Book Shambles

Latitude Festival Part I

Contributed by Lukas

Direct from day one of the Latitude Festival it’s Robin’s Book Shambles. Because Josie is still on route. Robin chats with comic book creators K...

Johann Hari

Contributed by Lukas

Josie and Robin are joined by writer Johann Hari to talk about all manner of things. From his new book, ‘Chasing the Scream’ and rebuilding trust ...

Stewart Lee Returns

Contributed by Lukas

Stewart Lee was our first ever guest on Book Shambles and now he’s back in Season 7 as our first return guest. Unfortunately Josie was ill at the la...

Meg Jay - Book Shambles Author Extra

Contributed by Lukas

If you missed the news, we're going to putting out some shorter Book Shambles Extra episodes on Sunday. These will be more focused, in theory, convers...

Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀

Contributed by Lukas

Stay With Me was one of the most acclaimed novels of the part twelve months and this week its author, Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀, joins Robin and J...

Laura Kidd and Charles Fernyhough - Live

Contributed by Lukas

Recorded live in Thirsk at the Podcast Social Festival, Robin is joined by Laura Kidd (who you might better know as She Makes War) and psychologist an...

Lisa Williamson

Contributed by Lukas

Young Adult author Lisa Williamson joined Robin Ince in the studio (earlier this year) to talk about her new book Paper Avalanche, smuggling copies of...

Pragya Agarwal

Contributed by Lukas

Pragya Agarwal is a behavioural scientist who’s written a number of excellent books on the subject but her most recent book, (M)otherhood: On the ch...

Lucia Osborne-Crowley - Live from Latitude

20 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted of five counts of sex-trafficking of minors, and now faces twenty years in prison for the role she played in Jeffrey E...

Weirdly Normal - The Science of Neurodiversity - Live from Latitude

03 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What if being a bit weird is actually entirely normal? What if sharing our internal struggles wasn't a sign of weakness, but strength? Let some expert...

Graphic Novels Panel - Live from Latitude 2025

29 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Graphic Novels (NB - Alan Moore calls them comics, so we’re allowed to call them comics) are increasingly becoming a fantastic medium for diverse st...

Stuart Murdoch - Live at the Glasgow Comedy Festival

22 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Stuart Murdoch of Belle and Sebastian joins Josie and Robin live on stage at the Glasgow Comedy Festival to talk about basically everything but his ne...

Claudia Hammond, Chris Lintott and Jakko Jakszyk - Part 2 - Latitude 2024

05 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Here is Part 2 of our Friday session in the bookshop at this year's Latitude Festival. Jakko Jakszyk and Prof Chris Lintott are still on the couch wit...

Jakko Jakszyk and Chris Lintott - Part 1

28 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We did over 6 hours of live book chats in the newly created Robin's Book Corner at this year's Latitude Festival back in the late summer. In this fir...

Alexis Pauline Gumbs

14 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If you've heard Robin at any point in the past few years, you've probably heard him singing the praises of Alexis Pauline Gumbs' book Undrowned. So wh...

Wolverhampton Literature Festival - Josie Long's Because I Don't Know What You Mean and What You Don't

07 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In the first episode of a new limited series of Book Shambles Robin and Josie take the stage at the Wolverhampton Art Gallery to talk about Josie's de...

Lucy Nichol

23 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In the first new episode in a while Robin and Josie chat to author Lucy Nichol about her latest book, 'Don't Call Me Snowflake'. Please note this epi...

Robin Ince's Bibliomaniac Launch Event

06 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today is the day that Robin Ince's new book, Bibliomaniac, hits shelves around the UK so today's episode is a recording of the book's launch event whi...

Kamila Shamsie

29 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

On today's episode, Robin is joined by the multi award winning novelist Kamila Shamsie. They chat about her new novel Best of Friends, as well as how ...

Sona Movsesian

15 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Sona Movsesian has been Conan O'Brien's personal assistant for over 13 years. By her own admission, she is terrible at her job. She's been a regular o...

Marina Hyde

08 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In the week that actual Liz Truss became the actual Prime Minister of the actual United Kingdom, could there be a more appropriate guest to have on th...

Darryl Bullock

01 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Our guest this week is Darryl Bullock, author and winner of the Penderyn Music Book Prize 2022 for The Velvet Mafia. But he's on the show this week to...

Jessamine Chan

25 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We spoke to US author Jessamine Chan right after her novel, The School for Good Mothers was just revealed to be on Barack Obama's Summer Reading List....

Michael Dine

18 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

On today's episode Robin is joined by Dr Helen Czerski as co-host to talk to US physicist Professor Michael Dine about his new book This Way to the Un...

James Bridle

11 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Artist and writer James Bridle joins Robin this week to talk about his new book, Ways of Being: Beyond Human Intelligence. They hat about AI, Darwin's...

Oly Durose

28 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

On today's show, Josie talks to author and activist Oly Durose about his new book Suburban Socialism (or Barbarism). They chat about growing up conser...

Sarah Polley

21 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Not only is Sarah Polley an Academy Award nominated screenwriter and acclaimed actor and director, but she’s also written Robin’s favourite book o...

Riley Black

14 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's Dinosaur Day at Book Shambles! Or rather, The Last Days of the Dinosaurs, and the first days of the mammals. Helen Czerski is our host this week ...

Jim Al-Khalili Returns

07 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

On today’s episode Professor Jim Al-Khalili returns to the show to talk to Robin and Helen about his new book, The Joy of Science. They chat about h...

Jocelyn Nicole Johnson

23 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The multi award winning writer Jocelyn Nicole Johnson joins Robin to talk about her debut novella, My Monticello this week. They chat about the book, ...

Alan Lane

16 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week Josie Long is back from maternity leave and she takes the reigns of the podcast to talk to theatre maker and author Alan Lane about his new ...

Lindsey Fitzharris

09 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Medical historian Dr Lindsey Fitzharris is our special guest this week, talking to guest host Dr Helen Czerski about her new book, The Facemaker. Her ...

Daniel Sloss

02 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The acclaimed comedian Daniel Sloss joins Robin on the podcast to today to talk about his book, Everyone You Hate Is Going to Die, which has just been...

Taking the Universe Around the World - Preview Episode

26 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Robin is currently on a world tour with Brian Cox and that means there's a whole world of secondhand bookshops to explore. Those adventures form a big...

Fiona Fox

19 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We spend a lot of time at Shambles talking about science, so on today's episode of Book Shambles we're going to talk about how the media should and sh...

Jules Howard

12 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week Helen Czerski takes the host chair once again to talk to zoologist, author and broadcaster Jules Howard about dogs. His new book, Wonderdog,...

Rachel Parris

05 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

On today's episode Robin is joined by comedian Rachel Parris to talk about her new, and first, book, Advice from Strangers. She chats with Robin abou...

Lauren John Joseph

28 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week Robin is joined by artist and author Lauren John Joseph to talk about their new novel, At Certain Points We Touch. They chat about the book,...

Reece Shearsmith Returns

20 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Tonight the ever brilliant Inside No. 9 returns to our screens for series 7 and so it is that Reece Shearsmith returns to Book Shambles! He joins Robi...

Patrick Radden Keefe

14 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Our guest today is the author of one of the most lauded books of 2021, the superb Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty by Patrick...

Hayley Campbell

07 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Hayley Campbell is a writer and broadcaster you may best know for his book The Art of Neil Gaiman. Her latest book, All the Living and the Dead, looks...

Veronica O'Keane

31 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Veronica O'Keane is a Professor of Psychiatry and this week she joins Robin and Helen Czerski to talk about her book The Rag and Bone Shop which deals...

Kei Miller

24 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

On today's episode Robin is joined by author and poet Kei Miller to talk about his new collection of essays, Things I Have Withheld. They chat about t...

Cal Flyn

17 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

You've probably encountered online what is often labeled 'Abandoned Places Porn'. Artistic photography of disused theme parks, factories and that sort...

Richard Firth-Godbehere

10 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

On this week's show we have someone who was one of the writers, and performers, of the Cosmic Shambles and Book Shambles theme music. Oh, and he's als...

Armando Iannucci - Live from The Slapstick Festival

03 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week's episode was recorded in January live at The Slapstick Festival in Bristol. Armando Iannucci, co-creator of The Thick Of It, Veep, Alan Par...

Richard Coles

24 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

On this week's episode Robin is joined by the Reverend Richard Coles to talk about his literary inspirations and loves growing up as a nerdy kid in Ke...

Julia Cooke

17 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Julia Cooke is a writer and author whose work regularly appears in the likes of Salon, Smithsonian and The New York Times. Her latest book is the accl...

Ruth Ozeki

10 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Man Booker Prize shortlisted novelist Ruth Ozeki joins us this week to talk about her latest novel The Book of Form and Emptiness which is out now. Th...

Ruarri Joseph

03 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Ruarri Joseph is a singer-songwriter and frontman for the band William The Conqueror. He's just written his first novel, of the same name, (available ...

James Canton

27 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There's been a lot more interest in plants and trees in the UK recently thanks to David Attenborough's The Green Planet series, so this week we speak ...

Louie Stowell and Julie Baugh

20 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week's episode is a young readers special. Robin chats to author Louie Stowell about her new book for younger readers, Otherland and is also join...

Dara McAnulty

13 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Last year Dara McAnulty, at just 16 years of age, won Non-Fiction Book of the Year at the British Book Awards. Coincidentally, that category was prese...

Books of the Year 2021

06 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Our traditional end of year wrap up of the best things the Shambles crew read in 2021. The books don't have to have been released in 2021 of course, j...

Jessica Nordell

02 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week Robin chats to US author Jessica Nordell about her Royal Society Prize shortlisted book, The End of Bias. Back when Jessica was a journalist...

Louis Barfe

25 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Louis Barfe is an author and former journalist who has written some of the most lauded biographies of classic British comedians. He has written some o...

Zena Barrie

18 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Author Zena Barrie joins Book Shambles today to chat to Robin about her first novel, Your Friend Forever. They chat about what made the former theatre...

Rutherford and Fry

04 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Robin's science book came out the same day last month as Adam Rutherford and Hannah's Fry first book together, Rutherford and Fry's Complete Guide to ...

Bec Hill

28 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It's our Halloween special and sometimes co-host Bec Hill returns to Book Shambles today to talk to Robin about her new kids horror book, The Slime, t...

Liz Fraser

21 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

On today's episode Robin is joined by the writer, editor and broadcaster Liz Frazer to talk about her new book, and bestseller, Coming Clean: A True S...

Chris Hadfield Returns

14 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Our favourite Canadian returns to the podcast this week, it's astronaut Commander Chris Hadfield. Chris has just released his first ever work of ficti...

Tim Minchin

07 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Robin Ince's brand new book The Importance of Being Interested: Adventures in Scientific Curiosity is out TODAY! Go grab a signed copy from our books...

Francesca Stavrakopoulou

30 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Francesca Stavrakopoulou was a guest on the first series of Tips for Existence and now that her first book, God: An Anatomy, has just been released we...

Kathryn Mannix

23 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

On this week’s episode our guest is Kathryn Mannix, a palliative care doctor and author. Kathryn self proclaims that her Mastermind subject would be...

Josie and Robin and the Books on Their Desks

16 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week our guest couldn't make the interview at the very last minute. Which was unfortunate because obviously we wanted to talk to them and also it...

Eddie Glaude Jr

09 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

James Baldwin is one of the most recommended and discussed authors on this podcast so this week's guest is someone who literally wrote the book on Bal...

Anil Seth

02 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Anil Seth has been researching consciousness for over twenty years and now he's released his first book on the subject, Being You. He joins Robin and...

Dan Davis - Book Shambles Live at Latitude

26 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As part of The Cosmic Shambles Network's takeover of The Speakeasy at this year's Latitude Festival, Dr Helen Czerski was joined by Professor Dan Davi...

Isy Suttie Returns

19 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Isy Suttie was one of our first guests on the podcast many years ago now and as her first ever novel, Jane is Trying, hits shelves this month she retu...

Katrine Marçal

12 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week on Book Shambles Josie and Robin are joined by the Swedish journalist Katrine Marçal to talk about her new book Mother of Invention: How Go...

Rachel England

05 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

You might recognise journalist Rachel England's voice from the Brain Yapping podcast that she co-hosts with Dean Burnett on The Cosmic Shambles Netwo...

Rupert Thomson

29 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Rupert Thomson is the author of thirteen highly acclaimed novels and an award winning memoir. He has spent timing living all around the world and his ...

Karl Deisseroth

22 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Professor Karl Deisseroth is an emergency psychiatry physician. He's been responsible for some breakthrough scientific discoveries in optogenetics in ...

John Robb

15 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

John Robb is a musician from bands like The Membranes but also one of the UK's most respected music journalists. This week he joins Robin and Josie to...

Michael Spicer

01 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Recorded live online as part of the More Than Words Literary Festival, Robin and Josie are joined by comedian and writer Michael Spicer who you probab...

Jessie Cave

24 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Comedian, actor, writer and podcaster Jessie Cave joins Robin and Josie this week to talk about her debut novel Sunset which is out now. They talk ab...

Dean Burnett Returns

17 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Neuroscientist and best selling author Dean Burnett is a regular contributor to the Cosmic Shambles Network and this week he returns to the Book Shamb...

Lauren Oyler

10 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

On today's episode Josie and Robin chat to the writer Lauren Oyler. A prolific writer of articles for publications like Harper's and the New Yorker, a...

Geoff Dyer Returns

03 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Geoff Dyer returns to the podcast to talk to Robin and Josie (who is late arriving because her daughter broke the TV...) about his new book See/Saw: L...

Annie Macmanus

27 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

On today's episode Robin and Josie are joined by Annie Macmanus (who you may better know as Annie Mac from Radio1) to talk about her debut novel Mothe...

Musa Okwonga

13 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Musa Okwonga is a writer, poet, podcaster and author about everything from politics to football. His new book is a memoir titled One of Them, about hi...

Yasmin Khan

06 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week Robin and Josie are joined by author Yasmin Khan to talk about her knew book Ripe Figs which is part cookbook, part travel book that traces ...

Tom Allen

29 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Comedian and Bake Off host Tom Allen joins Robin and Josie this week to talk about his memoir No Shame, which is out now. They chat of growing up in t...

A.L. Kennedy Returns and Tom Whyman

22 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Two guests on this week's episode. Firstly Robin chats to A.L. Kennedy who returns to the podcast to chat about her new collection of short stories We...

Douglas Stuart

15 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Robin and Josie are joined by author Douglas Stuart, winner of the 2020 Booker Prize for his debut novel Shuggie Bain ahead of it's release in paperba...

Katy Wix

08 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

On today's episode Josie and Robin are joined by the actor, comedian and writer Katy Wix to talk about her new book, Delicacy: A Memoir about Cake and...

Ginny Smith and Melanie Challenger

01 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Two science authors on the show today, both with new books that look at different ways of what makes us human. First up it's Shambles regular, Ginny S...

Carlo Rovelli - Tips for Existence Crossover Episode

25 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week's Book Shambles is a cross over event. Physicist, and one of the world's biggest selling science authors, Carlo Rovelli has a new book out t...

Ben Machell and Maaza Mengiste

18 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It's a double header this week! First up Robin and Josie chat with journalist Ben Machell about his book, The Unusual Suspect: The Rise and Fall of a ...

Nell Frizzell

11 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Journalist Nell Frizzell's new book is The Panic Years: Dates, Doubts, and the Mother of All Decisions and it spoke so strongly to Josie that she prov...

Mark Steel

04 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

On today's episode, Josie couldn't make the recording and so Robin is joined by a guest co-host, the brilliant Natalie Haynes. They chat to Mark Steel...

Salena Godden Returns

25 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Salena Godden was one of our very first guests on Book Shambles six years ago and now she's back to talk about her debut novel, the hugely acclaimed M...

Kevin Barry

18 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week Robin and Josie are joined by the multi-award winning, and Booker Prize long-listed, Irish novelist and short stories writer Kevin Barry. T...

Marian Keyes

11 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Marian Keyes is one of the most successful Irish writers of all time with her novels having sold over 30 million copies and been translated into 33 la...

BONUS - An Uncanny Hour Anthology

09 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

You've probably heard us talking about our new audio documentary series An Uncanny Hour on Book Shambles recently. Well we've just finished season one...

Nikesh Shukla Returns

04 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Author Nikesh Shukla returns to the podcast this week to chat to Robin and Josie about his new memoir, Brown Baby. They chat about the importance of ...

Alexi Pappas

28 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Alexi Pappas is an author, actor, screenwriter and Olympian to boot. You might have recently seen her in the film Olympic Dreams, alongside Nick Kroll...

Cosey Fanni Tutti

21 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Robin has often mentioned how much he enjoyed Cosey Fanni Tutti's book Art Sex Music so it was only right we finally get her on the show. She joins Ro...

Alan Davies

14 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

For our first proper episode of 2021 Josie and Robin are joined by comedian and broadcaster Alan Davies, who is also the author of the new acclaimed m...

Books of the Year 2020 Edition

07 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In our first episode of 2021, Robin and Josie look back on the best things they read in 2020. Most are books that came out last year, but a few aren't...