Meet the Writers

Ece Temelkuran on exile, language and finding a new voice

03 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Georgina Godwin is joined by journalist and novelist Ece Temelkuran. Forced exile led to her writing in English and producing her latest work, Nation ...

Nicholas Thompson on leading change and running habits

26 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Georgina Godwin meets Nicholas Thompson, CEO of ‘The Atlantic’, to discuss ‘The Running Ground’, a memoir which intertwines hi...

Rachel Eliza Griffiths and the weight of memory

19 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Georgina Godwin is joined by writer and poet Rachel Eliza Griffiths to discuss her memoir, ‘The Flower Bearers’, a deeply moving portrait ...

Catherine Carr and the complexities of sibling dynamics

12 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Georgina Godwin meets award-winning documentarian Catherine Carr to discuss the exploration into sibling dynamics that led to her new book, ‘Who...

Maria Semple on stoicism, rebellion and personal growth

05 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Georgina Godwin meets Maria Semple, bestselling author of ‘Where’d You Go, Bernadette’, to discuss her new book, ‘Go Gentle&rs...

Poet Sasha Debevec-McKenney on writing with joy

03 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Georgina Godwin is joined by Sasha Debevec-McKenney to discuss the writer’s debut poetry collection “Joy is My Middle Name”, which i...

Margaret Busby on publishing, power and representation

29 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Georgina Godwin meets Margaret Busby, Britain’s first black publisher. They discuss her career, the landmark anthology ‘Daughters of Afric...

Fatima Bhutto at the Daunt Books Festival 2026

22 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Following the release of her memoir, ‘The Hour of the Wolf’, Fatima Bhutto joins Georgina Godwin at the Daunt Books Festival 2026.See omny...

Francis Spufford on faith, fantasy and the craft of fiction

15 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Georgina Godwin is joined by renowned writer Francis Spufford. They discuss his early days at Chatto & Windus, his wrangles with sceptics and late...

Luka Ivan Jukic on the enduring significance of Central Europe

11 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Georgina Godwin meets journalist and historian Luka Ivan Jukic, whose latest book, Central Europe: The Death of a Civilization and the Life of an...

Karen Dobres and pitch politics 

08 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

It’s International Women’s Day and Georgina Godwin is joined by a former model who helped transform Lewes FC into the world’s first ...

Tom Freston on media, reinvention and change

01 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Georgina Godwin meets Tom Freston to discuss his memoir, Unplugged. It traces his journey from launching MTV and shaping Comedy Central to how philant...

Maria Alyokhina on activism, Russia’s regime and hope for the motherland

22 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Georgina Godwin is joined by Maria Alyokhina, who shares insight into her latest memoir, Political Girl, and her hopes for the future of Russia. See o...

Bora Chung on the rise of Korean literature

15 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Georgina Godwin speaks with author Bora Chung about her life and activism, the rise of South Korean literature and her short-story collection The Midn...

Andrey Kurkov on chronicling a nation at war

08 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Georgina Godwin meets Ukrainian author Andrey Kurkov, who shares his experiences from four years of war, the impact of conflict on daily life and the ...

Damian Barr on Scottish art, memory and belonging

04 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Damien Barr meets Georgina Godwin to reflect on childhood shaping his memoir and novel, examining class, his move from journalism to fiction and celeb...

Alexander B Smalls on opera, food and African heritage

01 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Georgina Godwin meets Alexander B Smalls, tracing his path from opera to food writing via his family roots, landmark restaurants and books championing...

Steve Crawshaw and confronting global impunity

25 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Georgina Godwin speaks to Steve Crawshaw about his book Prosecuting the Powerful, including cases from Milošević and Putin to Netanyahu. Plus:...

Mary L Trump and how power destroys a nation

18 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Georgina Godwin meets US psychologist and author Mary L Trump. They discuss her upbringing within the Trump family, pivoting from psychology to writin...

EA Hanks and retracing family ties

11 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

EA Hanks joins Georgina Godwin in the studio to discuss her debut memoir The 10, which recounts a solo journey, retracing family ties and the memory o...

Manni Coe on roots, ruins and reinvention

04 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Georgina Godwin speaks with writer-guide Manni Coe about his memoir Little Ruins, tracing his Yorkshire roots, music, struggles and plans for new book...

India Knight on finding Home

28 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Georgina Godwin speaks to British journalist and author India Knight on what makes a home worth living in her latest novel "Home"See omnystudio.com/li...

John Lloyd and ‘The Meaning of Liff’

21 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Georgina Godwin meets John Lloyd, one of the men behind ‘The Meaning of Liff’. He shares insight on working with Douglas Adams and the imp...

Sir Michael Palin on his travels, decades-long career and finding laughter

14 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Georgina Godwin sits down with Sir Michael Palin, who shares insight into his upbringing, his start in comedy with Monty Python and his latest venture...

Mitchell Kaplan, the founder of Miami Book Fair

07 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Georgina Godwin speaks with Mitchell Kaplan, the founder of Miami Book Fair. They discuss his switch in careers from lawmaker to bookseller, influenci...

Harlan Greene at the 2025 Charleston Literary Festival

30 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Georgina Godwin meets American writer and historian Harlan Greene at the 2025 Charleston Literary Festival to discuss the playwright Dorothy Heyward, ...

The winner of the 2025 Booker Prize: David Szalay

23 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Georgina Godwin meets Davis Szalay, winner of the 2025 Booker Prize, at Charleston Literary Festival. They discuss his winning novel, Flesh, his conne...

Kiran Desai on loneliness, legacy and the curse of rewriting

16 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Georgina Godwin is joined by Kiran Desai, whose novel ‘The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny’ was shortlisted for the 2025 Booker Prize. She d...

The Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction 2025 winner: Helen Garner

09 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Georgina Godwin is joined by Helen Garner, the 2025 winner of the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction, who shares insight into How to End a Story: C...

Richard Armitage and the power of storytelling

02 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Richard Armitage discusses moving from acting to writing with ‘The Cut’, which explores trauma and memory. Reflecting on his Leicestershir...

Richard Lloyd Parry and the journeys within stories

26 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Richard Lloyd Parry, Asia editor for The Times and Sunday Times, shares memories of his upbringing in Southport and his Blockbusters prize trip to Jap...

Olivier Norek on courage, conflict and history

19 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

French author Olivier Norek presents ‘The Winter Warriors’, his first historical novel, on the 1939 Soviet invasion of Finland. He joins G...

Sam Sussman on the possibility of family ties

12 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Writer Sam Sussman joins Georgina Godwin to discuss his US upbringing, relationship with his mother and the op-ed that developed into his debut novel,...

Juhea Kim on stories woven from silence

05 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Georgina Godwin speaks to Juhea Kim about her path from ballet to bestsellers, the inspirations behind her work, her passion for conservation and the ...

Priyanka Mattoo on the search for home

28 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Writer and filmmaker Priyanka Mattoo joins Georgina Godwin following the release of her memoir, ‘Bird Milk & Mosquito Bones’, which de...

Michael Wolff on chaos, power and America’s reckoning

21 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Journalist Michael Wolff joins Georgina Godwin to discuss his career and his perception of Donald Trump, leading to his ‘Fire and Fury’ se...

R James Breiding on what small nations teach the world

17 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

R James Breiding, Naissance Capital founder and author, recounts his path from Catholic school to finance. He champions small nations’ strengths...

Michelle de Kretser on literature and belonging

14 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Georgina Godwin interviews Michelle de Kretser on her Sri Lankan roots, family influences, migration to Australia and her novel ‘Theory & Pr...

Iain Sinclair on London, literature and hidden journeys

07 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Georgina Godwin is joined by the chronicler of London’s psychogeographies, Iain Sinclair. His latest novel, ‘Pariah Genius’, traces ...

Nick Berg on revolutions, exile and the stories that we inherit

02 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Nick Berg joins Georgina Godwin to discuss ‘Shadows of Tehran’, a novel mirroring the author’s life in Iran before and after the rev...

Iris Wolff on weaving memory into words

31 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Georgina Godwin is joined by Iris Wolff to discuss her childhood in Romania, emigrating to Germany in the 1980s and the use of language and creative p...

Andrei Soldatov & Irina Borogan: Exiled voices on Russia

24 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Russian journalists Andrei Soldatov and Irina Borogan, exiled in London, discuss ‘Our Dear Friends in Moscow’. The conversation ranges fro...

Karin Slaughter on banned books and the fight for truth

17 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Karin Slaughter joins Georgina Godwin to reflect on her upbringing and her latest novel, ‘We Are All Guilty Here’. Plus: she shares her cr...

The women redefining literary festivals

13 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Georgina Godwin speaks with women directing major literary festivals worldwide, from Edinburgh and Auckland to Sydney and Dubai. She explores their hi...

Nick Harkaway and the legacy of Le Carré

10 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Nick Harkaway joins Georgina Godwin to discuss life with John le Carré as a father and carrying on his legacy with the latest installment in th...

Jean McNeil on bearing witness to a disappearing world

03 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Canadian author Jean McNeil reflects on her journey from Cape Breton Island to Antarctica in a conversation that explores grief, climate change and ho...

Guadalupe Nettel on human nature in fiction

27 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Georgina Godwin speaks to Guadalupe Nettel about her award-winning writing, life between Mexico and France, partial blindness and how human and animal...

C K Stead at the 2025 Auckland Writers Festival

23 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

New Zealand literary giant C K Stead joins Georgina Godwin to discuss aging, mortality and his early fascination with poetry. He also reflects on his ...

Karim Kattan on writing between languages and landscapes 

20 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Karim Kattan joins Georgina Godwin to discuss his upbringing in Bethlehem, putting Palestine in his own words and writing ‘The Palace on the Hig...

Michael and Matariki Bennett at the 2025 Auckland Writers Festival 

16 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Georgina Godwin speaks with Michael and Matariki Bennett, co-curators of the Auckland Writers Festival, about their Māori heritage, the kōhanga reo ...

Damian Le Bas on writing between worlds

13 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Damian Le Bas joins Georgina Godwin to discuss his latest work, ‘The Drowned Places’, which delves into the myth of Atlantis and the sunke...

Agustina Bazterrica at Hay Festival 2025

09 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Georgina Godwin speaks to Argentine author Agustina Bazterrica about her shift from opera to writing, literary influences and her novels exploring opp...

Esther Freud on family, fiction and healing

06 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Esther Freud reflects on her childhood and literary journey to ‘My Sister and Other Lovers’, which follows two sisters facing secrets and ...

Damien Wilkins at the 2025 Auckland Writers Festival

02 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Georgina Godwin meets Damien Wilkins, the 2025 Ockham New Zealand Book Award winner for fiction with his novel ‘Delirious’. Wilkins reflec...

Eliza Reid on crafting her first mystery

29 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Eliza Reid speaks to Georgina Godwin about growing up in Ottawa, her time as Iceland’s first lady and her debut whodunit, ‘Death of a Dipl...

Meike Ziervogel on her humanitarian and literary drive

22 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Meike Ziervogel joins Georgina Godwin to discuss her literary and humanitarian journey, and her new novel, Shams.See omnystudio.com/listener for priva...

The Winners of the 2025 Women’s Prize for Fiction and Non-Fiction

15 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Georgina Godwin meets Yael Van Der Wouden and Rachel Clarke, the winners of the 2025 Women’s Prize for Fiction and Non-Fiction for their works &...

Miranda Cowley Heller on what lies beneath art and memory

08 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Author Miranda Cowley Heller speaks to Georgina Godwin at Adelaide Festival about the personal and literary crucible of her upbringing in a bohemian f...

Ewan Morrison on AI and its side effects

01 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Ewan Morrison joins Georgina Godwin to discuss the inspiration behind his ninth book, For Emma. His first science-fiction novel follows a grieving fat...

Tiffany Watt Smith on female friendships

25 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tiffany Watt Smith joins Georgina Godwin to discuss her new release, ‘Bad Friend’, which explores the dynamics of female friendships with ...

Jeremy Vine: Broadcasting and the stories that matter

18 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Broadcaster Jeremy Vine sits down with Georgina Godwin to share details about his upbringing in Surrey, his entry into reporting as a political corres...

Ahmed Alnaouq: the voices of Gaza beyond the headlines

11 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Gazan journalist Ahmed Alnaouq joins Georgina Godwin to discuss his upbringing, losing family in a 2014 Israeli bombing and co-founding We Are Not Num...

Lynda La Plante and the art of crime writing

04 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Lynda La Plante speaks to Georgina Godwin about the latest addition to her Detective Jack Warr series, ‘Crucified’, as well as her researc...

 Jenny Mustard on writing literary fiction

27 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Georgina Godwin is joined by Jenny Mustard to discuss her upbringing in Sweden, new novel ‘What A Time To Be Alive’ and the challenges of ...

AC Grayling and making peace in the culture wars

20 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

AC Grayling has written theses and philosophies about society and the world for decades. His latest work, ‘Discriminations: Making Peace in the ...

Rachel Shabi and the complexities of antisemitism 

13 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As an award-winning journalist, Rachel Shabi has reported for ‘The Times’, ‘The Guardian’, Al Jazeera English and many more be...

Stephen May’s reimagination of Victor Grayson

06 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Stephen May has a penchant for reimagining the lives of historical figures and his new novel, ‘Green Ink’, is a case in point. May evocati...

Natasha Brown on the effect of language

30 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Natasha Brown’s 2021 debut ‘Assembly’ was met with critical acclaim,  shortlisted for several awards including the Folio Prize,...

Abdulrazak Gurnah and Zanzibar’s multicultural history

23 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The history of Zanzibar is prevalent in the work of Nobel laureate Abdulrazak Gurnah, including his new release, ‘Theft’, which is set in ...

Lauren Markham at the Lannan Literary Festival

16 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As a fiction writer, essayist and journalist, Lauren Markham’s work most often concerns issues related to youth, migration, the environment and ...

Janet de Neefe’s cultural ventures in Bali

09 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Janet de Neefe’s explorations of cooking and writing have seen her publish her hybrid memoir-cookbook ‘Fragrant Rice’ and open vario...

Tash Aw on writing the reality of Southeast Asia 

02 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tash Aw’s writing puts the history and reality of Southeast Asia on the page. His latest novel, ‘The South’, is the first in a quart...

Ram Murali at Galle Literary Festival 2025

23 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Ram Murali’s pivot from law to filmmaking sparked his route into writing. His debut novel, ‘Death In the Air’, blends elements of an...

Benjamin Moser at Jaipur Literature Festival 2025

16 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Benjamin Moser joins Georgina Godwin to talk about his journey from growing up in Texas and writing his first book, ‘Why This World: A Biography...

Sandip Roy at the 2025 Kolkata Literary Meet

09 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Sandip Roy’s writing career started when he pivoted from software engineering to broadcasting. Currently a columnist and podcaster, he&rsqu...

Angelo Tijssens: from the silver screen to the short novel 

02 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Angelo Tijssens’ screenwriting credits include ‘Girl’ (2018), about a trans ballerina, and ‘Close’ (2022), an Oscar-nomi...

Maggie Mackellar: the healing power of nature

26 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For Maggie Mackellar, writing was never in her plans. She initially wanted to be a vet or mountain climber before eventually settling into a career as...

Caryl Phillips’s snapshot of the Windrush Generation

19 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

 Booker Prize shortlisted writer Caryl Phillips is one of contemporary literature’s master stylists. His latest novel, ‘Another Man i...

Charles Hecker: Russia’s zero-sum game

12 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Charles Hecker’s 40-year career has seen him travelling and reporting from both the Soviet Union and Russia. He has worked as a journalist and a...

This year’s highlight: Zeinab Badawi

05 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

“Education for girls is the family business,” says Sudanese-British broadcast journalist Zeinab Badawi. She tells us about her family and ...

The women behind Charleston Literary Festival

29 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We look back at the Charleston Literary Festival in South Carolina. Its roots lie in Charleston House in the UK, home of radical writers, artists and ...

Julie Taymor: the pride of writing for film and stage

22 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Julie Taymor is a tour de force when it comes to penning scripts for theatre, film and opera. Her 1997 stage adaptation of Disney’s ‘The L...

Lindsey Hilsum’s world in poems

15 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As Channel 4’s international editor, Lindsey Hilsum has seen war in six continents across more than two decades. As a witness to the catastrophi...

Namita Gokhale

08 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Namita Gokhale is the author of 25 works of fiction and non-fiction. Her oeuvre spans various genres including novels, short stories, Himalayan studie...

2024 Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction 2024: Richard Flanagan

01 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

After winning the 2024 Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction, Richard Flanagan joins Georgina Godwin to discuss ‘Question 7’, his life and career,...

The musical adventures of Mike Batt

24 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Mike Batt is known for raising the popularity of one of the most well-known British novelty pop acts of the 1970s, The Wombles. Batt wrote and compose...

Yulia Mykytenko and her hope for Ukraine

17 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As the first female commander in the Ukrainian military, Yulia Mykytenko has seen the horrors of war. Yulia is both a squadron leader and a role model...

Jan Gradvall’s ties with Abba

10 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As one of Sweden’s most prominent music journalists, Jan Gradvall has a close and fond relationship with his nation’s top musical export, Abba. In...

Gabriel Gatehouse

03 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We look at conspiracy theories that have emerged through US politics with Gabriel Gatehouse, author of ‘The Coming Storm’. The podcaster and forme...

Peter Godwin

27 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Writing a fourth memoir is somewhat unheard of but for Peter Godwin it’s an even more personal note. Not a grief memoir so much as an exploration in...

Lee Mylne

20 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Known as the “Queensland Expert” for ‘The Telegraph’, Lee Mylne’s journalism is enjoyed around the world thanks to her expertise in travel a...

Evie Wyld

13 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Multi-prize winner Evie Wyld is no stranger to writing intricate, thought-provoking novels to challenge readers globally. Her latest novel, “The Ech...

The Afghan women writers who witnessed the fall of Kabul

06 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The resurgence of the Taliban in August 2021 sent shockwaves throughout the world. Images from Afghanistan showed fear, panic and unrest looming. With...

William Dalrymple

29 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

One of the UK’s greatest historians, William Dalrymple is no stranger to researching the treasures of India. Dalrymple sits down with Georgina Godwi...

Imogen Sutton, Richard Williams and their ‘Adventures in Animation’

22 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Richard Williams, one of the most revered animators in modern times, leaves a lasting creative impression from ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’ to ‘The...

Rabih Alameddine

15 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As the author of six critically acclaimed novels, including the 2022 PEN/Faulkner award winning ‘The Wrong End of the Telescope’, Rabih Alameddine...

Sam Leith

08 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Literary editor of ‘The Spectator’ Sam Leith is surrounded by books of various genres every day. His latest non-fiction work ‘The Haunted Wood’...

Magda Szubanski AO

01 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Magda Szubanski is known as Sharon Strzelecki in the comedy series ‘Kath and Kim’ in Australia and globally for the role of Esme Hoggett in the ‘...

Nathan Thrall

25 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Life for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank is often stalked by violence, heightened by the events following 7 October. When US journalist Nathan ...

Novuyo Rosa Tshuma

18 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Novuyo Rosa Tshuma is a Zimbabwe-born writer who spent her time writing instead of studying at university during one of the most turbulent times in th...