Book Shambles With Robin And Josie

Our guest this week was meant to be Lemn Sissay but a mix up with timings meant Robin and Josie found themselves alone in the studio for 40 minutes or so. So what better way to fill the time than catch up with what they've been reading since they last saw each other a couple of months ago! Jean Rhys, Alistair Humphreys, Shirley Jackson, Roger Deakin and more! Support the podcast by pledging at http://patreon.com/bookshambles

Renowned physicist and broadcaster Prof Jim Al-Khalili has just written his first work of fiction, the sci-fi novel Sunfall. So he joins Robin and Bec in studio to talk about what that experience was like, making sure the science is right in fiction, favourite sci-fi authors and much more. Extended edition available, as always, to Patreon supporters. Become one at https://patreon.com/bookshambles

This week one of the most recognisable voices in British radio, Mark Radcliffe, joins Robin and Bec to talk about his new book Crossroads: In Search of the Moments That Changed Music. They chat about the book, why The Beatles aren't the perfect band, why Jimi Hendrix was the perfect guitarist and how Black Sabbath might've invented heavy metal after a machining accident. Also Bec recounts her brief career cameo as a drummer... Support the podcast at https://patreon.com/bookshambles to get extended editions of each and every episode.

On this episode of Book Shambles Robin Ince and Bec Hill are joined by former winner of the Royal Society Book Prize for science books, Gaia Vince. They chat about her award winning book, Adventures in the Anthropocene, the state of the climate, hope for the future of humanity and urinating in the wild... Get extended episodes and support the podcast by pledging at https://patreon.com/bookshambles

Robin is once again joined by guest co-host Bec Hill and their special guest this week is Wellcome Book Prize winner Will Eaves. They chat about Will's award winning novel Murmur plus Alan Turing, Montaigne, Andy Stanton and the role of mirrors in fiction... Support the podcast and everything at the CSN by pledging as little as a dollar a month at patreon.com/bookshambles Robin's tour dates at robinince.com, CSN events at cosmicshambles.com and Bec's at www.bechillcomedian.com Murmur is available wherever you buy books.

On this week's episode Robin and guest co-host Bec Hill are joined by comedian, novelist and 'Grumpy Old Woman' Jenny Eclair to chat about her new novel Inheritance. They chat about Jenny's lack of a plan when she starts writing, being a pioneering 'woman in stand up', John Niven and cling film... Support the show on Patreon to get extended episodes each and every week. Go to https://patreon.com/bookshambles

It's a Book Shambles - Griefcast crossover this week as Cariad Lloyd joins Robin and (eventually) guest co-host Bec Hill in the studio. They chat about the best books that deal with grief, Jane Austen and the allure of a Penguin classic.A bumper 20 extra minutes awaits Patreon supporters this week. Become one at http://patreon.com/bookshambles

On an Apollo 50th special we talk to a number of people about a single book, Arthur C Clarke’s 1986 book ‘July 20th 2019’ in which he imagines what life might be like on the 50th anniversary of the moon landing. Recorded mostly at the Latitude Festival on said anniversary, with book in hand, Robin chats to Chris Lintott, Helen Czerski, Kevin Fong and Suzie Imber about their impressions of Clarke’s vision. Support the podcast at patreon.com/bookshambles to get extended editions of each and every episode. This week Patreon’s get an entire bonus guest, as Robin chats about the book with Hannah Critchlow.

The second episode recorded live from The Elgar Room at the Royal Albert Hall, Robin and Josie are joined by comedian Reginald D Hunter. They chat about what's changed in Reginald's comedy in the twenty years he's been in the UK, the books his sisters made him read, the power of Charlie Brown, Richard Wright, Neil Postman and much more. Also this week, play the fun guessing game of who it was Josie was talking about that we had to bleep out... Support the podcast at patreon.com/bookshambles to get extended editions of each and every episode. Both Reg and Josie are up at this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe with brand new shows so be sure to check them out.

We are back! Recorded live from the Elgar Room at the Royal Albert Hall, Robin and Josie are joined by actor Wendell Pierce (The Wire, Treme) who is currently winning acclaim for his lead turn in Death of a Salesman at The Young Vic. They chat about Arthur Miller and the potency of the Loman family being portrayed by an African American cast, bad accents in The Wire, Taylor Branch, Kate Grenville and more. Support Book Shambles and the Cosmic Shambles Network by pledging as little as $1 a month at http://patreon.com/bookshambles to get extended episodes, free tickets to events and much more! Tickets for the West End transfer of Death of a Salesman can be found at http://salesmanwestend.com

With Robin and Josie both on tour at the moment, and Book Shambles on a small break, we thought you might enjoy a bit of a Book Shambles / Science Shambles crossover episode. Helen Czerski is still in the host chair subbing for Robin and this week she is joined by cosmologist and best selling science author Marcus Chown. His latest book, Infinity in the Palm of Your Hand, looks at fifty bonkers things about the Universe and the two try to dig into as many as possible. Would it matter if the Sun was made of bananas? Can you fit all of humanity in a sugar cube... Support the podcast, and the Cosmic Shambles Network by pledging at patreon.com/bookshambles

Robin is joined by guest co-host Bec Hill to chat to author and psychoanalyst Josh Cohen about his new book Not Working. They chat about the psychology of various authors from Emily Dickinson to David Foster Wallace and why Orson Welles was a workaholic. Also features a cameo from Sunday Times #1 bestseller Matt Parker. Support the podcast to hear extended editions of each episode at http://patreon.com/bookshambles 

This week Robin, and returning guest co-host Bec Hill, are joined by acclaimed US author Jarett Kobek. His novel I Hate the Internet is a regularly mentioned favourite on this podcast, so while he was in the UK it seemed only right to get him into the studio. They chat about that book, his new book Only Americans Burn in Hell, video games, virtue in the age of Trump and other favourite authors. Support the podcast at http://patreon.com/bookshambles to get extended editions of each and every episode. 

Author Kerry Hudson joins Robin this week, along with guest co-host Bec Hill, to talk about her new book Lowborn which is out very soon. They talk about classism, poverty, Dennis Potter and the healing power of libraries. To find out more about the charities mentioned in this episode, go to cosmicshambles.com/bookshambles/kerryhudson Support the podcast and everything we do at the CSN by pledging at patreon.com/bookshambles and get extended editions of each and every episode. 

This week one of our Shambles bloggers, Pete Etchells, joins Robin and guest co-host Bec Hill, to talk about his brand new book Lost in a Good Game. They chat about the book, video games, Douglas Adams, the Stanford Prison Experiment and much more. Pete's book is out now and you can read his blog at cosmicshambles.com/words/blogs/peteetchells Support the podcast at patreon.com/bookshambles to get extended editions of each and every episode. 

This week we welcome back a Book Shambles regular, and recent Sunday Times Number One Bestseller, Philippa Perry. She joins Robin and guest co-host Bec Hill to talk about her new book, The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read, youth fiction, Janne Teller and, ah, Rocky IV... Support the podcast at patreon.com/bookshambles to get extended editions of each and every episode. 10 bonus minutes await pledgers this week. 

Everyone from Robin to Alan Moore has talked about Picnic Comma Lightning on the podcast so we thought it high time we had its author, Laurence Scott, on the show to talk about. Joined by guest co-host Bec Hill, they chat about the new reality of the digital age, the Fyre Festival, Nabokov, Virginia Woolf and more. Support the podcast at patreon.com/bookshambles to get extended editions of each and every episode. 

Recorded live at the Manchester Science Festival Robin chats to writer and psychologist Charles Fernyhough and neuroscientist Professor Sophie Scott. They chat about Charles latest book The Voices Within, it's influence on Robin's book, some of the most influential books in psychology and doing experiments on your own children... Support the podcast at patreon.com/bookshambles to get extended editions of each and every episode. 20 bonus minutes await pledgers this week. 

The journalist and broadcaster Samira Ahmed joins Robin and Josie this week to talk about politics, the joy of library books, the joy of putting in brand new book shelves and some of her favourite books. Also Robin is annoyed Billy Wilder wasn't forced to make more films. Support the podcast and network and get things like extended editions of each episode at patreon.com/bookshambles

US theatre and filmmaker Jessie Nelson (I Am Sam, Corrina, Corrina) was in town last week for the opening of Tony Award nominated musical Waitress for which she wrote the book based on the film of the same name. So Robin caught up with her for a Book Shambles Extra to chat about books that have inspired her, her differing experiences writing for stage and screen and writing her first musical. Support the podcast at patreon.com/bookshambles to get extended episodes and much more.