This episode is an interview with the journalist Sarah Ditum, discussing her book Toxic and her journalism.The book is about our treatment of famous women in the Noughties, told through the stories of nine women in particular: Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Aaliyah, Janet Jackson, Amy Winehouse, Kim Kardashian, Chynah and Jennifer Aniston. Sarah explained why she wrote it, the evolution of the book, and how it felt researching that period.We also discussed Sarah's journalism and what it's been like to write about controversial subjects, and the impact on her friendships, commissions and ability to get a book published. This is a link to Sarah's book:https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/toxic-sarah-ditum/6333454Here's a link to Lectures on Literature by Vladimir Nabokov which she recommended:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lectures-Literature-Harvest-Fredson-Bowers/dp/0156027755And here's a link to my books:https://uk.bookshop.org/contributors/andrew-hankinsonThanks for listening.
This is an interview with John Niven about his writing career, particularly his latest book O Brother, which was shortlisted for the 2024 Gordon Burn Prize.O Brother is about the suicide of his brother. While John was making his way in the music industry and then as a successful writer, starting with his novel Kill Your Friends, his brother remained in Scotland where his life was chaotic. He ultimately hanged himself in a hospital.John tells the story of their lives, but also investigates why his brother was left alone to be able to kill himself despite being suicidal. In the interview we talk about his efforts to obtain a transcript of his brother's 999 call that led to his admission, as well as how it felt writing about it, the impact on living relatives, and the way writers become observers even at the most tragic moments.We also talked about the nuts and bolts of any writing discussion, from his advance for Kill Your Friends, how he got his first book deals, how much he made from that first novel, his move into screenwriting, and the shift from fiction to nonfiction.You can buy John's books here: https://uk.bookshop.org/contributors/john-nivenJohn recommended Street-Level Superstar by Will Hodgkinson which you can buy here:https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/street-level-superstar-a-year-with-lawrence-will-hodgkinson/7680905And you can buy my books here:https://uk.bookshop.org/contributors/andrew-hankinsonThanks for listening.
This is an interview with Chris Mullin about his 1986 book Error of Judgement, which was an investigation into the conviction of six innocent men for the Birmingham pub bombings in 1974. The book documents his efforts to find the truth, culminating in finding one of the real bombers.We speak about his career in journalism before the book, when he went to Vietnam in the 1970s to cover the war there, his work for television, his political career, his novel A Very British Coup, and his series of diaries which started with his experiences as an MP during New Labour.You can buy Chris's books here:https://uk.bookshop.org/contributors/chris-mullinHe recommended How They Broke Britain by James O'Brien which you can read here:https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/how-they-broke-britain-james-o-brien/7546135And you can buy my books here:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Could-Something-Amazing-Your-Raoul/dp/1911344323https://www.amazon.co.uk/applaud-Either-laugh-Comedy-Cellar/dp/1911617680Thanks for listening.
In this epsiode I interviewed Michael Holden, an exceptional writer who started his career at Loaded magazine in 1994. He ended up in a psychiatric hospital during that time, which we discuss. After that he wrote for The Guardian Guide before becoming a Hollywood writer. Then he ended up back living with his elderly parents, caring for them.The result was a book called The Reluctant Carer, which was published in 2022. What is peculiar about it is he published it anonymously. We talk about the pros and cons of that, and why he has decided to finally put his name to it.You can buy Michael’s book here at Bookshop. His original article from The Guardian in 2019, which we discuss, is here. He recommended Going Mad in Hollywood by David Sherwin, which is at Waterstones. And you can buy my books here at Bookshop. Thank you for listening.
I spoke to Sally Hayden about her book My Fourth Time, We Drowned. It's about people who tried to cross the Mediterranean Sea from Africa to Europe but ended up locked in detention centres in Libya. The book won the Orwell Prize and was shortlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize. She describes it as a 'book of evidence'.We talked about: her early reporting on the story while working for Vicethe role played by business cardsthe importance of making yourself contactable having to respond to sources at all hourshow the story took over her lifestruggling to get the story commissionedhow journalism awards helped change thatwarnings from MI6 that her life was in danger working out what the book would be finding an agent and publisher who believe in what you're doinggiving away her prize moneyYou can buy her book here: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/my-fourth-time-we-drowned-seeking-refuge-on-the-world-s-deadliest-migration-route-sally-hayden/6026367She recommended Against A Tide of Evil by Mukesh Kapila:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Against-Tide-Evil-Whistleblower-Twenty-First/dp/0991099338And you can buy my books here:https://uk.bookshop.org/contributors/andrew-hankinsonThanks for listening.