

Simon Mayo's Books Of The Year
Ora Et Labora
Simon Mayo and Matt Williams invite the world's finest authors in for a chat.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 11, 2021 • 16min
Q&A with John Boyne (The Echo Chamber)
The multi million best selling author talks us through some of his favourite books and authors which include Joseph Knox, CS Lewis, Peter Caren and John Irving Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 4, 2021 • 39min
John Boyne (The Echo Chamber)
John Boyne returns to the pod for his hat-trick appearance. He has written 13 novels for for adults, 6 novels for younger readers, and a short story collection, including The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas which was a New York Times no.1 Bestseller and was adapted for a feature film, a play, a ballet and an opera, selling around 11 million copies worldwide. As of 2021, it has spent 15 years in the New York Times Top 10 Bestsellers Chart.His latest novel The Echo Chamber looks at the effects of social media. "To err is maybe to be human but to really foul things up you only need a phone." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 27, 2021 • 18min
Q&A with Ragnar Jonasson
One of the world's great crime writers takes our Q&A about his favourite books and authors...which include Ian Rankin, PD James and Agatha Christie. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 20, 2021 • 43min
Ragnar Jonasson - The Girl Who Died
Iceland's Ragnar Jonasson is a crime writing phenomenon - and it's not even his main job. He works as an investment banker in Reykjavik, in addition to teaching law at Reykjavik University.But is also a bestseller in Germany, France, the UK and Australia. From the age of 17, Ragnar translated 14 Agatha Christie novels into Icelandic.Ragnar is the co-founder of the Reykjavik international crime writing festival Iceland Noir. He has also been shortlisted for Novel of the Year in Sweden, The Barry Award in the US and the Petrona Award. The film rights for The Darkness have also been snapped up by Hollywood. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 16, 2021 • 14min
Q&A with Mateo Askaripour
The best selling author of Black Buck talks us through some of his favourite books and authors, which include...Colson Whitehead, Jason Reynolds, Iceberg Slim, John A Williams and Candice Carty Williams Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 9, 2021 • 38min
Mateo Askaripour (Black Buck)
A fantastically funny interview with Mateo Askaripour about his New York Times bestseller Black Buck - a satirical debut novel about a young man given a shot at stardom as the lone black salesman at a mysterious, cult-like, and wildly successful startup where nothing is as it seems. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 2, 2021 • 16min
Q&A with Michael Connelly (Bosch/Lincoln Lawyer)
Michael is the bestselling author of thirty-six novels and one work of non-fiction. With over eighty million copies of his books sold worldwide and translated into forty foreign languages, he is one of the most successful writers working today. His very first novel, The Black Echo, won the prestigious Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award for Best First Novel in 1992. In 2002, Clint Eastwood directed and starred in the movie adaptation of Connelly’s 1998 novel, Blood Work. In March 2011, the movie adaptation of his #1 bestselling novel, The Lincoln Lawyer, hit theatres worldwide starring Matthew McConaughey as Mickey Haller. His most recent #1 New York Times bestsellers include Dark Sacred Night, Two Kinds Of Truth, The Late Show, The Wrong Side Of Goodbye, The Crossing, The Burning Room, The Gods of Guilt, and The Black Box. Michael’s crime fiction career was honoured with the Diamond Dagger from the CWA in 2018.Michael is the executive producer of Bosch, an Amazon Studios original drama series based on his bestselling character Harry Bosch, starring Titus Welliver. Bosch streams on Amazon Prime Video. He is the creator and host of the podcast Murder Book. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 25, 2021 • 40min
Michael Connelly (The Law Of Innocence)
When defence attorney Mickey Haller is pulled over by police, the body of a client is discovered in the trunk of his Lincoln. Haller is charged with murder and can't make the $5 million bail slapped on him by a vindictive judge. Haller knows he's been framed and elects to defend himself.Best selling author Michael Connelly chats to Simon and Matt from Las Vegas. He is perhaps best known for his books featuring LAPD Detective Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch and criminal defence attorney Mickey Haller. Connelly is the bestselling author of 31 novels and one work of non-fiction, with over 74 million copies of his books sold worldwide and translated into 40 foreign languages. His first novel, The Black Echo, won the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award for Best First Novel in 1992. In 2002, Clint Eastwood directed and starred in the movie adaptation of Connelly's 1997 novel, Blood Work. In March 2011, the movie adaptation of Connelly's novel The Lincoln Lawyer starred Matthew McConaughey as Mickey Haller. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 18, 2021 • 17min
Q&A with Andy Weir (Project Hail Mary/The Martian/Artemis)
The king of sci-fi talks about his favourite books and authors - which include Douglas Adams, Isaac Asimov, Lee Child and Iain M Banks Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 12, 2021 • 37min
Andy Weir (Project Hail Mary)
The best selling author of The Martian and Artemis returns with a new sci-fi thriller.It has already had its film rights snapped up by Ryan Gosling and MGM. Tim Peake has called Project Hail Mary ‘One of the most plausible science fiction books I’ve ever read’. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices