Book Shambles With Robin And Josie

On our first 'remotely recorded' episode of Book Shambles, Robin and Josie are joined by music icon Tori Amos. They chat about Tori's new book, Resistance and playing piano for the Speaker of the House, the current protests in America, being visited by the 'muses' and how Carl Sagan helped her write a song. Sort of... Extended edition, and all sorts of other bonus shows and the like, available as always for our Patreon supporters at patreon.com/bookshambles

Previous winner of the Costa Book of the Year prize Nathan Filer joins Robin Ince in a hotel room back in January to chat about his new book, This Book Will Change Your Mind About Mental Health. They talk about the inspiration behind the book and Nathan's time working as a psychiatric nurse and in mental health research. To hear an extended version of this, and every, episode of Book Shambles, become a Patreon supporter at patreon.com/bookshambles

Brian Greene is a Professor of Theoretical Physics at Columbia University and one of the best selling science authors of all time. His latest book, Until the End of Time: Mind, Matter, and Our Search for Meaning in an Evolving Universe, is a personal look at some of the fundamental questions of existence through the lens of physics. He chats to Robin about the book, why he became a vegetarian, and then vegan, at age 9, and whether alien lifeforms care about maths... Support the podcast at patreon.com/bookshambles to get extended editions of each episode exclusive to Patreon pledgers.

Geneticist, author and broadcaster Dr Adam Rutherford returned to the Book Shambles studio just weeks before lockdown to talk about his latest book How to Argue with a Racist with Robin Ince. They chat about the history of race and racism, the science of race and whether race should be viewed as biological or social construct. Support the podcast at patreon.com/bookshambles to get extended editions of each episode exclusive to Patreon pledgers. There's bonus tales of bears and otters for you this week...

Oliver Double is a comedian, lecturer and comedy historian and his latest book Alternative Comedy: 1979 and the Reinvention of British Stand-Up is the definitive guide to the legacy of Alternative Comedy in Britain. Oliver interviewed Robin and Josie for the book so it seemed only right Robin and Josie interview Oliver about the book. Support the podcast at patreon.com/bookshambles to get extended editions of each episode exclusive to Patreon pledgers.

Another episode we recorded in the studio when such things were possible, Robin chats with Matthew Cobb, Professor of Zoology at the University of Manchester and author of the acclaimed new book The Idea of the Brain. They chat about Matthew's new book, free will and what it was like working with David Attenborough. Support the podcast and get extended editions of each and every episode at patreon.com/bookshambles

Recorded in the studio in the before times, Robin chats to epidemiologist, podcaster and author Dr Suzi Gage about her book, Say Why to Drugs. They chat about what is and isn't deemed a drug, shifting political opinions about drugs and the difficulties involved with researching drug use. Also Robin talks about the time he once took ecstasy on a canal boat. Support the show to get extended editions of episodes and other goodies at patreon.com/bookshambles

Back at the end of January, we recorded a live special as part of the Slapstick Festival in Bristol to celebrate the 50th anniversary of The Goodies, and countdown the Top 5 episodes as voted by the public. We had planned to put the episode out this week as a fun pick me up in the middle of this lockdown, but then on the weekend we learned of the sad passing of Tim Brooke-Taylor. We had a debate about whether it was still right to put the episode out this week but have decided to do so as a tribute to Tim, and to remember what a wonderful, talented and energetic man he was, even just a few months ago, before COVID-19. We hope it is the right decision. So please enjoy this conversation between Robin Ince, Tim Brooke-Taylor, Bill Odie and Graeme Garden; The Goodies. Support the podcast at patreon.com/bookshambles  

This episode of Book Shambles was recorded live as part of the Stay at Home Festival. Robin is joined by Dr Katie Mack to talk about her upcoming (albeit slightly pandemic delayed) book, The End of Everything. Then Lemn Sissay stops by to talk about creativity in a time of crisis as well as music from Laura Kidd. While The Stay at Home Festival is free to watch please do consider dropping a tip in the bucket at cosmicshambles.com/stayathome All profits will go to supporting acts, artists and venues who have lost all income during this pandemic. If you’d like to directly support what we do at the Cosmic Shambles Network visit patreon.com/bookshambles

Young Adult author Lisa Williamson joined Robin Ince in the studio (earlier this year) to talk about her new book Paper Avalanche, smuggling copies of her sister's Jackie Collins books, tackling difficult issues in YA fiction and whether Shane Meadows should make a Midlands version of Sweet Valley High... Support the podcast and get all sorts of goodies for doing so, like extended episodes, at patreon.com/bookshambles

Our guest this week is the author and activist Sophie Walker. This was meant to be an episode with two guests but we didn't get a chance to record the second guest before the world went mad so here's our chat with Sophie in the meantime! She chats to Robin and Josie about her new book, Five Rules for Rebellion, amongst many other things. Support the CSN at patreon.com/bookshambles and check out our daily shows as part of The Stay at Home Festival, running until we're all allowed to do real gigs again, at cosmicshambles.com/stayathome

Tracey Thorn started out as one half of the chart topping group Everything But the Girl but is now a top selling critically acclaimed author. Her latest book, Another Planet is an exploration of growing up in suburbia. She joins Josie and Robin to talk about that, discovering new art before the internet, trying to look cool by what books you like, generational divide, Jack Reacher and Robin’s just watched Horse Girl on Netflix. Support the podcast at patreon.com/bookshambles to get extended editions of each and every episode. 10 bonus minutes await pledgers this week including an in depth discussion of The Stranger adaptation on Netflix.

Another returning favourite previous guest this week as singer and songwriter David McAlmont joins Robin in the studio. They chat about David's new project looking at some specific works of James Baldwin, the difficulty of separating the artist from the art and a whole bunch more. Support the podcast at patreon.com/bookshambles to get extended editions of each and every episode. Over 10 extra minutes of chat with David and Robin this week.

Claudia Hammond was on Book Shambles back in 2016 and now the host of the BBC's All in the Mind returns to talk to Robin about her new book The Art of Rest. They chat about how one of the most restful things you can do is, of course, read! They also chat about the evolving public perception of mental health, particularly in old mental health books as well as Little Women, Laura Dodsworth, Sally Rooney and much more! Support the podcast at patreon.com/bookshambles to get extended editions of each and every episode.

Konnie Huq was a much loved presenter of the children’s show Blue Peter for over a decade and now she’s written her first children’s book, Cookie. She joins Robin in studio to chat about that book, the books that got her hooked on reading as a kid, how we should be encouraging kids to read in school, fairy tales, National Geographic and much more. Support the show by pledging at patreon.com/bookshambles and get extended episodes each week. 10 bonus and exclusive minutes with Robin and Konnie this week.

Recorded live at the Bristol Old Vic as part of the Slapstick Festival, Robin chats with Prof Sophie Ratcliffe and Joanna Neary about the work, and slapstick credentials, of PG Wodehouse. They chat about his letters (collected and edited in a volume by Sophie), turns of phrase and favourite Jeeves and Wooster moments. There's also chat of Joanna's character Celia, Sophie's new book about about life, death, love and trains, Mills and Boons and much more. Support the podcast at patreon.com/bookshambles to get extended editions of each and every episode. Around 15 bonus minutes await pledgers this week where you can find out why Raymond Chandler cost Robin a pub quiz victory...

At this year's Slapstick Festival in Bristol, the Cosmic Shambles Network team were there across the festival recording all sorts of events we were taking part in for a special series of podcasts. In this first episode Robin chats with Stephen Merchant about the enduring legacy of Laurel and Hardy, their favourite Laurel and Hardy films and some fun stories from a Laurel and Hardy book Stephen got second hand. In the second segment, as part of a celebration of At Last the 1948 Show, Robin chats with Tim Brooke-Taylor about the show, working with Cleese and Chapman and especially Marty Feldman as Robin regales stories from Marty's recently found autobiography. Support the Cosmic Shambles Network on Patreon and get extended editions of each episode, including this one. Go to patreon.com/bookshambles

In a Shambles Extra, Robin chats to comedian, poet and activist Chris McGlade. Robin became interested in Chris' work after reading about it online, specifically his new show Forgiveness in which he talks about his father's murder and so Robin and he caught up. Support the show at patreon.com/bookshambles

A Book Shambles / Film Shambles episode as author and film critic Mark Kermode joins Robin and Josie to talk his own books on films, great books about films and some of the best, and worst, film tie in novelisations. And Robin and Mark realise they are both huge fans of the same three obscure films. Patreon supporters get a very special bumper episode this week with almost an entire bonus half hour of film chat as Mark reveals regrettable reviews, Josie has it in for Raa Raa the Noisy Lion and lots more. You can become a Patreon supporter by going to patreon.com/bookshambles

Recorded live in Thirsk at the Podcast Social Festival, Robin is joined by Laura Kidd (who you might better know as She Makes War) and psychologist and author Charles Fernyhough. Using the book edited and by Charles, Others: Writers on the Power of Words To See Beyond Ourselves as a launching pad they chat about the nature of storytelling, the power of books and the importance of seeing the world through the eyes of 'others'. Support the podcast at patreon.com/bookshambles to get extended editions of each and every episode.