Book Shambles

We're back and kicking off Season 4 with one of the greatest writers in history. Alan Moore joins Josie and Robin to talk about the release of his new opus, Jerusalem as well as some of his epic back catalogue plus the work of HP Lovecraft, David Foster Wallace, Chuck D and more... Patreon supporters will also get an exclusive bonus hour with Alan talking about the process of creating Jerusalem.

This week sees the World Premiere of No’s Knife at The Old Vic in London. A selection of Samuel Beckett’s ‘Texts for Nothing’, it’s conceived and performed by one of our former Shambles guests, Lisa Dwan. So two days before the first preview Robin sat down backstage with Lisa for a fascinating in depth chat about all things Beckett. From being true to the text to the musical rhythm of his language. From performing Beckett’s works as a woman to dealing with bad reviews. No’s Knife opens on September 29th and runs for a limited season of two weeks.

As a prelude to Season 4 of Book Shambles, here is the final free podcast we recorded at the Latitude Festival this summer. Robin and Josie go second hand book shopping on the Book Bus with 'The Dylan Thomas Guy', Jeff Towns. And Robin sits down to chat books with poet Joshua Idehen, comedian and author Mark Watson and the team from the Guilty Feminist podcast, Sofie Hagen and Deborah Frances-White.

Author Evie Wyld joins Robin and Josie this week to talk about her own novels plus the perils of going to a book club meeting when your own work is the book of the week. There's also chat of Tim Winton, Alison Bechdel, Stephen King and more. And somehow no-one mentions Jean Rhys.

Songwriter and performer David McAlmont joins Robin and Josie this week as he awaits the final results from his Art History degree, due that very afternoon. They talk of the great books of art as well as the work of John Baldwin, AA Milne, Truman Capote and, of course, Jean Rhys.

The man behind everything from Zippy and Sweep to goblins from the Labyrinth, Ronnie Le Drew, joins Robin and Josie this week. There's much chat of puppets, naturally, via the work of Roald Dahl, Simon Callow, Anna Kemp and others plus Ronnie's own upcoming autobiography on Unbound.

In Part 2 of the Science Shambles specials from the Blue Dot Festival from Jodrell Bank, Robin and Josie tackle the issue of evolution and bananas before we chat about scientific delight in all things bookish with a bumper lineup of guests. There's science presenters and writers Dallas Campbell and Ginny Smith, immunologist Sheena Cruickshank, astronomer Paul Abel, the team from ScienceGrrl, impressionist Jon Culshaw and Public Service Broadcasting's J Willgoose. Because this episode was recorded in a large field where a music festival was also taking place, there is often a bit of background noise. Sorry about that.

Recorded at the Blue Dot Festival at Jodrell Bank, Robin chatted with various people about the great works of science and science fiction. And also some Mills and Boons. Robin and Josie kick things off and then our guests include physicist and professional pointer at wondrous things, Professor Brian Cox, Rosetta project scientist Dr Matt Taylor, space scientist Professor Monica Grady and actor, comedian and science writer Ben Miller. Because this episode was recorded in a large field where a music festival was also taking place, there is often a bit of background noise. Sorry about that.

Stand Up, actor and writer Isy Suttie joins Robin and Josie this week to talk about her new book, The Actual One. As usual, the conversation meanders through all sorts of stuff from stand up to Jane Eyre to poo to Sue Townsend. They also establish a new comedic cliche to replace the differences between men and women; The differences between Bronte fans and Austen fans. It’s bound to catch on.

Comedian Sarah Kendall joins Robin and Josie to talk about her upcoming Edinburgh show and Radio 4 series as well as bringing in a big bag of her favourite books. There’s Jeffrey Eugenides, Kurt Vonnegut, David Mitchell, Ben Moor, Marta Hillers and plenty of others. Also Josie reads us her favourite poem. Content Warning- The following episode contains a discussion about sexual violence.