Quite possibly you’re tired of me saying this, because I know I’ve mentioned it many times before.
Not just here, but in countless comments and conversations.
But have you listened to the BBC’s World Book Club podcasts yet?
I just pulled out an old episode yesterday, listened to Lionel Shriver chatting about We Need to Talk about Kevin.
I was doing the dishes and the other chores that are always more bearable with bookchat as a backdrop: you know?
Yes, that’s a favourite book of mine, but although I really enjoyed that podcast, I have listened to many of them when I hadn’t even heard of the author, or perhaps had registered their name but didn’t have a context for their work. And I’ve enjoyed them just as much.
Harriet Gilbert is a class act. The choice of subjects is diverse and fascinating.
The questions from the audience clearly come from devoted readers and thinkers.
And one has the sense that, although the author has clearly marked this date on the calendar — along with everybody else from the producers to the attendees — we are all just huddled together in a cozy venue because we love books.
That’s how I feel too, even with my hands stuck in the dishwater. And that’s pretty special, I think.
So my apologies if you’re bored of hearing about it. But even I had forgotten just how much I enjoy these events.
How else do you get your dose of daily bookishness if you can’t spend time with the printed page?
What else should I add to my audio files?
[…] have to thank the BBC World Book Club podcast (and in turn, Buried in Print whose link I first clicked to get to said book club – wee reader and I like to listen to it while having […]
I first learned of the World Book Club podcasts from you, along with CBC’s Writers & Company. I am enjoying both immensely. WBC rebroadcast the Lionel Shriver one recently and it was a superb program. The first one I listened to was an interview of Hisham Matar and instantly put his books on my wish list. You warned me these podcasts would be deadly for my tbr, and you were so right!
I’ve recently added The Guardian Books podcast to my regular listening. And The Guardian Science Weekly, which has nothing to do with books but I’m a secret science geek so I like it.
Yay: I’m not alone in this addiction. And now I know it’s magic for you too, because Hisham Matar is a writer I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t have gravitated towards without the charms of the WBC. The Guardian podcast is actually my current regular listening for walks in the neighbourhood (but I’m on February’s episodes, which is okay because the books are easiest to find by now!)…not sure about the science ones, but I’ll have a boo, cuz I’ve enjoyed the CBC shows on the subject.