Book Shambles

Our guest this week is Darryl Bullock, author and winner of the Penderyn Music Book Prize 2022 for The Velvet Mafia. But he's on the show this week to talk about his brand new book, Pride, Pop and Politics: Music, Theatre and LGBT Activism, 1970–2022. He chats to Robin about researching for the book, It's a Sin, fifty years of pride and where LGBT activism is today, and the same old tired attacks on people just trying to live their lives. 10 minutes of extra chat for Patreon subscribers this week. Sign up at patreon.com/bookshambles

We spoke to US author Jessamine Chan right after her novel, The School for Good Mothers was just revealed to be on Barack Obama's Summer Reading List. She chats with Robin about bucking expectations of what the book is about, writer's who've inspired her, avoiding parenting advice and they both try and not give away any of the twists and turns of the novel. Hear an extended version and support the show at patreon.com/bookshambles

On today's episode Robin is joined by Dr Helen Czerski as co-host to talk to US physicist Professor Michael Dine about his new book This Way to the Universe. They chat about the challenges of explaining complicated ideas to a mass audience, string theory and the different ways to tackle physics problems, from an experimental or theoretical approach. Hear an extended edition and get lots of other benefits by subscribing at patreon.com/bookshambles

Artist and writer James Bridle joins Robin this week to talk about his new book, Ways of Being: Beyond Human Intelligence. They hat about AI, Darwin's less popular experiments, science fiction, Ursula K. Le Guin and Robin asks none of the questions from his two sets of notes. To hear an extended version every episode, subscribe at patreon.com/bookshambles

On today's show, Josie talks to author and activist Oly Durose about his new book Suburban Socialism (or Barbarism). They chat about growing up conservative, reclaiming the suburbs, The Simpsons and the stigmas of social housing. Also Josie's baby gurgles adorably throughout the episode. Hear an extended edition, and get lots of other goodies, by becoming a Patreon supporter at patreon.com/bookshambles

Not only is Sarah Polley an Academy Award nominated screenwriter and acclaimed actor and director, but she’s also written Robin’s favourite book of 2022 so far, Run Towards the Danger. In today’s episode she joins Robin to talk about the memoir, the childhood trauma of working with Terry Gilliam, trying to make film sets better for child actors and how sometimes things are actually better if you only give 80% instead of 100. To hear and extended version, support the show, and get all sorts of goodies, subscribe at patreon.com/bookshambles

It's Dinosaur Day at Book Shambles! Or rather, The Last Days of the Dinosaurs, and the first days of the mammals. Helen Czerski is our host this week and she speaks with acclaimed dinosaur writer and fossil fanatic and hunter, Riley Black. They chat about why dinosaurs remain so exciting, what their extinction can teach us about the current ongoing mass extinction event, why we need to talk more about palaeobotany, her new book, and much more. Get extended episodes and a whole lot more by supporting the podcast at patreon.com/bookshambles

On today’s episode Professor Jim Al-Khalili returns to the show to talk to Robin and Helen about his new book, The Joy of Science. They chat about how the age of Trump was the impetuous for writing the book, how it became even more timely in the age of COVID, the joy of being wrong and echo chambers on social media. Plus Robin’s plan to build an actual echo chamber… To hear and extended version, support the show, and get all sorts of goodies, subscribe at patreon.com/bookshambles

The multi award winning writer Jocelyn Nicole Johnson joins Robin to talk about her debut novella, My Monticello this week. They chat about the book, how important it was to capture the feeling of a real place, and the long shadow of the events of Charlottesville on her life, and the book. Extended edition for Patreons, of course, at patreon.com/bookshambles

This week Josie Long is back from maternity leave and she takes the reigns of the podcast to talk to theatre maker and author Alan Lane about his new book The Club on the Edge of Town. They chat about how when COVID hit, and the theatres had to close, Alan turned his theatre company into a foodbank for those in need, the role of art and creativity in society, and how failing doesn't necessarily mean failing. Support the show at patreon.com/bookshambles