Professor Jon Mee, from the University of York's Department of English and Related Literature discusses the romantic poet, John Keats, and one of his lesser known works. Is the poem 'Bright Star' simply an autobiographical statement or is Keats trying to say much more, touching on the nature of the eternal and how to really be yourself?

Join us for more at The Quiet Place Book Club on Instagram.

Dr Alexandra Kingston-Reese, from the University of York's Department of English and Related Literature, discusses the Catalan writer and visual artist, Alicia Kopf. She asks how 21st Century writers are breaking out of their literary categories to explore how storytelling can be reflected through the visual arts.

Join us for more at The Quiet Place Book Club on Instagram.

Professor David Atwell, from the University of York's Department of English and Related Literature, discusses his work in collecting the cultural history of an underground movement in 1960s South Africa. The activities of the movement called, ARM, has inspired writers, poets and theatre productions.

Join us for more at The Quiet Place Book Club on Instagram.

Dr Matthew Townend introduces us to Mary Powley and her reflections on local dialect. The Victorian period is the great age of interest in dialect. Think of the use of dialect in the novels of George Eliot, the Bronte sisters, and Thomas Hardy - but what of the largely forgotten writer Mary Powley? She rediscovered her local past through researching the dialect of the Vikings.

Join us for more at The Quiet Place Book Club on Instagram.

Professor John Bowen, from the University of York's Department of English and Related Literature, discusses the global appeal of the Victorian writer, Charles Dickens. Dickens is often thought of as a writer focused on the dramas of British society in the Victorian era, yet his novels are reproduced the world-over. What makes Dickens a global writer for contemporary readers?

Join us for more at The Quiet Place Book Club on Instagram.

Dr Lydia Zeldenrust, from the University of York's Department of English and Related Literature, asks if our attitude towards monsters is changing. Are we afraid of them or do we secretly love them? She discusses the story of Melusine from medieval folktale, who is said to have been a young girl cursed to have a body that is half human and half dragon-like.

Join us for more at The Quiet Place Book Club on Instagram.

Professor Helen Smith, from the University of York's Department of English Language and Related Literature, welcomes you to the Quiet Place Book Club, supported by the University and the York Festival of Ideas. Hosted on Instagram, the virtual book club announces one book each month throughout the year and experts from the University provide comments and thought-provoking questions to encourage debate and guide shared reading. This podcast series gives listeners a sample of the kinds of things discussed on the book club, as well as an introduction to some of the University's literary experts.

Dr Nicola Moran, from the University of York’s Department of Social Policy and Social Work, and Inspector Bill Scott, North Yorkshire Police, discuss a £1 million collaborative project to development a bespoke mental health awareness training package for the police and how they investigating its impact upon the police response to people with mental health problems.

Dr Vince Hughes and Professor Peter French, from the University of York’s Department of Language and Linguistics, investigate voice recognition software and the challenges of using technology in criminal conviction cases.

Dr Alex Gillett and Dr Kevin Tennent, from the University of York’s Management School talk about their research in demonstrating the value of big sporting events, specifically the World Cup; they question whether these events have more cultural benefit than economic. Listeners can see Dr Gillett and Dr Tennent in a live event, with former Chairman of the Football Association, Greg Dyke, at the York Festival of Ideas (12 June 2018).