Book Off!

We're so excited to bring you this episode of Book Off, featuring two of our favourite poets and humans - Salena Godden and Hollie McNish.

We've been wanting to bring these two together for a long time, and now it's finally happened!

They talk about their latest poetry collections ('With Love Grief and Fury' and 'Lobster'), the freedom of performance, why they love the form so much and why you can't start with a poem about blow jobs. They also give us some brilliant book recommendations too!

Hollie McNish's collection 'Lobster' is written out of both hate and love for the world. As people, we are capable of both love and hate; amazement and disgust; fun and misery. So why do we live in a world that is constantly telling us to hate, both ourselves and others? We are told constantly to be repulsed by our own bodies, bodies that let us laugh and sweat and eat toast, amongst other activities; to be ashamed of pleasure; to be embarrassed by fun. In this brand-new collection, Hollie McNish brings her inimitable style to the question of what have been taught to hate, and if we might learn to love again.

Salena Godden's collection 'With Love Grief And Fury' contains love poems, for people and the planet. Grief poems brimming with compassion, mourning what was and contemplating what could be. And poems of fire and fury that will kick some ass, tell the truth and inspire change and hope. Like a big sister’s arm around your shoulder, With Love, Grief and Fury is important and nourishing for the soul.

THE BOOK OFF

'Everything Is Going To Be Alright' (selected poems) - edited by Cecilia Knapp

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'Parable Of The Sower' by Octavia E Butler

QUICK NOTE!

For a limited time, you can get £100 off off any HD light and free UK delivery. Just visit seriousreaders.com/bookoff to claim your discount!

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M.L. Rio and Kate Weinberg arrive as friends, but will they still be so chummy with each other after the Book Off?

They chat to Joe Haddow about their latest books, Trump, the importance of publishing at a time when books are being banned and why Scooby Doo is a great influence.

They also give us some briiiilliant book recommendations too - so apologies to your TBR pile in advance.

Here's more on our authors and their books...and what they picked for the Book Off! (we hope you enjoy the episode)

M.L Rio's new novella is called Graveyard Shift. Every night, in the college's ancient cemetery, five people cross paths as they work the late shift: a bartender, a rideshare driver, a hotel receptionist, the steward of the derelict church that looms over them, and the editor-in-chief of the college paper, always in search of a story. One dark October evening in the defunct churchyard, they find a hole that wasn't there before. A fresh, open grave where no grave should be. But who dug it, and for whom?

Kate Weinberg's latest novel is called There's Nothing Wrong With Her. Vita Woods is on the brink. She has a good job and a successful doctor boyfriend, Max, with whom the sex is great and the chat sufficient; a vivacious and charming sister Gracie, and she’s even got a goldfish called Whitney Houston, who brightens her days by showing her she's not the only one going round in circles. Because it’s the days that are Vita’s problem. Vita is not leaving the house. In fact, Vita rarely exits the basement apartment where she lives, since Vita is in “The Pit” – a place of deep exhaustion and semi-consciousness. One day an unexpected courier delivery forces Vita upstairs, into the light – and into a chance encounter with her neighbours. Suddenly, Vita finds herself faced with an even trickier dilemma. She likes her new friends; she’ll even sneak upstairs to see them while Max is out, against all medical advice but something about her “condition” is nagging at the borders of her mind. After all, what is a house-bound girl to do when she can’t keep the light, her new friendships, or – worst of all – her memories out? The problem might be Vita herself but as far as anyone can prove... there’s nothing wrong with her.

THE BOOK OFF

'Moon Tiger' by Penelope Lively

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''Where Late The Sweet Birds Sang' by Kate Wilhelm

Plus - for a limited time, you can get £100 off off any HD light and free UK delivery. Just visit seriousreaders.com/bookoff to claim your discount!

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Authors Rachel Abbott and Hannah Lynn go head to head in a war of the words.

They talk to Joe Haddow about their self-publishing journeys, the pros and cons and how things have changed on that side of the industry over the last 10 years.

They also discuss their new novels, how the weather can influence a chapter and why sometimes you just have to go away in the name of research!

THE BOOK OFF

'Good Girl, Bad Girl' by Michael Robathan

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'The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind' by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer

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Bestselling crime author, Attica Locke, goes head to head with John Le Carre's son - Nick Harkaway - in a war of the words.

Nick has written a new George Smiley novel, continuing his father's legacy, called Karla's Choice. He chats to Joe Haddow about the pressure he felt to get the character right and how he got himself in the right frame of mind to write the novel.

Attica discusses 'Guide Me Home' - the third novel in her trilogy of books dubbed The Highway 59 series, featuring the Texas Ranger Darren Matthews.

As well chatting about their writing and new books, they also give us some brilliant book recommendations!

THE BOOK OFF

"In My Time Of Dying" by Sebastian Junger

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"Tokyo Express" by Seicho Matsumoto

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Two brilliant authors and humans, Rumaan Alam and Tessa Hadley, go head to head in a war of the words.

They talk about the joy of writing about clothes, how money can drive you mad and how some cities are easier to fictionalise than others.

As well as discussing their new novels, their writing styles and processes and the difference between writing short stories, novels and novellas, they also give us some great book recommendations.

Entitlement by Rumaan Alam is a novel about an ambitious young Black woman, plotting her way into the world of the one percent, and an old white billionaire, facing his own extinction. He's attracted to her intelligence, her refusal to be deferential, maybe also her Blackness, whilst she's drawn to his power and money – and his apparent willingness to share both with her. But how far is each prepared to go to get what they think they deserve?

The Party by Tessa Hadley is a novella set in post-war Bristol. Sisters Moira and Evelyn are on the cusp of adulthood who meet two men at a dockside party. Paul and Sinden's air of worldliness and sophistication both intrigues and repels them. Sinden calls a few days later to invite them over to the grand suburban mansion Paul shares with his brother and sister. As the night unfolds in this unfamiliar, glamorous new setting, the sisters learn things about themselves and each other that shock them, and release them into a new phase of their lives.

We hope you enjoy this episode of Book Off! If you did, please do leave us a review...

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Global bestselling author Liane Moriarty goes head to head with author and content creator Bea Fitzgerald.

They discuss their new novels, their writing practices and seasonal reading!

Bea shares her love of reality TV, which has inspired her new novel, and Liane tells us about her characterisation and plot structures.

They both get pretty nervous about the Book Off, and decide to have an arm wrestle to settle it! See our instagram account for that...

THE BOOK OFF

"Idol" by Louise O'Neill

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"The Accidental Tourist" by Anne Tyler

This was such a lovely, warm chat - and we hope you enjoy listening as much as we did recording it!

You can find our more about Bea Fitzgerald and her books on her Instagram account - she is veeery entertaining.

And for more on Liane Moriarty and her writing - you can visit her website, or follow her on instagram

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Booker Prize winner, Alan Hollinghurst, and Booker Prize shortlistee, Rachel Kushner, join Joe Haddow for a Book Off!

Alan talks about his new novel 'Our Evenings' and the writing processes to create the tempo he wanted. The book follows the life of the actor Dave Win, from 1962 to 2020.

Rachel discusses her new novel 'Creation Lake' (her second novel to be shortlisted for the Booker) and the authors that have influenced this book and it's noir-ish elements.

THE BOOK OFF

'Painting Time' by Maylis de Kerangal

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'A Voyage Around The Queen' by Craig Brown

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On this episode of Book Off, Joe welcomes Elif Shafak and Evie Wyld to the studio.

These two fabulous writers talk about their latest novels ("There Are Rivers In The Sky" and "The Echoes") as well as giving us some brilliant reading recommendations.

Evie lived in a haunted house, so we explore that and her fascination with ghosts - which are a central theme in her new book. She also discusses the importance of humour to lighten situations, whether that be in life or between the pages of a book.

Elif and Joe share their love of water. She talks about the power of water and how a single drop is the thread that runs through her new novel - and indeed through centuries and centuries.

They also chat about the importance of aural storytelling, of keeping traditions alive and ensuring that people's stories are heard all over the world.

THE BOOK OFF

'Poetry Unbound' by Padraig O'Tuama

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'Giving Up The Ghost' by Hilary Mantel

We hope you enjoy the chat, and if you feel so inclined, do please leave us a rating and/or a review to let us know!

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TV and Radio presenter, and former record company executive, Nicki Chapman goes head to head in a war of the words with producer, musician and label owner, Simon Raymonde.

On this episode of Book Off we delve into two music memoirs, covering two very sides of the music industry and history, but that both have a lot in common.

Simon was one third of the band Cocteau Twins between 1983 and 1997, and owns and runs the Bella Union label. As well as having his own successful music career as a musician and a producer, he has signed and worked with artists such as Fleet Foxes, Dirty Three, Midlake, Mercury Rev, John Grant, BC Camplight, Laura Viers and Flaming Lips.

In this very honest and open conversation, he talks about the tumour on his brain which has effected his hearing, the influence of his father (Ivor Raymonde) on his career without knowing it, the break up of Cocteau Twins and how his label is still going strong more than 25 years later.

Nicki worked at MCA and RCA records in the 90s in the promotions department, before going out on her own. Over her career, she has worked with many artists including Phil Collins, David Bowie, Kylie, M People, Annie Lennonx, Prince, Take That, Amy Winehouse, Billie Piper, Spice Girls and Liza Minelli.

Nicki's book is swimming in 90s nostalgia (music, fashion, tabloids). She too shares her own personal account of having a brain tumour, which inspired her to want to write the book, as well as lots of stories from her time in the music industry.

They also give us some brilliant book recommendations!

The Book Off

'Sculpting In Time' by Andrei Tarkovsky

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'Shardlake' by C.J. Samson

We hope you enjoy this episode - and the latest series!

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Susie Dent and Louise Minchin join Joe Haddow this week for a war of the words.

Both guests have had incredible careers in TV (Susie recently celebrated 30 years of being on Countdown and Louise spent 20 years on BBC Breakfast's red sofa) and both have written non-fiction before, but have now turned their hand to novels.

Susie say's her book, Guilty By Definition, is more of a linguistic mystery than a murder mystery, whilst Louise's book, Isolation Island, is a page-turning thriller.

They discuss their love of Agatha Christie, why they both gravitated towards the crime genre and how hard they found the shift from writing non-fiction to fiction.

As well as giving us some brilliant book recommendations, they also discuss their love of...cemeteries. YEP!

THE BOOK OFF

'Red Love' by Maxim Leo

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'Rebecca' by Daphne Du Maurier

We hope you enjoy this episode - and the whole of the new series! Please like, comment and follow so you never miss an episode (and so we can help spread the word!)

More on our guests:

Susie Dent is a writer and broadcaster on language. She recently celebrated 30 years as co-presenter and resident word expert on ‘Countdown’ - and regularly appears on the show’s comedy sister ‘8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown’. She is the author of several non-fiction books, and her debut novel is ‘Guilty By Definition’

Louise Minchin spent twenty-years on BBC Breakfast’s red sofa, as well as being the main news anchor on the BBC News Channel. Over her career, she has appeared in a number of reality shows, including I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here, Time Crashers and Celebrity Masterchef – as well as presenting on BBC Radio 5 Live too. She is the author of two books of non-fiction, and her debut novel is ‘Isolation Island’

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