Syima Aslam, co-founder of the Bradford Literature Festival, and journalist Stig Abell, editor of the TLS, are part of the expert panel that chose the BBC’s 100 Novels That Shaped Our World. They join presenter Harriett Gilbert to pluck their own favourites from the list. Syima's is Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J. K. Rowling, Stig's is Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen and presenter Harriett Gilbert gives Orlando by Virginia Woolf an airing. And for some reason this turns out to be the first time that these three stone cold classics have been chosen on A Good Read.

Author of High Fidelity, Nick Hornby, and Italian physicist Carlo Rovelli, writer of Seven Brief Lessons on Physics, tell Harriett Gilbert about the books they love the most - and why. During the conversation a strange and interesting polarisation emerges between the two: between the romantic and the anti-romantic. The books we love turn out to reveal so much about the way we see ourselves and the world.

Comedian Russell Kane and Sarah Perry, author of The Essex Serpent, talk about their favourite books with Harriett Gilbert. They are: Under the Net by Iris Murdoch, The Train Was On Time by Heinrich Boll, translated by Leila Vennewitz, and Life Among the Savages by Shirley Jackson, her slightly fictionalised memoir. It turns out that Russell and Sarah are Iris Murdoch worshippers, but Harriett is not as sure...

Nemone Metaxas, DJ and former athlete, joins deaf poet and educator Raymond Antrobus to talk about the books they love with presenter Harriett Gilbert. Nemone loves Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton, Raymond loves Surge, a powerful poetry collection by Jay Bernard, and Harriett's choice this week is Patrick Modiano's Honeymoon. Follow us on instagram at @agoodreadbbc

Produced by Becky Ripely

The Romany writer and broadcaster Damian Le Bas and author Amy Liptrot choose their favourite books. Amy's is Sightlines by the poet Kathleen Jamie, a different way of observing the natural world. Damian picks a collection of weird and wonderful short stories by Jessie Greengrass entitled An Account of the Decline of the Great Auk, According to One Who Saw It. Harriett meanwhile has opted for Mirror Shoulder Signal by the Danish writer Dorthe Nors a rather melancholy but often humorous novel about a woman in Copenhagen who feels isolated and alone.

Photo of Damian Le Bas by Charles Moriarty

Comedian Stewart Lee and DJ and author Dave Haslam join Harriett Gilbert to discuss their favourite reads by Steve Aylett, Olivia Laings and Chris Paling.

Lint by Steve Aylett

The Lonely City by Olivia Laings

Reading Allowed by Chris Paling

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in November 2019

Photo by Steve Ullathorne

Lisa Jewell, author of bestsellers including Ralph's Party, and Guardian economics commentator Aditya Chakrabortty, read and talk about books they love with presenter Harriett Gilbert. Aditya's is Afternoon Raag by Amit Chaudhuri, Lisa's Unravelling Oliver by Liz Nugent and Harriett shares Rosie: Scenes from a Vanished Life by Rose Tremain. Follow us on instagram at @agoodreadbbc

Actor John Gordon Sinclair and West End star Kerry Ellis choose their favourite books. John's is 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Kerry opts for I Owe You One by Sophie Kinsella. Presenter Harriett Gilbert picks a Dutch novel, The Following Story by Cees Nooteboom.

Writer Poorna Bell and comedian Tony Law join Harriett Gilbert to talk about their favourite books, Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto and Voltaire's Candide. Harriett brings Old Baggage by Lissa Evans to the table. Producer Sally Heaven. Photo credit: Amber Rose photography

Edith Bowman, DJ and radio presenter joins poet Harry Baker to talk about the books they love with presenter Harriett Gilbert. They are: The Cost of Living by Deborah Levy, Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid and A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman.