Book Shambles

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 with Robin and are now joined by Prof Claudia Hammond to talk about her new book, The Keys to Kindness. This extended video version is exclusive to Patreon and Substack paid subscribers.

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 first episode, Robin is joined by Jakko Jakszyk of King Crimson to talk about his upcoming memoir, Who's the Boy With the Lovely Hair, and Prof Chris Lintott to chat about his latest book Our Accidental Universe. Obviously, being record live at Latitude there might be a bit of background noise bleeding in from other stages! To hear and watch an extended video version subscribe to Patreon or Substack at one of the paid tiers.

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 when she was briefly in the UK recently with her new book, Survival Is a Promise, we just had to catch up for a chat! Support the show by subscribing at patreon.com/cosmicshambles

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 debut book, a collection of short stories titled Because I Don't Know What You Mean and What You Don't. They chat about the differences in writing a book to writing for stand up, early literary influences and why a fox on the cover actually makes sense. See the video version, with more chat not on the audio version, of this episode by supporting the show and subscribing at patreon.com/cosmicshambles.

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 episode contains discussions around the topics of mental health and suicide. This is an abridged version. Patreon subscribers get an extended version. Sign up at patreon.com/bookshambles.

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 which took place in East London on October 4th. Robin talks about the book and, well, a million other things because he was quite tired. This is an abridged version. A full filmed edition will be available for Patreon subscribers next week with an extra 30 minutes of material. Sign up at patreon.com/bookshambles.

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 she knew from an early age she wanted to be a writer, letting go of books once they're finished and, obviously, the Clint Eastwood western musical Paint Your Wagon. Hear an extended edition by subscribing at patreon.com/bookshambles

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 on Conan's TV shows, co-hosts his podcast and has now written her first book, World's Worst Assistant. And, as she tells Robin on this week's episode, it's all because she doesn't care. About her job that is, she cares a lot about wrestling and Bridgerton. To hear and extended edition of this episode, and all episodes really, subscribe at patreon.com/bookshambles

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 the show this week than political columnist Marina Hyde? She chats to Robin about her new book, What Just Happened, (which is out in a few weeks), trying to be a voice of sanity amongst a world gone insane and why she really should just join the Conservative Party... An extra 15 minutes of chat this week for Patreons, as well as lots of other goodies and the warm glow you'll get from supporting the show! Sign up at patreon.com/bookshambles

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 talk about his brand new book, Pride, Pop and Politics: Music, Theatre and LGBT Activism, 1970–2022. He chats to Robin about researching for the book, It's a Sin, fifty years of pride and where LGBT activism is today, and the same old tired attacks on people just trying to live their lives. 10 minutes of extra chat for Patreon subscribers this week. Sign up at patreon.com/bookshambles

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. She chats with Robin about bucking expectations of what the book is about, writer's who've inspired her, avoiding parenting advice and they both try and not give away any of the twists and turns of the novel. Hear an extended version and support the show at patreon.com/bookshambles

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 Universe. They chat about the challenges of explaining complicated ideas to a mass audience, string theory and the different ways to tackle physics problems, from an experimental or theoretical approach. Hear an extended edition and get lots of other benefits by subscribing at patreon.com/bookshambles

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 less popular experiments, science fiction, Ursula K. Le Guin and Robin asks none of the questions from his two sets of notes. To hear an extended version every episode, subscribe at patreon.com/bookshambles

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 conservative, reclaiming the suburbs, The Simpsons and the stigmas of social housing. Also Josie's baby gurgles adorably throughout the episode. Hear an extended edition, and get lots of other goodies, by becoming a Patreon supporter at patreon.com/bookshambles

Not only is Sarah Polley an Academy Award nominated screenwriter and acclaimed actor and director, but she’s also written Robin’s favourite book of 2022 so far, Run Towards the Danger. In today’s episode she joins Robin to talk about the memoir, the childhood trauma of working with Terry Gilliam, trying to make film sets better for child actors and how sometimes things are actually better if you only give 80% instead of 100. To hear and extended version, support the show, and get all sorts of goodies, subscribe at patreon.com/bookshambles

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 and she speaks with acclaimed dinosaur writer and fossil fanatic and hunter, Riley Black. They chat about why dinosaurs remain so exciting, what their extinction can teach us about the current ongoing mass extinction event, why we need to talk more about palaeobotany, her new book, and much more. Get extended episodes and a whole lot more by supporting the podcast at patreon.com/bookshambles

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 how the age of Trump was the impetuous for writing the book, how it became even more timely in the age of COVID, the joy of being wrong and echo chambers on social media. Plus Robin’s plan to build an actual echo chamber… To hear and extended version, support the show, and get all sorts of goodies, subscribe at patreon.com/bookshambles

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, how important it was to capture the feeling of a real place, and the long shadow of the events of Charlottesville on her life, and the book. Extended edition for Patreons, of course, at patreon.com/bookshambles

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 book The Club on the Edge of Town. They chat about how when COVID hit, and the theatres had to close, Alan turned his theatre company into a foodbank for those in need, the role of art and creativity in society, and how failing doesn't necessarily mean failing. Support the show at patreon.com/bookshambles

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 book looks at the story of the visionary surgeon who rebuilt the faces of the First World War's injured heroes, and in the process ushered in the modern era of plastic surgery. Her and Helen talk about the challenges around researching the book, how his work has impacted medical science today and how there are no 'glorious dead' in war. To hear and extended version, support the show, and get all sorts of goodies, subscribe at patreon.com/bookshambles