A Good Read

Harriet Gilbert and her guests - General Secretary Designate of the TUC, Frances O'Grady and historian, Ruth Richardson – discuss their favourite books by Anne Enright, TS Eliot and John Masefield.

Booker prize-winning 'The Gathering' by Anne Enright

'Four Quartets' by TS Eliot

‘The Box of Delights’ by John Masefield.

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in November 2011.

Open Book is devoted to the joys of children's literature. Four Weddings and a Funeral screenwriter Richard Curtis explains why he's written his first children's book The Empty Stocking while Jeff Kinney explains the key to the success of runaway bestseller Diary of a Wimpy Kid. In the studio Mariella is joined by Lauren Child and Charlie Higson - who between them have brought us Ruby Redfort, the young James Bond, Charlie and Lola and zombies - and by children's book critic Amanda Craig. They discuss how literature remains vivid in this new digital world, the difficulties of buying books for different age groups, how The Hobbit remains a favourite and why children love to be scared by literature.

Harriett Gilbert and her guests - acclaimed children's author, Michelle Paver and medical journalist, Ben Goldacre - discuss their favourite books by Tove Jansson, Sybille Bedford and Imogen Evans.

The Summer Book by Tove Jansson

Testing Treatments by Imogen Evans, Hazel Thornton and Iain Chalmers

Jigsaw by Sybille Bedford

Producer: Mark Smalley

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in November 2012.

Mariella Frostrup talks to Rachel Johnson about Winter Games, her book set across two time zones. She looks at the challenges of writing prequels and sequels with Ronald Frame who has written Havisham, a prequel of Dickens' famous jilted bride in Great Expectations, and Geraldine McCaughrean who wrote the authorised sequel to JM Barrie's Peter Pan. And a readers' guide to the famous detective fiction writer Dashiell Hammett.

Harriett Gilbert and her guests - Broadcaster, Peter White and Satirist and Prankster, Heydon Prowse discuss their favourite books by Duncan Hamilton, Nicholas Shaxson and Georgette Heyer.

Provided You Don't Kiss Me: 20 years With Brian Clough by Duncan Hamilton.

Treasure Islands: Tax Havens and The Men Who Stole The World by Nicholas Shaxson

Faro's Daughter by Georgette Heyer

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in November 2012.

Mariella Frostrup talks to Jeremy Bowen about his book on the Arab Spring and we discuss how writers have responded to these uprisings in the Middle East. And the travel writer Michael Jacobs describes his journey down the Magdalena River in Columbia and his meeting with Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

Actor Neil Pearson and Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones, the self-described "Black Farmer" join Harriet Gilbert to discuss favourite books by George Orwell, Olaudah Equiano and James Baldwin.

Coming Up For Air by George Orwell

The Interesting Narrative and Other Writings by Olaudah Equiano

Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin

Producer: Beth O'Dea

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in September 2011.

Harriett Gilbert and her guests - Cabin Pressure star and writer, John Finnemore and columnist and author, Peter Hitchens - discuss their favourite books by Michael Frayn, Josephine Tey and Michael Simkins.

'The Daughter of Time' by Josephine Tey

'A Landing on the Sun' by Michael Frayn

'What's My Motivaton?' by Michael Simkins

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in October 2012.

Dawn French talks about her latest novel Oh Dear Silvia. Authors CJ Sansom and Owen Sheers look at why the Second World War era appeals to the writer's imagination. And Ian Sansom discusses Paper: An Elegy, his book exploring our relationship with paper.

Harriett Gilbert and her guests - broadcaster, Justin Webb and novelist, Frances Fyfield - discuss favourite books by Wallace Stegner, Iain Pears and Fred Vargas.

Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner

Stone's Fall by Iain Pears

Seeking Whom He May Devour by Fred Vargas

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in October 2012.