Book Shambles

In the first instalment of our multi part end of year specials Josie and Robin chat about the best books they've read this year. Josie's got some poetry and short book recommendations and Robin's got some horror books and has finally read a Jean Rhys book. Also Nat Metcalfe pops in to give us his top comics of the year. Support the podcast at patreon.com/bookshambles  All new exclusive perks coming in 2018..

The 2017 Royal Institute's Christmas Lectures will be given by our good friend, cognitive neuroscientist Professor Sophie Scott. So before they air on Boxing Day Sophie joined Robin and Josie to talk about her favourite psychology books, great thrillers, closed bookshops and the latest research on dreams and communication. Be sure to watch the Christmas Lectures on the BBC and also check out Sophie and Josie as part of Cosmic Superheroes at cosmicshambles.com/superheroes Support the podcast at patreon.com/bookshambles  All new exclusive perks coming in 2018.

While Josie was in Glasgow, Robin caught up with a Glaswegian in London from Australia. As the frontman for Cold Chisel, and a solo artist with more number one albums to his name in Australia than anyone else in history, Jimmy Barnes is a rock legend. But more recently he's released a two volume autobiography about his harrowing childhood and youth that has garnered him multiple top literary prizes around the world. The second volume, Working Class Man, has just been released in the UK this week. We chatted to him about the process of writing that, how it's affected him on stage, and how it was much different to your run of the mill music autobiography. Please note that this episode contains frank discussions about suicide and abuse. Support Book Shambles by becoming a Patreon supporter at patreon.com/bookshambles

After joining Robin and Josie for a Film Shambles special, Will Smith (The Thick of It, Veep) is back for a Book Shambles. They chat about his own books and books about the Channel Islands and a whole lot more besides. This episode may have the longest reading list yet. From Zola to Le Carré via Jean Rhys and Terry Jones. Become a Patreon for as little as $3 a month. You'll get extended episodes, prizes and help to enable us to keep making the show. Visit patreon.com/bookshambles

While out in New Zealand Robin and Josie chatted to one of NZ's most celebrated science writers, Dr Rebecca Priestley. They chat about Rebecca's own work and her time in Antarctica as well as work through the big stack of books Rebecca brought in. From collections of essays and poetry, to the writings of Atul Gawande, Helen Macdonald and lots more. Please note that the small temporary studio we were put in to record this episode only had one mic to share between the three speakers, and Josie had a bad cold, so the audio quality isn't the best, sorry about that. To hear extended versions of Book Shambles plus the chance to win great book prizes, and bask in the satisfaction of knowing that for as little as $3 a month you can keep Book Shambles going, head to http://patreon.com/bookshambles

Founder of the iconic group The Go Betweens, Robert Forster, joins Robin and Josie this week to talk about his new book Grant and I. There's also chat of the work of Alan Bennett, Jack Kerouac and TS Elliot. And then Josie discovers Robert is a fan of The Neapolitan Novels... To hear extended versions of Book Shambles plus the chance to win great book prizes, and bask in the satisfaction of knowing that for as little as $3 a month you can keep BooK Shambles going, head to http://patreon.com/bookshambles

With Paddington 2 hitting cinemas tomorrow, Robin and Josie are joined by one of its script contributors, plus performers for the original film, Will Smith for a special episode, a much requested Film Shambles. You might best know Will from his work on shows like The Thick of It but did you also know he collects old films on VHS and associated promo tat? From Hawk the Slayer to A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night, there's a lot of ground to cover. Become a Patreon supporter of the show to help us keep on making it! As little as $1 an episode up to a maximum of $3 a month and you'll go into prize draws plus get extended and bonus episodes. Pledge here at www.patreon.com/bookshambles

Recorded back when the Book Shambles crew were out in Australia, we spoke with dual Miles Franklin award winner Kim Scott, whose new book Taboo has recently been published. Robin and Josie chat with Kim about some of his favourite books from when he was an English teacher, his own novels, imposter syndrome, Aboriginal storytelling and his work with preserving the Indigenous Australian Noongar language. To find out more about the Wirlomin Noongar Language and Stories Project at wirlomin.com.au You can support Book Shambles by becoming a Patreon supporter at patreon.com/bookshambles to hear extended episodes, win books and much more.

It's our first ever live episode of Book Shambles! Recorded at QEDCon in Manchester Robin Ince is joined by a panel of top science writers including Dr Dean Burnett, Dr Helen Czerski, Helen Keen and Ginny Smith. They chat about everyone's own science writing plus the work of Douglas Adams, Oliver Sacks, George RR Martin and lots more. Including sex magic with L. Ron Hubbard... Support Book Shambles on Patreon at patreon.com/bookshambles to get extended episodes, win prizes and more!

Singer-Songwriter Tanita Tikaram visited Robin and Josie in the Book Shambles studio armed with a bag of her favourite books. There's talk of Maya Angelou, Patrick Hamilton, Margaret Rutherford and the launching of a campaign to get some of Dorothy Porter's work reissued. To get extended versions of each episode, you can support the show at patreon.com/bookshambles