Book Shambles

Recorded at the Blue Dot Festival at Jodrell Bank, Robin chatted with various people about the great works of science and science fiction. And also some Mills and Boons. Robin and Josie kick things off and then our guests include physicist and professional pointer at wondrous things, Professor Brian Cox, Rosetta project scientist Dr Matt Taylor, space scientist Professor Monica Grady and actor, comedian and science writer Ben Miller. Because this episode was recorded in a large field where a music festival was also taking place, there is often a bit of background noise. Sorry about that.

Comedian Sarah Kendall joins Robin and Josie to talk about her upcoming Edinburgh show and Radio 4 series as well as bringing in a big bag of her favourite books. There’s Jeffrey Eugenides, Kurt Vonnegut, David Mitchell, Ben Moor, Marta Hillers and plenty of others. Also Josie reads us her favourite poem. Content Warning- The following episode contains a discussion about sexual violence.

Robin and Josie introduce the live panel held on Friday night at the 2016 Latitude where we asked the question, is art a spell? David Bowie's final work, visually and aurally, was some of the most potent of his career, made all the more so by his death three days after the release of Blackstar. His favourite books contained many on art, the occult and magick - so are the great creators shamanic… The panel, hosted by Robin, includes Daisy Campbell, Andrew O’Neill, John Constable and Hollie McNish.

On the 100th anniversary of The Battle of the Somme on July 1st, Robin and Josie chatted with the acclaimed writer of 'The Missing of the Somme', Geoff Dyer about that plus his entire body of work including his new book, 'White Sands'. All that and jazz, Tarkovsky, Brexit, Jean Rhys, sitcoms and more.

Author and host of 'All in the Mind', Claudia Hammond joins Robin and Josie this week to talk about her new book, psychology, Primo Levi, George Saunders and her own teenage book diary..

Season 3 of Book Shambles kicks off with Robin and Josie joined by mathematician, author and Pelé biographer, Alex Bellos with talk of football, Feynman, Euclid, reader offers in 1970s comic books and a whole lot more.

Season 2 - Episode 6 - In the season two finale of Book Shambles, Robin and Josie are joined by the comedian and actor Eddie Izzard. Along with discussions of theories of the universe and improv, they get into the work of John Higgs, Monty Python and Charlie Chaplin.

Season 2 - Episode 4 - Taking a break from trying on wigs for the new series of 'Inside No. 9', Reece Shearsmith joins Robin and Josie to talk all things horror. There's talk of books of horror movie history, Stephen King, talking mongooses called Gef and everything else horrific in between.