Patrick deWitt has made a career out of creating eccentric, unforgettable characters. From his gun-slinging duo in the darkly comic The Sisters Brothers, which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize to the severely unsympathetic down-at-heel aristocrats in The French Exit. But in his fifth novel, The Librarianist, Patrick employs his signature verve and wit to reveal the extraordinary in the otherwise ordinary life of retired librarian Bob Comet. This week, Patrick joins Michael in the studio for a conversation about the joys of being an introvert, making friends at 40, and writing his latest novel.

Reading list:

The Sisters Brothers, Patrick deWitt, 2011

Undermajordomo Minor, Patrick deWitt, 2015

French Exit, Patrick deWitt, 2018

The Librarianist, Patrick deWitt, 2023

Deep Blue: The World in the Ocean, James Bradley, 2024

You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store. 

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Guest: Patrick deWitt

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