The TLS Podcast

This week, Camille Ralphs confides the highs and lows of travelling by Greyhound bus; and Alev Adil boards a train to join current night owls and bygone tourists.'Greyhound', by Joanna Pocock'Moonlight Express: Around the World by Night Train', by Monisha Rajesh'To the Sea by Train: The Golden Age of Railway Travel', by Andrew MartinProduced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Damian Flanagan explores the complex history of the Japanese masterpiece The Tale of Genji; and Miranda France on the eventful life and enduring work of Miguel de Cervantes.'The Tale of Genji', by Murasaki Shikibu'El Verano de Cervantes', by Antonio Muñoz Molina'El Cautivo', directed by Alejandro AmenábarProduced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

C.D. Rose, a celebrated novelist and Goldsmiths Prize winner for 'We Live Here Now', dives into the themes of absence and artistic value. He discusses the novel's unique episodic structure and the challenges of finding the right form. The conversation also explores the complexities of gallery culture, the unseen labor in art's supply chain, and the contrasting perceptions of artistic versus monetary value. Rose emphasizes the importance of playfulness in creativity and shares his insights on blending genres, showcasing how narratives can be expanded in contemporary literature.

This week, how well does Alan Hollinghurst's novel The Line of Beauty translate to the stage? And Toby Lichtig interviews the newest winner of the Booker Prize, David Szalay.'The Line of Beauty', by Jack Holden, based on the novel by Alan Hollinghurst, Almeida Theatre, London, until November 29'Flesh', by David SzalayProduced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Terri Apter reviews a quartet of books exploring the impact of parenthood on identity, particularly for women; and we revisit Helen Garner, as she wins the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction.'Four Mothers: A year of motherhood around the world', by Abigail Leonard'The Republic of Parenthood: On bringing up babies', by Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett'Second Life: Having a child in the digital age', by Amanda Hess'Childless by Choice: The meaning and legacy of a childfree life', by Helen Taylor'How to End a Story: Collected Diaries', by Helen GarnerProduced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Lily Herd introduces us to the concept of Fascist Yoga; and Mark Storey on America’s ghosts.‘Sick Houses: Haunted Homes and the Architecture of Dread’, by Leila Taylor‘Haunted States: An American Gothic Guidebook’, by Miranda CorcoranProduced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Margaret Drabble enjoys an enthralling biography of an adventure writer and his entourage; and Thea Lenarduzzi on the gothic mystery at the heart of her new book.'Storyteller: The life of Robert Louis Stevenson', by Leo Damrosch'The Tower', by Thea LenarduzziProduced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Mary Beard grapples with a noisy new version of Euripides at the National Theatre; and Norma Clarke on the mysterious world of Helen DeWitt's new novel.'Bacchae', by Nima Taleghani, after Euripedes, Olivier Theatre, National Theatre, London, until November 1'Your Name Here', by Helen DeWitt and Ilya GridneffProduced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Tim Lake explains why Bertie Wooster is not half the dimwit we think he is; and fiction editor Toby Lichtig introduces the novels to look out for this autumn.Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Nicola Shulman is entranced by the life of a naturalist; and Larry Wolff enjoys a night at the opera - with added superheroes.'A year with Gilbert White: The first great nature writer', by Jenny Uglow'The amazing adventures of Kavalier & Clay', by Mason Bates and Gene Scheer, based on the book by Michael Chabon, Metropolitan Opera, New York, until October 11Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.