The Book Club Review

It’s the end of summer, so Kate and Laura are looking back over their holiday reading, the books they loved, the ones that disappointed them, and the unexpected discoveries that made their reading lists longer rather than shorter.We talk about Alex E. Harrow’s huge fantasy novel The Everlasting, and why it turned out to be a surprisingly divisive read. Kate reports back on her pick from the Booker longlist, The Palm House by Gwendolyn Riley. She's also recently completed The Power Broker, Robert Caro's iconic book on New York master-builder Robert Moses, but was it worth the read? She's also discussing The Silver Book, Olivia Laing's most recent work of fiction. In Pankaj Mishra’s The Romantics, Laura found an interesting book club choice, while Kate's flagging up Vladimir by Julia May Jonas, and while on the campus novel theme she also read Joanna Miller’s The Eights, set in 1920s Oxford. Laura wraps things up with the wonderfully atmospheric The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo.But there’s more as pod-regular Phil Chaffee joins us with two of his favourite summer reads, Sue Prideaux’s Wild Thing: A Life of Paul Gauguin and Bret Easton Ellis’s The Shards.As summer comes to an end, we’re also looking ahead to Booker season, with the shortlist just around the corner and plenty more reading on the horizon.PatreonCome and find the pod on Patreon at patreon.com/thebookclubreviewKeep up with the pod between shows on Instagram @bookclubreviewpodcastFor all other information and our episode archive find The Book Club Review online at thebookclubreview.co.ukComplete booklistThe Power Broker by Robert CaroGideon the Ninth by Tamsyn MuirThe Everlasting by Alex E. HarrowThe Calculation of Volume by Solvej BalleStarling House by Alex E. HarrowJonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna ClarkeThe Palm House by Gwendolyn RileyFamesick by Lena DunhamMy Phantoms by Gwendolyn RileyThe Silver Book by Olivia LaingThe Garden Against Time by Olivia LaingCrudo by Olivia LaingThe Romantics by Pankaj MishraThe Golden Mean by Annabel LyonFathers & Sons by Ivan TurgenevThe Heart of the Nhaga by Lee Young-do (Anton Hur)Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt DinnermanLand by Maggie O’FarrellThe Chair (Netflix)Monsters by Claire DedererVladimir by Julia May JonasThe Eights by Joanna MillerThe Night Tiger and The Fox Wife by Yangsze ChooThe Digital Critic: Literary Culture Online (Houman Barekat, Robert Barry and David Winters, eds.)When We Talk About Love by Carl WilsonTimecodes for the time-poor00:00 — Welcome & summer reading02:00 — What did we actually read this summer?Holiday reading plans, library books and the perennial problem of taking too many books away with you.04:00 — The Everlasting by Alex E. HarrowTime loops, quests and a very divided reaction.15:30 — The End of the Power Broker by Robert CaroKate tackles another Booker longlist book and asks: why is this on the longlist?20:00 — The Booker longlist pickA frank discussion of Gwendolyn Riley's The Palm House and the pleasures (and pains) of reading for the Booker.22:20 — The Silver Book by Olivia LaingA surprise for Kate after her mixed reaction to Laing’s Crudo.27:30 — An accidental book-club adventureLaura's brilliant idea: abandon the overheated book-club meeting and send everyone into Foyles to choose books.28:40 — The Romantics by Pankaj MishraA chance discovery — and a Hilary Mantel endorsement that seals the deal.35:50 — Vladimir by Julia May JonasSex, power, academia and the deliciously murky moral territory of a campus novel.40:00 — The Eights by Joanna MillerWomen in academia, 1920s Oxford and coming-of-age just after World War I42:40 — The Night Tiger by Yangsze ChooMystery, folklore, tigers and colonial Malaysia, Laura's perfect summer read50:45 — Phil’s summer readingWild Thing: A Life of Paul Gauguin by Sue Prideaux and The Shards by Bret Easton Ellis54:20 — Booker season beginsThe shortlist is coming, and summer reading gives way to required reading.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What makes secondhand books so irresistible? Kate and Laura celebrate the joy of used bookshops, their favourite places to shop, literary finds and the thrill of unexpected discoveries. There's also an interview with W. B. Gooderham, author of Dedicated To, a book that explores the touching, funny and sometimes heartbreaking messages that can be found in the handwritten dedications tucked inside secondhand books. Whether you're a devoted secondhand book hunter or simply love hearing readers talk about books, this episode is a celebration of literary serendipity, book collecting, and the enduring pleasure of finding exactly the right book when you least expect it.Book list and linksBookshopaholics: The Paperhound • Episode #139‘Owner of Vancouver's eclectic MacLeod’s Books marks 50 years of serving bibliophiles’,John Mackie for the Vancouver SunThe Second Shelf bookshop (now in online form)Aphrodisiacs in your Garden by Charles ConnellThe Transitive Vampire by Karen Elizabeth GordonThe Complete Polysyllabic Spree by Nick HornbyThings I Learned on the 6.28 by Stig AbellGriffin Bay Bookstore, San Juan islandEpisode #51: Barnabees BookshopSkoob booksDedicated to, compiled by W.G. GooderhamThe Diary of a Nobody by George and Wheedon GrossmithThe Secret Diary of Adrian Mole and The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole by Sue TownsendWise Children by Angela CarterArabella by Georgette HeyerHouse of Niccolo and Game of Kings by Dorothy DunnettJudd Books, BloomsburyTimecodes00:00 Welcome and a pod milestone00:48 Secondhand book-hunting03:01 Browsing vs. buying07:58 Secondhand treasures11:52 Kate's love of books about books16:23 Dream bookshops17:18 Our favourite places to buy secondhand20:42 Patreon Break21:50 Kate meets W.B. Gooderham23:43 Skoob books and inscribed editions27:22 How Wayne's collecting began28:41 Dedicated To: The forgotten friendships hidden stories and lost loves found in secondhand books30:50 Releasing Books Back32:09 To inscribe or not to inscribe33:07 Diary Of A Nobody by George and Wheedon Grossmith37:32 Adrian Mole Editions38:39 Wise Children39:51 Pnin – a collection that took Wayne years to assemble41:28 Bookshelves and Umberto Eco's library44:04 Laura shares some of her favourite used-book haunts47:54 Why secondhand books matter49:08 Episode wrapSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Something a little different this episode as I invite you to head down the rabbit hole with me into the world of books about books. Accompanying us into this particular wonderland is Joseph Dance, host of the Curious Readers podcast. From meta-fictional narratives to booksellers with shadowy agendas, we're flagging up some of our favourites both for behind-the-scenes insights into the literary world, and for the way they allow us to discover yet more books we might want to read. From Alberto Manguel's library of 35,000 titles, to Alejandro Zambra's essay collection On Not Reading, we're considering a broad spectrum of perspectives that help us reflect on and enrich our reading lives. And so listen in to hear what happens when two book podcasters get together to talk about their favourite topic. Booklist The Library Book by Susan Orlean The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón Possession by A.S. Byatt Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry Mr Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan The Bookshop by Penelope Fitzgerald Packing my Library by Alberto Manguel The Book Forger by Joseph Hone Once Upon a Tome by Oliver Darkshire Shelf Life: Chronicles of a Cairo Bookseller by Nadia Wassef A Bookshop of One's Own by Jane Cholmeley In Search of Lost Books by Giorgio van Straten Diary of a Tuscan Bookshop by Alba Donati Further reading / listening Alberto Manguel's library And here's Manguel sharing his favourite bookstores and libraries with Biblio-file podcast host Nigel Beale Umberto Eco's library on Youtube Kate's Moleskine reading journal Read this wonderful review of Shelf Life from Australian critic Beejay Silcox, who lived for two years in Cairo and knew the Diwan bookstore well. Patreon Head to patreon.com/thebookclubreview for full membership details and how to joinSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join Kate as she takes the Book Club Review on tour to New York, a city filled with incredible bookshops, and book podcasters. Christopher Hermelin of So Many Damn Books and Drew Broussard of The Lit Hub Podcast share cocktails and book recommendations on the theme of friendship.Notes and BooklistRough Draft Bar & Books The Friend by Sigrid NunezGrief is for People by Sloane Crosley Who Will Watch the Frog Hospital by Lorrie MooreMarlena by Julie Bunton Mayflies by Andrew O'Hagan Stay True by Hua Hsu The Sherlock Holmes Stories by Arthur Conan DoyleLiar and Spy by Rebecca Stead It by Stephen KingThe Wonder State by Sarah Flannery Murphy A Little Life by Hanya Yanigahara The Interestings by Meg Wollizer Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon The Animators by Kayla Raye Whittaker Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin A/S/L by Jeanne Thornton Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman Girl, Woman, Other by Bernadine Evaristo A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbary On The Calculation of Volume I by Solvej Balle A Man Called Ove, Anxious People and My Friends by Friedrik Backman (sp) My Friends by Hisham Matar Netherland by Joseph O'Neill End of the World House by Adrian Kelt (sp)Leonard and Hungry Paul by Rónán HessionGhost Mountain by Rónán HessionWoodworking by Emily St. JamesSome Strange Music Draws Me In by Griffin Hansbury All That Glitters by Orlando Whitfield Always Home, Always Homesick by Hannah Kent The Details by Ia GenbergNetwork Effect by Martha Wells The Odd Woman and the City by Vivian GornickSupport the show on Patreonpatreon.com/thebookclubreviewWebsitethebookclubreview.co.ukInstagram@bookclubreviewpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From Murderbot to Sense and Sensiblity, what are our favourite adaptations from books that we love? Inspired by the recent Apple adaptation of Martha Wells sci-fi novels The Murderbot Diaries, this episode is a celebration of the world of books to film. From the joy of seeing a book that we love brought to the big screen, to the pitfalls when things don't match up to our expectations, we're considering the hits and misses, and passing on our recommendations. You'll be hearing from pod regulars Laura Potter and Phil Chaffee, plus we meet Philippa Donovan, a literary scout to the film and TV world. Philippa founded her consultancy Smart Quill to bridge the gap between agents, publishers and authors around the world. She's giving us the inside track on the world of book to film. All that, plus a peek into the future and the upcoming projects we've earmarked as ones to watch. Interview Listen to the full interview with literary scout Philippa Donovan here [TO COME] Patreon Come and listen to the episodes ad-free over on Patreon, plus The Book Club Review Weekend, join our chat threads where you'll be able to swap book recommendations with Kate and other Book Club Review listeners and if you want to come and talk books with Kate in person at the higher tier you can join the pod's monthly book club. Head to Patreon.com/thebookclubreview for all the benefits and how to sign up. Booklist All Systems Red by Martha Wells (Book 1) Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin Artificial Condition by Martha Wells (Book 2) Room by Emma Donoghue Normal People by Sally Rooney The Horse Whisperer by Nicholas Sparks The Bridges of Madison County by Robert James Waller The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks Exhalations by Ted Chiang (the film Arrival is based on Story of Your Life) Brokeback Mountain by Annie Proulx Friday Night Lights by H. G. Bissinger Rivals by Jilly Cooper The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins Call Me By Your Name by André Aciman Children of Men by P. D. James Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen Hunting and Gathering by Anna Gavalda Barn Burning by Haruki Murakami Barn Burning by William Falkner Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norell by Susanna Clarke Fleishman is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner Hot Milk by Deborah Levy The Friend by Sigrid Nunez People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry The Salt Path by Raynor Wynn Everything I Know About Love andGood Material by Dolly Alderton Universality by Natasha Brown Theory and Practice by Michelle de Kretser Transcript Head over to the episode page at thebookclubreview.co.uk for a full transcriptSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Glorious Exploits by Ferdia Lennon is a novel that takes us back to ancient Syracuse, where war, art, and humanity collide. This gripping tale follows two down-on-their-luck potters who hatch an audacious plan to produce a performance of the works of Euripedes despite the fact that their actors are prisoners of war and their stage set a death camp in a marble pit. It's a story of resilience, friendship, and the power of art in the face of destruction, but did it make for a good book club book? Regular book-club reporter Phil Chaffee dials in from New York to join Kate alongside keen readers and returning pod guests Emily Bohill and Sarah Oliver in London. And find out Laura's thoughts at the end as we consider what makes Glorious Exploits such a standout debut, whether or not you need to know about Classical history to enjoy it, and why the audio version is such a particular joy. All this plus our recommendations for follow on reads inspired by Glorious Exploits. Booklist The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower The Years by Annie Ernaux Rejection by Tony Tulathimutte You Dreamed of Empires by Ávaro Enrigue Metamorphoses by Ovid Piranesi by Susanna Clarke Enter Ghost by Isabella Hammad The Netanyahus by Joshua Cohen Circe by Madeleine Miller Patreon Signing up for membership is a great way to support the show, and in return you'll have access to weeklyish bonus episodes, plus the archive of back episodes to enjoy. At the higher tier you can join the podcast book club, currently reading Hateship, Friendship, Loveship, Courtship, Marriage by Alice Munroe. I'd love to have you join us. Instagram & Threads @bookclubreviewpodcast Web Our full archive of episdoes with shownotes See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.