Book Shambles With Robin And Josie

Our guest this week is comedian, writer and host of The Guilty Feminist, Deborah Frances-White. She chats with Robin and Josie about her time as a Jehovah's Witness, discovering improv and some of her favourite books including work by Virginia Woolf, George Orwell and Erica Jong. This is the last episode of the current series as Josie heads off on maternity leave. We've still got lots of episodes and specials to come though including recordings of lots of our recent live shows with guests including Dean Burnett, Alan Moore and Lucie Green. Tickets are still available for our live show on June 11 with guests Adam Buxton and Hannah Fry, as well as Space Shambles with Robin, Chris Hadfield, Stewart Lee and others on June 15. royalalberthall.com for tickets. Support the show at patreon.com/bookshambles

Matt Haig has been one of our most requested guests on social media so we're delighted he is our guest this week. Robin and Josie chat to Matt about his own work including the upcoming Notes on a Nervous Planet as well as some of his favourite works from the likes of Emily Dickinson, Carl Sagan and Janette Winterson. A bonus 20 minutes of chat await Patreon supporters this week. You can hear that, and help keep the podcast in production, by pledging at patreon.com/bookshambles

We're celebrating our 100th episode! We're either a bit early, or a bit late, depending on how you want to count 'actual' episodes, but it's the thought that counts. On this episode we chat to Emmy and Golden Globe award winner and Oscar nominee Bryan Cranston about his autobiography A Life in Parts. He chats about his acting process, reading for role research, the Time's Up movement, favourite playwrights and a whole lot more. Robin is in the studio and Josie pre-recorded a series of questions as she was off with pregnancy related engagements.  Thank you, as always, to you our great Patreon supporters. We would never have been able to make one episode, let alone a hundred odd, without their amazing support. It is hugely appreciated by all of us at Shambles. This week, it's a bumper Patreon edition with almost 25 minutes of extra Cranston just for pledgers. If you'd like to join them and help keep Book Shambles keeping on, head to patreon.com/bookshambles

Robin shared a house at The Laugharne Weekend with writer, author, comic and storyteller Nick Revell. They chat about Nick's latest tale, drinking with Peggy Seger and shape shifting lizards. If you'd like us to keep making the show, please do consider pledging at patreon.com/bookshambles and then ideally actually pledging.

Founder of the Craftivist Collective, Sarah Corbett joins Josie and Robin to talk about craftivism and her own books on the subject. But Sarah also brought along a big bag of her favourite books to talk about so there's much chat about Martin Luther King Jr, Rebecca Solnit, Daniel Goleman and more. To hear an extended version of this episode and gets lots of other perks and rewards, you can support the show at patreon.com/bookshambles

Robin caught up with MP and author of Everywoman: One Woman's Truth About Speaking the Truth, Jess Phillips. They chat about the book, influences, the diaries of Adrian Mole and much more. Thanks for your continued support. Details of our first live book club have been posted for pledgers at the $3 and up tier. If you'd like to support the show you can do so at patreon.com/bookshambles

Stay With Me was one of the most acclaimed novels of the part twelve months and this week its author, Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀, joins Robin and Josie to chat about her debut novel. They also chat about some of Ayọ̀bámi’s favourite books, Richard Holloway, Michael Rosen and much more. Book Shambles would not, and could not continue, to exist without your support on Patreon. Pledge at patreon.com/bookshambles

At The Laugharne Weekend Robin sat down with the prolific and acclaimed author, writer (and broadcaster) Stella Duffy. They chat about writing crime fiction, promoting diverse storytellers, Fun Palaces and a whole lot more! Support the podcast at patreon.com/bookshambles

In an episode we actually recorded quite a while back, writer, performer and comedian Ricky Gervais joins Robin and Josie in the studio for this week's episode. After Robin starts by saying Ricky doesn't like to read, they chat about why that is and some of Ricky's favourite philosophy writers and science books. To hear an extended version of this episode, plus get access to bonus episodes and lots of other goodies, as well as helping keep the podcast going, please support the show on Patreon at patreon.com/bookshambles

The final Author Extra we recorded at BAHFest, Robin chats to Kelly and Zach Weinersmith, authors of the graphic novel Soonish: Ten Emerging Technologies That'll Improve and/or Ruin Everything. They chat about reusable rockets, why Google Glass failed, augmented reality, medical breakthroughs and lots more! Support the show at patreon.com/bookshambles

Laura Bates, writer and founder of Everyday Sexism, joins Robin and Josie in the studio. They chat about her new book Misogynation, the Everyday Sexism Project, witches, Naomi Wolf, Matt Haig, Katrine Marcal and much more. As always thank you to our Patreon supporters. Patrons get an exclusive podcast feed with longer episodes, bonus episodes and much more. Pledge at patreon.com/bookshambles Also, please note, this episode contains discussion about sexual assault, sexual harassment, rape and subjects of that nature.

Robin caught up with the author of the multi-award winning The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage, Sydney Padua. Backstage at BAHFest they chat about creating the steampunk graphic novel, maths, Mad magazine, cheese, comics and a whole lot more! Support the show at patreon.com/bookshambles. Not only are there some great rewards, but you'll also ensure the show keeps on keeping on!

Francisco Cantú is a Mexican-American who served as an agent for the US Border Patrol in the deserts of Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. He joined Robin and Josie to talk about that experience and how it led him to write The Line Becomes a River, his new book on the horrors witnessed on the border. They also chat about the work of Jung, WG Sebald, Shalom Auslander and much more. Hear an extended version of this chat, and all other episodes, plus gets lots more bonus material by supporting the show at patreon.com/bookshambles. Without your support the show couldn't exist!

The first of three chats we recorded backstage at BAHFest, Robin chats to the author of The Butchering Art, Lindsey Fitzharris. Lindsey is medical historian so they chat about the often gruesome history of surgery covered in her new book as well as tales of Northampton and people fainting during her talks. Become a Patreon supporter at patreon.com/bookshambles to help keep the show going and you'll get all sorts of amazing rewards including extended versions of episodes!

Author of over a dozen books and the former Bishop of Edinburgh, Richard Holloway joins Robin and Josie to talk about his latest book, Waiting for the Last Bus: Reflections on Life and Death. They chat about dealing with death, faith, great last words, inspiring poetry, Graham Greene, Viktor Frankel and much more. Become a Patreon supporter at patreon.com/bookshambles to help keep the show going and you'll get all sorts of amazing rewards including extended versions of episodes!

Robin catches up with author John Higgs to talk about his latest book Watling Street: Travels Through Britain and Its Ever-Present Past. They chat about the book that charts the cultural history of one of Britain's oldest roads with tales of Alan Moore, Steve Moore, tulpamancy, the KLF and more. Support the show and get rewards for doing so at patreon.com/bookshambles

Sara was our second ever guest on Book Shambles some years ago and now she's back in the guest chair again. She chats with Robin and Josie about free speech and comedy, baby books, Eimear McBride, researching her new book and lots more besides. Support the show on Patreon (patreon.com/bookshambles) to hear an extended version of this and many other episodes, plus get bonus episodes, behind the scenes access and more!

Before a gig in Edinburgh, Robin sits down backstage with the bestselling crime writer Ian Rankin. They chat about the process of writing popular crime fiction, the great American novel and why Jekyll and Hyde is one of the all time great crime novels. Become a Patreon supporter of the show to get bonus episodes, behind the scenes access and more. Head to patreon.com/bookshambles

This week Robin is joined by singer-songwriter Grace Petrie to talk about her major literary influences on her work. In a bit of a departure from a normal episode, not only is it recorded in a kitchen, but the episode is also punctuated with some of Grace’s music. They chat about the influences of Shakespeare, Harper Lee and Supergirl comics. This is the final episode recorded during Josie’s bout of sickness and tourness. From next week it’s all back to Robin and Josie shambling together. The Cosmic Superheroes exhibition they chat about will be on tour later this year in the UK and you can view some of the images at cosmicshambles.com/superheroes. And don't forget you can support the show at patreon.com/bookshambles

Robin caught up with author and journalist Dr Matthew Sweet in a glass box where they hope they weren't being watched by spies. Inside they spoke about his new book Operation Chaos: The Vietnam Deserters Who Fought the CIA, the Brainwashers, and Themselves. Support the show on Patreon for lots of bonus content patreon.com/bookshambles