Bookshelfie: Women’s Prize Podcast S8 Ep20: Bookshelfie: Lily King
Nov 25, 2025
34:47
Award-winning author Lily King joins us from the road during her book tour to explore how women finding themselves and love are such big topics in her favourite books. Plus, she tells us the novels she returns to over and over again for comfort; and why Virginia Woolf has been such an important writer in her life.
Lily has written six novels which have been published in 28 languages. Her 2020 novel, Writers & Lovers, won the New England Society Book Awards, was a New York Times Notable Book and was chosen as a top-ten best book of 2020 by The Washington Post, NPR, People Magazine, and The LA Times. Her 2014 novel Euphoria won the Kirkus Award, the New England Book Award, and was a finalist for the National Book Critics Award, as well as being named one of the 10 Best Books of the year by The New York Times Book Review. Her latest novel, Heart the Lover, was released in October and was an instant New York Times bestseller.
Lily’s book choices are:
** It's Not the End of the World by Judy Blume
** To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
** I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
** Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
** The Transit of Venus by Shirley Hazzard
Vick Hope, multi-award winning TV and BBC Radio 1 presenter, author and journalist, is the host of season eight of the Women’s Prize’s BookshelfiePodcast. Every week, Vick will be joined by another inspirational woman to discuss the work of incredible female authors. The Women’s Prize for Fiction is the biggest celebration of women's creativity in the world and has been running for over 30 years.
Lily has written six novels which have been published in 28 languages. Her 2020 novel, Writers & Lovers, won the New England Society Book Awards, was a New York Times Notable Book and was chosen as a top-ten best book of 2020 by The Washington Post, NPR, People Magazine, and The LA Times. Her 2014 novel Euphoria won the Kirkus Award, the New England Book Award, and was a finalist for the National Book Critics Award, as well as being named one of the 10 Best Books of the year by The New York Times Book Review. Her latest novel, Heart the Lover, was released in October and was an instant New York Times bestseller.
Lily’s book choices are:
** It's Not the End of the World by Judy Blume
** To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
** I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
** Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
** The Transit of Venus by Shirley Hazzard
Vick Hope, multi-award winning TV and BBC Radio 1 presenter, author and journalist, is the host of season eight of the Women’s Prize’s BookshelfiePodcast. Every week, Vick will be joined by another inspirational woman to discuss the work of incredible female authors. The Women’s Prize for Fiction is the biggest celebration of women's creativity in the world and has been running for over 30 years.
Don’t want to miss the rest of season eight? Listen and subscribe now!
You can buy all books mentioned from our dedicated shelf on Bookshop.org - every purchase supports the work of the Women's Prize Trust and independent bookshops.
You can buy all books mentioned from our dedicated shelf on Bookshop.org - every purchase supports the work of the Women's Prize Trust and independent bookshops.
This podcast is sponsored by Baileys and produced by Bird Lime Media.