447: Dan Richards and Dr Suzanne O'Sullivan - Wigtown Book Festival
Today on Read On from the Wigtown Book Festival, we have some journeys, conversations and stories after dark in Dan Richards' book, Overnight and chat to Suzanne O'Sullivan about The Age of Diagnosis: How the Overdiagnosis Epidemic is Making Us Sick. Plus we'll find some brand new books in the RNIB Library.
58m Oct 24, 2025
58m
446: Louise Minchin and Lucy Hughes-Hallett - Wigtown Book Festival
In an episode recorded on location at the Wigtown Book Festival, Robert Kirkwood talks to Louise Minchin about 'Isolation Island', a novel inspired by both Agatha Christie and her time on I'm A Celeb, and to historian Lucy Hughes-Hallett about her book 'The Scapegoat: The Brilliant Brief Life of the Duke of Buckingham' plus we find new books in the RNIB Library.
58m Oct 17, 2025
58m
445: Winners of the Booker Prize
With the Booker shortlist released recently we look at who is up for the prize this year, and listen to some past winners including Shehan Karunatilaka, Paul Lynch, Douglas Stewart, Margaret Atwood & Bernardine Evaristo plus some book recommendations from last year's winner, Sam Harvey.
58m Oct 10, 2025
58m
444: Elspeth Wilson - These Mortal Bodies
Today we chat to poet and author Elspeth Wilson about her debut novel, These Mortal Bodies, a gripping and atmospheric dark academia novel about toxic female friendships and obsession. Plus we find some brand new books in the RNIB Library.
58m Oct 03, 2025
58m
443: Ali Harris - This Wasn't Meant to Happen
This week Robert Kirkwood is joined by Ali Harris as they discuss her new novel, This Wasn't Meant to Happen, a book described to be for anyone who has ever lost, longed, or held on when letting go felt impossible. Content Warning - This book, and therefore this episode, deals with child loss and stillbirth.
58m Sep 26, 2025
58m
442: A look forward to the Wigtown Book Festival
Looking forward to this year's Wigtown Book Festival by listening to chats with Graham McRae Burnett, Stuart Kelly, Alex von Tunzelmann, Henry Manse, Paula Hawkins and Maggie O'Farrell. Plus we find some brand new books in the RNIB Library.
58m Sep 19, 2025
58m
441: Lisa Timoney/Kate Storey/Naomi Williams - The Forgotten Book Club
Three authors who write in very different genres all wrapped up in the one package. Lisa Timoney writes family drama, Kate Storey writes books about books, and Naomi Williams writes psychological thrillers, but they are all the same person. As The Forgotten Book Club is released I talk to Lisa/Kate/Naomi about all her personas and why she keeps them separate. Plus as always we find new books ...
58m Sep 12, 2025
58m
440: Books in the Garden
Today we're taking some books into the Garden. Ruth Scurr tells us about Napoleon: A Life in Gardens and Shadows, Monty Don tells us about sensory gardening and Victoria Bennett discusses All My Wild Mothers: Motherhood, loss and an apothecary garden. All that plus we've got some new books on all things gardening in the RNIB Library.
58m Sep 05, 2025
58m
439: Caroline James - The Cruise Club
Today we set sail with author Caroline James and hear all about her new book, The Cruise Club, plus we dive into her background and back catalogue. We get some self-help recommendations from the team at the Happy Hour and find some new books in the RNIB Library.
58m Aug 29, 2025
58m
438: Clémence Michallon - Our Last Resort
Today Robert Kirkwood is joined by journalist and author Clémence Michallon from her home in New York, as we explore Our Last Resort, the brand new psychological thriller from the bestselling author of The Quiet Tenant We also find some brand new books in the RNIB Library.
58m Aug 22, 2025
58m
437: Charlotte Butterfield - The Sister Switch
Charlotte Butterfield joins Robert Kirkwood to talk about The Sister Switch, the brand new hilarious, emotional and thought-provoking book club read about twin sisters who make a bet to switch lives for a week We also find some brand new books in the RNIB Library.
58m Aug 15, 2025
58m
436: Christopher Stephens and Louise Radnofsky - The Light of Day - plus Dave Steele, Matt Hopkins and Matt Goodfellow
"The Light of Day" by Christopher Stephens and Louise Radnofsky, tells the story of Roger Butler, a man who came out as gay in the British press in 1960, before the decriminalization of homosexuality. The book explores Butler's life, his activism, and his later struggles with blindness and isolation. Plus Blind Poet Dave Steele and filmmaker Matt Hopkins discuss 'The Film I'll Never See' and w...
58m Aug 08, 2025
58m
Author Dame Stella Rimington dies aged 90
Author Dame Stella Rimington has died at the age of 90. As the first female director of MI5 she poured years of lived experience into her spy novels featuring both Liz Carlyle and Manon Tyler. She spoke to RNIB Connect Radio's Read On show about her latest novel, her career and her membership to RNIB Talking Books. For that full interview you can download Read On episode number 420 from wherev...
5m Aug 05, 2025
5m
435: Alis Hawkins - The Oxford Mysteries
Today Robert Kirkwood is joined by Alis Hawkins as we explore 'The Oxford Mysteries' with her books A Bitter Remedy and The Skeleton Army, plus we explore her past series on 'The Teifi Valley Coroner' with blind protagonist Harry Probert-Lloyd.
58m Aug 01, 2025
58m
434: Charlie English, Mo Wilde and Adam Nicholson - Boswell Book Festival
In today's final visit to Dumfries House and the Boswell Book Festival we get out in nature as we forage for Free Food with Mo Wilde and find the Wilderness Cure, we go to Bird School with Adam Nicolson and we travel behind the former Iron Curtain with Charlie English and the CIA Book Club. Plus we'll find some new books in the RNIB Library.
58m Jul 25, 2025
58m
433: Andrew O'Hagan and John Suchet - Boswell Book Festival
In today's Read On we hear from Andrew O'Hagan after his keynote address on humour, sponsored by RNIB Connect Radio, and discuss his book Caledonian Road which is set to become a recurring series on Netflix. Former News at Ten host John Suchet goes In Search of Beethoven in his latest book about the composer, plus in the sprit of Boswell we find some new biography and memoir in the RNIB Library.
58m Jul 18, 2025
58m
432: Wayne Sleep, Juano Diaz and Dom Joly - Boswell Book Festival
In today's edition of Read On, we're once again on location at Dumfries House at this year's Boswell Book Festival. Robert Kirkwood chats to Wayne Sleep OBE about his book, Just Different, artist Juano Diaz tells us about Slum Boy, his heart-breaking memoir that he insisted be available in audio and comedian Dom Joly becomes The Conspiracy Tourist and asks if Finland really exists. We step aw...
58m Jul 11, 2025
58m
431: Rupert Everett, Gelong Thubten and Helen Lederer - Boswell Book Festival
In today's edition of Read On, we're on location at Dumfries House at this year's Boswell Book Festival. Robert Kirkwood chats to Hollywood Icon Rupert Everett about his book, The American No, Buddhist monk, meditation teacher and author Gelong Thubten tells us about his Handbook for Hard Times and comedian Helen Lederer tells us about her memoir, Not That I'm Bitter. Plus in the spirit of the ...
58m Jul 04, 2025
58m
430: Sue Moorcroft - The Skye Sisters Trilogy
Today we travel to the Isle of Skye with Sue Moorcroft as the third volume of her best selling Skye Sisters Trilogy is released. Plus we find some new books entering the RNIB Library.
58m Jun 27, 2025
58m
429: Margaret McDonald & Nathanael Lessore - Carnegie Medal for Writing
Our final Carnegie Medal for Writing show with winner of the Shadowing Award Nathanael Lessore for King of Nothing and winner of this year's Medal for Writing, Margaret McDonald on Glasgow Boys. Plus we take a swift visit to the RNIB Library to find some brand new books.
58m Jun 20, 2025
58m
428: Kelly McCaughrain & Matt Goodfellow - Carnegie Medal for Writing
Today on Read On we're continuing our interviews with authors on the shortlist for the Carnegie Medal for Writing. This week Kelly McCaughrain on Little Bang and Matt Goodfellow on The Final Year, plus we find some new audiobooks out now and available from RNIB Library.
58m Jun 13, 2025
58m
Frederick Forsyth at the RNIB Studios
Frederick Forsyth, the author of The Day Of The Jackal, has died at the age of 86 after a brief illness. He was a great supporter of RNIB Talking Books, visiting the studios many times to record messages and raise awareness, and even to record a small non-fiction tale he wrote for us as part of a fundraising effort to re-archive our old tape recordings to a digital format. On one visit, Rober...
13m Jun 10, 2025
13m
427: Brian Conaghan & Luke Palmer - Carnegie Medal for Writing
In today's episode, we talk to two more authors on the Carnegie Medal for Writing shortlist, Luke Palmer on his book Play and Brian Conaghan on Treacle Town, plus we find some new books out now and available from the RNIB Library.
58m Jun 06, 2025
58m
426: Blessing Musariri & Clare Furniss - Carnegie Medal for Writing
In today's episode, we talk to two authors on the Carnegie Medal for Writing shortlist, Blessing Musariri on her book All That It Ever Meant and Clare Furniss on The Things We Leave Behind, plus we find some new books out now and available from the RNIB Library.
58m May 30, 2025
58m
425: Becky C Brynolf and Daniel Tammet
A mix of fiction and non-fiction in today's show as Becky C Brynolf tells us about her debut I Found A Body in which an influencer gets mixed up in a murder investigation. We also hear from writer and savant Daniel Tammet about Nine Minds: Inner Lives on the Spectrum, delving into the extraordinary lives of nine neurodivergent men and women from around the globe, including blind academic Amand...
58m May 23, 2025
58m
424: Percival Everett on James - Winner of the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for fiction
Winner of the National Book Award and now the Pulitzer Prize for fiction, James is a subversive reimagining of “Huckleberry Finn” told from the perspective of Jim, Huck's enslaved companion on the raft ride. Percival Everett tells Robert Kirkwood about the book and reveals he read Huck Finn too many times in the research! We also hear about the science behind James Bond's gadgets and Agatha Ch...
58m May 16, 2025
58m
423: Boswell Book Festival Interview Special
As I'm off recording at Dumfries House at the moment, here's selection of interviews from past Boswell Book Festival events including Lady Anne Glenconner, founder of Private Eye Richard Ingrams, biographer Ben McIntyre, Winston Churchill's granddaughter Emma Soames, Andrew Cotter with Olive and Mabel, and we're Cloistered with Catherine Coldstream.
58m May 09, 2025
58m
422: Celia Silvani - Baby Teeth
On this week's Read On, Robert Kirkwood chats to Celia Silvani about her debut novel Baby Teeth, a cautionary tale about how vulnerable, isolated people can be lured into toxic communities and the catastrophic consequences this can have. Trigger Warning: This interview contains discussions and references to pregnancy and infertility. There is also a scene of pregnancy loss in the book.
58m May 02, 2025
58m
421: Beth O'Brien - Wolf Siren
This week on Read On a captivating chat with Beth O'Brien, visually impaired author of new HarperCollins Children’s Book 'Wolf Siren', which also has a visually impaired narrator. Beth talks about her writing, watching the narration process and her passion project, 'Disabled Tales.'
58m Apr 25, 2025
58m
420: Dame Stella Rimington - The Hidden Hand
Stella Rimington was the first female director general of MI5 and brings true authenticity to her books about spying and espionage. She talks to Robert Kirkwood about her career, her Liz Carlyle books and her imagined end, plus her two new Manon Tyler books. Dame Rimington also talks about how her failing eyesight due to AMD is affecting her ability to write. And for episode 420, we also find ...
58m Apr 18, 2025
58m
419: Nydia Hetherington - Sycorax & A Girl Made of Air
This week in Read On, author Nydia Hetherington tells us how living with a chronic yet hidden illness inspired her to write the untold story of Shakespeare's witch, Sycorax and also her debut novel, A Girl Made of Air. She also tells us how many spoons it took to narrate the audio version herself.
58m Apr 11, 2025
58m
418: Chris Bridges - Sick to Death
Emma is sick. Just not in the way you thought. In today's Read On - The Audiobook Show, we're mixing a thriller with a hidden disability in Chris Bridges debut novel Sick To Death. Plus we find some brand new books the RNIB Library, one written and read by actor, Brian Cox.
58m Apr 04, 2025
58m
417: Kate Kemp - The Grapevine plus Share The Vision
In this week's Read On - The Audiobook Show we chat to debut novelist Kate Kemp about murder and intrigue on Warrah Place, a sweltering Australian suburban cul-de-sac, in her novel The Grape Vine. We also hear from Mark McCree and Simon Savidge from Share the Vision, a coalition of UK organisations that work together to improve the quality, availability and accessibility of library services fo...
58m Mar 28, 2025
58m
416: Clare Mackintosh - Other People's Houses
In today's Read On we enter the world of DC Ffion Morgan and DS Leo Brady with author Clare Mackintosh with the release of the third book in the series, Other People's Houses. We also listen back to earlier books from Clare and find some brand new books in the Talking Books library.
58m Mar 21, 2025
58m
415: Lucy Edwards - Blind Not Broken & Ella Jones vs The Sun Stealer
In today's show we chat to blind broadcaster, social media creator and author, Lucy Edwards, about her books Blind Not Broken and Ella Jones vs The Sun Stealer, and about her campaigns for equality and becoming an RNIB ambassador. We also find some brand new books entering the Talking Books library.
58m Mar 14, 2025
58m
414: Mari Hannah, Steve Hodson plus Maurice and Maralyn
In today's show we hear about the new thriller from Mari Hannah, Her Sister's Killer, the latest in the Stone and Oliver series. We also pay tribute to narrator Steve Hodson and hear from Nero book of the year Maurice and Maralyn by Sophie Elmhirst
58m Mar 07, 2025
58m
Tribute to narrator Steve Hodson
A familiar and warm voice to listeners of RNIB Talking Books, and audiobook and radio drama listeners everywhere, Steve Hodson, has passed away at 77. We listen back to him telling us how he became a narrator, hear some stories and listen to a clip of one of his favourite books. Photo of Steve. He has salt and pepper tousled hair and is staring to the side with an intense gaze. His soft white...
8m Mar 05, 2025
8m
413: World Book Day with Tom Palmer
In today's show a chat with World Book Day author Tom Palmer about his books on sport, history and his travels for research, plus we find out about the free books you can get this World Book Day from RNIB.
58m Feb 28, 2025
58m
412: Liz Hyder & Adam S Leslie - Nero Book Awards
In today's show two category winners from the Nero Book Awards, Children's Fiction winner Liz Hyder on her book The Twelve, and Adam S Leslie with his Fiction category winning folk-horror, Lost in the Garden.
58m Feb 21, 2025
58m
Lucy Edwards - Ella Jones Vs the Sun Stealer (Extract)
A short extract from my interview with Lucy Edwards about her new book Ella Jones Vs the Sun Stealer and about being an RNIB Ambassador. Full interview coming soon.
6m Feb 19, 2025
6m
411: Joanna Toye - A New Chapter at the Little Penguin Bookshop
We're loved up this Valentines Day on Read On. In Penguin Books 90th year, Robert Kirkwood chats to author Joanna Toye about the second book in the heart-warming, romantic, and uplifting world war two series about community, friendship and books, A New Chapter at the Little Penguin Bookshop. And as this show is going out on Valentine's Day we find some new romance in the RNIB Library.
58m Feb 14, 2025
58m
410: Nigel Planer, Jo Caulfield and Richard Herring
Another comedian compilation as we hear from stand-ups Jo Caulfield and Richard Herring and comedic actor, audiobook narrator and Neil from The Young Ones, Nigel Planer. Plus we find some brand new books in the RNIB Library
58m Feb 07, 2025
58m
409: Rachel Kushner - Creation Lake
This week on Read On, Robert Kirkwood chats to Rachel Kushner about her book Creation Lake, which is a taut, dazzling story of espionage and intrigue and beneath lies a tale of a woman caught in the crossfire between the past and the future. Thanks to The Booker Foundation it's available to borrow from RNIB in both audio and Braille. Plus we find some new audiobooks out now and also in the RNI...
58m Jan 31, 2025
58m
408: Charlotte Wood - Stone Yard Devotional
Today we're joined by award winning Australian novelist Charlotte Wood who chats about her book Stone Yard Devotional, in which a women 'unsubscribes' from her life in the city to live in isolation with nuns, and a lot of mice! We'll also hear some new books in the RNIB Library
58m Jan 24, 2025
58m
407: Yael van der Wouden - The Safekeep
In today's show Robert Kirkwood has a long chat with Yael van der Wouden about her debut novel, The Safekeep, an exhilarating tale of twisted desire, histories and homes, and the unexpected shape of revenge. We hear from Bart van Es about The Cutout Girl and find new books in the RNIB Library.
58m Jan 17, 2025
58m
406: A.J. West - The Betrayal of Thomas True and The Spirit Engineer
In today's Read On Robert Kirkwood chats to author and narrator A.J. West about his books The Betrayal of Thomas True and The Spirit Engineer and why he didn't narrate them, but also about the book he is narrating, Death in the Sauna. Plus we find some new books in the RNIB Library.
58m Jan 10, 2025
58m
405: Recap of the Year - Part 2
In our second look back at 2024, Momfluencers clash in Jesse Q. Sutanto's book You Will Never Be Me, Gregg Mosse tells us about The Coming Storm, we have a Hot Girl Summer with Sophie Gravia, Kirsten Miller tells us about Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books, Jo Piazza has A Sicilian Inheritance and we go Orbital with Booker winner Samantha Harvey.
58m Jan 03, 2025
58m
404: Recap of the Year - Part 1
In today's round up of the first half of 2024 we hear from Hiba Noor Khan and Sophia's War, we visit Harlem After Midnight with author Louise Hare, Michael McGee stays Close to Home, Becky Holmes tells us Keanu Reeves is Not in Love With You, Lynda Marron has a Last Chance in Paris and we talk about The Beholders with Hester Musson.
58m Dec 27, 2024
58m
403: Michael Morpurgo, D&D, and some Christmas Books
In today's festive show we have a new chat with one of Britain's best loved children's authors, Sir Michael Morpurgo OBE, about retelling the bard's work for a modern audience in his Tales from Shakespeare and we get to bring in games in the form of live D&D shows in the RNIB Library, and we find some festive and not so festive brand new audiobooks.
58m Dec 20, 2024
58m
402: Fiona Lucas - Always and Only You
What would you do if you walk down the aisle and find the wrong man waiting for you? And no-one else sees anything wrong? This week a return visit from Fiona Lucas with her deeply emotional story of love, secrets and second chances, Always and Only You. Plus we find four brand new books in the RNIB Library.
58m Dec 13, 2024
58m