11 They're feisty! They can deal with me. Only gingers can deal with you, Brandi. I understand.

This episode we do a quick run-down of the things we loved and found most interesting about this book “The Secret Lives of Color” by Kassia St. Clair. Michelle's week: Michelle took a stay-cation this week which was really nice and much needed. Though she is still a mom and that's a full-time job on […]The post BOOK REVIEW: “The Secret Lives of Color” by Kassia St. Clair – Episode 110 appeared first on BrandiSea Design Co..Support the show (https://buymeacoffee.com/BrandiSea)

                    This week we chat about the difference between creating work that is good, or just good enough, and the three kinds of designers: lazy, complacent, and proactive and figuring out what kind you are. Show Notes Coming Soon! Music: Brandi’s song: "Something Good Can Work" by Two Door Cinema Club This week we chat about the difference between creating work that is good, or just good enough, and the three kinds of designers: lazy, complacent, and proactive and figuring out what kind you are.  Brandi’s week: First off there was Easter. And Brandi has also done her last project before she takes over as president for AIGA, which is Hire-Ed. This is a chance to help students and young professionals get their portfolios reviewed by professionals. She's also still working on the 100-days project and she's been doing a lot of digital painting. Which Michelle and I (Joelle) really like despite Brandi thinking it's lame. And that leads us into Avengers End Game so be prepared for spoilers in this episode.  Michelle’s week: Easter is over so lots of recovery from that, Michelle also when to see Avengers End Game, and she also got the opportunity to go to a museum we have here in Santa Fe NM called Meow Wolf. It's a very abstract kind of creepy undertone art museum. Basically, it's how Michelle wants to decorate her house but sadly it's not acceptable. Takeaways from this episode: You can do so much more if you just put a little bit more time into what you are doing There will be projects that you can’t put as much creative juice into, but that doesn’t mean those projects can be “crud-y” Don’t just say something is good enough when it’s just not good. Good enough should mean, does it work and does it work well? Remember that your attitude plays into a lot of this idea Not all designers are lazy, some may just be complacent Your job as a designer is to solve problems so if you don’t care about solving problems you don’t care about your job There are 3 types of designer. Lazy, complacent, or proactive. Figure out which one you are so you can be better It’s okay to have more to learn   If you want to read Brandi’s blog post about today’s topic it is blog post# 44, "Stop Making Excuses". This quarters book is The Secret Lives of Color by Kassia St Clair and you are welcome to read along with us.  Please rate and review our podcast in iTunes and if you want to support our show please go to Patreon.com/designspeaks we would love it! You can give as much as you want. Every little bit goes to helping us keep this podcast going. Thank you to Vesperteen for allowing us to use his song Shatter in the Night as our intro and outro music for Design Speaks     This Quarter's Book: We are reading and reviewing books on the podcast every quarter! If you would like to read along, THIS QUARTER, we've been reading, The Secret Lives of Color by Kassia St. Clair. Want to support us? Go to Patreon and help support our podcast! Find us on all forms of social media via @BrandiSea on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and you can email us any burning questions you want Brandi to answer on an episode at brandi@brandisea.com.   THANK YOU to the ultra-talented  Vesperteen (Colin Rigsby) for letting us use his (“Shatter in The Night”) track in every episode of Design Speaks.                       TRANSCRIPTION Michelle: 00:01 And I was like, why didn't they just give us one stairway? And he was like, right. I was like, I want a different experience on going downstairs every single time I'm here. But I was like, Brandi would probably like the fact. Brandi Sea: 00:13 I was like, that's amazing! I want to come down all the different ways. Michelle: 00:16 And I was like, I don't have time for this. And so I was like, that's probably something that Brandi would really enjoy is that fact th...

We meet the writer and cultural historian Kassia St Clair on Cable Street in East London, site of the invention of the first synthetic purple dye, and an appropriate setting for discussion of her books The Secret Lives of Colour and The Golden Thread. Kassia’s first book told the story of 75 unusual colours, from amber to absinthe, while its successor spoke of everything from the woollen sails of Vikings to Michael Phelps’ swimsuit. Between discussing the unusual paths of certain colours, we find out how Kassia’s own passion for colour began in her mother’s flower shop.

Kassia St Clair is a writer based in London. She studied women's dress and eighteenth-century masquerade at the University of Bristol and Oxford.She has since written about design and culture for publications including the Economist, the Telegraph, TLS and Architectural... The post Episode #151: Kassia St. Clair appeared first on PolicyViz.

Kassia St Clair is a writer based in London. She studied women's dress and eighteenth-century masquerade at the University of Bristol and Oxford.She has since written about design and culture for publications including the Economist, the Telegraph, TLS and Architectural... The post Episode #151: Kassia St. Clair appeared first on PolicyViz.

Fifty years ago humankind stepped on the moon for the first time. This is the story of the space suit that allowed them to do it. Millions of Britons stayed up through the night of 20/21 July 1969 to experience one of the most iconic moments of the twentieth century. They watched on their TV sets, part of a global audience of 528 million, as Neil Armstrong edged down a ladder from the lunar module to become the first human to set foot on the moon. It was a definitive moment in the history of humankind and, for those watching, it became a shared experience like few others. This latest episode of Travels Through Time begins at the moment Armstrong’s foot presses down onto the powdery surface of the moon. Most people have a vivid image of the scene: the grey lunar surface, the total blackness of space, the white lights and the fluttering Stars and Stripes. But what about the space suits that enabled Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin to survive in such a hostile environment? In three scenes the writer and cultural historian Kassia St Clair takes us from that iconic moment back to the JFK Space Centre and a sewing room floor in Delaware to show how these space suits – quiet wonders of technology themselves – were made, often using traditional techniques. Scene One: Sea of Tranquillity, Lunar Surface, 2.56am GMT July 21st 1969 Scene Two: John F. Kennedy Space Center, US, 3.30am local time, July 16th 1969 Scene Three: Sewing floor of Playtex (ILC) Dover, Delaware, early months of 1969 Kassia St Clair’s website: http://www.kassiastclair.com/ Social: Presenter: Peter Moore (@petermoore) Guest: Kassia St Clair (@kassiastclair) Producer: Maria Nolan Audio extracts from the NASA archive. Used under the terms of their media use guidelines for educational purposes.

This week on Tea & Tattle, I’m joined by the writer Kassia St Clair, to discuss Kassia’s latest book, The Golden Thread. I’m such a fan of Kassia’s work, having loved her first bestselling book, The Secret Lives of Colour, which is a fascinating exploration of the history and meaning of 75 shades of the rainbow. In her most recent book, The Golden Thread, Kassia explores how fabric has shaped history, bringing the reader on an incredible journey through time and around the world as she examines linens spun in Ancient Egypt, to the glorious silks of China and the famous wools of Great Britain. I was so interested to learn what first sparked Kassia’s interest in the history of textiles and colour, as well as more about the surprising discoveries she made during her research. This is last Tea & Tattle episode of the current season, but I’ll return with further conversations with inspiring and creative women in May for the Spring/Summer season. Read the show notes: teaandtattlepodcast.com/home/108 Get in touch! Email: teaandtattlepodcast@gmail.com Instagram: Miranda ~ @mirandasnotebook and @mirandasbookcase If you enjoy Tea & Tattle, please do rate and leave a review of the show on Apple Podcasts, as good reviews help other people to find and enjoy the show. Thank you!

As snappy as we seem to like our information these days, each year there are innumerable books of non-fiction that explore our world in great depth and thoughtfulness. These works can help us see the world in a new way, by exploring previously murky arenas of culture, or taking focus on themes that rarely get much breathing space. We have two such authors in The Pod today. Kassia St Clair, whose books have charted the curious histories of colour and fabric and Zahra Hankir, whose forthcoming book compiles essays by women reporting on conflict in the Arab world. What they have in common: selling the value of stories that had been pushed to the periphery – and experiencing the painstaking, nerve-wracking process of getting them published.

Elaine Showalter on a history of obscenity and censorship and the largely futile efforts of a US Postal Inspector; Ladee Hubbard on five years of Black Lives Matter and the myth of an egalitarian, post-racial America; Kassia St Clair on women, weaving and the rewriting of historyBooksLust on Trial: Censorship and the rise of obscenity in the age of Anthony Comstock by Amy Werbel The Fire This Time: A new generation speaks about race, edited by Jesmyn WardMy Brother Moochie: Regaining dignity in the face of crime, poverty and racism in the American South by Isaac J. Bailey The Golden Thread: How fabric changed history by Kassia St Clair See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Simon and Kassia speak with Richard Skinner, director of the fiction programme at the Faber Academy, one of a number of creative writing schools established outside the traditional university context in recent years. Richard created the academy's flagship 'Writing a Novel' six-month course in 2009 and since then has worked with hundreds of writers. Notable graduates include SJ Watson, whose debut novel Before I Go To Sleep became an international bestseller and Andreas Loizou, whose The Devil's Deal was translated into nine languages. In his own life Richard is a novelist, poet and critic. We spoke about how the Faber Academy course works, and also put to him some of the common criticisms levelled at creative writing programmes. You can find us online at alwaystakenotes.com, on Twitter @takenotesalways, and on Facebook at facebook.com/alwaystakenotes. Our crowdfunding page is patreon.com/alwaystakenotes. Always Take Notes is presented by Kassia St Clair and Simon Akam, and produced by Nicola Kean. Zahra Hankir is our communities editor. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and our logo was designed by James Edgar.

Kassia and Simon speak with Cal Flyn, a Scottish author and journalist. Cal worked as an investigative reporter for The Sunday Times and data reporter at the Telegraph before turning to literary non-fiction. Her first book Thicker Than Water, which dealt with colonialism in Australia and intergenerational guilt, was published in 2016 and selected by The Times as one of the best books of the year. Her second book, Islands of Abandonment, is expected in 2021. We spoke to Cal about breaking into, and breaking out of, newspaper journalism, about the complexities of writing about her own family, and the art of navigating the world of literary grants and residencies. You can find us online at alwaystakenotes.com, on Twitter @takenotesalways, and on Facebook at facebook.com/alwaystakenotes. Our crowdfunding page is patreon.com/alwaystakenotes. Always Take Notes is presented by Kassia St Clair and Simon Akam, and produced by Nicola Kean. Zahra Hankir is our communities editor. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and our logo was designed by James Edgar.

Kassia and Simon speak to Rory Stewart, the MP for Penrith and the Border and the author of Occupational Hazards and The Places in Between, a New York Times bestseller. We spoke to him about his influences and how his feelings about walking memoirs and travel literature have evolved. He also spoke in greater depth about how he came to write The Places in Between and how his relationship with his father was pivotal to his most recent book, The Marches. You can find us online at alwaystakenotes.com, on Twitter @takenotesalways, and on Facebook at facebook.com/alwaystakenotes. Our crowdfunding page is patreon.com/alwaystakenotes. Always Take Notes is presented by Kassia St Clair and Simon Akam, and produced by Nicola Kean. Zahra Hankir is our communities editor. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and our logo was designed by James Edgar.

Simon speaks to Clare Conville, the co-founder of literary agency C+W (formerly Conville and Walsh). Listed by the Observer as one of “Our top 50 players in the world of books”, Clare previously worked as an editor at Random House, before co-founding Conville & Walsh in 2000. Between them Clare’s clients have won or been nominated for nearly every major literary prize in the UK, including the Man Booker Prize, the Orwell Prize, the Somerset Maugham Award and the Orange Prize for Fiction. We discussed the development of Clare's career, her long standing interest in children's writing, the art of selling a book and the change in the literary climate fostered by creative writing courses. http://cwagency.co.uk/agent/clare-conville http://cwagency.co.uk/ You can find us online at alwaystakenotes.com, on Twitter @takenotesalways, and on Facebook at facebook.com/alwaystakenotes. Our crowdfunding page is patreon.com/alwaystakenotes. Always Take Notes is presented by Kassia St Clair and Simon Akam, and produced by Nicola Kean. Zahra Hankir is our communities editor. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and our logo was designed by James Edgar.

Kassia and Simon chat to Lionel Barber, editor of the Financial Times since 2005. We discussed his early career in journalism, which included stints at The Scotsman and a fellowship at the Washington Post, before his move to the Financial Times. He also spoke about his plans for the newspaper, both when he first took over as editor in 2005 and how these may have changed more recently as the idea of globalism has become more fraught. We also discussed some recent pieces he's been involved with, including the controversial interview with Steve Bannon. You can find us online at alwaystakenotes.com, on Twitter @takenotesalways, and on Facebook at facebook.com/alwaystakenotes. Our crowdfunding page is patreon.com/alwaystakenotes. Always Take Notes is presented by Kassia St Clair and Simon Akam, and produced by Nicola Kean. Zahra Hankir is our communities editor. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and our logo was designed by James Edgar.

Simon and Kassia speak to Joanne Harris, author of the 1999 novel Chocolat, which was filmed a year later starring Juliette Binoche, Judi Dench and Johnny Depp, as well as numerous other best sellers including Gentleman and Players, Runelight and Peaches For Monsieur le Curé. Joanne talked about her early career as a teacher, dealing with unhelpful advice, the experience of writing a huge best-seller and subsequent movie adaptation, and her prolific, and occasionally acerbic, presence on social media. You can find us online at alwaystakenotes.com, on Twitter @takenotesalways, and on Facebook at facebook.com/alwaystakenotes. Our crowdfunding page is patreon.com/alwaystakenotes. Always Take Notes is presented by Kassia St Clair and Simon Akam, and produced by Olivia Crellin, Ed Kiernan and Elizabeth Davies. Olivia Crellin edited this episode. Zahra Hankir is our communities editor. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and our logo was designed by James Edgar.

Simon and Kassia speak to Niall Ferguson, conservative historian and author of The Ascent of Money and The Pity of War. He talked about his career, financial pressures and the dynamics of writing as a popular historian in the world of academia. You can find us online at alwaystakenotes.com, on Twitter @takenotesalways, and on Facebook at facebook.com/alwaystakenotes. Our crowdfunding page is patreon.com/alwaystakenotes. Always Take Notes is presented by Kassia St Clair and Simon Akam, and produced by Olivia Crellin, Ed Kiernan and Elizabeth Davies. Ed Kiernan edited this episode. Zahra Hankir is our communities editor. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and our logo was designed by James Edgar.

Simon and Kassia speak to Louisa Joyner, editorial director at publisher Faber & Faber. Louisa moved to Faber in 2016 from Canongate, and previously worked at HarperCollins, where she published Costa Book of the Year winner Nathan Filer’s The Shock of the Fall and commissioned Curtis Sittenfeld's re-write of Pride and Prejudice - Eligible. Louisa spoke to us about entering publishing from academia, her approach to the editorial process, where Faber fits in today's market, and where she sees the industry going in future. https://twitter.com/louisajoyner You can find us online at alwaystakenotes.com, on Twitter @takenotesalways, and on Facebook at facebook.com/alwaystakenotes. Our crowdfunding page is patreon.com/alwaystakenotes. Always Take Notes is presented by Kassia St Clair and Simon Akam, and produced by Olivia Crellin, Ed Kiernan and Elizabeth Davies. Liz Davies edited this episode. Zahra Hankir is our communities editor. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and our logo was designed by James Edgar.

Kassia speaks to Jeremy Gavron, author of The Book of Israel, (winner of the Encore award), A Woman on the Edge of time and Felix Culpa, a novel pieced together from lines from over eighty other books. Jeremy spoke honestly about many of the relationships that have informed his work, including those with agents and editors and also with his mother, whose story he tells in A Woman on the Edge of Time. https://scribepublications.co.uk/books-authors/books/felix-culpa https://scribepublications.co.uk/books-authors/books/a-woman-on-the-edge-of-time1 You can find us online at alwaystakenotes.com, on Twitter @takenotesalways, and on Facebook at facebook.com/alwaystakenotes. Our crowdfunding page is patreon.com/alwaystakenotes. Always Take Notes is presented by Kassia St Clair and Simon Akam, and produced by Olivia Crellin, Ed Kiernan and Elizabeth Davies. Olivia Crellin edited this episode. Zahra Hankir is our communities editor. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and our logo was designed by James Edgar.

Kassia and Simon speak to Lucy Hughes-Hallett, author of The Pike, a biography of Italian rake Gabriele d'Annunzio, which won all three of the UK's most prestigious prizes for non-fiction for 2013 - The Duff Cooper Prize, the Samuel Johnson Prize, and the Costa Biography of the Year award. Lucy spoke to us about the rhythms of her work, her relationship with agents and publishers, and her literary treatment of heroism. https://lucyhugheshallett.com/ https://twitter.com/lucyhh You can find us online at alwaystakenotes.com, on Twitter @takenotesalways, and on Facebook at facebook.com/alwaystakenotes. Our crowdfunding page is patreon.com/alwaystakenotes. Always Take Notes is presented by Kassia St Clair and Simon Akam, and produced by Olivia Crellin, Ed Kiernan and Elizabeth Davies. Ed Kiernan edited this episode. Zahra Hankir is our communities editor. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and our logo was designed by James Edgar.

Kassia and Simon speak to Jonathan Shainin, who runs the Long Read section of the Guardian. He spoke to us about his nomadic career, which took him from New York (and the New Yorker), to Abu Dhabi, India, and back to New York, before coming to London to set up the Long Read in 2014. Jonathan discusses the differences between US and UK editing styles, where the Long Read fits into the wider Guardian ecosystem, and how venturing abroad can fit into the career of an editor as well as a writer. https://www.theguardian.com/news/series/the-long-read https://twitter.com/gdnlongread You can find us online at alwaystakenotes.com, on Twitter @takenotesalways, and on Facebook at facebook.com/alwaystakenotes. Always Take Notes is presented by Kassia St Clair and Simon Akam, and produced by Olivia Crellin, Ed Kiernan and Elizabeth Davies. Elizabeth Davies edited this episode. Zahra Hankir is our communities editor. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and our logo was designed by James Edgar.

Kassia and Simon speak to romance novelist Julia Kelly about her portion of the literary universe - romance fiction is a billion-dollar industry. Julia talked to us about how she came to write her first books, the importance of marketing and social media for romance writers, the pros and cons of self-publishing in this genre, and why the happy ending remains non-negotiable. She also discussed the impact of the #metoo movement on the world of romance. http://www.simonandschuster.co.uk/authors/Julia-Kelly/575597749 https://www.juliakellywrites.com/ http://www.simonandschuster.co.uk/books/The-Light-Over-London/Julia-Kelly/The-Matchmaker-of-Edinburgh-Series/9781501172922 You can find us online at alwaystakenotes.com, on Twitter @takenotesalways, and on Facebook at facebook.com/alwaystakenotes. Always Take Notes is presented by Kassia St Clair and Simon Akam, and produced by Olivia Crellin, Ed Kiernan and Elizabeth Davies. Olivia Crellin edited this episode. Zahra Hankir is our communities editor. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and our logo was designed by James Edgar.

Kassia and Simon interview screenwriter and playwright Peter Moffat, whose work includes the series Cambridge Spies, Criminal Justice - later the basis of HBO's The Night of - and Silk, as well as the TV films Hawking and Einstein & Eddington. Peter spoke about moving from his early career as a lawyer into writing, the distinctions between British and American approaches to producing TV drama, and the role of both intensive research and muzak-free coffee shops in his writing routine. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0595584/ https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/hbos-night-how-peter-moffat-who-wrote-bbcs-original-version-inspired-story-915914 You can find us online at alwaystakenotes.com, on Twitter @takenotesalways, and on Facebook at facebook.com/alwaystakenotes. Always Take Notes is presented by Kassia St Clair and Simon Akam, and produced by Olivia Crellin, Ed Kiernan and Elizabeth Davies. Ed Kiernan edited this episode. Zahra Hankir is our communities editor. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and our logo was designed by James Edgar.

Unusual stories of the bizarre and gruesome things that have been used as paint pigments from Kassia St Clair, author of The Secret Lives of Colour. Plus, why did Van Gogh create portraits of the man who sold him his paints? Nienke Bakker, Curator of Paintings at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, brings us the story of Père Tanguy whose arts supply shop was at the heart of the Paris art scene. Produced and presented by Viv Jones.

Kassia and Simon interview Helen Lewis, deputy editor of the New Statesman. She spoke to us about what her current role entails, the training she received as a sub-editor at the Daily Mail (and what it was like to work there). Helen candidly discussed the importance of networking, feminism, sub-editing and longform journalism. She also revealed a brilliant tip for powering through writers' block. https://www.newstatesman.com/2016/01/where-bodies-are-buried-0 https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/may/27/hot-feminist-by-polly-vernon-reducing-revolution-to-sloppy-self-help You can find us online at alwaystakenotes.com, on Twitter @takenotesalways, and on Facebook at facebook.com/alwaystakenotes. Always Take Notes is presented by Kassia St Clair and Simon Akam, and produced by Olivia Crellin, Ed Kiernan and Elizabeth Davies. Elizabeth Davies edited this episode. Zahra Hankir is our communities editor. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and our logo was designed by James Edgar.

Simon speaks to Max Hastings, the best-selling military historian and erstwhile foreign correspondent and newspaper editor. They discussed Max's early career - how 1960s and 70s Fleet Street really was, without the benefit of rose-tinted spectacles - his experiences in the Falklands in 1982, the development of his book writing, from early ventures to his doorstopper World War Two histories, and the evolution of military history as a genre. http://www.maxhastings.com/ You can find us online at alwaystakenotes.com, on Twitter @takenotesalways, and on Facebook at facebook.com/alwaystakenotes. Always Take Notes is presented by Kassia St Clair and Simon Akam, and produced by Olivia Crellin, Ed Kiernan and Elizabeth Davies. Olivia Crellin edited this episode. Zahra Hankir is our communities editor and deals with all things social media. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and our logo was designed by James Edgar.

Kassia and Simon speak to Hannah Westland, the publisher at Serpent's Tail, an independent imprint that published Lionel Shriver's We Need to Talk About Kevin and Sarah Perry's The Essex Serpent. She spoke to us about her early career — she started out as a literary agent — some of the projects she's currently working on and the role of independent firms in the publishing marketplace. https://serpentstail.com/ https://twitter.com/hannahwestland?lang=en You can find us online at alwaystakenotes.com, on Twitter @takenotesalways, and on Facebook atfacebook.com/alwaystakenotes. Always Take Notes is presented by Kassia St Clair and Simon Akam, and produced by Olivia Crellin, Ed Kiernan and Elizabeth Davies. Ed Kiernan edited this episode. Zahra Hankir is our communities editor and deals with all things social media. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and our logo was designed by James Edgar.

Simon speaks to Laura Palmer, publishing director for fiction at Head of Zeus, an independent publishing house in London. Laura co-founded Head of Zeus in 2012, having started her career at Quercus Books, and she also worked at Corvus, the commercial fiction imprint of Atlantic Books. We spoke about what 'commercial fiction' precisely means, whether 'women's fiction' is still a useful label, best practice for aspirant writers and editors, and whether the Kindle has boosted public appetite for erotica. http://headofzeus.com/ Sophie Hannah - Why and How I Plan My Novels https://sophiehannah.com/why-and-how-i-plan-my-novels/ Save the Cat! - A step-by-step guide to telling the perfect story https://www.amazon.co.uk/Save-Cat-Only-Screenwriting-Youll/dp/1932907009 Head of Zeus - Submissions portal http://headofzeus.com/submissions-login Head of Zeus - Internship application http://headofzeus.com/about-us You can find us online at alwaystakenotes.com, on Twitter @takenotesalways, and on Facebook at facebook.com/alwaystakenotes. Always Take Notes is presented by Kassia St Clair and Simon Akam, and produced by Olivia Crellin, Ed Kiernan and Elizabeth Davies. Liz Davies edited this episode. Zahra Hankir is our communities editor and deals with all things social media. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and our logo was designed by James Edgar.

Kassia and Simon chat to Ben Judah, the journalist and author of This is London and Fragile Empire. He told us about how he got into writing, the influence on his work of Polish reportage styles and why he's decided to take a little break from Twitter. (We were on Skype, so please excuse the odd rough patch.) https://www.amazon.co.uk/This-London-Life-Death-World/dp/1447274792 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fragile-Empire-Russia-Vladimir-Putin/dp/0300205228 http://standpointmag.co.uk/dispatches-jan-10-ben-judah-siberia-gulag-stalin http://www.standpointmag.co.uk/dispatches-january-february-2014-hunting-lynx-with-the-old-believers-ben-judah-tuva-siberia You can find us online at alwaystakenotes.com, on Twitter @takenotesalways, and on Facebook at facebook.com/alwaystakenotes. Always Take Notes is presented by Kassia St Clair and Simon Akam, and produced by Olivia Crellin, Ed Kiernan and Elizabeth Davies. Ed Kiernan edited this episode. Zahra Hankir is our communities editor and deals with all things social media. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and our logo was designed by James Edgar.

Kassia and Simon interview Patrick Kingsley, a correspondent with the New York Times. Patrick previously covered migration and the Middle East for The Guardian, based in Cairo and Istanbul. His first book, How To Be Danish (2012), was an exploration of contemporary Danish society. His second book, The New Odyssey (2016), chronicled the European refugee crisis, and was one of NPR's books of the year. Now based in London, Patrick is also a past winner of the annual foreign reporting award at the British Journalism Awards. We spoke about how foreign correspondency works — the intricacies of fixers, bureau chiefs and deadlines, Patrick's motivation to go abroad, some of his major pieces for the Guardian, his earlier experiences of student journalism and how he has combined his newspaper reporting and book writing. https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2010/sep/06/gap-year-thailand-full-moon-party https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/22/cairo-prison-abu-zabaal-deaths-37-prisoners https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/09/hashems-journey-a-lesson-in-humility-and-heroism https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/24/world/middleeast/the-jihadi-who-turned-to-jesus.html?_r=0 You can find us online at alwaystakenotes.com, on Twitter @takenotesalways, and on Facebook at facebook.com/alwaystakenotes. Always Take Notes is presented by Kassia St Clair and Simon Akam, and produced by Olivia Crellin, Ed Kiernan and Elizabeth Davies. Ed Kiernan edited this episode. Zahra Hankir is our communities editor and deals with all things social media. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and our logo was designed by James Edgar.

Kassia interviews Nikesh Shukla, a TV and fiction writer. We spoke about his novels Coconut Unlimited and Meatspace, and how he came to edit The Good Immigrant, the collection of essays about race and immigration and what it means to be a model "good immigrant" in the UK. You can find us online at alwaystakenotes.com, on Twitter @takenotesalways, and on Facebook at facebook.com/alwaystakenotes. Always Take Notes is presented by Kassia St Clair and Simon Akam, and produced by Olivia Crellin, Ed Kiernan and Elizabeth Davies. Olivia Crellin edited this episode. Zahra Hankir is our communities editor and deals with all things social media. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and our logo was designed by James Edgar.

Kassia and Simon interview Antony Beevor, the celebrated military historian. Best known as author of Stalingrad, the runaway success which on publication in 1998 transformed military history as a genre, Antony has also written on the Spanish Civil War, the battles of Crete and Berlin, and D-Day. His latest book Arnhem – The Last German Victory, will be published in May 2018. Antony, who is also a former chairman of the Society of Authors, has sold more than seven million books in 32 languages. They discussed Antony's early move from serving as an army officer to writing, the experience of an unexpected smash with Stalingrad, the techniques he uses to marshal vast quantities of material, and his creative collaboration with his wife Artemis Cooper, who is also a writer. http://www.antonybeevor.com/ https://www.penguin.co.uk/authors/antony-beevor/5016/ You can find us online at alwaystakenotes.com, on Twitter @takenotesalways, and on Facebook at facebook.com/alwaystakenotes. Always Take Notes is presented by Kassia St Clair and Simon Akam, and produced by Olivia Crellin, Ed Kiernan and Elizabeth Davies. Olivia Crellin edited this episode. Zahra Hankir is our communities editor and deals with all things social media. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and our logo was designed by James Edgar.

Simon interviews Sam Knight, a British writer who works mainly for the Guardian and the New Yorker and specialises in longform pieces on unusual topics, such as the UK sandwich industry and the psychology of a stalker. They discuss his entry into journalism, his love of classic American nonfiction and how he puts features together. https://harpers.org/archive/2014/02/a-god-more-powerful-than-i/ https://www.theguardian.com/news/2017/nov/24/how-the-sandwich-consumed-britain https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/03/30/follow-the-white-ball You can find us online at alwaystakenotes.com, on Twitter @takenotesalways, and on Facebook at facebook.com/alwaystakenotes. Always Take Notes is presented by Kassia St Clair and Simon Akam, and produced by Olivia Crellin, Ed Kiernan and Elizabeth Davies. Ed Kiernan edited this episode. Zahra Hankir is our communities editor and deals with all things social media. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and our logo was designed by James Edgar.

Kassia speaks to Joelle Owusu, an editor at Unbound, the innovative publishing company that aims to use crowd-funding to shake up the way books are produced, paid for and disseminated. Joelle explained how Unbound's business model works, how it compares to traditional publishing, and how they aim to give voice to writers that have traditionally faced a sceptical response from the industry. She also discussed her own career, which has seen her make an unlikely move from petroleum geology to editorial. https://unbound.com/ You can find us online at alwaystakenotes.com, on Twitter @takenotesalways, and on Facebook at facebook.com/alwaystakenotes. Always Take Notes is presented by Kassia St Clair and Simon Akam, and produced by Olivia Crellin, Ed Kiernan and Elizabeth Davies. Liz Davies edited this episode. Zahra Hankir is our communities editor and deals with all things social media. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and our logo was designed by James Edgar.

Kassia and Simon interview Candice Carty-Williams, senior marketing executive at Vintage Books. She spoke to us about the nuts and bolts of marketing a book and the role data play. She also discussed how she wrote her debut novel "Queenie", which was acquired by Orion earlier this year for a six-figure sum and will be published in 2019. You can find us online at alwaystakenotes.com, on Twitter @takenotesalways, and on Facebook at facebook.com/alwaystakenotes. Always Take Notes is presented by Kassia St Clair and Simon Akam, and produced by Olivia Crellin, Ed Kiernan and Elizabeth Davies. Olivia Crellin edited this episode. Zahra Hankir is our communities editor and deals with all things social media. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and our logo was designed by James Edgar.

Kassia and Simon spoke to Nick Summers, a features editor for Bloomberg Businessweek who at time of recording was based in London but is now in New York. Nick talked us through his commissioning and editing process and spoke about some fascinating pieces he's worked on recently including one on an Wall Street informant who double-crossed the FBI and another that looked into exactly what it is that IBM does (and whether it's any good at it). Stories discussed: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2017-03-23/-bro-i-m-going-rogue-the-wall-street-informant-who-double-crossed-the-fbi https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-05-22/ibms-eps-target-unhelpful-amid-cloud-computing-challenges You can find us online at alwaystakenotes.com, on Twitter @takenotesalways, and on Facebook at facebook.com/alwaystakenotes. Always Take Notes is presented by Kassia St Clair and Simon Akam, and produced by Olivia Crellin, Ed Kiernan and Elizabeth Davies. Liz Davies edited this episode. Zahra Hankir is our communities editor and deals with all things social media. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and our logo was designed by James Edgar.

Simon interviews Oliver Franklin-Wallis, commissioning editor at British Wired. Oliver edits — and writes — longform features for the magazine. He discusses his background and entry to journalism, dos and don'ts of the pitching process and stories about the future of death, the Ebola crisis and the 'Hyperloop.' Stories discussed: http://www.wired.co.uk/article/alkaline-hydrolysis-biocremation-resomation-water-cremation-dissolving-bodies http://www.wired.co.uk/article/post-ebola-syndrome http://www.wired.co.uk/article/hyperloop-hype-machine Books discussed: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mountains-Mind-Fascination-Robert-Macfarlane/dp/1847080391 https://www.amazon.co.uk/H-Hawk-Helen-Macdonald/dp/0099575450 You can find us online at alwaystakenotes.com, on Twitter @takenotesalways, and on Facebook at facebook.com/alwaystakenotes. Always Take Notes is presented by Kassia St Clair and Simon Akam, and produced by Olivia Crellin, Ed Kiernan and Elizabeth Davies. Liz Davies edited this episode. Zahra Hankir is our communities editor and deals with all things social media. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and our logo was designed by James Edgar.

Kassia and Simon interview Kiran Millwood Hargrave, an award-winning children's novelist as well as a poet and playwright. She revealed what motivates her to write, her previous struggles with her mental health, and how she manages her finances. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Girl-Stars-Kiran-Millwood-Hargrave/dp/1910002747 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Island-at-End-Everything/dp/1910002763/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=P971NT2SPAQHBKY75N6Y https://www.chickenhousebooks.com/authors/kiran-millwood-hargrave/ You can find us online at alwaystakenotes.com, on Twitter @takenotesalways, and on Facebook at facebook.com/alwaystakenotes. Always Take Notes is presented by Kassia St Clair and Simon Akam, and produced by Olivia Crellin, Ed Kiernan and Elizabeth Davies. Olivia Crellin edited this episode. Zahra Hankir is our communities editor and deals with all things social media. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and our logo was designed by James Edgar.

Kassia and Simon interview Tom Standage, deputy editor of The Economist. They spoke about Tom's long career at the publication, why there is a no-bylines policy and some of The Economist's newer projects, such as a virtual-reality reconstruction of the Mosul Museum in Iraq, containing artefacts destroyed by Islamic State in 2015. More information on this project can be found below: https://www.economist.com/blogs/prospero/2016/05/virtual-reality You can find us online at alwaystakenotes.com, on Twitter @takenotesalways, and on Facebook at facebook.com/alwaystakenotes. Always Take Notes is presented by Kassia St Clair and Simon Akam, and produced by Olivia Crellin, Ed Kiernan and Elizabeth Davies. Elizabeth Davies edited this episode. Zahra Hankir is our communities editor and deals with all things social media. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and our logo was designed by James Edgar.

Simon and Kassia interview literary agent Patrick Walsh, who runs PEW Literary in London and formerly co-founded Conville & Walsh. They discuss the complexities journalists can face moving into book writing, the art of the nonfiction proposal, the expansion of the Chinese market and the thrill of the deal. http://www.pewliterary.com/ You can find us online at alwaystakenotes.com, on Twitter @takenotesalways, and on Facebook at facebook.com/alwaystakenotes. Always Take Notes is presented by Kassia St Clair and Simon Akam, and produced by Olivia Crellin, Ed Kiernan and Elizabeth Davies. Elizabeth Davies edited this episode. Zahra Hankir is our communities editor and deals with all things social media. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and our logo was designed by James Edgar.

Simon interviews Tom Jennings, director of the Logan Nonfiction Programme at the Carey Institute for Global Good in upstate New York in the US, where Simon stayed earlier this year. They spoke about Tom's career and the importance for writers of grants and fellowships like the one organised by the Carey Institute. If you're fascinated — or slightly intimidated — by residencies and grants, this episode is for you. More information on the Logan Programme and the Carey Institute is available at the links below: http://careyinstitute.org/programs/nonfiction/ http://careyinstitute.org/ You can find us online at alwaystakenotes.com, on Twitter @takenotesalways, and on Facebook at facebook.com/alwaystakenotes. Always Take Notes is presented by Kassia St Clair and Simon Akam, and produced by Olivia Crellin, Ed Kiernan and Elizabeth Davies. Zahra Hankir is our communities editor and deals with all things social media. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and James Edgar designed our logo.

Kassia and Simon interview Alice Fishburn, editor of the Financial Times Weekend Magazine. They discuss how she got her start in journalism, where the magazine sits within the rest of the FT’s offerings, and why longform journalism seems to be valued less in the UK than the US. Some of the FT Weekend Magazine pieces mentioned in the interview are: ‘Has science cracked the peanut allergy?’: https://www.ft.com/content/682bb942-4583-11e7-8d27-59b4dd6296b8 ‘Out of road: driverless vehicles and the end of the trucker’: https://www.ft.com/content/2d70469c-140a-11e7-b0c1-37e417ee6c76 You can find us online at alwaystakenotes.com, on Twitter @takenotesalways, and on Facebook at facebook.com/alwaystakenotes. Always Take Notes is presented by Kassia St Clair and Simon Akam, and produced by Olivia Crellin, Ed Kiernan and Elizabeth Davies. Zahra Hankir is our communities editor and deals with all things social media. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and James Edgar designed our logo.

Kassia interviews Irish novelist Sara Baume on the publication of her second book, 'A Line Made By Walking.' Sara spoke candidly about switching careers, what makes her write, how she got her first book deal and the financial realities of life as a full-time novelist. Her first book, published in 2015, was 'Spill Simmer Falter Wither. https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/cka/Line-Made-Walking-Sara-Baume/1785150413/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1501513781&sr=1-1&keywords=a+line+made+by+walking https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/cka/Line-Made-Walking-Sara-Baume/1785150413/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1501513781&sr=1-1&keywords=a+line+made+by+walking You can find us online at alwaystakenotes.com, on Twitter @takenotesalways, and on Facebook at facebook.com/alwaystakenotes. Always Take Notes is presented by Kassia St Clair and Simon Akam, and produced by Olivia Crellin, Ed Kiernan and Elizabeth Davies. Zahra Hankir is our communities editor and deals with all things social media. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and James Edgar designed our logo.

Simon and Kassia interview Stig Abell, editor of the Times Literary Supplement and former managing editor of the Sun. Stig has also reviewed books for the Spectator and ran the Press Complaints Commission. We discussed his career, his plans for the TLS, the impact of Facebook on print media and why he remains optimistic about its future. You can find us online at alwaystakenotes.com, on Twitter @takenotesalways, and on Facebook at facebook.com/alwaystakenotes. Always Take Notes is presented by Kassia St Clair and Simon Akam, and produced by Olivia Crellin, Ed Kiernan and Elizabeth Davies. Zahra Hankir is our communities editor and deals with all things social media. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and James Edgar designed our logo.

Simon and Kassia interview Sharmaine Lovegrove, who is the publisher at Dialogue Books – a new Little, Brown imprint that aims to showcase work by writers neglected by traditional British publishing. Sharmaine has previously run a bookshop in Berlin, been literary editor of ELLE Magazine and co-founded Dialogue Scouts, a consulting company that looks for books to be adapted for film and television. Sharmaine talks about the importance of bringing new voices into the often cliquey world of British publishing, how she got her start in the industry, and what she aims to achieve at Dialogue. You can find us online at alwaystakenotes.com, on Twitter @takenotesalways, and on Facebook at facebook.com/alwaystakenotes. Always Take Notes is presented by Kassia St Clair and Simon Akam, and produced by Olivia Crellin, Ed Kiernan and Elizabeth Davies. Zahra Hankir is our communities editor and deals with all things social media. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and James Edgar designed our logo.

Kassia interviews Nicola Solomon, chief executive of the Society of Authors, the British trade union for all types of writers, illustrators and literary translators. The SoA specialises in protecting authors' interests in negotiations and disputes with agents and publishers. Nicola discusses freedom of expression, explains how the publishing industry has changed over the past century and how to get a fair book contract. www.societyofauthors.org/ You can find us online at alwaystakenotes.com, on Twitter @takenotesalways, and on Facebook at facebook.com/alwaystakenotes. Always Take Notes is presented by Kassia St Clair and Simon Akam, and produced by Olivia Crellin, Ed Kiernan and Elizabeth Davies. Zahra Hankir is our communities editor and deals with all things social media. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and James Edgar designed our logo.

Simon and Kassia interview Peter Frankopan, a historian at Oxford University and director of the Oxford Centre for Byzantine Research. His latest book 'The Silk Roads : A New History of the World' proved a No 1 bestseller all over the world, topping the nonfiction charts in India, Pakistan, China and the UK, where it remained in the Top 10 for 10 months. Peter discusses what it feels like to be at the centre of a publishing whirlwind, the unlikely circumstances in which he first got his literary agent, and his views on the current political scene. You can find us online at alwaystakenotes.com, on Twitter @takenotesalways, and on Facebook at facebook.com/alwaystakenotes. Always Take Notes is presented by Kassia St Clair and Simon Akam, and produced by Olivia Crellin, Ed Kiernan and Elizabeth Davies. Zahra Hankir is our communities editor and deals with all things social media. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and James Edgar designed our logo.

In this episode, Simon interviews Giles Wilson, the founding editor of the BBC News Magazine and now creative director at Harpoon Productions. Giles discusses how and why the BBC started commissioning longer written pieces online, and the future of longform journalism in the UK and beyond. The three stories Giles mentions are: * Reykjavik Confessions www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/2014/…ec_7617/index.html * The Village and the Girl www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt…-a0eb-4ef064900f92 * The Uncatchable www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/2014/…ec_8700/index.html You can find us online at alwaystakenotes.com, on Twitter @takenotesalways, and on Facebook atfacebook.com/alwaystakenotes. Always Take Notes is presented by Kassia St Clair and Simon Akam, and produced by Olivia Crellin, Ed Kiernan and Elizabeth Davies. This episode was edited by Elizabeth Davies. Zahra Hankir is our communities editor and deals with all things social media. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and our logo was designed by James Edgar. Thanks to The Two Chairmen pub in Westminster for hosting our live events.

In the third episode of Always Take Notes, Simon and Kassia interview Laura Barber, publishing director at Portobello Books and editorial director at Granta. Laura discusses the differences between the two imprints she works on; how books can be both bought off-proposal from agents or — less often — commissioned by publishers; and the kinds of writing that she finds exciting. You can find us online at alwaystakenotes.com, on Twitter @takenotesalways, and on Facebook atfacebook.com/alwaystakenotes. Always Take Notes is presented by Kassia St Clair and Simon Akam, and produced by Olivia Crellin, Ed Kiernan and Elizabeth Davies. This episode was edited by Ed Kiernan. Zahra Hankir is our communities editor and deals with all things social media. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and our logo was designed by James Edgar. Thanks to The Two Chairmen pub in Westminster for hosting our live events.

In the second episode of Always Take Notes, Simon and Kassia talk to Imogen Pelham. Imogen is a literary agent at Marjacq, an agency based in London, where she represents both literary fiction and non-fiction authors. She explains the mysteries of book advances and the different ways she sells novels and non-fiction to publishers. Imogen also spoke about how to get into the industry, and gives tips to aspiring authors and agents. You can find us online at alwaystakenotes.com, @takenotesalways on Twitter, and facebook.com/alwaystakenotes. Always Take Notes is presented by Simon Akam and Kassia St Clair and produced by Olivia Crellin, Ed Kiernan and Elizabeth Davies. This episode was edited by Olivia Crellin. Zahra Hankir is our communities editor and deals with all things social media. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and our logo was designed by James Edgar. Thanks to The Two Chairmen pub in Westminster for hosting our live events.

In the first episode of the Always Take Notes podcast Simon and Kassia interview Jonathan Beckman, the deputy editor of 1843 (the lifestyle and culture magazine from The Economist) and author of the award-winning 'How to Ruin a Queen.' Jonathan previously worked at the Literary Review, where he ran the Bad Sex Awards – indeed that's how Kassia first met him… You can find us online at alwaystakenotes.com, @takenotesalways on Twitter, and facebook.com/alwaystakenotes. Always Take Notes is presented by Simon Akam and Kassia St Clair and produced by Olivia Crellin, Ed Kiernan and Elizabeth Davies. This episode was edited by Elizabeth Davies. Zahra Hankir is our communities editor and deals with all things social media. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and our logo was designed by James Edgar. Thanks to The Two Chairmen pub in Westminster for hosting us.

Raymond Blanc grew up in a self sufficient household in France, and after a few false starts in other professions, became a self taught Michelin star winning chef, and restaurant entrepreneur. Kassia St Clair loves colour. After studying historical dress she wanted to understand the colours referred to. Her interest led to a column in Elle Decoration and finally a book. She joins us to talk about The Secret Lives of Colour. Saturday Live listener Mark Sutton Vane was obsessed with torches as a child. He later developed this into a career in lighting, and his dream came true when he lit the Olympic Park in Stratford in 2012. Kat Francois is a performance poet and playwright who latest work was inspired by finding out on a trip to her parents homeland of Grenada that she had a relative who fought in WWI. She'll join us to talk of Poetry Slams and inspiring stories. JP Devlin meets comedy stalwart Ricky Gervais. We'll have your thank yous and the Inheritance Tracks of Maureen Lipman. She chooses When you wish upon a star performed by Barbara Cook and Frank Mills from the musical Hair. Raymond Blanc's book is Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, The story of a modern classic The Secret Lives of Colour is by Kassia St Clair The next Word4Word run by Kat Francois, will be on 18th December, at 7pm at Theatre Royal Stratford and her play Raising Lazarus will tour in 2017. Ricky Gervais' DVD is David Brent: Life On The Road Maureen Lipman is in Sleeping Beauty at Richmond theatre.