Bookshelfie: Women’s Prize Podcast

Accomplished writer and this year’s Chair of Judges for the 2025 Women’s Prize for Fiction Kit de Waal talks to Vick about her memoir, the value of audiobooks and why we need to see more writing about women in mid life.  Kit de Waal has written novels for adults and young adults, short stories and her memoir Without Warning and Only Sometimes was published in 2022. Her debut novel My Name is Leon was an international bestseller; in 2022 it was adapted for television by the BBC and it is now on the GCSE curriculum. She is founder of the TV production company Portopia Productions and The Big Book Weekend, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and holds many roles in book and arts organisations. She is Chair of Judges for the 2025 Women’s Prize for Fiction. Her new novel The Best of Everything, a story about the meaning of kindness and the love that can alter one's life, is published next week. Kit’s book choices are: ** Revenge of the Middle Aged Woman by Elizabeth Buchan ** The Outrun by Amy Liptrot ** This Is Not A Pity Memoir by Abi Morgan ** Every Light in the House Burnin’ by Andrea Levy ** Old Filth by Jane Gardam Vick Hope, multi-award winning TV and BBC Radio 1 presenter, author and journalist, is the host of season eight of the Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast. Every week, Vick will be joined by another inspirational woman to discuss the work of incredible female authors. The Women’s Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and they continue to champion the very best books written by women. Don’t want to miss the rest of season eight? Listen and subscribe now! You can buy all books mentioned from our dedicated shelf on Bookshop.org - every purchase supports the work of the Women's Prize Trust and independent bookshops.  This podcast is sponsored by Baileys and produced by Bird Lime Media.

Historian and award-winning biographer Anne Sebba talks about her incredible career interviewing everyone from Elizabeth Taylor to the Duchess of Windsor and the process of writing her newest book: The Women's Orchestra of Auschwitz: A Story of Survival. Anne Sebba began her career as a Reuters correspondent based in London and Rome. She has written eleven works of non-fiction, mostly about iconic 20th century women, translated into a variety of languages. Anne makes regular television and radio appearances and has presented two BBC radio documentaries about musicians. She is the author of the international bestseller That Woman, an acclaimed biography of Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor, and the prize-winning Les Parisiennes: How the Women of Paris Lived, Loved and Died Under Nazi Occupation.  Her newest release The Women's Orchestra of Auschwitz: A Story of Survival tells an astonishing story of female solidarity, the power of music, and survival against all odds. Anne’s book choices are: ** The L-Shaped Room by Lynne Reid Banks ** Actress by Anne Enright ** Sylvia’s Lovers by Elizabeth Gaskell ** Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver ** Suite Française by Irene Nemirovsky Vick Hope, multi-award winning TV and BBC Radio 1 presenter, author and journalist, is the host of season eight of the Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast. Every week, Vick will be joined by another inspirational woman to discuss the work of incredible female authors. The Women’s Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and they continue to champion the very best books written by women. Don’t want to miss the rest of season eight? Listen and subscribe now! You can buy all books mentioned from our dedicated shelf on Bookshop.org - every purchase supports the work of the Women's Prize Trust and independent bookshops.  This podcast is sponsored by Baileys and produced by Bird Lime Media.

Recorded live at Bailey’s HQ in London, singer-songwriter, rapper, producer and Women’s Prize 2025 longlisted author Neneh Cherry discusses her career, the power of women and the process of writing her deeply personal memoir, A Thousand Threads.  Neneh first achieved global success in 1988, with 'Buffalo Stance', a groundbreaking mix of music genres. She has released six critically acclaimed studio albums and won two Brit Awards, an MTV Europe Music Award and was nominated for a Grammy for Best New Artist. Neneh has collaborated with the likes of Peter Gabriel, Cher, Four Tet, Gorillaz to name just a few. And her most recent album, The Versions, a compilation of reworked songs from her back catalogue, features SIA, Robyn and many others. It was released in 2022. Neneh recently published her beautiful memoir, A Thousand Threads, which tells the story of her journey to becoming the artist and woman she is today. It also shines a light on her family; the extraordinary three generations of artists and musicians that are her inheritance, and legacy. Neneh’s book choices are: ** Beloved by Toni Morrison **The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock by Imogen Hermes Gowar ** Women Who Run With the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes ** White Teeth by Zadie Smith **There are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak Vick Hope, multi-award winning TV and BBC Radio 1 presenter, author and journalist, is the host of season eight of the Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast. Every week, Vick will be joined by another inspirational woman to discuss the work of incredible female authors. The Women’s Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and continues to champion the very best books written by women. You can buy all books mentioned from our dedicated shelf on Bookshop.org - every purchase supports the work of the Women's Prize Trust and independent bookshops.  Don’t want to miss the rest of season eight? Listen and subscribe now! This podcast is sponsored by Baileys and produced by Bird Lime Media.

Pioneering broadcaster, journalist and author Charlene White discusses the danger of banning books, dealing with grief and loss, and her interest in what home means to others.   Charlene began presenting ITV News in 2008 and in 2014 became the first Black woman to present ITV News at Ten. She’s also one of the presenters of daytime show, Loose Women, and helmed the show's first all-black panel special, which won a Royal Television Society award and was nominated for a BAFTA. In 2020 Charlene presented the award-winning ITV series IRL with Team Charlene - a mix of short films, animation and music dealing with racism in the UK, and how it impacts the lives of young people. She uses her platform to mentor aspiring journalists, and work alongside various organisations to achieve better representation in the industry. As a writer, Charlene is a regular columnist for the iPaper and has written for the New York Post. Her critically acclaimed debut non-fiction book, No Place Like Home, was published last year.  Charlene’s book choices are: ** The Jolly Postman by Janet and Allan Ahlberg **Forever by Judy Blume ** And Still I Rise by Maya Angelou ** Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams **A Life Reimagined: My Journey of Hope in the Midst of Loss by Jill Halfpenny Vick Hope, multi-award winning TV and BBC Radio 1 presenter, author and journalist, is the host of season eight of the Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast. Every week, Vick will be joined by another inspirational woman to discuss the work of incredible female authors. The Women’s Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and continues to champion the very best books written by women. Don’t want to miss the rest of season eight? Listen and subscribe now! This podcast is sponsored by Baileys and produced by Bird Lime Media.

Broadcaster, disability inclusion and accessibility specialist, and social entrepreneur Shani Dhanda discusses the power of audiobooks, the importance of kindness and why accessibility benefits us all.  Shani Dhanda is one of the UK's most influential disabled people, and was named Number 1 on The Shaw Trust’s Disability Power 100 List in 2023. Shani has been recognised with multiple honours and awards for her inclusion and activism work, including being named as one of the six most influential women in the new world of work, one of the most influential women in leadership, and a world-leading changemaker. She is one of the consumer experts on BBC’s Rip Off Britain and a regular contributor on ITV’s This Morning. Shani’s intersectional activism and entrepreneurship has challenged social inequality around the world, and she is the founder of Diversability, the Asian Woman Festival and the Asian Disability Network. Shani’s book choices are:  ** The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella ** Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J. K. Rowling ** But What Will People Say?: Navigating Mental Health, Identity, Love and Family Between Cultures by Sahaj Kaur Kohli ** Baby Does a Runner by Anita Rani  ** Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman Vick Hope, multi-award winning TV and BBC Radio 1 presenter, author and journalist, is the host of season eight of the Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast. Every week, Vick will be joined by another inspirational woman to discuss the work of incredible female authors. The Women’s Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and continues to champion the very best books written by women. You can buy all books mentioned from our dedicated shelf on Bookshop.org - every purchase supports the work of the Women's Prize Trust and independent bookshops.  Don’t want to miss the rest of season eight? Listen and subscribe now! This podcast is sponsored by Baileys and produced by Bird Lime Media.

Actor and screenwriter Emer Kenny tells us why all pain is useful - whether it be heartbreak or rejection -  and why being a mentor to other creatives is so important. Emer Kenny is an actor and writer who made her acting debut in the BAFTA-nominated single drama Coming Down The Mountain in 2008. She began to write for the screen soon after, honing her skills on BBC’s Eastenders and Holby City, which she followed up with episodes of Hulu’s Harlots and Sky’s Save Me Too. Alongside this, she played Joan Morecambe in Victoria Wood’s BAFTA-winning Morecambe and Wise biopic, Eric and Ernie. Most recently, she has written, executive produced and acted in BAFTA-winning ITV crime drama Karen Pirie, which is returning for a second series this year. Emer’s book choices are: ** Frankenstein by Mary Shelley ** Sex and Rage: Advice to Young Girls Eager to Have a Good Time by Eve Babitz ** An American Marriage by Tayari Jones ** Swan Song by Kelleigh Greenberg-Jephcott ** I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara Vick Hope, multi-award winning TV and BBC Radio 1 presenter, author and journalist, is the host of season eight of the Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast. Every week, Vick will be joined by another inspirational woman to discuss the work of incredible female authors. The Women’s Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and continues to champion the very best books written by women. You can buy all books mentioned from our dedicated shelf on Bookshop.org - every purchase supports the work of the Women's Prize Trust and independent bookshops.  Don’t want to miss the rest of season eight? Listen and subscribe now! This podcast is sponsored by Baileys and produced by Bird Lime Media.

Journalist, author and mental health campaigner Bryony Gordon discusses the journey to writing about her own mental health, why we need political balance, and her aversion to misery books.   Bryony has written six Sunday Times bestselling books, including the number one bestsellers Mad Girl and You Got This. Her latest book Mad Woman is the eagerly anticipated follow-up which explores a crucial question: what if our notion of what makes us happy is the very thing that’s making us so sad? And her debut novel People Pleaser will be published in 2026. Her work as a mental health campaigner has been widely recognised; she founded Mental Health Mates, a peer support group that encourages people to move for their mental health, and in 2023 she was awarded the President’s Medal by the Royal College of Psychiatrists. She wrote for the Telegraph for 24 years, and is now a columnist at the Daily Mail, and hosts a weekly podcast, The Life of Bryony. Bryony is also a judge for the 2025 Women’s Prize for Fiction.  Bryony’s  book choices are: ** The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy ** Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood ** American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld ** Standard Deviation by Katherine Heiny **  Loved and Missed by Susie Boyt Vick Hope, multi-award winning TV and BBC Radio 1 presenter, author and journalist, is the host of season eight of the Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast. Every week, Vick will be joined by another inspirational woman to discuss the work of incredible female authors. The Women’s Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and continues to champion the very best books written by women. You can buy all books mentioned from our dedicated shelf on Bookshop.org - every purchase supports the work of the Women's Prize Trust and independent bookshops.  Don’t want to miss the rest of season eight? Listen and subscribe now! This podcast is sponsored by Baileys and produced by Bird Lime Media.

Author, Actor and Director Eimear McBride on the delayed gratification of her first novel, the  ‘classic combination’ of sex and death and why we should celebrate  female writers tackling difficult topics and themes.  Eimear trained as an actor before writing her first novel, A Girl is a Half-formed Thing, which took nine years to find a publisher but subsequently won the 2014 Women’s Prize for Fiction, as well as the Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year, the Goldsmiths Prize, and the Desmond Elliott Prize. Eimear’s second novel, The Lesser Bohemians, won the 2016 James Tait Black Memorial Prize, and was shortlisted for the Goldsmiths Prize and the International Dublin Literary Award. Strange Hotel, her third novel, was published in 2020 and her latest release The City Changes Its Face is out in February 2025. In 2022, Eimear wrote and directed A Very Short Film About Longing (DMC/BBC Film) which was screened at the 2023 London Film Festival, and she also writes and reviews for the Guardian, New Statesman and the TLS.  Eimear’s  book choices are: ** The Country Girls by Edna O’Brien ** Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice ** Save Me the Waltz by Zelda Fitzgerald ** The Unequalled Self by Claire Tomalin ** Dependency by Tove Ditlevsen Vick Hope, multi-award winning TV and BBC Radio 1 presenter, author and journalist, is the host of season eight of the Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast. Every week, Vick will be joined by another inspirational woman to discuss the work of incredible female authors. The Women’s Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and continues to champion the very best books written by women. Don’t want to miss the rest of season eight? Listen and subscribe now! You can buy all books mentioned from our dedicated shelf on Bookshop.org - every purchase supports the work of the Women's Prize Trust and independent bookshops.  This podcast is sponsored by Baileys and produced by Bird Lime Media.

Bestselling author Jojo Moyes discusses her passion for libraries, the importance of staying silly and how to build complex characters aka the ‘kick the dog’ test. Jojo Moyes is a novelist and screenwriter. Her books include the bestsellers Me Before You, After You and Still Me, The One Plus One, The Giver of Stars, Someone Else's Shoes and her short story collection Paris for One and Other Stories. Jojo's novels have been translated into forty-six languages, have hit the number one spot in twelve countries and have sold over fifty-seven million copies worldwide. Me Before You has now sold over fourteen million copies and was adapted into a major film starring Sam Claflin and Emilia Clarke. Her latest book, We All Live Here, takes us to the heart of the Kennedy household, in a moving family saga about love, friendship and what matters most. Jojo’s  book choices are: ** National Velvet by Enid Bagnold ** The Collected Dorothy Parker by Dorothy Parker ** Behind The Scenes at The Museum by Kate Atkinson ** Mennonite in a Little Black Dress by Rhoda Janzen ** Three Women by Lisa Taddeo Vick Hope, multi-award winning TV and BBC Radio 1 presenter, author and journalist, is the host of season eight of the Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast. Every week, Vick will be joined by another inspirational woman to discuss the work of incredible female authors. The Women’s Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and continues to champion the very best books written by women. Don’t want to miss the rest of season eight? Listen and subscribe now! You can buy all books mentioned from our dedicated shelf on Bookshop.org - every purchase supports the work of the Women's Prize Trust and independent bookshops.  This podcast is sponsored by Baileys and produced by Bird Lime Media.

Diane Abbott is parliament’s longest serving Black MP. A political trailblazer, a passionate advocate for social justice and a writer. She kicks off series eight of Bookshelfie talking about Trump, feminism and navigating a world of social media trolls. Diane was the first Black woman elected to Parliament and has served Hackney and Stoke Newington for more than 35 years. In 2024 she became Mother of the House – an honorific title given to the female MP with the longest uninterrupted service. She is the founder of several initiatives, including ‘London Schools and the Black Child’, and ‘Black Women Mean Business’. Her memoir, A Woman Like Me, is out now. Diane’s book choices are: ** Little Women by Louisa May Alcott ** The Color Purple by Alice Walker  ** Heart Of The Race: Black Women's Lives in Britain by Beverley Bryan, Stella Dadzie and Suzanne Scafe ** Confidence Man by Maggie Haberman ** Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo Vick Hope, multi-award winning TV and BBC Radio 1 presenter, author and journalist, is the host of season eight of the Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast. Every week, Vick will be joined by another inspirational woman to discuss the work of incredible female authors. The Women’s Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and they continue to champion the very best books written by women. Don’t want to miss the rest of season eight? Listen and subscribe now! You can buy all books mentioned from our dedicated shelf on Bookshop.org - every purchase supports the work of the Women's Prize Trust and independent bookshops.  This podcast is sponsored by Baileys and produced by Bird Lime Media.

Award-winning executive producer and broadcaster Kavita Puri on the importance of collecting untold stories, being an Elizabeth Strout groupie and why women always have been and continue to be complex characters. Kavita Puri is the creator, writer and presenter of the Three Million podcast on BBC Sounds, which won the Gold for Best New Podcast at the British Podcast Awards 2024, and the accompanying book - a "groundbreaking" investigation of the 1943 Bengal famine - is set to publish in 2026. Her Radio 4 docu-series Three Pounds in My Pocket is currently on its fifth season and has been described as “captivating and epic” by The Guardian. Kavita is also the author of the critically acclaimed book “Partition Voices: Untold British Stories”, which has been adapted for stage at the Donmar Warehouse.  Kavita is the chair of the 2025 Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction Judging panel. Kavita’s book choices are: ** The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak ** Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout  ** Fugitive Pieces by Anne Michaels ** A Woman in Berlin by Marta Hillers ** The Other Side of Silence by Urvashi Butalia Vick Hope, multi-award winning TV and BBC Radio 1 presenter, author and journalist, is the host of season seven of the Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast. Every week, Vick will be joined by another inspirational woman to discuss the work of incredible female authors. The Women’s Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and they continue to champion the very best books written by women. Don’t want to miss the rest of season seven? Listen and subscribe now! This podcast is sponsored by Baileys and produced by Bird Lime Media. Serious Readers are offering Bookshelfie listeners £100 off any HD light and free UK delivery. To take advantage of our Serious Readers discount code, please visit seriousreaders.com/bookshelfie and use the code SHELFIE.  There’s a 30 day risk-free trial to return the lamp for free if you’re unhappy with it for whatever reason. 

Comedian Cariad Lloyd explains how she unexpectedly became part of the death community and why Half of a Yellow Sun should be part of the curriculum.  Cariad is an award-winning comedian, actor and writer. She is the creator and host of the award-winning podcast Griefcast and the smash-hit improv show Austentatious. She has starred in TV shows such as Alan Partridge, Peep Show, Inside No. 9 and featured on Have I Got News For You, Would I Lie to You and QI. Cariad’s first book You Are Not Alone was a New Statesman, The Times and Express book of the year in 2023. And her new children’s book, The Christmas Wish-Tastrophe, is out now. Cariad is no stranger to book chat, co-hosting a podcast with fellow comedian Sara Pascoe called Sara & Cariad’s Weirdos Book Club, where they discuss weird books with their famous friends. Cariad’s book choices are: ** Moominland Midwinter by Tove Jansson ** By Grand Central Station I Sat Down and Wept by Elizabeth Smart  ** Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie ** Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel  ** The Bay of Noon by Shirley Hazzard Vick Hope, multi-award winning TV and BBC Radio 1 presenter, author and journalist, is the host of season seven of the Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast. Every week, Vick will be joined by another inspirational woman to discuss the work of incredible female authors. The Women’s Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and they continue to champion the very best books written by women. Don’t want to miss the rest of season seven? Listen and subscribe now! This podcast is sponsored by Baileys and produced by Bird Lime Media. Serious Readers are offering Bookshelfie listeners £100 off any HD light and free UK delivery. To take advantage of our Serious Readers discount code, please visit seriousreaders.com/bookshelfie and use the code SHELFIE.  There’s a 30 day risk-free trial to return the lamp for free if you’re unhappy with it for whatever reason. 

Space scientist Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock joins Vick to delve into her favourite science fiction books, tells us why dyslexic kids shouldn’t be pigeon-holed and explains why she encourages all children to reach for the stars.  Maggie is a space scientist and pioneering figure in communicating science, having spoken directly to over half a million people globally, 350,000 of whom are children.  She is committed to inspiring new generations of astronauts, engineers and scientists, and in 2009, was appointed an MBE for her services to science and education. She presents the new series of BBC’s The Sky at Night and Mini Stargazing for CBeebies. In 2016, she was nominated for a Children’s Presenter BAFTA and she recently won the Institute of Physics gold medal for ‘exceptional services to science education and physics communication’. She was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in March 2024, for her services to ‘science education and diversity’. She is the current President of the British Science Association. Maggie’s new book, Webb’s Universe: The Space Telescope Images that Reveal Our Cosmic History, is the definitive book on the James Webb Space Telescope, with a full array of stunning images.  Maggie’s book choices are: ** The Many-Coloured Land by Julian May ** The Moonlight Market by Joanne Harris ** Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman ** The Little Snake by A. L. Kennedy  ** Letters to my Daughter by Dr Maya Angelou Vick Hope, multi-award winning TV and BBC Radio 1 presenter, author and journalist, is the host of season seven of the Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast. Every week, Vick will be joined by another inspirational woman to discuss the work of incredible female authors. The Women’s Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and they continue to champion the very best books written by women. Don’t want to miss the rest of season seven? Listen and subscribe now! This podcast is sponsored by Baileys and produced by Bird Lime Media. Serious Readers are offering Bookshelfie listeners £100 off any HD light and free UK delivery. To take advantage of our Serious Readers discount code, please visit seriousreaders.com/bookshelfie and use the code SHELFIE.  There’s a 30 day risk-free trial to return the lamp for free if you’re unhappy with it for whatever reason. 

Irish novelist Cecelia Ahern joins Vick to chat about how books making us less lonely, what inspires her work and the art of being an introverted extrovert.    Cecelia's debut novel PS I Love You was published in 2004 and went on to become an international bestseller and was adapted into a film starring Hilary Swank. Her second novel, Where Rainbows End, was adapted into the film Love, Rosie starring Lily Collins. Her books have been published in over thirty-seven languages, and have sold over twenty-five million copies. In addition to her novels, she is also the author of a highly acclaimed collection of stories, Roar, which is now a series starring Nicole Kidman on Apple TV+. Her new novel Into the Storm follows the journey of GP Enya and her search for freedom after her life splinters in two. Cecelia’s book choices are: ** Under the Hawthorn Tree by Marita Conlon McKenna  ** The Hen who Dreamed She Could Fly by Hwang Seon-Mi ** The Color Master by Aimee Bender ** Quiet by Susan Cain ** Hey Zoey by Sarah Crossan Vick Hope, multi-award winning TV and BBC Radio 1 presenter, author and journalist, is the host of season seven of the Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast. Every week, Vick will be joined by another inspirational woman to discuss the work of incredible female authors. The Women’s Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and they continue to champion the very best books written by women. Don’t want to miss the rest of season seven? Listen and subscribe now! This podcast is sponsored by Baileys and produced by Bird Lime Media. Serious Readers are offering Bookshelfie listeners £100 off any HD light and free UK delivery. To take advantage of our Serious Readers discount code, please visit seriousreaders.com/bookshelfie and use the code SHELFIE.  There’s a 30 day risk-free trial to return the lamp for free if you’re unhappy with it for whatever reason. 

Broadcaster Kate Humble explains the joy of living in the moment, the glory of nature and the importance of shunning the algorithms. Kate is a broadcaster specialising in wildlife and science programmes, including  Countryfile, Springwatch and Blue Planet Live. A champion of the environment, nature conservation and rural affairs, she is president of the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust and founded Humble by Nature, a rural skills centre on her farm in Wales. As well as starring in over 70 television programmes, Kate is the author of seven books, including A Year of Living Simply, Home Cooked, Where the Hearth Is and Thinking on My Feet, which was shortlisted for the 2019 Wainwright Prize. Kate’s latest book, Home Made: Recipes from the Countryside is a collection of over 60 simple, sustainable recipes from her very own kitchen table, alongside inspiring stories from 20 individuals who play a role in bringing food to us. Kate’s book choices are: ** I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith ** Travels in West Africa by Mary Kingsley ** Three Hours by Rosamund Lupton ** Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie ** Station 11 by Emily St John Mandel Vick Hope, multi-award winning TV and BBC Radio 1 presenter, author and journalist, is the host of season seven of the Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast. Every week, Vick will be joined by another inspirational woman to discuss the work of incredible female authors. The Women’s Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and they continue to champion the very best books written by women. Don’t want to miss the rest of season seven? Listen and subscribe now! This podcast is sponsored by Baileys and produced by Bird Lime Media.

Jodi Picoult is the number 1 New York Times bestselling author of 28 novels and short stories, and has also written several issues of Wonder Woman.  Approximately 40 million copies of her books are in print worldwide and have been translated into 34 languages.  Her book My Sister’s Keeper was made into a motion picture starring Cameron Diaz. Jodi is the recipient of many awards, including the 2003 New England Bookseller Award for Fiction, a lifetime achievement award for mainstream fiction from the Romance Writers of America, and the Sarah Josepha Hale Award. She holds honorary doctor of letters degrees from Dartmouth College and the University of New Haven. She is a patron of the Carol Shields Prize for Fiction, which is awarded to female fiction writers in the States.  Her new book By Any Other Name tells the story of two women, centuries apart, who are both forced to hide behind another name to make their voices heard. Jodi’s book choices are: ** Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell ** Out of Africa by Karen Blixen ** Beloved by Toni Morrison ** The World That We Knew by Alice Hoffman ** The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab Vick Hope, multi-award winning TV and BBC Radio 1 presenter, author and journalist, is the host of season seven of the Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast. Every week, Vick will be joined by another inspirational woman to discuss the work of incredible female authors. The Women’s Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and they continue to champion the very best books written by women. Don’t want to miss the rest of season seven? Listen and subscribe now! This podcast is sponsored by Baileys and produced by Bird Lime Media.

British actress Corinna Brown tells us why representation is so important to her and through the poetry of Rupi Kaur, explains why you are more than just pretty.  Corinna best known for her role as Tara Jones in Heartstopper, the multi-award-winning, BAFTA nominated Neftlix adaptation of Alice Osman’s LGBTQ+ graphic novels which rose to the top ten most-watched English series on Netflix within two days of the first season’s release. The series has assembled a surge of fans mesmerised by the show’s ability to create diverse, authentic storylines for fans around the world to relate to.   Corinna trained at East 15 drama school. She has worked across film, television and theatre, including making her television debut in the BBC Three film My Murder with John Boyega. In 2023, Corinna starred in Essex Girls, a coming-of-age short film directed by Yero-Timi Bie that explores Black-British girlhood and the magic of female friendship, nominated for Best Short Film at the 2023 London Film Festival.   The much anticipated third season of Heartstopper, released on Netflix this week, sees Tara face the trials of living as a lesbian from a young age and what it means to grow up and develop alongside a romantic partner. Corinna’s book choices are: ** Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater ** Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman  ** Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi ** Milk & Honey by Rupi Kaur ** Seven Methods of Killing Kylie Jenner by Jasmine Lee Jones Vick Hope, multi-award winning TV and BBC Radio 1 presenter, author and journalist, is the host of season seven of the Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast. Every week, Vick will be joined by another inspirational woman to discuss the work of incredible female authors. The Women’s Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and they continue to champion the very best books written by women. Don’t want to miss the rest of season seven? Listen and subscribe now! This podcast is sponsored by Baileys and produced by Bird Lime Media.

Food writer and bestselling author Rukmini Iyer shares how her recipes bring families together, the importance of flavours and the joy of finding a delicious, easy solution to dinner. Rukmini is the bestselling author of The Roasting Tin series, which in five years has sold over 1.75 million copies worldwide. They’ve transformed the cookery space in the UK, leading the one-tin, one-pot, and one-pan revolution, and remain firm favourites among cookbook buyers who love Rukmini’s minimum fuss, maximum flavour recipes. Rukmini makes regular appearances cooking live on morning television and is the newest weekly columnist for The Guardian’s ‘Feast’ magazine.  Her newest book, The Green Cookbook, a collection of delicious and simple planted-based recipes, is out now. When she’s not cooking for work, she loves gardening, reading, wandering around food markets with her border collie and toddler in tow, renovating the house with her husband and entertaining friends and family. Rukmini’s book choices are: ** Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë ** Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons  ** The Secret History by Donna Tartt ** The Power by Naomi Alderman ** The Flavour Thesaurus by Niki Segnit Vick Hope, multi-award winning TV and BBC Radio 1 presenter, author and journalist, is the host of season seven of the Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast. Every week, Vick will be joined by another inspirational woman to discuss the work of incredible female authors. The Women’s Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and they continue to champion the very best books written by women. Don’t want to miss the rest of season seven? Listen and subscribe now! This podcast is sponsored by Baileys and produced by Bird Lime Media.

Tracy Chevalier is an award-winning American-British novelist of 11 books, including the immensely popular Girl with a Pearl Earring, which has sold over 5 million copies worldwide and was adapted into a film, which was nominated for three Academy Awards.  Tracy has also edited anthologies such as Why Willows Weep, a collection of tales from the woods to raise money for the Woodland Trust, and Reader, I Married Him, a collection of short stories commissioned to mark the 200th anniversary of Charlotte Brontë. In addition to her writing, Tracy has been actively involved with various organisations including the Royal Literary Fund, Patron of the Dorchester Literary Festival and the Woodland Trust. Tracy’s latest novel, The Glassmaker, follows a family of Venetian glassmakers from the Renaissance to present day. Tracy’s book choices are: **Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder ** Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison ** Restoration by Rose Tremain ** Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood ** Life After Life by Kate Atkinson Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder was illustrated by Garth Williams. Vick Hope, multi-award winning TV and BBC Radio 1 presenter, author and journalist, is the host of season seven of the Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast. Every week, Vick will be joined by another inspirational woman to discuss the work of incredible female authors. The Women’s Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and they continue to champion the very best books written by women. Don’t want to miss the rest of season seven? Listen and subscribe now! This podcast is sponsored by Baileys and produced by Bird Lime Media.

Glamour UK’s Editor-in-Chief Deborah Joseph joins Vick to discuss feminism through the lens of magazines, the importance of representation and the need for perfectly imperfect women.  Deborah is an award-winning editor and journalist. Over the past seven years, she has directed Glamour’s transition from a print to a digital-first, beauty-first brand. Prior to that, she spent six years working for fashion and celebrity tech start-ups, was a social media consultant for Jenny Packham, and edited the Daily Mail’s life and style section. She was on the launch team of Glamour over 20 years ago and has also edited two other Condé Nast titles, Easy Living and Brides.  Deborah speaks regularly on the topic of women’s empowerment and the challenges facing working mothers, and after experiencing burnout now chooses to live what she describes as her ‘best 70% life’.  Deborah’s book choices are: ** Sweet Valley High by Francine Pascal ** Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë ** Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding ** This is Not a Pity Memoir by Abi Morgan ** Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin Vick Hope, multi-award winning TV and BBC Radio 1 presenter, author and journalist, is the host of season seven of the Women’s Prize for Fiction Podcast. Every week, Vick will be joined by another inspirational woman to discuss the work of incredible female authors. The Women’s Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, and they continue to champion the very best books written by women. Don’t want to miss the rest of season seven? Listen and subscribe now!