We're joined by Dianne Jacob, a writing coach who specializes in food writing. Dianne tutors would-be writers on writing and publishing books, and also writing freelance articles, and blogging. Many of her students have signed publishing deals

Koalas Uncovered

Jan 24th, 2023 20m 2s

We go Down Under to learn about koalas with Australian zoologist Danielle Clode, who has written a new book called Koala: A Natural History and an Uncertain Future. Koalas regularly appeared in Danielle’s backyard, but it was only when a bushfi

Tom Ayling on TikTok

Jan 14th, 2023 32m 8s

We're joined by Tom Ayling who works for Jonkers Rare Books in Henley on Thames, in the UK. Tom has uploaded hundreds of videos to TikTok about a wide variety of bookish subjects, from The Hobbit first edition to rare bibles, Shakespeare First

Historic cemeteries

Oct 25th, 2022 30m 53s

Our Halloween episode. We're joined by Greg Melville, who is the author of a new book called Over My Dead Body: Unearthing the Hidden History of America’s Cemeteries. Greg has toured the United States, visiting notable historic cemeteries from

Collecting Toni Morrison the editor

Oct 19th, 2022 21m 19s

We speak to Ariana Valderrama who has just won the inaugural David Ruggles Prize, which is a new book collecting contest designed to encourage and support young collectors of color. Ariana decided to focus on Toni Morrison but not her rather ex

Sistine Chapel luxury art book

Sep 14th, 2022 38m 10s

In this episode, we learn about a remarkable luxury art book that celebrates Rome's Sistine Chapel. Nicholas Callaway and Manuela Roosevelt join us from Callaway Arts and Media. They've produced a 3-volume limited edition book about the Sistine

Collecting John le Carre

Aug 29th, 2022 37m 30s

Our guest is Steven Ritterman, who joins us from New York. Steven has a collection of more than 300 John le Carré books, including first editions, signed copies, galleys and variants. John le Carré - who died in 2020 - is best known for his spy

Cornwall poet Charles Causley

Jul 26th, 2022 40m 26s

We're heading off to Cornwall to learn about the poet Charles Causley. His peers in the 1970s regarded his poetry to be on par with Ted Hughes and John Betjeman. Our guest is Nicola Nuttall who is acting director of the Charles Causley Trust, a

ABAA diversity internship

Jul 21st, 2022 20m 10s

We meet Alba Melgar-C'De Baca who is currently working as an intern at rare book firm Type Punch Matrix through a new internship program organized by the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America (ABAA). The program places students or rec

Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull

Jul 13th, 2022 32m 15s

We are discussing two of the greatest leaders in Native American history – Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse. Both members of the Sioux Nation, they led the native forces at the Battle of Little Big Horn where General Custer famously met his end. Ou

Where Great Writers Write

Jul 2nd, 2022 22m 43s

We welcome back author Alex Johnson, who has just released a new book called Rooms of their Own: Where Great Writers Write. It’s a beautifully illustrated book that describes the writing locations used by 50 famous authors. Alex show us attics,

The Mainstone Press

Jun 30th, 2022 28m 17s

The Mainstone Press publishes beautifully crafted books and limited edition prints on a range of British artists, who worked in the first half of the 20th century, artists such as Eric Ravilious, Edward Bawden, Paul Nash, and John Piper. We sp

Minnesota Antiquarian Book Fair

Jun 28th, 2022 13m 13s

We speak to Jennifer Phillips from the Minnesota Antiquarian Book Fair, which takes place on July 8-9 in St. Paul, Minnesota. We learn about the bookselling community in this part of the Midwest and how the fair aims to attract a new generation

Yiddish Book Center

Jun 23rd, 2022 29m 6s

The Yiddish Book Center was founded in 1980 by Aaron Lansky, a 24-year-old graduate student of Yiddish literature. He realized that many Yiddish books were being lost and he organized a campaign to save as many as possible. The Center, located

Sensational Books at the Bodleian

Jun 2nd, 2022 27m 14s

We're talking about a new exhibition at the Bodleian Libraries in Oxford, which celebrates touching, tasting, seeing, smelling and hearing books. It looks at the sensory appeal of reading physical books from flip-books to pop-ups and even a boo

Factotum in the Book Trade

May 18th, 2022 41m 46s

We speak to retired bookseller Marius Kociejowski about his new book, A Factotum in the Book Trade. Marius began life in rural Ontario in Canada but moved to London where he embarked a long career in antiquarian bookselling with several notable

Collecting Tolkien

Apr 13th, 2022 45m 1s

We are talking about collecting books and art associated with JRR Tolkien, the author who gave us The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Our guest is Mark Faith, who runs Festival Art and Books, a bookselling firm located near Machynlleth in Wal

Berwyn Bookshop Rising from the Ashes

Mar 28th, 2022 26m 39s

Last November, Emma Littler could only look on in shock as her employer's warehouse filled with 400,000 books burned to the ground. The fire was devastating for Berwyn Books, located in Wales. But a new bookselling business, called the Berwyn B

The Insect Crisis

Mar 16th, 2022 26m 47s

We are talking to journalist Oliver Milman about his new book, The Insect Crisis: The Fall of the Tiny Empires that Run the World. Oliver, who is the environment correspondent on The Guardian newspaper, addresses the shocking decline in the num

Read Dangerously

Mar 11th, 2022 26m 58s

We are talking about the art of reading dangerously with guest Iranian American author Azar Nafisi, who was written a book called Read Dangerously: The Subversive Power of Literature in Troubled Times. In 2003, Azar’s memoir Reading Lolita in T

David Ruggles Book Collecting Prize

Mar 5th, 2022 24m 27s

Today we are learning about the David Ruggles Prize, which is a book collecting contest designed to encourage and support young collectors of color. Our guests are Sara Powell, who is one of the prize judges, and Pat Olson, who is Assistant to

On Gold Mountain

Feb 28th, 2022 32m 25s

On Gold Mountain by Lisa See was published in 1995. It’s a remarkable memoir that tells the story of one Chinese American family and their immigrant experience. The book is still making headlines today. It has been adapted into an opera with a

The First Kennedys

Feb 22nd, 2022 24m 33s

Author Neal Thompson is our guest as we discuss his latest book - The First Kennedys: The Humble Roots of an American Dynasty, which describes the early years of the family made world famous by John F Kennedy. We learn how two young Irish peopl

Heartbreak

Feb 8th, 2022 22m 29s

Today we consider broken hearts. Our guest is journalist Florence Williams who has written a book called Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey. Sadly, Florence’s marriage unexpectedly collapsed after 25 years and she decided to investi

Gwendolyn Brooks at the Morgan

Feb 3rd, 2022 16m 19s

In 1950, poet Gwendolyn Brooks became the first Black person to win a Pulitzer Prize following her second book, Annie Allen. We speak to Nic Caldwell from the Morgan Library & Museum in New York about their latest exhibition - Gwendolyn Brooks: