The first biography of this much loved author, bonne vivante, European, and John Sandoe customer, mentored by Aldous Huxley. Hastings’ earlier biographical subjects include Somerset Maugham, Evelyn Waugh, Nancy Mitford and Rosamond Lehmann.

Edited by Magnus Rena

Music: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Horn Concerto No. 3 in E Flat major 

Another lockdown, another double-bill of Wodehouse Wednesdays - but not quite as you know it. John de Falbe reads from Ben Schott's latest homage to Plum: Jeeves and the Leap of Faith. 

Edited by Magnus Rena

Music: Cab Calloway, Minnie the Moocher 

Johnny interviews Sir Tom, while Dame Hermione - a leading literary biographer - gives a short introduction to her new book.

Edited by Magnus Rena

Music: William Bolcom, Graceful Ghost Rag

Brighton, 1968: a film producer, a novelist and an actress find their private lives encroaching into their public worlds. Pressures build on the trio… Click here to order a copy of Will Boyd's latest novel

Edited by Magnus Rena

Music: Cream, Badges 

Do you write in the margins? Have you lied about reading War and Peace? Which books are your 'comfort reads'? 

Martin Latham muses with Johnny on a life spent around books. 

Edited by Magnus Rena

Johnny chats to the illustrious academic about her dazzling new book, Ravenna: Capital of Empire, Crucible of Europe. 

Edited by Magnus Rena

To accompany the publication of his new book, Loyd (an old friend of the shop) talks about Baroque Rome... in all its rich papal splendour.

Edited by Magnus Rena 

Music: Federico Maria Sardelli, Fuga Prima 

David chats to Johnny about his latest novel: a gorgeous, rich, magnificent imagining of a 1960s pop group...

Edited by Magnus Rena

Music: Fairport Convention, Who Knows Where The Time Goes 

From P.G. Wodehouse, Uncle Dynamite.

Read by John de Falbe, edited by Magnus Rena

Music: Cab Calloway, Minnie the Moocher