Book Off!

Bestselling crime writer Mark Billingham goes head to head with music journalist extraordinaire David Hepworth. As well as a hotly contested Book Off between Lyndon B Johnson and The Maltese Falcon (yep, seriously!) Joe Haddow gets geeky with both writers about music.

They talk Steely Dan, Elvis Costello and The Beatles and why music genre trends only occur every forty years.

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Irish writer and Man Booker Prize longlistee Donal Ryan and debut author Imogen Hermes Gower go head to head in the Book Off!

John Steinbeck is pitted against Beryl Bainbridge in this episode - but who do you think should win?

Imogen discusses the pressures of writing after a huge bidding war and financial deal and Donal explains how he has only really been a full-time author for 3 months of his life. All this plus no carb diets and how docks can be romantic.

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Jess Kidd (Himself/The Hoarder) and Simon Wroe (Chop Chop/Here Comes Trouble) join Joe Haddow to talk books, writing styles and literary parties.

"True Grit" by Charles Portis goes up against "Sal" by Mick Kitson...but which one will Joe take home?

They also discuss what it means to be described as "humorous authors", writing on a hangover, hoarding and the art of writing young narrators.

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Authors Kit de Waal (My Name Is Leon/The Trick To Time) and Ned Beauman (Boxer, Beetle/Glow) join Joe Haddow for another Book Off!

Kazuo Ishiguro's classic "The Remains Of The Day" is put up against "The Conspiracy Against The Human Race; A Contrivance Of Horror" by Thomas Ligotti.

As well as going head to head in a literary fight for glory, they discuss growing up around books, previous careers...and the golden age of cinema.

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Bestselling author John Niven and writer, broadcaster and comedian Viv Groskop go head to head in a very competitive Book Off!

"Heartburn" by Nora Ephron goes up against "Rabbit Is Rich" by John Updike in the war of the words...but which should win?

As well as talking about their latest books, John and Viv also discuss school reunions and great Russian novels! Naturally.

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The bestselling authors of We Need To Talk About Kevin and Girl With The Pearl Earring, Lionel Shriver and Tracy Chevalier, bring two contemporary novels to the Book Off! to pitch against each other; 'Beautiful Animals' by Lawrence Osborne and "Preparations For The Next Life" by Atticus Lish.

As well as a heated book fight, Lionel and Tracy talk "covering" Shakespeare, cycling and how jazz drummers can sometimes ruin dinner.

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Bestselling authors Paula Hawkins (The Girl On The Train) and John Boyne (The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas) go head to head in the first ever Book Off!

LP Hartley's "The Go Between" goes up against "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood - but which will win!? And they also discuss the pressure of a second novel after the success of a debut.

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