The Libreria Podcast

Lili Is Crying - Kate Briggs and Holly Pester discuss Hélène Bessette’s work and legacy.

24 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we are listening to writer and translator Kate Briggs and poet, writer and scholar Holly Pester discuss Hélène Bessette’s Lili Is ...

Learning From Animals – Adam Weymouth and Jay Griffiths, in conversation with Libreria's Lloyd Sowerbutts

05 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we are listening to acclaimed writers Adam Weymouth and Jay Griffiths  discuss their new books, Lone Wolf and How Animals Heal Us. wh...

Spontaneous Acts – Yoko Tawada and Tice Cin, in conversation at Libreria

07 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we are listening to critically acclaimed writer Yoko Tawada and interdisciplinary artist Tice Cin discuss Yoko’s novel Spontaneous A...

Entitlement – Rumaan Alam and Lloyd Sowerbutts, in conversation.

11 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we are listening to Rumaan Alam and Lloyd Sowerbutts discuss Rumaan’s recent novel Entitlement, which was recorded in October 2024, ...

Scattered – Aamna Mohdin and Lloyd Sowerbutts, in conversation

15 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we welcome Aamna Mohdin to discuss her memoir, Scattered: The Making and Unmaking of a Refugee.Aamna is the Guardian’s first communi...

Where We Come From: Rap, Home & Hope in Modern Britain - Aniefiok Ekpoudom, in conversation with Caleb Azumah Nelson

13 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we are listening to South London writer and storyteller Aniefiok Ekpoudom and bestselling writer, photographer and filmmaker Caleb Azu...

Nikki Giovanni – a reading of three poems, at Libreria

06 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we are listening to renowned poet, activist and icon Nikki Giovanni, who visited Libreria for an intimate night of readings and discus...

Nikki Giovanni – intimate readings and conversation, at Libreria

06 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we are listening to renowned poet, activist and icon Nikki Giovanni, who visited Libreria for an intimate night of readings and discus...

The Future of Trust - Ros Taylor and Lloyd Sowerbutts, in conversation

30 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we are listening to Ros Taylor discuss her book The Future of Trust, recently published by Melville House, as part of their FUTURES se...

American Mother – Colum McCann and Lloyd Sowerbutts, in conversation

04 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we welcome Colum McCann, the National Book Award-winning author of Let the Great World Spin, and the Booker Prize-nominated Apeirogon,...

The Upside-Down World – Benjamin Moser and Lauren Elkin, in conversation at Libreria

07 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we are listening to Benjamin Moser and Lauren Elkin discuss Ben’s recent publication The Upside-Down World: Meetings with the Dutch ...

Sleepless – Marie Darrieussecq and Brian Dillon in conversation, at Libreria

14 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we are listening to Marie Darrieussecq and Brian Dillon discuss Marie’s recent publication Sleepless, which was recorded in October ...

My Weil – Lars Iyer & Jon Day in discussion, at Libreria

05 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we are listening to Lars Iyer and Jon Day discuss Lars’ recent novel My Weil, which was recorded live in the bookshop in September 2...

Poverty, by America – Matthew Desmond, at Libreria

16 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode Libreria welcomes Pulitzer Prize winner, MacArthur Fellow and esteemed sociologist, Matthew Desmond. Matthew is the author of Poverty,...

One Small Voice - Santanu Bhattacharya

23 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode the microphone is passed on to Libreria bookseller Buitumelo, who has invited debut author Santanu Bhattacharya, to chat about his rec...

Together: A Manifesto Against the Heartless World - Ece Temelkuran

19 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode Libreria welcomes Turkish writer and political thinker Ece Temelkuran, whose recent publications Together: A Manifesto Against a Heart...

Iconicon - John Grindrod

06 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode Libreria welcomes John Grindrod, author of Concretopia and Outskirts. Together with Iconicon these books form a loose trilogy about ho...

The Selfless Act of Breathing - JJ Bola

27 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode Libreria welcomes established writer and poet JJ Bola ahead of the publication of his new novel, The Selfless Act of Breathing. In thi...

Index, A History of the - Dennis Duncan

07 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode Libreria welcomes writer, translator and lecturer Dennis Duncan. In his new book “Index, A History of the” Dennis enthuses about h...

Michael Pollan & Dennis McKenna, in conversation.

06 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode Libreria welcomes two legends in psychedelic research, the award-winning author Michael Pollan and the brilliant ethnopharmacologist D...

Sevastopol - Emilio Fraia & Zoe Perry

14 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode Libreria welcomes Brazilian writer and editor Emilio Fraia and translator Zoe Perry. Emilio has been selected by Granta magazine a...

Ahead of the Curve - Franco Stevens talks to Libreria

26 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Libreria is privileged to be joined by Franco Stevens, founder of Curve magazine, which was created to offer greater visibility of the queer and lesb...

The Rag and Bone Shop: How We Make Memories and Memories Make Us - Veronica O'Keane

24 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Libreria is joined by Veronica O’Keane, Professor of Psychiatry and practicing Consultant Psychiatrist at Trinity College Dublin. Her book The Rag a...

Collective - a discussion with the director Alexander Nanau, Roger and James Deakins, and Libreria

05 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Collective, the double Oscar-nominated documentary by Alexander Nanau follows a team of investigative journalists whose tireless work uncovers a shock...

White Feminism: From the Suffragettes to Influencers and Who They Leave Behind - Koa Beck

15 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Koa Beck, former editor-in-chief of Jezebel, is joined by Katrine Marçal to discuss how capitalism’s focus on the individual is inhibiting feminism...

New Passengers - Tine Høeg

18 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Lloyd Sowerbutts is joined by Danish prize-winning author Tine Høeg and translator Misha Hoekstra, to discuss Tine's free verse novel "New Passengers...

You Know You Want This - Kristen Roupenian

27 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kristen Roupenian came to prominence with the publication of her story ‘Cat Person’ in the New Yorker magazine back in 2017. Having caused quite a...

Apeirogon - Colum McCann

20 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Today’s guest won major plaudits for his 2009 novel Let The Great World Spin winning the National Book Award in the US. He’s also been nominated f...

Weather - Jenny Offill

06 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Today’s guest is a leading light in the vanguard of experimental fiction - announcing her credentials with her 2014 novel Dept. of Speculation, this...

Future Fossils

16 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Covering anthropology, literature, art, history and our propensity to use science to dominate space and place David Farrier describes some of the bind...

Kraftwerk: Future Music from Germany

02 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Paddy Butler interviews cultural critic Uwe Schütte (down the line in Berlin), on his layered little book, Kraftwerk, Future Music from Germany. They...

David Lynch & Hans Ulrich Obrist - The Pursuit of Artistic Authenticity

17 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Superstar curator Hans Ulrich Obrist and the enigmatic auteur, David Lynch discuss painting, unrealised projects and the uncompromising pursuit of art...

Determining Art in Science – Conrad Shawcross

31 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We go off site for this episode to enter the world of sculptor Conrad Shawcross – At his studio of wonders the artist walked us through the evolutio...

Transcendence - Gaia Vince

13 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Author of Adventures in the Anthropocene and the first woman to have been awarded the Royal Society’s prize for science writing Gaia Vince, discusse...

Language Unlimited - David Adger

06 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Paddy Butler catches-up with the ever engaging and brilliant linguist David Adger to discuss his much praised new book, Language Unlimited: The Scienc...

Magic - The Libreria Room

30 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Curator Madeleine Dunnigan is joined by tarot card reader Shy Charles, poet Nisha Ramayya and performance artist Joseph Morgan Schofield to discuss ma...

Black Literary History: An African Perspective

23 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Back in October we celebrated Black History Month at Libreria welcoming authors Inua Ellams, Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi and founder of Libreria Ghana,...

Lisa Taddeo – Three Women and the feeling of Aloneness

09 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Three Women by Lisa Taddeo is really making waves at present and, because of its subject matter, has opened up further important points of discussion ...

New Nostalgias - Lucy Caldwell and Dana Czapnik

02 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Author of Multitudes, Lucy Caldwell and Dana Czapnik (The Falconer) were at Libreria for our New Nostalgias event back in September and we made a live...

Carlo Rovelli - Einstein, Kant & Dante

25 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

For this extended episode we travelled to Marseille University to catch-up with physicist and author of Seven Brief Lessons on Physics Carlo Rovelli. ...

Beverly Glenn-Copeland

18 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

For this special edition filmmaker Posy Dixon and experimental musician Glenn Copeland discuss Copeland’s extraordinary creative philosophy. At 75, ...

The Outlaw Ocean

04 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Ian Urbina cumulatively spent three years at sea documenting global injustices including trafficking, slavery and il...

The Libreria Room : WATER

28 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

How does our relationship with water play out in literature and what does this tell us about ourselves? Madeleine Dunnigan is joined by Sophie Mackint...

Doxology

14 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Nell Zink, the incomparable author of Wallcreeper discusses generational discord and the effectiveness of punk as a form of protest.

Let Me Not Be Mad

30 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Author of Let Me Not Be Mad, AK Benjamin, challenges our often narrow assumptions regarding mental health – and how institutions invariably fall sho...

Queer Futures

23 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Curator Madeleine Dunnigan talks to author of Queer Intentions, Amelia Abraham and the author of Good as You, Paul Flynn about the importance of queer...

Paul Mason - Capitalism in the Dock

16 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

What does it mean to be human and how do we think about this in our digital age of turbo-charged capitalism? Paddy Butler speaks with the brilliantly ...

Caspar Henderson - Interior Worlds & Cosmic Couriers

02 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Kevin Barry - Beatlebone Spirit and the Heaventree of Stars

19 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The punchiest of prose stylists talks to Paddy Butler about influences and his 2019 Booker long listed novel, Night Boat to Tangier.

James Bridle - Prometheus and the craft paradox

05 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Author and conceptual artist, James Bridle, joins Paddy Butler to discuss some of the luminous ideas from his magisterial, New Dark Age.

Carolyn Forché & Laia Abril

22 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We discuss poet Carolyn Forché's fascinating new memoir, covering her journey to El Salvador in the lead up to the horrific civil war beginning in 19...

Michael Pollan & Rose Cartwright

08 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Author of Pure, Rose Cartwright, chats with Michael Pollan (How to Change Your Mind). They discuss Michael's book and the perils of employing language...

Bernardine Evaristo & Sharmaine Lovegrove

24 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode Paddy Butler welcomes author Bernardine Evaristo (Girl, Woman, Other) and publisher supremo Sharmaine Lovegrove - together they discus...

Bret Easton Ellis

10 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

For this extended interview Paddy Butler talks to author of American Psycho, Bret Easton Ellis - they discuss some of the more surprising and hidden i...

Roberto Calasso & Stanley Kubrick

30 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Paddy Butler interviews legendary Italian author Roberto Calasso about the Greek myths and the critical importance of philosopher Simone Weil. He also...

Sinéad Gleeson & Antonin Artaud

10 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In the latest podcast edition Paddy Butler looks at illness, empowerment and the creative process - speaking with author of Constellations, Sinéad Gl...

Marcus du Sautoy & Allan Sekula

03 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of the Libreria podcast we take a look at different aspects of creativity and the role of machines in human expression. Mathematician...

Josh Cohen & Ottessa Moshfegh

03 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode Libreria's Paddy Butler catches up with to two very different authors who share interesting similarities in terms of subject-matter.Jo...