At a time in which digital information is increasingly uncertain it feels more essential than ever to engage with books that tell us about the world, diversify our perspectives and propose solutions for change. Yet these 'serious' books aren't always what we feel like reading. In this episode Kate is joined by regular contributor Phil Chaffee to talk about the books so good they powered through them like a good novel, and felt changed afterwards. The books they want to pass on to someone else. The books that make for great book club discussions.

One such is Carmageddon: How Cars Make Life Worse and What To Do About It by Daniel Knowles, a persuasive book that advocates for a world in which we rely on cars far less than we do currently. Daniel joines Kate and Phil from Chicago to discuss it.

Booklist

Humanly Possible by Sarah Bakewall

Putin’s People by Catherine Belton

Papyrus by Irene Vallejo

Invisible Child by Andrea Elliot

Not the End of the World by Hannah Ritchie

Stranger in the Shogun’s City by Amy Stanley

Carmageddon by Daniel Knowles

Notes

Serious Readers lamps: visit seriousreaders.com/bcr and use the offer code BCR at checkout for £150 off any HD light and free UK delivery. You also get a 30-day trial period.

Support the show

Come join us on Patreon for extra episodes, our community chat group, and, at the book club level, come and talk books with Kate in person at the end of every month. We're currently reading Sparks of Bright Matter by Leeanne O'Donnell

If you enjoyed the episode please take a moment to rate and review on your podcast app, which helps the pod's visiblity and helps other listeners find it. Your kindness is hugely appreciated.

Glorious Exploits by Ferdia Lennon is a novel that takes us back to ancient Syracuse, where war, art, and humanity collide. This gripping tale follows two down-on-their-luck potters who hatch an audacious plan to produce a performance of the works of Euripedes despite the fact that their actors are prisoners of war and their stage set a death camp in a marble pit. It’s a story of resilience, friendship, and the power of art in the face of destruction, but did it make for a good book club book? 

Regular book-club reporter Phil Chaffee dials in from New York to join Kate alongside keen readers and returning pod guests Emily Bohill and Sarah Oliver in London. 

And find out Laura's thoughts at the end as we consider what makes Glorious Exploits such a standout debut, whether or not you need to know about Classical history to enjoy it, and why the audio version is such a particular joy. All this plus our recommendations for follow on reads inspired by Glorious Exploits.

Booklist

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower

The Years by Annie Ernaux

Rejection by Tony Tulathimutte

 You Dreamed of Empires by Ávaro Enrigue

 Metamorphoses by Ovid

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

 Enter Ghost by Isabella Hammad

 The Netanyahus by Joshua Cohen

Circe by Madeleine Miller

Patreon

Signing up for membership is a great way to support the show, and in return you'll have access to weeklyish bonus episodes, plus the archive of back episodes to enjoy. At the higher tier you can join the podcast book club, currently reading Hateship, Friendship, Loveship, Courtship, Marriage by Alice Munroe. I'd love to have you join us.

Instagram & Threads

@bookclubreviewpodcast

Web

Our full archive of episdoes with shownotes

 

Author, podcaster and reader Daisy Buchanan joins Kate to discuss Read Yourself Happy, her latest book that explores ‘shelf-help’ and the healing power of books and reading to inspire, comfort and fortify. You might not think that someone who regularly interviews literary stars like Anne Patchett and Lauren Groff on her podcast 'You're Booked' might also be someone who has struggled throughout her life with anxiety. Find out how books helped Daisy overcome her fears and inspired her to be adventurous in the manner of her favourite literary heroines. We also discuss the practicalities of the reading life, how to manage a mountainous TBR, and insider stories from the Jilly Cooper book club. With Valentine's Day in mind, find out how to 'Read Yourself Romantic' with Daisy's favourite romance novels. Oh, and you'll get about a million other brilliant book recommendations along the way!

Notes

If you're interested to try a Serious Readers lamp use our special offer code BCR at checkout for £150 off any HD light.

Looking for your perfect bookish match? Use our offer code BookClubReview for 10% off a subscription to Book Lovers Dating.

Reading list

The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary

Strange Beach by Oliwaseun Olawiola

The Pirahna Club: Power and Influence in Formula 1 by Timothy Collings (my husband's book, by the way, in case you were wondering. He's been dipping in for something he's working on.)

Rachel’s Holiday by Marian Keyes

Love, Nina by Nina Stibbe

Happy All the Time by Laurie Colwin

The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré

A Little Life by Hanya Yanigahara

Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton

Rivals by Jilly Cooper

The Come Up by Jonathan Abrams

I Want my MYV by Rob Tannenbaum

Uncommon People by Miranda Sawyer

Early Morning Riser by Katherine Heiny

Us by David Nicholls

Good Material by Dolly Alderton

Fleishman is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser Akner

Peter Hujar’s Day by Linda Rosenkrantz

Deano: Life After Football by Dean Windass

By Grand Central Station I Sat Down and Wept by Elizabeth Smart

Camp by Paul Baker

Notes from the Henhouse by Elspeth Barker

O Caledonia by Elspeth Barker

The Gemma Books by Noel Streatfield

Love Junkie by Robert Plunket

Again, Rachel by Marian Keyes

Expiation by Elizabeth Von Arnim

They Were Sisters and Greenbanks by Dorothy Whipple

The Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford

Mhairi McFarlane - various titles, try If I Never Met You

Olga Tokarczuk's haunting 'health resort horror story' may have wow-ed the critics, but how did it fare with Laura's book club? Phil, Sarah and Laura join Kate to discuss it. You'll also find out the books we've been reading lately, and our suggestions for follow-on reads if The Empusium leaves you hankering for more.

Books mentioned

The Sewing Girl’s Tale by John Wood Sweet

Two Step Devil by Jamie Quattro

The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

Strange Beach by Oluwaseum Olayiwola

The Fizcarraldo poetry subscription

The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann

The Books of Jacob by Olga Tokarczuk

Sanatorium by W. Somerset Maugham

The Wind Rises by Hayao Miyazaki

The Extinction of Irena Rey by Jennifer Croft

The Paper Hound bookshop

The Plague and I by Betty Macdonald

Backlisted episode #138

The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Schwärmerai

NOTES

Support the show and get exclusive subscriber benefits

On Patreon: weekly-ish minisodes, chat groups, special feature episodes, War & Peace readalong, and at the higher tier join the monthly book club

Or via Substack: weekly-ish minsodes and special feature episodes

Step into a world of philosophical musings and practical wisdom with Oliver Burkeman. 'Meditations for Mortals' is his latest book designed as a four-week mental retreat, promising to help readers lead a 'saner, freer, and more enchantment-filled life'. Oliver joins Kate to talk about everything from the inspiration he took from Marcus Aurelius to how to invite people over without feeling like you have to spend three hours tidying the house. He also reveals his tips on making life-changes that stick, and the books he turns to when he's not reading for work.

Keen to test out the methodology, Kate is then joined by City high-flyer and busy mother-of-three Emily Bohill to discover how Meditations for Mortals works in practice. From managing work-life balance to facing literal rats in the PTA shed, we explore whether the lessons of Meditations are ones that will stay.

This episode is for everyone who is keen to turn knowledge into action and embrace life's imperfections. No less important is the fact that Meditations for Mortals is perfect for sparking deep conversations, and there's nothing we love more at The Book Club Review than that.

Reading list 4,000 Weeks by Oliver Burkeman Meditations by Marcus Aurelius Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life by James Hollis   Find out more and sign up for The Imperfectionist (a free newsletter) at Oliver Burkeman's website   Subscribe and support the show Want more from the pod? You can subscribe to The Book Club Review via Patreon. Click through for full details and to sign up with a 7-day free trial.   You'll get a weekly-ish minisode, with access to the full archive, and extra bits and bobs like extended episodes or Patreon-only specials, plus access to book recommendations from Kate and fellow pod fans in the chat group. At the higher tier you can join the pod book club and come and talk books with me, Kate, in person. We meet on the last Sunday of the month via Zoom, with a recording posted to listen back to anytime. In February we're reading All The Beauty in the World by Patrick Bringley, and in March it's Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage by Alice Munroe. Upcoming books are decided by members vote, so join in and suggest one that you would love to read and discuss.    If you're a Substacker you can also subscribe and support the pod there. (It's slightly cheaper as you don't get the chat or the book club options, but everything else is just the same.)   Timecodes for the time-poor

00:00 Introduction

01:32 An overview of the book, and the degree to which Oliver Burkeman put himself in there

03:55 The relationship between Meditations for Mortals and Four Thousand Weeks

06:24 Imperfectionism

10:45 Practical Applications and personal reflections

13:01 Field-testing the book’s methodology

29:37 Daily-ish and embracing imperfection

34:34 Scruffy hospitality and overcoming procrastination

45:34 Has it changed our lives? 

It's a new year and a new episode. Join Kate and Laura as they consider reading intentions for the year ahead, and try to set some realistic goals. Will 2025 be the year Kate gets into poetry? Will it be the year Laura weans herself off romance novels? And as always, they're thinking of book club reads to come. Meanwhile Phil sets a goal for himself in 2025 that might surprise you.

Books mentioned

 4,000 Weeks and Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman

 Rejection by Tony Tulithamutte

Bliss Montage by Ling Ma

The George Smiley novels by John le Carre

Karla's Choice by Nick Harkaway

 My Struggle, Karl Ove Knausgard

The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan

Assembly and Universality by Natasha Brown

Also a Poet and Crush by Ada Calhoun

Our Country Friends and Vera, or Faith by Gary Shteyngart

Intimacies and Audition by Katie Kitamura

Robert Caro's Fifth Lyndon Johnson book

Polostan by Neal Stephenson

Finance for the People by Paca Leon

Essays of E. B. White

The Ladies of Grace Adieu by Susanna Clarke

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna

The Husbands by Holly Gramazio

 All That Glitters by Orlando Whitfield

Glorious Exploits by Ferdia Lennon

Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Törzs

Intermezzo by Sally Rooney

The Empusium by Olga Tokarczuk

My Friends by Hisham Matar

 The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower

Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros

Deep Cuts by Holly Brickley

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett

Eight Months on Ghazzah Street by Hilary Mantel

The Gifts of Reading, Robert Macfarlane (ed)

Untitled Memoir from Nicola Sturgeon

Katabasis by R. F. Kuang

Patrick Rothfuss (The Name of the Wind trilogy)

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

Living and Death and Intimations by Zadie Smith

Notes

If you’re looking for inspiration in your reading life over the coming year why not subscribe to The Book Club Review Patreon. In addition to the various special episodes you’ll find on there, you’ll get The Book Club Review Weekend, my weeky-ish bonus episode just for Patrons, featuring Laura’s reading updates and regular chats with friends of the pod. Laura and I have cooked up a new feature, called One Book Wonder, that allows us to talk about those books that slip through the cracks between regular episodes. Listen in for our thoughts on Good Material by Dolly Alderton. 

You get all that at the entry level, but at the higher tier you can also join the podcast book club and come and talk books with me in person at the end of every month over zoom, or listen back anytime if you can’t make the live session. In January we’re reading the novel that appeared on many a best-of-the-year list, Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar, In February we’re we’re reading All The Beauty in the World by Patrick Bringley, a museum guard's quest to find solace and meaning in art, and in March it’s short stories with Hateship, Friendship, Loveship, Courtship, Marriage by Alice Munroe. But will they make for good book club reads? Join me and the book clubbers over on Patreon and find out. Join our bookish community, get brilliant book recommendations and get the warm glow from knowing that you’re supporting me in making the show. Head to Patreon.com/thebookclubreview and sign up today.

Otherwise come and find me anytime on Instagram @bookclubreviewpodcast or check out our website, thebookclubreview.co.uk. But for now, thanks for listening and happy book clubbing.

 

 

Wrap up your year with the Book Club Review podcast! Celebrate the joy of reading with us as we highlight the standout books we read in 2024, from page-turners to genre reads, to literary fiction and best book club books. We'll finish with our 'if we could only choose one' favourites for our overall book(s) of the year. This episode also features recommendations from our podcast book clubbers, fantastic readers all, who bring their choices into the mix. This is a bonus length episode as there was so much to go through, so take that dog for an extra long walk, get the children prepared for a long swing at the park or just curl up in a cozy spot with notepad in hand to jot down some of these books we think you shouldn't miss. Or, of course, use the handy list below.

Books mentioned

Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa

What You Are Looking For is In The Library by Michiko Ayoyama

Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree

 

Most enjoyable read

Loot by Tania James

Greta and Valdin by Rebecca K. Reilly

The Wedding People by Alison Espach

 

Best page-turner

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley

Going Infinite by Michael Lewis 

 

Best Non-fiction

How to Say Babylon by Safiya Sinclair

Grief is for People by Sloane Crossley

The Garden Against Time by Olivia Laing

The Burgundians: A Vanished Empire by Bart van Loo

Maurice and Marilyn by Sophie Elmhurst

The Story of a Heart by Rachel Clarke

 

Best Book Club Book

Enter Ghost by Isabelle Hamid

The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden

Cuddy by Benjamin Myers

The Fraud by Zadie Smith

August Blue by Deborah Levy

Mild Vertigo by Mieko Kanai (Polly Barton trans.)

Wifedom by Anna Funder

Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez

The Grey Wolf by Louise Penny (The Inspector Gamache series)

 

Best Genre Novel or Comfort Read

How to End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang

Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell

The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells

The Alex Verus series by Benedict Jacka

 

Overall best book read in 2024

James by Percival Everett

Kate: The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride

Laura: Real Estate by Deborah Levy (vol. 3 in her 'living autobiography' series

 

Join the Book Club Review club

Head to Patreon.com/thebookclubreview to explore what's on offer with regular extra episodes packed with reading recommendations and at the higher tier membership of the pod bookclub: upcoming reads for January are Marty by Kaveh Akbar, February: All The Beauty in the World by Patrick Bringley and March: Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage by Alice Munro. 

Serious Readers

For seriously good reading lamps with a Book Club Review special discount head to seriousreaders.co.uk/BCR and use the code BCR at checkout for £100 off any HD light. Shipping within the UK is free, and you get a 30-day trial period so you can see for yourself what a difference they make.

Stay connected

Find Kate on Instagram and Threads @bookclubreviewpodcast, or drop us a comment anytime at the episode page on our website. What were your favourite reads from 2024? We'd love to hear about them.

 

Curious about the 2024 Booker Prize? Wondering if the shortlisted novels live up to the hype? In this latest episode Kate and Laura are joined by returning guests Phil, Sarah and Martin to dive deep into this year's shortlist bringing you their usual frank, honest opinions in true book-club style. 

This isn’t your typical review show — you get real, unfiltered thoughts from book lovers who tell it like it is. From literary brilliance to unexpected twists, find out which books wowed us, which ones left us wanting more, and whether this year’s Booker picks truly deserve the spotlight. Plus of course our guesses as to which one might win.

Notes

Check out Martin's brilliant blog Eyes on the Prize for a fantastic look back through Booker Winners past, including his 'worst to best' ranking.

Other books mentioned

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware

We Solve Murders by Richard Osman

The Trees by Percival Everett

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

My Friends by Hisham Matar

Subscribe

Want more from The Book Club Review? Want to help support it financially? Come and join Kate at Patreon.com/thebookclubreview where for a small monthly fee you'll receive benefits such as a weekly books minisode, occasional special episodes of the podcast made just for Patreons, and at the higher tier you can join our monthly book club for live discussions with Kate over Zoom. If you’re a Substacker you’ll also find extra content from The Book Club Review there – check thebookclubreview.co.uk/bookspodcast/subscribe for more details.

For the love of a good lamp: 

Visit seriousreaders.com/BCR for our special offer on any HD light – use the code BCR at checkout and if you're in the UK you can also benefit from free shipping. You get a month to try out the lights to decide if they're for you, if not you can return them. We seriously love them, and think you will too.

 

Summer Reading Report: hits, misses, and anticipations   We're back from the beach and reflecting on our summer reading in this bonus length bookshelf episode. On Kate's stack summer favourite GRETA AND VALDIN by Rebecca K. Reilly, Olivia Laing's memoir The Garden Against Time, the hotly tipped HEADSHOT by Rita Bullwinkel, TRUST by Hernan Diaz, Miranda July's new novel ALL FOURS and upcoming book club reads THE FRAUD by Zadie Smith and HUMANELY POSSIBLE by Sarah Bakewell. Meanwhile Laura talks about REAL AMERICANS by Rachel Kong, THE LAST UNICORN by Peter S. Beagle, THE LAST MURDER AT THE END OF THE WORLD by Stuart Turton, Kiley Reid's latest COME AND GET IT, Reese's Book Club pick SLOW DANCE by Rainbow Rowell and Austeriltz by W. G. Sebald.    We also hear about the best bookish party Laura attended courtsey of the Vancouver Public Library, and the Kate's experience of reading just one book, and one book only, at a time – a strong departure from her usual habits of three on the go at once. But will she stick to it?   Timecodes for the time poor 08:58 Real Americans by Rachel Kong: A Not-to-Read Recommendation 17:39 The Garden Against Time by Olivia Lange: A Deep Dive 25:27 The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle: A Disappointment 30:44 Headshot by Rita Bullwinkle: A Mixed Review 40:02 Stuart Turton's The Last Murder at the End of the World: A Fun Read 44:20 Exploring 'Trust' by Hernan Diaz 49:34 Campus Life and Money in 'Come and Get' It by Kiley Reid 59:57 Miranda July's 'All Fours': A Perimenopausal Journey 01:12:40 A Lighthearted Romance: 'Slow Dance' by Rainbow Rowell 01:15:13 Upcoming Reads and Final Thoughts

Patreon

Want more from your favourite podcast? Want to support the person who makes it? Come and join Kate at Patreon.com/thebookclubreview where for a small monthly fee you'll receive benefits such as a weekly books dispatch, which you can read or listen to as a pod, occasional special episodes, and at the higher tier you can join our monthly book club for live discussions with Kate over Zoom. 

For the love of a good lamp: 

Visit seriousreaders.com/BCR for our special offer on any HD light – use the code BCR at checkout and if you're in the UK you can also benefit from free shipping. You get a month to try out the lights to decide if they're for you, if not you can return them. We seriously love them, and think you will too.

In this special episode, originally released for our Patreon subscribers, Kate celebrates the joys of the perfect notebook with fellow enthusiast and stationery shop owner David Frostick (Lift, Southwold). From the importance of flat-lay paper to the perfect pen we've got it all covered just in time for back-to-school season.

And then we turn to the art of notetaking. Kate and Laura discuss how they take notes on the books they're discussing on the show, and then we find out how the professionals do it, with friends of the pod, journalist Phil Chaffee and literary critic Emily Rhodes. We also hear from Bibliotherapist Ella Berthoud whose book, The Art of Mindful Reading, is full of great suggestions for how to get the most from your reading. 

If this whets your appetite come and join us at Patreon.com/thebookclubreview where for a small monthly fee (or you can sign up for annual membership if you prefer) you'll receive benefits such as Kate's weekly books email, occasional special episodes, and at the higher tier you can join our monthly book club for live discussions with Kate over Zoom. If you love the pod your support is helpng Kate make the shows, which means a lot, so thank you for considering it.

Discover David's store LIFT here.

For other things referenced in this episode here's an index to products with links.

For the love of a good lamp: 

Visit seriousreaders.com/BCR for our special offer on any HD light – use the code BCR at checkout and if you're in the UK you can also benefit from free shipping. You get a month to try out the lights to decide if they're for you, if not you can return them. We seriously love them, and think you will too.