The Waterstones Podcast

When Han Kang accepted the Nobel Prize for Literature at the end of 2024, she spoke about the thread that connects her writing, from a poem she wrote at the age of 8, all the way through to her latest novel, We Do Not Part. We were delighted to be able to speak to her from South Korea about the questions that drive her writing, the themes of her latest novel and where that thread may take her and her readers next.

Four university friends now in their thirties are all experiencing their own takes on motherhood in the new novel from Holly Bourne, and a baby shower for one of them becomes the scene of a unique whodunnit. We sat down to speak with her about her own experiences with a baby who just wouldn't sleep, her run-in with a Rotary Club Santa, and why she's only happy as a writer if the prospect of someone reading her work makes her feel sick.

After the success of her first book, Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before? ⁠Dr Julie Smith⁠ wanted to create a new book, something to turn to when you find yourself in the eye of the storm. Whether it's lack of confidence, willpower or the feeling of overwhelm that are leaving you in stasis, this book offers support and real time tools to help get you moving in the right direction. We sat down to speak with her about why small actions are so powerful and which advice she turned to herself whilst writing.

Shortly after her Booker Prize win, we were delighted to host Samantha Harvey in conversation with Chief Executive of the Booker Prize Foundation, Gaby Wood, at Waterstones Piccadilly. In a wide-ranging conversation we discovered so much about Harvey’s writing process, preoccupations and response to seeing her novel Orbital triumph, and it is our privilege to be able to share that conversation with a wider audience. Enjoy!

On Boxing Day 2022, whilst in Rome, Hanif Kureishi fell after feeling faint. When he awoke, he realised he couldn't move his limbs, and life changed profoundly for him and those around him. What hadn't changed was his desire to write, and Shattered brings together the blogs that he began just a few days after that accident. We joined him at home to speak about that desire to write, the impact of becoming disabled, and what this change has taught him about human nature.

After the completion of her seasonal quartet, readers will have been wondering where Ali Smith might take us next and it shouldn't be a surprise that a writer who had so successfully captured our present moment should seek to extend her gaze just a little further into an all too imaginable near future. Gliff forms the first part of a two book sequence, followed next year by its sister novel, Glyph. We sat down with her to discuss the process of storytelling, the nature of dystopia, and why she still has hope for our future.

From his mega-selling debut, to viral superstardom and a career-renaissance that continues to this day, Rick Astley’s life has always been filed with music. We sat down to speak with him about first singles, making tea for Pete Waterman and why, despite the hardships, gratitude is so important.

Sometimes you want a second helping, and so it is with Stanley Tucci. After speaking with him about his memoir Taste, we were delighted to chat again about his new book, What I Ate In One Year (and related thoughts). Not just a chance to share some of his favorite food, but also the importance of friends, family, and making the most of every moment. Pull up a chair and join us.

Since winning the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize in 2015 with his debut picture book, Blown Away, we have been big fans of the work of Rob Biddulph. So when the chance came to visit his studio and find out more about not only his latest book, I Follow The Fox, but also about his process and passions, we leapt at the chance. Featuring foxes, imaginary friends and over two thousand post-it notes, join us for an uplifting conversation about children and creativity.

With a narrative that stretches over seven decades, the new novel from Alan Hollinghurst doesn’t just give us the intimate details of a man’s life, but allows us to see the shifting tectonics of Britain’s social and political landscape from the 1960s to the present day. We sat down with the author to discuss boarding schools, an actor’s life, and the brutal power of micro-aggressions.