Behind The Spine

A trillion dollars is an immense amount of money, and yet it can so easily be made to feel small. When you’re tasked with saving the environment, ending world poverty, or settling on the Moon, you can spend it pretty quickly. This is the premise of Rowan Hooper’s latest book ‘How To Spend a Trillion Dollars’. In the book the New Scientist journalist explores many issues that could be advanced or solved with this vast amount of money. With so many options on the cards, Rowan explains the process of deciding which issues made the final cut. In this episode find out how a thought-experiment can very quickly turn into something much more powerful, learn to extract creativity from rejection, and use this call-to-action to change your own habits.

Each of life’s narratives are interconnected, and it’s at these intersections where we can find true inspiration. For the author Tony Kent, his amateur career as a boxer has given him the combative edge in his professional career as a criminal barrister, and his law career has given him the storytelling chops and unrivalled insider knowledge needed to propel his writing career forwards. Tony’s first novel, Killer Intent, was released in 2018 and was selected for the Zoe Ball Book Club. 3 books in and his series is now being adapted for television. In this episode Tony explores the need for drama and excitement in the courtroom, shares his experiences of ‘minor fame’, and discusses the very root of crime. Discover the benefits of creating visual representations of your characters, find out why you should never deal in absolutes when creating a character’s personality, and learn about the importance of self belief.

To celebrate a year to the day since Behind The Spine made its debut, Mark Heywood finds himself on the other side of the podcast desk, being interviewed by producer Ollie Guillou. Reflecting on two series worth of incredible conversations, Mark shares the lessons he’s learnt and explains why he believes there really is a narrative in everything. Woven throughout the conversation are specially selected clips from some of the guests who’ve graciously given their time to the show, including Dame Evelyn Glennie, Sunny Singh, Andrew Gurza, Tristram Hunt and Richard Bell. In this episode learn about the importance of surrounding yourself with creative minds, discover why the ‘perfect guest’ doesn’t really exist, and find out what’s in store for series 3 of the podcast!

As we all begin to look more closely at our own habits and how they impact the health of the planet, we’ve started reaching into the history books for answers. Markets, once a relic of the past, are growing rapidly in popularity because of the way they allow us to live more consciously. Will Cutteridge is taking that ethos one step further by making sustainability an active part of his brand new market. The Wapping Docklands Market is taking up residence on a site of significant historic importance to both Wapping and the surrounding East End. In this episode we wind back the clock and hear some of the most fascinating stories of East London’s past, we learn how stripping the guilt from sustainable living can make it exciting, and we find out how markets are far more than just an event; they’re an experience!

Gin has been on one hell of a journey, from earning the name ‘Mother’s Ruin’ during the Gin Craze of the 18th century, to becoming a symbol of sophistication and decadence in recent years. Hilary Whitney and her husband Ian Hart are two people we have to thank for the resurgence of gin in Britain. Together they launched Sacred Spirits in 2008, with the aim of reframing its connection with the city of London in a better light. Hilary is today’s guest and she explains how a simple hobby led to the creation of a formidable and much-loved brand. In this episode discover how the world of online gin tasting is flourishing, find out why you don’t need to reinvent the wheel to find success, and learn to take the plunge and stop overthinking the process.

Vogue is a pervading force in the fashion world, an absolute giant of a brand built more than 100 years ago. During that time the magazine’s scope has gone far beyond fashion. It brought politics into the lives of women when the world was shutting them out, it worked with the government to help keep women safe during the war, and its pioneering editors have even risked their jobs to promote diversity. Nina-Sophia Miralles is the editor of lifestyle magazine Londnr, and has just released her brand new book ‘Glossy: The inside story of Vogue’, which charts the magazine’s history in incredible detail. In this episode find out how you can turn your ‘useless’ knowledge about a subject into something useful, discover the value of a physical product in an online world, and learn from first-time author Nina-Sophia about the highs and lows of getting a book published.

Our voice says so much about our character, from where we grew up, to our personality and even our job. Which is why through imitation and mimicry, impressionists are able to so fully embody a person, capturing the very essence of who they are. Jon Culshaw is a voice acting legend, known for his comedy excellence in shows like Dead Ringers, Spitting Image and Newzoids. He’s also shown his mastery of drama taking on the role of David Bowie in a BBC production. Bringing his A-game, Jon treats us to amazing impressions of multiple famous names, including Boris Johnson, Tony Blair, Joe Biden and Mrs Jump from down the road. In this episode we learn how a voice can give a fully rounded sense of character, even if you remove all other senses, we explain why impressions go beyond comedy and satire, and we’re reminded of the importance of surrounding ourselves with brilliant people.

Over the millennia people have loved and feared many different Gods. And though beliefs have changed, religion has always played a significant role in every single civilisation throughout human history. But why is that? Is religion hardwired into us at a biological level? In his book ‘God Is Watching You’, Dominic Johnson explores the way religion has shaped the course of human evolution and cooperation, and explains the importance of the threat of supernatural punishment in keeping societies in check. In this episode learn just how closely religion is related to superstition, find out how belief systems are a fundamental part of being human, and discover why it’s unlikely religion will ever disappear completely. If you enjoy this episode, check out our conversation with Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster.

There are two types of people in this world: people you want to drink with and people who make you want to drink. Helen McGinn is actually both of those people! She began sharing her knowledge about wine through the now award-winning blog ‘The Knackered Mother's Wine Club, which has since been turned into a book. Helen appears regularly on the BBC, ITV and the Daily Mail, and has recently released the fiction novel ‘This Changes Everything’. In this episode we learn to appreciate the storytelling power of food and drink, we delve into the sometimes uncomfortable editing process, and we explain why you need to focus on the career aspect of writing if you want to find success. Even if you’ve never been interested in the smoky or oakey flavours of wine before, you’ll be hosting your own tasting session after this!

The battle against inequality in education is being fought on multiple fronts at the moment. Tuition fees have for years been widening the gap between the rich and the poor, and that gap has only been exacerbated by the global pandemic. Students are not only campaigning against this problem from home, they’re also dealing with the mental health issues associated with lockdown, learning remotely, and bringing issues of colonialism and racial discrimination to the fore. It’s a lot. Larissa Kennedy took up office as president of the UK’s National Union of Students in the throes of the pandemic, and has been leading the charge in unprecedented circumstances. She tells us about the action she took amid the A-levels fiasco, explains the recent explosion of student activism in the UK, and discusses the Decolonise campaign. In this episode we learn how adversity forges togetherness, why tokenism in storytelling is dangerous, and how some of the most painful issues lie just beneath the surface. Behind The Spine is the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon - you can sign up to the newsletter here.