The Book Club Review

It's our 2023 review of the year. Join me (Kate), Laura and Phil as we look back over our favourites, from new releases to backlist gems. Find out our overall book of the year, plus the books we're looking forward to in 2024. If you're wondering what to read next, this is the show for you, with over fifty tried and tested recommendations. Support the show, get our weekly newsletter or join our monthly book club via Patreon. Follow us on Instagram or Threads Find full shownotes and a transcript on our website thebookclubreview.co.uk Book list Favourite New Release August Blue by Deborah Levy The Rainbow by Yasunari Kawabata, and we also discussed Snow Country Fire Rush by Jacqueline Crooks Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton Now is Not the Time to Panic by Kevin Wilson Kick the Latch by Kathryn Scanlan Favourite backlist title Austerlitz by W.G. Sebald The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston Charlotte by David Foenkinos A Month in the Country by J.L. Carr A Place of Greater Safety by Hilary Mantel Black Narcissus by Rumer Godden The Ginger Tree by Oswald Wynd Favourite non-fiction This Much is True by Miriam Margolyes A House of Air (collected writing, ed. Hermione Lee) by Penelope Fitzgerald The Palace Papers by Tina Brown How to Talk About Books you Haven't Read by Piere Bayard Carmageddon by Daniel Knowles Free by Lea Ypi Favourite Book Club Read Super Infinite: The Transformations of John Donne by Katherine Rundell The Years by Annie Ernaux Favourite comfort reads Went to London, Took the Dog by Nina Stibbe The Grove: A Nature Odyssey in 191/2 Front Gardens by Ben Dark Once Upon a Tome by Oliver Darkshire Madensky Square by Iva Ibbotson Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld Instructions for a Heatwave by Maggie O'Farrell Going Zero by Anthony McCarten Most disappointed by The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton Woman of Light by Kali Fajardo-Anstine (but do read Sabrina and Corina) Patreon recommends Loot by Tania James Factory Girls by Michelle Gallen Cider House Rules by John Irving Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung The Axman's Carnival by Catherine Chidgey Not Now Not Ever by Julia Gillard All That's Left Unsaid by Tracey Lien River Sing Me Home by Eleanor Shearer The Boy and the Dog by Seishu Hase Cakes and Ale by Somerset Maugham The Mermaid of Black Conch by Monique Roffey Machines Like Me by Ian McKewan Death and the Penguin by Andrei Kurkov The Sixteen Trees of the Somme by Lars Mytting Overall Book(s) of 2023 Septology by Jon Fosse (and we mentioned Morning and Evening) Stay True by Hua Hsu How to Read Now by Elaine Castillo The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff Monsters by Claire Dederer Books we're looking forward to Arturo's Island by Elsa Moranti Rememberance of Things Past by Proust (vol. 3) Miss Benson's Beetle by Rachel Joyce Cahokia Jazz by Francis Spufford Tremor by Teju Cole The Maniac by Benjamin Labatut See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We read all six Booker shortlisted books, now join us as we evaluate them and try to second-guess the Booker judges, before finding out the winner - don't miss our hot take. 'A novel is a mirror carried along a high road' says Chair of the Booker judges Esi Edyugan, quoting Stendhal. 'Year after year', she continues, 'the Booker Prize encourages us to take sight of ourselves in the lives of others, to slip for the length of a story into different skins, to grapple with unfamiliar worlds that allow us to see our own afresh.' Unsurprisingly, seeing the world as it is right now has led to the most downbeat shortlist in our collective memory, but that doesn't mean these books don't make for fantastic discussion. As ever, we won't spoil the plots we'll just give you a sense of what we thought of them. Join me, Kate, with Laura, our regular guest Phil Chaffee, and first-timer, book blogger Martin Voke, as we talk through The Bee Sting by Paul Murray (audiobook narrated by Heather O'Sullivan, Barry Fitzgerald, Beau Holland, Ciaran O'Brien, Lisa Caruccio Came and published by Penguin Audio) Prophet Song by Paul Lynch (audiobook narrated by Gerry O'Brien and published by Bolinda Audio @bolindaaudio @borrowbox) If I Survive You by Jonathan Escoffery (audiobook narrated by Torian Brackett and published by Fourth Estate) Western Lane by Chetna Maroo (audiobook narrated by Maya Saroya and published by Picador) This Other Eden by Paul Harding (audiobook narrated by Eduardo Ballerini, and published by Penguin Audio) and Study for Obedience by Sarah Bernstein (narrated by Sarah Bernstein and published by Granta) And for a deep dive into the winner and all fifty-seven previous winners of The Booker Prize don't miss Martin's website On the Prize See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry has sold over 2 and a half million copies worldwide since publication in 1985, and won a Pulitzer Prize. With prose as 'as smooth as worn saddle-leather', USA today writes 'If you read only one Western novel in your life, read this one . . . no other has ever approached the accomplishment of Lonesome Dove'. More interesting to us, Lonesome Dove is one of those 'if-you-know-you-know' books, passed from reader to reader, once read, never forgotten. And yet not everyone is a fan – listen in to see what Laura's book club made of it. As ever we're careful not to spoil the plot, so rest assured we won't give away any of the book's secrets. We're also recommending some follow-ons and some favourites from our recent reading piles. Book list Prairie Fires by Caroline Fraser Days Without End by Sebastian Barry The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff Austerlitz by W.G. Seabed Sharp by Michelle Dean How to Talk About Books you Haven't Read by Pierre Bayard Notes If you read one article on Lonesome Dove, let it be this brilliant oral history that Texas Monthly put together, which is full of fascinating detail about the TV series and the book. The audiobook of Lonesome Dove is published by Phoenix Books and read by Lee Horsley. Links Website: https://www.thebookclubreview.co.uk Follow us on Instagram Find out about our Patreon, Kate's weekly book recommendations newsletter and how to join our book club and get extra episodes See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Irish author Claire Keegan is generally considered to be one of the finest writers working today. 'Every word is the right word in the right place, and the effect is resonant and deeply moving' said Hilary Mantel, of her work, while for Colm Toiíbín 'Claire Keegan makes her moments real – and then she makes them matter.' Praise indeed, but what did our brand new podcast book club make of So Late in the Day, her most recently published short story? We'll be reporting back. And we're also rounding up a few stand-outs from our recent reading piles, from J. L. Carr's meditative classic A Month in the Country to V.E. Schwab's latest fantasy novel The Fragile Threads of Power. Book list So Late in the Day and Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan The English Understand Wool by Helen DeWitt, The Road to the City by Natalia Ginsberg in the Storybook ND series Tom Lake, Bel Canto and The Dutch House by Ann Patchett The Masqueraders by Georgette Heyer The Secrets of Sir Richard Kenworthy by Julia Quinn Miss Pym Disposes by Josephine Tey A Month in the Country, by J. L. Carr Soldier, Sailor by Claire Kilroy The Fragile Threads of Power by V.E. Schwab Join us on Patreon Here's the link for all the details, find out what extras you'll receive. Connect with us Find us on Instagram or Facebook @bookclubreviewpodcast On X at @bookclubrvwpod or email us at thebookclubreview@gmail.com, we love to hear from youSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is there any point in doing a nice thing if you can't flaunt it on social media? Can we ever know what it's like to be a bat? If we know Cinderella isn't real, why do we care about whether or not she marries the prince? In this episode Kate is joined by Jonny Thomson, the man behind the popular Instagram account @philosophyminis, and a bestselling book of the same name. With a new title out, Mini Big Ideas, it seemed the perfect time to catch up with him and consider the philosophical ideas that lie behind three works of fiction: The Death of Yvan Illyich by Leo Tolstoy, Death and the Penguin by Andrey Kurkov and Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman. Just what connects these three titles? Listen in to find out, plus a few more book recommendations. All that, plus discover 'the gap', and how knowing about it might change your life, and the benefits of scepticism. Book list On Fairy Stories by J.R.R. Tolkien The Road by Cormac McCarthy The Death of Ivan Illyich by Leo Tolstoy (and in particular the Peter Carson translation) Death and the Penguin by Andrei Kurkov Super-Infinite: The Transformations of John Donne by Katherine Rundell Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman Leonard & Hungry Paul by Ronan Hession Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma by Claire Dederer Metaphysical Animals by Rachel Wiseman and Claire MacCumhaill Philosopher Queens by Rebecca Buxton and Lisa Whiting Mini Philosophy and Mini Big Ideas by Jonny Thomson Notes Find Jonny on Instagram @philosophyminis Find us at: https://www.thebookclubreview.co.uk Instagram @bookclubreviewpodcast Kate's Threads reading log: @bookclubreviewpodcast@threads.net Newsletter sign-up: https://substack.com/@thebookclubreview Patreon and book club: We've made free episodes of The Book Club Review for 6 years now, and we'll continue to keep them free, and ad-free. But they take a lot in terms of time and resources so if you appreciate the shows and would like to support us we now have a Patreon where you can do that. In return you'll get weekly bookish recommendations from Kate, plus, at the higher tier, extra episodes and membership of our podcast book club, to be held over Zoom once a month on Sunday nights (UK time). We would love to see you there. https://patreon.com/thebookclubreviewSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Whether you're after fly-through-them page-turners or immersive long-reads, or perhaps you're after a challenge, or the perfect discussion book, we've got the list for you. Find out our expert picks from indie-bookshop Bookbar's Chrissy Ryan, a woman at the centre of a hub of reading recommendations from authors, customers and booksellers alike. Kate is swapping notes and sharing her own summer reading pile. Plus just to pack in even more book tips we've got a few extra recommendations from Chrissy's Bookbar team. And so sit back and let us give you books to inspire, inform, amuse and entertain as we see out the summer and anticipate our Autumn reads.BooklistThe Guest by Emma ClineYellowface by Rebecca F. KuangThe Centre, by Ayesha Manazir Siddiqui,Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle ZevinSmall Worlds by Caleb Azumah Nelson,Time's Shelter by Gyorgi Gospodinov,Whale by Cheon Myeong-kwanHow to Read Now and America is not the Heart by Elaine CastilloCahokia Jazz by Francis SpuffordThe Maniac by Benjamin LabatutBirnam Wood by Eleanor CattonThe Secret History by Donna TarttDemon Copperhead by Barbara KingsolverTom Lake, and These Precious Days by Ann PatchettRead This: Handpicked Favourites from America's Indie Bookstores, compiled by Hans Weyandt (Coffee House Press)Roman Stories and Whereabouts by Jhumpa LahiriGood Material by Dolly AldertonNotesVisit Bookbar online The indie publishing mavericks shaking up the UK book world (The Guardian)The Book Club Review's Fitzcarraldo episodeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you've been wondering whether or not to tackle the work of Nobel-prizewinner Annie Ernaux, and in partiular The Years, generally considered to be definitive, listen in and find out what Laura's book club thought (you might be surprised). We're also generally delighted by how interesting the life of 17th-century poet John Donne is in the hands of Katherine Rundell, and her Baillie-Gifford prizewinner Super-Infinite. But were Kate's book club unanimous in their praise? Discover more great reads as we delve into our recent reading piles. Find out the hits and misses, plus the books we've got on the go right now. Booklist The Years by Annie Ernaux Super-Infinite by Katherine Rundell The Banished Immortal by Ha Jin Grey Bees by Andrei Kurkov Avid Reader by Robert Gottlieb (and we also mentioned the film Turn Every Page) Book Lovers by Emily Henry Watch us Dance by Leila Slimani (and we also mentioned her other books Lullaby or The Perfect Nanny, and The Country of Others) Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton (and we also mentioned her previous book The Luminaries) Monsters by Claire Dederer The Great Reclamation by Rachel Heng Drive Your Plow over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tocarczuk Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry The Late Americans by Brandon Taylor Leave us a rating If you enjoy our shows and want to do a nice thing in return please do leave us a quick star rating and review. Wondering how to do that? From apple podcasts click the '...' next to the episode title (under the square graphic) and choose 'go to show'. From there scroll down past the episodes till you find 'Ratings & Reviews'. Tap the stars to add a star rating, tap 'write a review' slightly further down to add a comment. Thank you! Notes Website: https://www.thebookclubreview.co.uk Instagram @bookclubreviewpodcast Kate's Threads reading log: @bookclubreviewpodcast@threads.net Newsletter sign-up: https://substack.com/@thebookclubreview Patreon and book club: We're cooking up a pod bookclub, launching September, as part of our Patreon account. You'll be supporting our show, and once a month on Sunday nights (UK time) you'll also be able to join Kate for an online book-club, to be held over zoom. We'll put all the details on our Patreon soon, and hope you'll sign up as we can't wait to talk books in person.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join Kate in the historic market town of St. Albans, home to a cathedral, some impressive Roman ruins and one of Kate's favourite independent bookshops. Books on the Hill is owned and run by a mother and daughter duo who launched it just before the pandemic. Listen in and find out what makes it so special, their book club recommendations and discover Kate and Antonia's choices as they each pick three books from the shelves, from new releases to classic gems. Books mentioned: The Wild Places by Robert McFarlane The Bookshop by Penelope Fitzgerald The Sentence by Louise Erdrich Femina by Gina Ramirez The Scent of Flowers at Night by Leila Slïmani Ross Poldark by Winston Graham Queen Victoria by Lytton Strachey The Joy of Small Things by Hannah Jane Parkinson Why Women Grow by Alice Vincent Find Books on the Hill at https://www.books-on-the-hill.co.ukSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join us as professional book-recommender and Bibliotherapy queen Ella Berthoud helps us figure out how to overcome life's essential problems (if you're a reader, that is), namely how to cope with all the books there are in the world, what to do when you feel stuck in a reading rut, and the ultimate question, if you've started a book you're not enjoying, should you finish it? We're also diving into Ella's latest project, Fiction Prescriptions, a pack of cards with reading recommendations to soothe your soul and offer a cure for modern life, from Ageing through to Boredom via Hangovers and Procrastination. Booklist Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne The Last Passenger by Will Dean Therese Raquin by Emile Zola Miss Benson's Beetle by Rachel Joyce The Dream Job by Kiersten Modglin Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel The Overstory by Richard Powers And if you want more from the source do seek out The Novel Cure, co-written with Susan Elderkin, and Ella's own books The Art of Mindful Reading, and Fiction Prescriptions. If you want to find out more about Ella's bibliotherapy sessions or any other aspect of her work the link to her website, Ellaberthoud.com, is in the show notes. About us We hope you enjoyed this episode. For our full archive of nearly 150 shows, plus how to sign up to our bi-weekly-ish newsletter and how to support us on Patreon head over to our website, www.thebookclubreview.co.uk, where you'll also find full show notes for this episode and a transcript. Leave us a rating If you enjoy our shows and want to do a nice thing in return please do leave us a quick star rating and review. Wondering how to do that? From apple podcasts click the '...' next to the episode title (under the square graphic) and choose 'go to show'. From there scroll down past the episodes till you find 'Ratings & Reviews'. Tap the stars to add a star rating, tap 'write a review' slightly further down to add a comment. Thank you! Connect with us Instagram @bookclubreviewpodcast Newsletter sign-up: https://substack.com/@thebookclubreview Patreon: Details coming soon…See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join Sarah Oliver, a literary expert known for her insights on major awards, and Nina Davies, an avid reader sharing her experiences, as they explore the 2023 Women's Prize shortlist. They dive into the emotional depth of 'Demon Copperhead,' discussing its relevance amid societal issues. The conversation also touches on the vibrant narratives found in 'Fire Rush' and the unique perspectives of women in literature. Expect lively debates and personal stories as they navigate the anticipation of the prize announcement with humor and enthusiasm.