Ask Penguin

Looking for a book that will keep you up at night? If you enjoy that tingling sensation down your spine while reading something on the spookier side then you're in the right place. In this episode, we explore the best horror and ghost stories perfect for Halloween. Alongside filling your book pile with terrifying but page-turning recommendations, we sit down with Booker-shortlisted author, Daisy Johnson to talk about her new collection of ghost stories, The Hotel.

Books and authors mentioned in this episode:

The Hotel by Daisy Johnson

Heads Will Roll by Josh Winning

The Night House by Jo Nesbo

The Terror by Dan Simmons

For the full list of books plus transcript visit: Episode 4: Scary reads

Send us a question: [email protected].

Website: www.penguin.co.uk/podcast

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What makes a book a classic? Who decided which books make it into the canon? And how long would it take to read the entire list? Join our exploration through our Classic bookshelves with author Henry Eliot who answers listener questions with reading recommendations from all eras. Plus, we delve into the world of Jane Austen with Gill Hornby, whose novel Miss Austen is being adapted into a four-part drama by the BBC.

Books and authors mentioned in this episode:

The Penguin Classics Book by Henry Eliot

The Penguin Modern Classics Book by Henry Eliot

Miss Austen by Gill Hornby

For the full list of recommended reads visit: Episode 3: Classics

Send us a question: [email protected].

Website: www.penguin.co.uk/podcast

Follow Henry's substack by clicking here

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Joining us in our book-filled studio is broadcaster and author Zeinab Badawi, who shares her journey chronicling Africa's spectacular history through the voices of African historians, archaeologists, and local storytellers. Plus, we put your reading requests to award-winning author Derek Owusu to top up your reading pile with books by Black authors to celebrate Black History Month. 

Send us a question: [email protected].

Explore all the books discussed and a transcript by visiting: Episode 2: Black History Month

Website: www.penguin.co.uk/podcast

Books mentioned in this episode:

Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman

Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin

That Reminds Me by Derek Owusu

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

An African History of Africa by Zainab Badawi

The Confessions of Franny Langton by Sara Collins

Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson

The Lonely Londoners by Sam Selvon

Ghana Must Go by Teiye Selassie

The Terrible by Yrsa Daley-Ward

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What is it like to judge the world's most prestigious book prize? How do judges manage to read 150 submissions in a matter of months? And how do publishers update the winning book jacket so swiftly? 

In the first episode of our new series Ask Penguin, join our new host, Rhianna Dhillon as we delve into the world of literary prizes with this year's Booker Prize judge and award-winning author, Sara Collins. We also answer your Ask Penguin questions with plenty of book recommendations to inspire your next read.

If you would like to send us a message or a question, email [email protected].

Visit our website for more information about The Penguin Podcast: www.penguin.co.uk/podcast

For more information about this episode including a full list of books discussed visit: Episode 1: Prize-winners

Books mentioned in this episode:

The Confessions of Frannie Langton by Sara Collins

The Safe Keep by Yael Van Der Wouden

Orbital by Samantha Harvey

Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner

Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo

The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy

Mr Loverman by Bernardine Evaristo

The Emperor's Babe by Bernadine Evaristo

Gliff by Ali Smith

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The Penguin Podcast is returning with a brand-new series called Ask Penguin. In each episode, we will take you inside Penguin Books to meet some of the incredible authors we publish as well as the people who work here, to get answers to all of your book-related questions.

Need help finding your next page-turning read? Are you curious to know what a day in the life of an editor is like? Or perhaps why a small, aquatic, flightless bird became the iconic emblem that adorns Penguin books worldwide?

The new series launches on Thursday 3rd October, where we'll be discussing prize-winning novels with award-winning author, and this year's Booker Prize judge, Sara Collins, and provide you with plenty of book recommendations with Publishing Director Simon Prosser.

Send us your questions for a chance to be featured by emailing: [email protected].

Don't forget to follow the show, so you never miss an episode!

Find out more: www.penguin.co.uk/podcast

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This week on the Penguin Podcast we're recapping the year with a selection of the brilliant guests we've welcomed onto the show. We hear from Jane Fallon, Chris van Tulleken, Julian Barnes, David Mitchell and more. We thank you for tuning in, and we'll see you in 2024. Happy holidays.

Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode, and don't forget to leave us a review – it really helps! To find out more about the #PenguinPodcast, visit www.penguin.co.uk/podcasts

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This week on the Penguin Podcast, Nihal Arthanayake is joined by national treasure and bestselling author, Sebastian Faulks.

Together they they discuss the tweet that helped inspire his latest book, The Seventh Son, his thoughts on imposter Syndrome and humility, the influence of George Orwell on his political outlook, and a magical riverbank he discovered in France. 

Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode, and don't forget to leave us a review – it really helps! To find out more about the #PenguinPodcast, visit www.penguin.co.uk/podcasts

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This week on the Penguin Podcast, Nihal Arthanayake is joined by Booker Longlisted author, C Pam Zhang.

Together they discuss Zhang's latest novel, The Land of Milk and Honey, as well as the effects of extreme wealth on the human psyche, the place of pleasure and joy in human existence, the many expectations still placed upon women, and the literary benefits of being a marginalised writer.

Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode, and don't forget to leave us a review – it really helps! To find out more about the #PenguinPodcast, visit www.penguin.co.uk/podcasts

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This week on the Penguin Podcast, Nihal Arthanayake is joined by one of our time's most important moral philosophers and animal rights activists, Peter Singer.

In this episode, they discuss Singer's experience of animal rights in the 70s compared to now, what inspired him to begin campaigning for the rights of animals, the importance of suffering in determining rights, and his views on the rise of veganism.

Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode, and don't forget to leave us a review – it really helps! To find out more about the #PenguinPodcast, visit www.penguin.co.uk/podcasts

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This week on the Penguin Podcast, Nihal Arthanayake is joined by the former Finance Minister of Greece and co-founder of the international grassroots movement DM25 as well as a Professor of economics at the University of Athens, Yanis Varoufakis. His latest book, Technofeudalism: What Killed Capitalism, explores how the owners of big tech have become the world's feudal overlords.

In this episode, Nihal and Yanis discuss the impact living through the digital age has on our lives, how commodities have more freedom of movement than people, and the objects that inspired the theories explored in his book. 

Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode, and don't forget to leave us a review – it really helps! To find out more about the #PenguinPodcast, visit www.penguin.co.uk/podcasts

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