The Brit Lit Podcast
A show of news and views from the world of British books and publishing
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78: Murmuration, with Blake Auden
12/02/2021
78: Murmuration, with Blake Auden
Our guest on episode 78 is poet Blake Auden, who has almost 300,000 Instagram followers and is known for speaking openly about mental health. He also has four collections of poems out in the world, and the most recent is Murmuration, which came out in October.
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Bonus episode: The Idea Of You, with Robinne Lee
11/18/2021
Bonus episode: The Idea Of You, with Robinne Lee
My guest in this special bonus episode is Robinne Lee, the author of my favourite read of 2021, The Idea Of You. She's not British, but I loved this book so much that I wanted to bring you this interview anyway!
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77: The Party Crasher, with Sophie Kinsella
11/04/2021
77: The Party Crasher, with Sophie Kinsella
I’m so excited to bring you an interview with none other than Sophie Kinsella, who’s known to many as the queen of British chick lit and the author of the mega-bestselling Shopaholic series.
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76: Careless, with Kirsty Capes
10/07/2021
76: Careless, with Kirsty Capes
This month’s guest is Kirsty Capes, author of the novel Careless. We talked about why she wanted to write about female friendship, what it was like to study with Bernadine Evaristo, why it's especially important for kids in the foster care system to see themselves reflected in books, and a whole lot more.
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75: The Roxy Letters, with Mary Pauline Lowry
09/02/2021
75: The Roxy Letters, with Mary Pauline Lowry
This month’s guest is Mary Pauline Lowry, who wrote . Mary is married to a Brit, and she had lots of fascinating insights about the cultural differences between the countries, and I loved talking to her back about Bridget Jones and Jane Austen too. The Roxy Letters was one of my favourite reads of 2020. It was really fun and just what I needed. It’s out now in paperback. Mary and I talked about why we love epistolary novels, took a bit of an accidental deep dive into books about Hollywood, chatted about the difference between British humour and American humour, and lots more! ***** Want to help the Brit Lit Podcast survive and thrive? . ***** Books Mentioned on the Podcast: , by Mary Pauline Lowry , by Helen Fielding , by Maria Semple , by Julie Schumacher , by John Kennedy O'Toole , by Alice Walker , by Jane Austen , by Jane Austen , by Jane Austen , by Jane Austen , by Jane Austen , by Karen Joy Fowler , by Curtis Sittenfeld , by John Gray , by Claire Handscombe , by Claire Handscombe , by Ash Davidson , by Emma Jane Unsworth , by Mieko Kawakami, transl. Sam Bett and David Boyd , by Kristy Greenwood , by Taylor Jenkins Reid , by Taylor Jenkins Reid , by Robinne Lee , by Elizabeth Gonzalez James , by Alexis Hall , by Alexis Hall , by Owen Nicholls , by Paula Hawkins , by Paula Hawkins , by Sarfraz Manzoo ***** In the US and now the UK, buy your hardbacks and paperbacks from to support the podcast, as well as independent bookshops! In other countries, you can support the podcast by using this link to buy from , which ships internationally at inexpensive rates. Get your first two audiobooks for just $14.99 with the code BRITLIT on . Buy Claire’s novel, . Pre-order Claire's YA novel, . Sign up for Claire's mailing list. Questions? Comments? Need a book recommendation? Email Claire at ***** The Brit Lit Podcast / / / Mary Pauline Lowry / / Claire / / / /
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74: The Summer Job, with Lizzy Dent
08/05/2021
74: The Summer Job, with Lizzy Dent
Our guest on episode 74 of the Brit Lit Podcast, is Lizzy Dent, who wrote The Summer Job, and who’s also a YA author -- as Rebecca Denton, she wrote This Beats Perfect, among other books.
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73: Star-Crossed, with Minnie Darke
07/01/2021
73: Star-Crossed, with Minnie Darke
Our guest on episode 73 of the Brit Lit Podcast is Danielle Wood who, as Minnie Darke, wrote one of Claire's very favourite books of recent years, called Star Crossed. Among other things, she discussed what makes One Day by David Nicholls such an amazing novel, and gave some recommendations for books by Tasmanian authors.
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72: Who's Loving You: Love Stories by Women of Colour, with Sareeta Domingo
06/03/2021
72: Who's Loving You: Love Stories by Women of Colour, with Sareeta Domingo
Our guest today is Sareeta Domingo, who’s the author of both adult and young adult fiction, and most recently the editor of the collection called Who's Loving You: Love Stories by Women of Colour. She talks about romantic reads she loves, the process of putting together an anthology, why books by British authors of colour are important, and more.
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71: Exciting Times, with Naoise Dolan
05/06/2021
71: Exciting Times, with Naoise Dolan
Today, we hear from Naoise Dolan, who’s an Irish author and the writer of the Women’s Prize longlisted novel Exciting Times. She and I talked about cultural and literary differences between the UK, the US, and Ireland, what we both think about the idea of “likeable” characters, some great Irish authors, and more.
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The Most Fun Job, with Laurie Gillman of East City Bookshop
04/24/2021
The Most Fun Job, with Laurie Gillman of East City Bookshop
Happy Independent Bookstore Day! I work part-time in a lovely bookshop on Capitol Hill in Washington DC, and in this bonus episode, I interview my boss, Laurie Gillman, who founded the shop five years ago, to talk about what goes into starting and running a bookshop.
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70: This Time Next Year, with Sophie Cousens
04/01/2021
70: This Time Next Year, with Sophie Cousens
Our guest on episode 70 is Sophie Cousens, the author of the romantic novel This Time Next Year. She and I talked working in TV taught her about storytelling, what she misses about London, the special island where she lives now, her next book, and more.
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69: Uncoupling with Lorraine Brown
03/04/2021
69: Uncoupling with Lorraine Brown
Our guest today is Lorraine Brown, whose debut novel Uncoupling came out a couple of weeks ago in the UK, and will be out in the US as The Paris Connection this summer. It’s a delightful love story which made for a great start to my reading year. Lorraine spoke to me just before her novel was published, and we had a meandering chat about all kinds of things from our love of trains, our experiences of LA, why authors should stay away from their Goodreads reviews, and more.
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68: How The One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House, with Cherie Jones
02/04/2021
68: How The One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House, with Cherie Jones
Our guest today is Cherie Johnson, whose Barbados-set novel How The One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House is hot off the press and has won praise from all quarters. Cosmopolitan calls it “visceral and haunting” and Bernadine Evaristo says that it’s “a hard-hitting and unflinching novel from a bold new writer who tackles head-on the brutal extremes of patriarchal abuse”.
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67: I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day, with Milly Johnson
11/26/2020
67: I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day, with Milly Johnson
Our guest today is bestselling novelist Milly Johnson, who’s the author of many books of romantic fiction, most recently I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day. Milly has had a fascinating career, including as a greetings card joke writer, and I hope you’ll enjoy learning about that as much as I did! She talks to us about Christmas themed-book recommendations, why her latest book is her favourite of hers, her time ghost writing for Purple Ronnie, and more.
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66: Afraid of the Dark, with Lucy Farfort
10/29/2020
66: Afraid of the Dark, with Lucy Farfort
Our guest on episode 66 is Lucy Farfort, who’s the illustrator of the gorgeous new picture book Afraid of the Dark, written by Isabel Otter and Sarah Shaffi. It’s a lovely book about moving house, new beginnings, friendship and finding ways to cope with fear. Lucy and I talked about the process of illustrating books, advice for anyone who’d like to get into the field, the importance of diversity in publishing, and more.
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65: Eudora Honeysett Is Quite Well, Thank You, with Annie Lyons
09/24/2020
65: Eudora Honeysett Is Quite Well, Thank You, with Annie Lyons
Our guest on episode 65 is Annie Lyons, who, among other books, is the author of the lovely, heart-warming novel , known in the US as . It’s about an older woman who grew up in the Second World War and is now at the end of her life, and kind of over the whole thing, and ready to be done. But then a new family moves in next door, and she makes a new friend. I read it this spring, when reading had been a struggle for weeks –it was just the book I needed. Among other things, Annie talked to me about her recent favourite reads, her love of Mary Berry, and about her fascinating career in publishing – she worked as a bookseller on Charing Cross Road for a while, and I guarantee you will never be able to guess who her most famous customer was. Want to help the Brit Lit Podcast survive and thrive? . Books Mentioned on the Podcast: , by Gail Honeysett , by Ruth Hogan , by Helen Fielding , by Louis de Bernieres by Kate Quinn by Rosanna Amaka , by Mary Berry , by Mary Berry , by Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly , by Adele Parks , by Sasha Swire , by Caroline Corcoran , by Dolly Alderton , by Sara-Ella Ozbek , by Claire Handscombe In the US, buy your hardbacks and paperbacks from to support the podcast, as well as independent bookshops! In the UK, you can support the podcast by using this link to buy from , which ships internationally at inexpensive rates. Get your first two audiobooks for just $14.99 with the code BRITLIT on . Buy Claire’s novel, . Questions? Comments? Need a book recommendation? Email Claire at ***** The Brit Lit Podcast / / / Claire / / / Annie Lyons /
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64: Everything Is Fine, with Gillian Harvey
08/27/2020
64: Everything Is Fine, with Gillian Harvey
Our guest today is Gillian Harvey, the author of Everything Is Fine. She and I talked about how she ended up living in France, how social media can affect our self-worth, and more. ***** Want to help the Brit Lit Podcast survive and thrive? . Books Mentioned on the Podcast: , by Gillian Harvey , by Peter Mayle , by Stephen Clark , by Nicola Gill , by Sally Rooney , by Louise Hare , by Clare Mackintosh , by Zadie Smith , by Julie Welch , by Bolu Babalola , by Sarah Aspinall , by Douglas Stuart , by Claire Handscombe ***** Want to help the Brit Lit Podcast survive and thrive? . In the US, buy your hardbacks and paperbacks from to support the podcast, as well as independent bookshops! In the UK, you can support the podcast by using this link to buy from , which ships internationally at inexpensive rates. Get your first two audiobooks for just $14.99 with the code BRITLIT on . Buy Claire’s novel, . Questions? Comments? Need a book recommendation? Email Claire at ***** The Brit Lit Podcast / / / Claire / / / Gillian Harvey /
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63: Come Again, with Robert Webb
07/30/2020
63: Come Again, with Robert Webb
Our guest on episode 63 is Robert Webb, who, as well as being a writer, is an actor, best known for the hit British comedy Peep Show. He’s the author most recently of the novel Come Again. He describes that novel like this: Middle-aged widow time travels back to 1992 and tries to save future dead husband when he is an annoying student. Grief, nostalgia, jokes, car-chase, new love, renewal, joy. He and I talked about 90s nostalgia, the unusual structure of his book, and the emotional toll of time travel.
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Ordinary People, with Diana Evans
06/25/2020
Ordinary People, with Diana Evans
Today, we’re revisiting our interview with Diana Evans from a couple of years ago, as well as hearing about new books out this month. Diana Evans is the author of three novels, , , and most recently , which came out this spring in the UK to much acclaim and is out this week in the US. She talked to Claire about her favourite London-set books, her own past life as a dancer, why it was important for her to capture the experience of middle class black brits, and more. Want to help the Brit Lit Podcast survive and thrive? . Books Mentioned on the Podcast: , by Diana Evans , by Diana Evans , by Diana Evans , by Jean Rhys , by Zadie Smith , by Ben Judah , by Terese Marie Mailhot , by F Scott Fitzgerald , by Colum McCann , by Lucia Joyce , by Richard Buckle , by Meg Howrey , by Richard Yates , by Talia Hibbert , by Talia Hibbert , by Ian Stone , by Hazel Hayes , by Joanna Briscoe , by Claire Handscombe ***** I encourage you, now and always, to buy some of your books from Black-owned bookshops and Here's a list of books by . Want to help the Brit Lit Podcast survive and thrive? . Sign up for and get your first book for just $9.99 with the code BRITLIT! In the US, buy your hardbacks and paperbacks from to support the podcast, as well as independent bookshops! Get your first three audiobooks for under $5 each with the code BRITLIT on . Buy Claire’s novel, . Want to help the Brit Lit Podcast survive and thrive? . Questions? Comments? Need a book recommendation? Email Claire at ***** The Brit Lit Podcast / / / Claire / / / Diana Evans
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62: Would Like to Meet, with Rachel Winters
05/28/2020
62: Would Like to Meet, with Rachel Winters
On episode 62, we hear from Rachel Winters, the author of the rom com Would Like to Meet. She and I talked about our favourite rom coms in both books and film form, advice for people wanting to get into publishing, books featuring older people, and more.
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61: The Book of Echoes, with Rosanna Amaka
04/30/2020
61: The Book of Echoes, with Rosanna Amaka
On episode 61, we hear from Rosanna Amaka, whose debut novel The Book of Echoes came out in the now long-distant era of February this year, though I spoke to her just before her publication date. The Book of Echoes is a powerful novel that encompasses several different points in history, including the slave trade and the Brixton Riots.
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60: The Authenticity Project, with Clare Pooley
03/19/2020
60: The Authenticity Project, with Clare Pooley
On Episode 60, our guest today is Clare Pooley, who’s known for her blog Mummy Was a Secret Drinker. She's the author most recently of the heart-warming novel The Authenticity Project. Clare Pooley and I talked about up lit, the importance of community, how writing a novel compares to writing a memoir, and more.
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59: Everything I Know About Love, with Dolly Alderton
02/19/2020
59: Everything I Know About Love, with Dolly Alderton
Our guest on episode 59 is Dolly Alderton. As well as being half of the High Low podcast, Dolly is also a successful journalist and columnist, and her novel, , is forthcoming later this year. Her bestselling memoir came out in the UK in 2018, and is finally out in the US this month, in hardcover, ebook and also audio. We covered her favourite literary friendships, how it feels to write a novel after writing a memoir, the challenges and joys of working closely with a good friend on a hugely successful project, and more. Books Mentioned on the Podcast: , by Dolly Alderton , by Dolly Alderton , by Elena Ferrante , by Katherine Heiny , by Helen Fielding , by Emma Forrest , by Sophie Heawood , by Julian Barnes , by Iris Murdoch , by Elton John , by Tayari Jones : a Portrait of Joni Mitchell, by David Yaffe by Anita O'Day , by Polly Sampson , by Anne Enright , by Kevin Wilson , by Melissa Broder , by Anne Enright , by Kate Elizabeth Russell , by Claire Handscombe ***** Get 20% off a year’s digital subscription to the writing magazine Mslexia. Just and use the code BRITLIT20 at the checkout! Get your first three audiobooks for under $5 each with the code BRITLIT on . Buy Claire’s novel, . Support to get bonus content and personalised book recommendations. Buy to show your love for your podcast and help support it. Sign up to to get updates on her writing, as well as recommendations for books and podcasts. For daily news and views from British books and publishing, follow the . Questions? Comments? Need a book recommendation? Email Claire at ***** The Brit Lit Podcast / / / Claire / / / Dolly Alderton / /
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58: Stay Up with Hugo Best, by Erin Somers
01/15/2020
58: Stay Up with Hugo Best, by Erin Somers
On episode 58, we hear from Erin Somers, the American author of the novel Stay Up with Hugo Best. From time to time on the podcast, I interview people who are not British, for their take on UK books and culture, and it was great to chat to Erin about what differentiates British humour from American humour in particular. We talked about the American institution that is the late night show, the challenge of writing humour, the ridiculous tradition of book blurbing, and more.
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57: Get a Life, Chloe Brown, with Talia Hibbert
11/28/2019
57: Get a Life, Chloe Brown, with Talia Hibbert
Our guest on episode 57 is Talia Hibbert, who’s the author of many romance novels including, most recently, Get a Life, Chloe Brown.
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56: The Little Library Year, by Kate Young
11/14/2019
56: The Little Library Year, by Kate Young
On episode 56, we hear from Kate Young, who’s the author of The Little Library Cookbook and The Little Library Year, collections of recipes inspired by books. Kate Young is Australian but has lived in the UK for ten years, so I think we can claim her as one of our own. We talked about her journey writing about books and food, the process of creating recipes, Australian authors who deserve to be better known elsewhere, and more.
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55: You, Me and the Movies, with Fiona Collins
10/31/2019
55: You, Me and the Movies, with Fiona Collins
Our guest on episode 55 is Fiona Collins, who's the author of several novels including, most recently, You, Me and the Movies, a story about bumping into a long-ago love and the feelings it reignites. It's out now as an ebook and will be coming out in paperback on Boxing Day.
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54: Our Child of the Stars, with Stephen Cox
10/17/2019
54: Our Child of the Stars, with Stephen Cox
On this episode, we hear from Stephen Cox, whose debut novel came out earlier this year. And he’s also part of an innovative new bookshop in North London that’s being run by a cooperative. He and I talked about what makes the '60s such an interesting time to set a novel, the importance of bookshops on the high street, what makes a great writers’ group, and more. Books Mentioned on the Podcast: , by Stephen Cox , by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone , by Margaret Atwood Today would have been my dad's 76th birthday. In his honour, I've made five of his songs public on iTunes, Spotify, Pandora, and all (or most of) the other places people listen to music. These songs were part of the soundtrack to my childhood. You On My Mind is my favourite of these, and I love that Have Another Drink really showcases his piano playing -- the riffs are very him, very representative of his best musicianship. In his later years, he got a bit obsessed with adding electronic music effects, and I much prefer the original song-and-piano only versions of his songs. I hope some of those survive somewhere, and that I'll be able to share them one day. He also got a bit obsessed with the Obama campaign in '07-'08, and wrote a whole load of songs about that. They're not his best work, but I'll share them at some point too. Heck, maybe the Crooked media boys will get a kick out of them. I miss my dad often and a lot these days -- a lot of his heroes and influences are hitting milestones, releasing memoirs, and, sadly, passing away. I wish I could have seen Rocketman with him, and bought him Elton John's memoir. I wish I could have ranted about Brexit with him, too -- though it's probably best he never had to live through it. I know he'd be pleased that his music lives on, though. I hope people will enjoy it. https://open.spotify.com/album/6Gw81dZOrnvx2kpFKpKN8P?si=NG9WPRjpQSSQPNod7CtN5w , by Margaret Atwood , by Donna Tartt , by Bram Stoker , by Mary Shelley , by Zadie Smith , by Elton John , Julie Andrews , by Sophie Kinsella , by Sophie Kinsella , by Claire Handscombe ***** Get your first three audiobooks for under $5 each with the code BRITLIT on . Buy Claire’s novel, . Support to get bonus content and personalised book recommendations. Buy to show your love for your podcast and help support it. Sign up to to get updates on her writing, as well as recommendations for books and podcasts. For daily news and views from British books and publishing, follow the . Questions? Comments? Need a book recommendation? Email Claire at ***** The Brit Lit Podcast / / / Claire / / / Stephen Cox / All Good Bookshop /
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53: All The Books, with Liberty Hardy
10/03/2019
53: All The Books, with Liberty Hardy
From time to time on the podcast, we speak to someone who is not British, so that we get an outside perspective on UK books. On episode 53, we hear from Liberty Hardy, Book Riot's resident velocireader and all round Queen Of All Things Books. She talked about how she manages to read as much as she does – and she really does read a LOT – and we also talked about her favourite Kate Atkinson book, what Sarah Waters quote she has as a tattoo, and a lot more. It's a fun one -- have a listen! Also, it's the podcast's 2nd birthday today! If you'd like to buy it a present, some love on is always appreciated. Books mentioned in this episode: , by Jess Kidd , by Jess Kidd , by Jane Rawson , by Minnie Darke. , by Sarah Moss , by Kate Atkinson , by Kate Atkinson , by Sarah Waters , by Sarah Waters , by Sara Collins , by Candice Carty-Williams , by Max Porter , by Max Porter , by Graham Swift , by Timothy C Winegard , by Claire Handscombe ***** Get your first three audiobooks for under $5 each with the code BRITLIT on . Buy Claire’s novel, . Support to get bonus content and personalised book recommendations. Buy to show your love for your podcast and help support it. Sign up to to get updates on her writing, as well as recommendations for books and podcasts. For daily news and views from British books and publishing, follow the . Questions? Comments? Need a book recommendation? Email Claire at ***** The Brit Lit Podcast / / / Claire / / / Liberty Hardy / /
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52: Love Unscripted, with Owen Nicholls
09/19/2019
52: Love Unscripted, with Owen Nicholls
We hear from Owen Nicholls, author of the debut rom com Love, Unscripted. If you liked High Fidelity by Nick Hornby, Love Unscripted is definitely one for you to pick up. Owen Nicholls talks about some underrated rom coms, a little known film he recommends to us all, the breathtaking speed of the publishing industry (!) when compared to film making, and more.
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