Harriet Shawcross explores the awkwardness of silence in her book “Unspeakable”. (Starts at 1.00)

Carolina Setterwall reveals how writing helped her navigate bereavement. (21.08)

Zena Cooper takes an upbeat look at what you can see when you can’t see. (35.38)

And we return to Carolina Setterwall for the Books of her Life. (48.43)

Today we’re manning the boats and taking to the sea. 

 

Historian David Gange takes us on a journey of discovery around ‘The Frayed Atlantic Edge’ of Britain and Ireland. (Starts at 1.14)

 

Robert Kirkwood plunges into some books about The Titanic. (19.50)

 

Adventurer Mick Dawson recounts the highs and lows he encountered when rowing The Pacific. (31.30)

 

Coastal dweller Joanna Streetly discusses her ‘Wild Fierce Life’ beside, and in, the sea. (43.00)

And we return to David Gange for the books of his life. (49.39)

Liz Fenwick transports us to the Cornish coast in her atmospheric new novel ‘The Path to the Sea’. (1.20)

 

Mark Billingham reveals how narrating his Thom Thorne detective thrillers has changed the way he writes them. (20.00)

 

The doyen of audio description Di Langford reflects on bringing books, plays, TV series and feature films to life for those of us who have difficulty seeing them. (36.15)

And we return to Liz Fenwick for the books of her life. (52.12)

In a round up of some books we think you might pack in your suitcase, we listen back to ...

Stuart Turton on 'The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle'  (Starts at 1.18)

Joanne Ramos on 'The Farm' (7.31)

Bart Van Es on 'The Cut Out Girl' (18.45)

C.J. Tudor on 'The Chalk Man' and 'The Taking of Annie Thorne' (28.12)

Lucy Foley on 'The Hunting Party' (36.40)

And for the first time ever, Robert asks Red for The Books of His Life. (49.10)

Jess Butterworth takes us deep into the Louisiana swamp in her new novel ‘Swimming Against the Storm’. (Starts at 1.25)

 

Mr Gum author Andy Stanton reflects on how history can inform our view of the present. (11.53)

 

Jessica Townsend picks up the story of her cursed and magical heroine, Morrigan Crow, in ‘Wundersmith.’ (26.48)

Blind author N.B. Dixon reviews a medieval adventure (42.18)

And we return to Jess Butterworth for the books of her life. (49.28)

Celebrating 50 years since we first walked on the moon.

Andrew Smith reveals the stories of what the moon walkers did next in a brand new reissue of ‘Moondust” (Starts at 2.08)

Robert Kirkwood explores the works of fact and fiction inspired by space exploration. (21.15)

Commander Chris Hadfield reflects on his time as an astronaut. (34.43) 

And we return to Andrew Smith for the Books of his Life (46.15)

Frances Hardinge revisits The English Civil War through her tale of dark inheritance: ‘A Skinful of Shadows’. (Starts at 1.00)

A group of students from New College Worcester tell us what they look for in a good book. (17.50)

The winner of this years CILIP Carnegie Medal considers the merits of literary awards. (24.00)

Kwame Alexander extols the benefits of basketball in his novel, ‘Rebound’. (35.38)

And we return to Frances Hardinge for the books of her life. (46.55)

It's time for this year's Summer Reading Challenge, where children aged 4 to 11 are encouraged to visit their local libraries and read over the summer. The aim is to get each child to read 6 books. 

But what if print is not accessible? Well RNIB Library have the answer

This year's theme is 'Space Chase' ... and Lynne Livingston has more 

Dame Stella Rimington reveals that she still keeps a sharp eye out for espionage despite retiring as chief of MI5. (Starts at 1.10)

Frederick Forsyth and Frank Gardner go head to head in Cheltenham and spill the beans about how close fact comes to fiction (Starts at 25.25)

And we return to Dame Stella Rimington for the books of her life (Starts at 51.00)

On today's show, as ‘The Rules of Seeing’ is crowned Debut Romantic Novel of 2019, its author, Joe Heap, tells us what inspired him to write about sight loss. (Starts at 1.30)

 

Robert Kirkwood talks to Niq Mhlongo about how much things have changed for South African authors since the birth of The Rainbow Nation. (21.40)

 

We learn more about the Omani novel, Celestial Bodies, that won this year’s Man Booker International prize from publishers Sandstone Press (30.50)

 

Listener Gill Garret recommends a hidden gem that celebrates the beauty of The Lake District. (43.40)

And author of Long Way Down, Jason Reynolds, shares the books of his life. (51.12)