The Author Archive Podcast

In this early Author Archive podcast John Le Carre talks about writing politics , and Mallory Blackman explains the political thinking behind Noughts and Crosses. Maggie Gee gives the background to her novel The White Family that endeavours to explain prejudice and the national treasure Jilly Cooper gives background to how life might be in the English counties. Her 'Rivals' is back on UK TV. The episode concludes with two views of the Court of King Henry VIII, Philippa Gregory discusses her book about 'The Other Boleyn Girl' and Alison Weir explains how the king was totally surrounded by the people of the court all the time!

The war that is spreading across the Middle East has a religious dimension. American aggression is supported by evangelical Christians, Iran is an Islamic state and Israel has its own Jewish deity. Donald Trump seems to waver been god and allah. None of the gods seem to be seekers for peace. All seek vengeance and revenge. In early 2025 a million Hindus tried to bathe in a river at the same time. Why would anyone think this would be a good idea. Robin Dunbar is Professor of Evolutionary Psychology at the University of Oxford. From his academic standpoint he charts the evolution of religion in all its many guises and forms. Does the professor's analysis explain the enduring but shrinking appeal of non logical beliefs?

. In the wake of the Andrew Windsor scandal there is much questioning of the need for the royals at all Being royal is not a job you can apply for. If you decide to walk away from your royal identity or are pushed away from it just what are you left with? This book,'Traitor King', tells the story of an inglorious royal. It is a shocking example of what happens when inherited status is randomly given to a person who is clearly not up to the task. The book is the basis of the Channel 4 programme that shed light on the whole episode. As well as telling the historical story Andrew Lownie discusses the lessons that can be learned by the present Royal Family. This book was published long before 'Entitled'.

Nina Simone was born on February 21st 1933. There has been news recently of a plan to buy Nina Simone's childhood home in Tryon North Carolina and make it into a museum celebrating the life and work of the girl who was born Eunice Waymon. I interviewed Nina in December 1998 just before her last ever show at the Royal Albert Hall in London. She was talking to me for a programme on the radio station Jazz fm, which would promote the concert. Nina had a reputation for being a tricky interviewee but on the day she was delightful and during the conversation she was eager to give her views on sexism, racism and feminism. After the interview I was asked to introduce Nina on stage at the Albert Hall. It was a memorable day.

In 2019 Sir Rannulph Fiennes was diagnosed with Parkinsons disease. A few years ago as part of the Cheltenham Literary festival I interviewed Sir Rannulph on stage at the Everyman Theatre about his family history book 'Mad Dogs and Englishmen'. I remember shaking hands - a non standard formality for him. He told me how he had to adopt a DIY approach to dealing with frost bite in his fingers. In this episode there's a conversation I had with Sir Rannulph later in a London studio, a chat with the legendary travel writer Eric Newby, and the life of the unforgettable Lucy Irvine. Lucy had replied to an advertisement in 1980 seeking a woman to spend a year on a desert island with a man she didn't know. This adventure became a film starring Oliver Reid. She tells me how she went on to write the story of another island dwelling family in her book Faraway. Memorable stories.

Putin seems determined 'to make Russia great again' His motivations are difficult to understand but listening to historian Simon Sebag Montefiore might go some way to explaining his thinkng. Simon Sebag Montefiore explains the mythic status of this eighteenth century Russian statesman, and military leader Grigory Potemkin. In this conversation recorded in London in 2000 Simon Sebag Montefiore tells David Freeman about practical politics in 18th century Russia and how Potemkin made his way in society with the help of the love of Catherine the Great. Their relationship has been told in films but the way Simon tells the story is probably more gripping and unbelievable. Simon told the story in full in his the books, Prince of Princes, and Catherine the Great and Potemkin, The Imperial Love Affair. Interesting to hear Simon say that Putin read this book and what he learned has informed his political views. This lead to the invasion of Ukraine and a significant incident when Russian troops broke into the crypt of the cathedral in Kherson and removed the bones of Grigory Potemkin. This is history to remember. Putin uses this history to justify his actions.

Halloween again! Everything weird is celebrated. Does this include UFOs? In this interview on the subject David Freeman, a UFO skeptic, met UFO true believer Timothy Good when his book Unearthly Disclosure was first published. The conversation was friendly but inquisitive! So are UFOs real? Are those little creatures with three fingers that are on the TV screens real aliens?

Some interviewees I remember as 'troupers'. At the very top of that tree were the Collins sisters. Joan is now 92. I remember a televised conversation I had with Joan. Her assistant decreed that the lighting must be subtle but Joan herself insisted on full on straight in the face spots. I had theories why this might be her preference. Over the years I interviewed Joan and her sister Jackie a few times. It was always 'an event'. The Collins sisters spoke to me in London at the end of the last century. Jackie was promoting her novel 'Thrill' about the glamorous world of Hollywood, and Joan was encouraging interest in her autobiography 'Second Act'. Both sisters were happy to talk about themselves. Sadly Jackie died in 2015 .... but Joan marches on!

Prince Andrew has been in the news. In this episode Hugo Vickers discusses his biography of Alice, Princess Andrew of Greece mother of the Duke of Edinburgh: Donna Leon tells the story of her novel “Wilful Behaviour “ set in Venice: R.J.B. Bosworth recounts his research into the life of Mussolini and Gitta Sereny remembers Germany in the 1930s as told in her book “The German Trauma” We have seen the power of the political rally to stir followers. Gitta Sereny actually attended a Hitler rally. With the spectre of authoritarianism on the rise again this is frighteningly relevant. Lessons from history.

The Cotswolds are in the news,but before the area was discovered by rich Americans it was a fertile area for thought and creativity. The village of Great Tew was where John Lloyd and John Mitchinson met. They both lived there in historic cottages. This is where they came up with the idea of the TV show QI. In this episode they introduce their Book of General Ignorance. The original chair of QI was Stephen Fry and he was replaced by Sandi Toksvig. Here she introduces her story Melted into Air. Journalist Jon Ronson explains how he researched his amazing book 'Them - Adventures with Extremists' and philosopher Simon Blackburn explores the notion of being good. The interview was recorded 20 years ago but the quandaries remain just the same.

There is much thought about memoirs at the moment. Salt Paths etc. Clive James wrote memoirs but he always declared they were 'unreliable'. Maybe that is the nature of memory and memoir? Clive James died in 2019 after a long illness. This conversation with David Freeman was recorded in 2001 when Clive was excited by the internet and somewhat fearful of the way public service broadcasting was heading. He would probably be even more fearful now. Listening to Clive James now it is clear that he had a very good grasp on what could happen in many spheres of life - and he really didn't approve.

Twenty five years ago Julian Hoffman and his wife Julia decided to leave their life in London and make a dramatic change. They would leave the city life with it's commuting hassles and move somewhere and live very different life On nothing more than a chance encounter with a book about it they moved to Prespa in northern Greece. They didn't speak the language, had very few possessions but their bold and brave decision has worked out very well. They searched for home in the mountains of Greece. How they found it is told in Lifelines.

Colin Dexter was a splendid writer. His creation Inspector Morse is superb on the page and just as gripping on television. I used to meet Colin in the pub on Banbury Road in Oxford, The Dew Drop. He was great company and almost completely unaware of his success and star quality. I recorded this conversation in his house after the publication of The Remorseful Day. He was relaxed and very happy to look back at his life in education and crime writing.