382: Jo Piazza - The Sicilian Inheritance & Blind Author and World Traveller, Tony Giles
This week, bestselling author and award-winning journalist Jo Piazza, talks about a novel rooted in the author's own family history about a trip to Sicily, a disputed inheritance, and a family secret that some will kill to protect, plus Amelia Hilton chats to blind author and world traveller, Tony Giles. All that plus some new books in the RNIB Library.
58m Jul 26, 2024
58m
381: Tasha Ghouri and Trish Sail
A Reality Show Double Bill - In today's episode we hear from Love Island star and disability campaigner Tasha Ghouri about her novel, 'Hits Different' plus from Race Across the World we get some audiobook recommendations from Trish Sail. All that plus we listen to four brand new RNIB Talking Books.
58m Jul 19, 2024
58m
380: Kirsty Logan, Xinran, Nigel Toon and Vivian French - Boswell Book Festival
Recorded on location at the Boswell Book Festival, this week Kirsty Logan tells us about 'The Unfamiliar: A Queer Motherhood Memoir', journalist and author Xinran Xue uncovers 'The Book of Secrets: A Personal History of Betrayal in Red China', Nigel Toon tells us 'How AI thinks' and we end with Vivian French with 'Bibi and the Box of Fairy Tales!' All that plus some brand new audiobooks that ar...
58m Jul 12, 2024
58m
379: Patrick Grant, John Niven and Christian Lewis - Boswell Book Festival
Three authors today who all recorded the audio versions of their books, Great British Sewing Bee judge Patrick Grant champions quality over consumption in his book 'Less', John Niven talks about his heart-breaking and sometimes hilarious memoir 'Oh, Brother' and Christian Lewis takes us around the UK coastline in 'Finding Hildasay'. Plus we find some brand new books in the RNIB Library.
58m Jul 05, 2024
58m
378: Donna Ashworth, Jackie Kay, Catherine Coldstream and Joseph Coelho - Boswell Book Festival
More authors from the Boswell Book Festival this week including Catherine Coldstream on her book Cloistered: My Years As a Nun and two great but very different poetry collections with Jackie Kay's Mayday and Donna Ashworth's Wild Hope. Plus, away from the festival, we get the books of your life from Yoto Carnegie Medal Winner Joseph Coelho and find new books available in the RNIB Library.
58m Jun 28, 2024
58m
377: Billy Kay, Len Pennie and Sir Alexander McCall Smith - Boswell Book Festival
A show chiefly in the Scottish dialect this week as we head to the Boswell Book Festival to talk to writer, broadcaster and language activist Billy Kay about his book Born in Kyle; poet, Scots language and mental-health advocate Len Pennie reads us some Poyums and we hear from the prolific author and now Knight of the Realm, Sir Alexander McCall Smith, plus, in the spirit of the festival, we fi...
58m Jun 21, 2024
58m
376: Nathanael Lessore and Sophie Cameron - Yoto Carnegie Medal Shortlist
Our final two Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing Shortlisted authors join us this week, Nathanael Lessore with Steady For This and Sophie Cameron with Away with Words. Plus we discover some new books entering the Talking Books library.
58m Jun 14, 2024
58m
375: Zillah Bethell, Tia Fisher and Nicola Davies - Yoto Carnegie Medal Shortlist
More Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing shortlisted authors on the show this week. Zillah Bethell on The Song Walker, Tia Fisher on Crossing the Line and Nicola Davies talks about Choose Love. Plus some new books in the RNIB library.
58m Jun 07, 2024
58m
Books on D-Day in the RNIB Library
To commemorate D-Day we’ve taken a journey into the RNIB Library to listen to some great history books about the Normandy landings and beyond.
7m Jun 06, 2024
7m
374: Hiba Noor Khan and Joseph Coelho - Yoto Carnegie Medal Shortlist
In today's show we feature two authors on the shortlist for the Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing. Children's Laureate Joseph Coelho tells us how Greek myth inspired his book 'The Boy Lost in the Maze', and Hiba Noor Khan tells us the lesser known story of how the Great Mosque in Paris helped the Jewish community in World War Two in 'Safiyyah's War'
58m May 31, 2024
58m
373: Roxie Key - The Deadly Spark
On today's show we listen to the brand new thriller The Deadly Spark from debut novelist Roxie Key, plus following on from last week's climate chat we turn to non-fiction and Mark Lynas' book Our Final Warning. All that plus four brand new audiobooks available from the RNIB Library.
58m May 24, 2024
58m
372: Greg Mosse - The Coming Darkness & The Coming Storm
Today we take a deep dive into climate fiction with Greg Mosse and his books The Coming Darkness and The Coming Storm plus we find some brand new audio books that are also available from RNIB.
58m May 17, 2024
58m
371: Elizabeth Acevedo, Tanya Landman, Geraldine McCaughrean and Ruta Sepetys
As we start gearing up for this year's Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing, we listen back to four previous winners with four very different books ... Elizabeth Acevedo, Tanya Landman, Geraldine McCaughrean and Ruta Sepetys.
58m May 10, 2024
58m
370: C. J. Tudor, Michael McGee and Sarah Bernstein
In today's show we hear the Books of My Life from both Nero debut novel winner Michael Magee and Booker shortlisted Sarah Bernstein. We also chat to C.J. Tudor about the Gathering, The Drift and more, plus find new books in the RNIB library.
58m May 03, 2024
58m
369: Lord Jeffrey Archer & Dr Lin Berwick MBE
We interview Lord Jeffrey Archer as he records a special introduction to his book Traitors Gate exclusively for RNIB Talking Books, plus as her book 'Nobody Does it Better than Me: The Story of Alma' is recorded for the library, Robert Kirkwood chats to Dr Lin Berwick MBE.
58m Apr 26, 2024
58m
368: Leeanne O'Donnell - Sparks of Bright Matter
In today's show we talk to Leeanne O'Donnell about spirit and matter, love and lust, and reality and magic, all in her book Sparks of Bright Matter. We also look forward to the Boswell Book Festival with Gordon Turnbull and find new books in the RNIB Library.
58m Apr 19, 2024
58m
367: Chioma Okereke - Water Baby & Percival Everett on The Trees: A Novel
Read On this week features Chioma Okereke with her coming of age audio book Water Baby set in the floating slum of Makoko in Lagos. We hear about The Trees: A Novel by Percival Everett and find new books entering the RNIB Library.
58m Apr 12, 2024
58m
366: Louise Hare - Harlem After Midnight
In today's show we're re-joined by Louise Hare as she tells us about the sequel to Miss Aldridge Regrets, Harlem After Midnight. Plus we delve into the archive to talk to Sara Collins about The Confessions of Frannie Langton, and find some brand new audiobooks that are also available from RNIB Talking Books.
58m Apr 05, 2024
58m
365: Neil Lancaster - The Devil You Know
This week Robert Kirkwood talks to former military policeman and former Met Detective, Neil Lancaster about the latest DS Max Craigie Book, The Devil You Know and how his career influenced his writing. Plus we find some brand new books out now and entering the Talking Books library.
58m Mar 29, 2024
58m
364: Music and Literature
In today’s show we listen to some books about music and musicians. We chat to Beth and Ben of The Bookshop Band, talk to the author of Outlaw Blues, a 500 page biography of Bob Dylan and then get some book recommendations from former Never Mind the Buzzcocks team captain, Phill Jupitus. Plus we find some brand new gems in the Talking Books library.
58m Mar 22, 2024
58m
363: Nero Book Awards 2024
In today's show we feature all four category winners in the first ever Nero Book Awards, First up we listen to a clip from the Non-Fiction winning book Strong Female Character by Fern Brady We have a long chat with Michael Magee about his Debut Fiction winning book, Close to Home We listen to a clip from The Swifts by Beth Lincoln, the Children’s Fiction winner Then, from the Booker Prize s...
58m Mar 15, 2024
58m
362: World Book Day 2024
In today's show we celebrate World Book Day with Michael Morpurgo, Julia Donaldson, Betsy Griffin and find out about the free £1 from RNIB.
58m Mar 08, 2024
58m
361: Becky Holmes - Keanu Reeves is Not In Love With You
In today's show we dive into the murky world of romance fraud with Becky Holmes and her book Keanu Reeves is Not In Love With You which she narrated herself. Plus we find some brand new books in the Talking Books library.
58m Mar 01, 2024
58m
360: Alex Leam - The First Man to Time Travel
The First Man to Time Travel is the debut sci-fi comedy novel from Alex Leam. He tells Robert Kirkwood about the book, his inspirations and reading the audio version. Plus, staying in the sci-fi theme, we listen back to how Jeff Wayne turned War of the Worlds into a best selling album. All that plus some brand new books in the RNIB Library.
58m Feb 23, 2024
58m
359: Alistair Lee - Australia's only blind voice over artist
In today's show Alistair Lee, Australia’s only blind Voice Over Artist, talks to Amelia Hilton about his career so far. We also listen back to Keith Brymer Jones from The Great Pottery Throw Down talk about his book, Boy in A China Shop and find some new books in the RNIB Library. The picture is of King, Alistair Lee's guide dog.
58m Feb 16, 2024
58m
358: Lynda Marron - Last Chance in Paris
This week Lynda Marron chats to Robert Kirkwood about her book Last Chance in Paris, a funny, moving, above all life-affirming story of a make-or-break trip to Paris by an Irish couple following a tragedy. Plus we find some brand new audiobooks donated to the RNIB library.
58m Feb 09, 2024
58m
357: Boswell Book Festival Special
In today's show we re-visit some Boswell Book Festival favourites and chat to Frank Skinner, Denise Mina, Nigel Havers, Giles and Mary from Gogglebox and Winston Churchill's granddaughter, Emma Soames. Plus we find some brand new books in the RNIB Talking Books library.
58m Feb 02, 2024
58m
356: Mari Hannah - The Longest Goodbye
This week Mari Hannah joins Robert Kirkwood to talk about her brand new Kate Daniels thriller, The Longest Goodbye, a book she didn't want to write. Also among some new books entering the Talking Books library we find one written and read by Cliff Richard and one that goes behind the scene of the Disney plus show, Welcome to Wrexham.
58m Jan 26, 2024
58m
355: Hester Musson - The Beholders
This week Robert Kirkwood is joined by Hester Musson to discuss her gothic, historical debut thriller about power and corruption, The Beholders. Plus, as always, we find some new gems in the RNIB library.
58m Jan 19, 2024
58m
354: Books of 2023 - Part 2
Read On this week has more of the best interviews of 2023 with Joe Haddow, Charlotte Levin, Victoria Bennett, Carnegie Winner Manon Steffan Ros, and a round up of new books for January
58m Jan 12, 2024
58m
353: Books of 2023 - Part 1
We listen back to some interviews from last year including Randee Dawn on Tune in Tomorrow, C.K. McDonnell on The Stranger Times, Catherine Simpson on One Body and hear from narrator Gabriel Woolf. Plus we find some brand new books for January.
58m Jan 05, 2024
58m
352: Christmas Special
On today's show we curl up with some Christmas TV, or at least the books that they came from. Julia Donaldson and Charlie Mackesy talk about turning very visual books into audiobooks, we hear about the science behind James Bond, and listen to books about both Doctor Who and Ghosts.
58m Dec 22, 2023
58m
351: Rachel Greenlaw - One Christmas Morning
Another festive book on The Audiobook Show, this week Rachel Greenlaw tells Robert Kirkwood about her groundhog day inspired novel, One Christmas Morning. We also dive into the history of fairy tales and find some new listens in the RNIB Talking Books library.
58m Dec 15, 2023
58m
350: Peter Swanson - The Christmas Guest
In today's show Robert Kirkwood talks to Peter Swanson about his festive novella The Christmas Guest, and how the murder mystery at Christmas genre is unique to Britain. We also listen back to Tony Hawk's tennis adventure in Moldova and find some new books in the RNIB Library, one of which is written by Judy Dench.
58m Dec 08, 2023
58m
349: Science Special
In today's show a round up of some of the best science writing we've had on the show including Stephen and Jane Hawking, Chris Lintott, Marcus du Sautoy and The Boy Who Played with Fusion. Plus we find some new science books in the RNIB Library.
58m Dec 01, 2023
58m
Paul Lynch wins the Booker 2023
Winner of the Booker 2023, Paul Lynch. For the full interview head to episode 345.
5m Nov 26, 2023
5m
348: Booker Prize Winners Special
In today's show we listen to some previous winners of the Booker, the youngest ever winner Eleanor Catton on The Luminaries, Marlon James on his winning book, A Brief History of Seven Killings plus last year's winner Shehan Karunatilaka with The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida, Plus we listen to some brand new books available in the RNIB Library.
58m Nov 24, 2023
58m
347: Jonathan Escoffery - Booker Prize 2023
In today's show we chat to Jonathan Escoffery about his debut novel, shortlisted for the Booker Prize 2023, If I Survive You. We also find some new books in the talking books library and discover why Google recently held a conference on accessible publishing.
58m Nov 17, 2023
58m
346: Paul Murray - Booker Prize 2023
In today's show we talk to Paul Murray about the multiple narrators in the audio version of his Booker shortlisted book, The Bee Sting, plus we hear a clip from Western Lane by Chetna Maroo. We'll also hear about some new books entering the Talking Books library.
58m Nov 10, 2023
58m
345: Paul Lynch & Sarah Bernstein - Booker Prize 2023
In today's episode we chat to two authors on the Booker Shortlist 2023. Paul Lynch takes us to a dystopian Ireland in Prophet Song and Sarah Bernstein spins a web of culpability and criminality in Study for Obedience.
58m Nov 03, 2023
58m
344: Rachel Hore - The Hidden Years
In today's show Robert Kirkwood finds out about Rachel Hore’s captivating new novel of secrets, loss and betrayal - set on the beautiful Cornish coast during World War Two and the heady days of the 1960s, The Hidden Years. Plus we find four brand new books entering the Talking Books Library.
58m Oct 27, 2023
58m
343: Nigel Planer, Kate Mosse and Rory Cellan-Jones - Wigtown Book Festival
Three more authors interviewed at the Wigtown Book Festival in this week's show. Ex-BBC technology correspondent, Rory Cellan-Jones tells Robert Kirkwood about his memoir Ruskin Park, we go swashbuckling with Kate Mosse and her book The Ghost Ship, and we time travel with actor and writer Nigel Planer as he tells us about Jeremiah Bourne in Time. Plus we find some new books entering the Talkin...
58m Oct 20, 2023
58m
342: Maggie O'Farrell, Kathryn Harkup and Jo Caulfield - Wigtown Book Festival
In a second visit this year to Wigtown, Robert Kirkwood talks to comedian Jo Caulfield about her moving memoir The Funny Thing About Death, we get poisons, monsters and some secret lairs in Kathryn Harkup's Superspy Science and we take a trip during the Italian Renaissance with Maggie O'Farrell and her book, The Marriage Proposal. All that plus four new gems in the Talking Books library, one o...
58m Oct 13, 2023
58m
341: Louise Doughty, Lynsey May, Stuart Paterson and Ruth Scurr - Wigtown Book Festival
This week Robert Kirkwood travels to Scotland's Book Town and talks to novelist Lynsey May about her debut book, Weak Teeth, Stuart Paterson reads his viral poem, Here's the Weather, historian Ruth Scurr talks about Napoleon: A Life told in Gardens and Shadow and author Louise Doughty talks about her brand new thriller, A Bird in Winter. Plus we find four new gems in the Talking Books Library.
58m Oct 06, 2023
58m
340: 20 Years of RNIB Connect Radio with Read On - Part 2
As RNIB Connect Radio turns 20, Read On this week looks back at some of the first authors, narrators and looks behind the scenes we've had on the show. Actor Allan Tall talks about preparing a Christopher Brookmyre book for narration and being thrown from his horse during the filming of Braveheart. Author Alan Bissett joins Robert Kirkwood after narrating his book, The Incredible Adam Spark. ...
58m Sep 29, 2023
58m
339: M.A. Kuzniar - Upon A Frosted Star and Midnight in Everwood
This week author M.A. Kuzniar joins Robert Kirkwood to talk about her bestseller Midnight in Everwood, a magical retelling of The Nutcracker, and her brand-new book, Upon a Frosted Star where The Great Gatsby meets Swan Lake. We also find some new gems in the RNIB Talking Books library.
58m Sep 22, 2023
58m
338: Ava Glass - Alias Emma: The Chase and The Traitor
Out now is Ava Glass’s second book in the Alia Emma series, The Traitor. Ava joins us to talk about her background as a journalist in America and with MI5 and MI6 in the UK and how it all shaped her main character. We also hear some new books in the RNIB Talking Books Library.
58m Sep 15, 2023
58m
337: 20 Years of RNIB Connect Radio with Read On
As RNIB Connect Radio turns 20, Read On this week looks at books of the same vintage. 2003 was a great year for books with bestsellers including Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix, The DaVinci Code and even The Atkins Diet. Robert Kirkwood picks five books from 2003 available from the Talking Books library, and we chat to authors Lynne Truss (Eats, Shoots and Leaves), Mark Haddow (The C...
58m Sep 08, 2023
58m
336: Charlotte Levin - If I Let You Go
This week Robert Kirkwood is joined again by Charlotte Levin, who was last on the show with her debut novel, 'If I can't Have You' which was released at the height of lockdown. Now a few years later, Charlotte is back to discuss a gripping, darkly comic tale of searing loss, coercive control and the consequences of taking the wrong path, her new novel 'If I Let You Go' ... and also to blame Rob...
58m Sep 01, 2023
58m
335: See Sport Differently
A sporty feel in today's show as we chat to commentator Mike Ingham about his book 'After Extra Time and Penalties: Memories of a BBC Football Correspondent' and why he had to narrate the audio version. John Carlin tells us about his book 'Playing the Enemy' and the Rugby World Cup Final that united South Africa, plus we find some old and new books about sport in the RNIB Talking Books library.
58m Aug 25, 2023
58m