The TLS Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Who Knows Where The Time Goes Nov 03, 2022

Show notes

This week André Aciman toasts the genius of Marcel Proust, a century after his death; and Richard Lea on the mesmerising multiverses of John Banville.

The works of Marcel Proust

‘The Singularities’ by John Banville

Produced by Charlotte Pardy

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Big Unfriendly Giant Oct 30, 2022

Show notes

Sam Leith on Roald Dahl’s life of plane crashes, bunk-ups, secret agenting – and children’s writing

https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/teller-of-the-unexpected-roald-dahl-matthew-dennison-book-review-sam-leith/

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From Battleground to Billiard Table Oct 27, 2022

Show notes

This week, we learn about the final years of the Napoleonic era, poke around the exclusive gentlemen’s watering holes of Pall Mall, and discover how Roy Orbison ended up meeting his wife in Batley Variety Club.

’Napoleon: The decline and fall of an Empire, 1811-1821’ by Michael Broers

’Napoleon at Peace: How to end a revolution’ by William Doyle

‘Behind Close Doors: The secret life of London’s private members’ clubs’ by Seth Alexander Thévoz

‘Clubland: How the working men's club shaped Britain’ by Pete Brown

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Acid Raine Oct 23, 2022

Show notes

Laura Thompson on the much-married daughter of Barbara Cartland who became Lady Diana’s stepmother

https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/three-times-a-countess-tina-gaudoin-book-review-laura-thompson/

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A Journey Into The Ambiguous Afterlife Oct 20, 2022

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This week, Toby Lichtig interviews the new Booker laureate, Shehan Karunatilaka, and discovers why he killed off his protagonist; and we explore the latest developments in a Chaucerian controversy.

‘The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida’ by Shehan Karunatilaka

Mary C Flannery on Chaucer

Produced by Charlotte Pardy

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Beyond Flesh and Blood Oct 16, 2022

Show notes

Michele Pridmore-Brown considers our quest for godlike immortality

https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/hybrid-humans-harry-parker-the-price-of-immortality-peter-ward-book-review-michele-pridmore-brown/

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Measuring Our Lives, One Reindeer At A Time Oct 13, 2022

Show notes

Richard Dunn joins Alex and Lucy to discuss how humanity began to measure the world around it; and Lauren Elkin illuminates the immense artistic contribution of Annie Ernaux, this winner of this year’s Nobel Prize in Literature.

‘Beyond Measure: The Hidden History of Measurement’ by James Vincent

The work of Annie Ernaux, Nobel Prize laureate 2022

Produced by Charlotte Pardy

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What's For Dinner? Oct 09, 2022

Show notes

Bill McKibben considers the future of farming in a rapidly warming world

https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/rooted-sarah-langford-sixty-harvests-left-philip-lymbery-regenesis-george-monbiot-review-bill-mckibben/

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United We Stand Oct 06, 2022

Show notes

Sofia Chelyak joins us to preview this weekend’s Lviv International Book Forum, in which guests including Margaret Atwood and Henry Marsh will join Ukrainian writers and thinkers in an online extravaganza; plus highlights of our live podcast on narrative arcs in fiction, history and politics and how to support a literary fundraiser for those affected by floods in Pakistan.

Lviv International BookForum, 7-9 October 2022

https://airauctioneer.com/books-for-pakistan

Produced by Charlotte Pardy

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If We Only Had Eyes To See Oct 02, 2022

Show notes

Charles Foster considers the extraordinary variety of animals’ sensory worlds

https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/an-immense-world-ed-yong-book-review-charles-foster/

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