A Good Read

Comedian Dom Joly, novelist Kate Hamer and Harriett Gilbert choose books by Rob Long, Barbara Comyns and Philip Kerr.

Conversations with My Agent by Rob Long

The Vet's Daughter by Barbara Comyns

March Violets by Philip Kerr

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2019.

Horrible Histories actor Mathew Baynton and presenter Aasmah Mir join Harriett Gilbert. to discuss their favourite books by George Saunders, Iain Banks and Alison Jean Lester.

Tenth of December: Stories by George Saunders

The Crow Road by Iain Banks

Lilian on Life by Alison Jean Lester

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in July 2019.

Will Eaves discusses Murmur, his award-winning novel about Alan Turing

Novelist Nicci Gerrard and journalist Gary Younge join Harriett Gilbert to talk about their favourite books. Gary chooses Brown Girl, Brownstones by Paule Marshall, the story of Barbadian immigrants living in Brooklyn in the 1930s and 40s. Nicci's favourite is Lolly Willowes by Sylvia Townsend Warner, a novel which takes a surprising turn halfway through and provokes a debate about the merits of sleeping in ditches. Harriett's selection is Calypso by David Sedaris, in which the American humorist introduces us to his family, a group of people almost as eccentric as he is.

Irish author Kevin Barry, winner of the Impac Award and the Goldsmiths Prize, discusses his new novel Night Boat to Tangier, a dark comedy billed as Waiting For Godot meets In Bruges.

Novelist and journalist Molly Flatt, who writes about culture and technology for the Bookseller, discusses a growing trend for book versions of successful podcasts.

25 years since the death of Derek Jarman, Mariella is joined by writers Philip Hoare and Mike Parker to explore queer nature writing, a genre concerned with the push and pull of the natural world, from a queer perspective.

Channel 4 News host Cathy Newman and bestselling crime writer Jeffery Deaver join Harriett Gilbert to discuss favourite books by Annie Proulx, Min Kym and Amy Bloom.

The Shipping News by Annie Proulx

Gone: A Girl, a Violin, a Life Unstrung by Min Kym

White Houses by Amy Bloom

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in June 2019.

Carolina Setterwall and the pleasures of re-reading. With Mariella Frostrup.

Comedian Kiri Pritchard-McLean and singer/composer Hannah Peel join Harriett Gilbert to discuss favourite books by Tsitsi Dangarembga, Italo Calvino, Curtis Sittenfeld.

Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino

Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga

You Think It, I'll Say It by Curtis Sittenfeld

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in June 2019.

Pajtim Statovci on his novel Crossing and we explore the work of Gerald Murnane

Joy Division and New Order drummer Stephen Morris and comedian and songwriter Pippa Evans join Harriett Gilbert to discuss favourite books by Tim Winton, David Keenan and William Trevor.

The Shepherd's Hut by Tim Winton

This is Memorial Device by David Keenan

The Story of Lucy Gault by William Trevor

First broadcast on Radio 4 in June 2019.

*** Photo by Warren Jackson