The Author Archive Podcast

David Sedaris

David Sedaris now fills arenas with enthusiastic fans but when David Freeman interviewed him in 2000 he was almost unknown.

His book 'Me Talk Pretty One Day ' was just published

 

 

Justine Picardie - If The Spirit Moves You

Her sister died of breast cancer and Justine just couldn't accept that her much loved sister had gone.

This is conversation about grief and loss but it also about the lengths the bereaved will go to to re establish a link with the departed loved one.

Despite being a journalist Justine tried everything and everybody. Mediums, spiritualists and people who really thought that there could be communication with the dead via a computer spell check.

So what belief is Justine left with?

Richard Dawkins - Growing up in the Universe

It's Christmas Lectures from the Royal Institution time again. This year the subject is artificial intelligence.

Way back in 1991 the evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins was the lecturer and his subject was Growing Up in the Universe.

He talked to David Freeman about the experience.

 

George Alagiah - A Passage to Africa

George Alagiah died on July 24  2023

Before George Alagiah was known as a BBC newsreader he was a working TV journalist.

In this conversation recorded more than 20 years ago he recounts what Rwanda meant to him. Not a near perfect place to be deported to, but a country that had experienced the most horrendous genocide.

He recounts the effect of constant propaganda. How people can be turned against each other by daily repetition of untruths. 

Couldn't ever happen here ......... could it?

George Alagiah reveals himself to be both thought provoking and wise. 

Alison Weir - Henry VIII : King and Court

Although this account of the life lead by Henry VIII was first published at the turn of the century it is still selling well.

Alison Weir thinks the key to understanding the famous Tudor King is to realise that he was never alone. Even a conjugal visit to his wife or a trip to the loo were attended by courtiers.

Popular accessible history at it's entertaining best.

Beatles Historian Mark Lewisohn, Thomasina Lowe on the Kennedy years and science writer Marcus Chown explains everything.

The Beatles are chart toppers again. In this episode David Freeman talks to Beatles Historian Mark Lewisohn about his mammoth history of the Fab Four.

Thomasina Lowe talks about her fathers photographs of the Kennedy presidential years and science writer Marcus Chown talks about his book "What a Wonderful World". that endeavours to explain almost everything.

 

Clementine Taylor - Something About Her

A brand new novel by first time author Clementine Taylor.

It is the story of two young women Aisling and Maya and their love. Of course it isn't a simple story. The complications and obstacles are engagingly told. The book is a real page turner.

Both women are charismatic characters and as a reader you are supporting both of them ...... so how does it end?

 

 

Sir Stanley Wells, Ellen Apsten.

The Shakespeare First Folio was published 400 years ago. 

In this interview recorded in 2003 the Shakespeare scholar  Sir Stanley Wells talks to David Freeman about Shakespeare the man and Shakespeare the writer.

Russian history is all too relevant. Ellen Apsten tells David Freeman about the second novel in her series telling the stories of the powerful Russian women who lived remarkable lives in the 18th century.

The Tsarina's Daughter is about Elizabeth the beautiful daughter of Peter the Great and Catherine. This is the couple that Putin has studied and have influenced his world view.

 

Helen Dunmore - The Siege

This is a brilliant novel set in Leningrad in September 1941. It tells of love in a time of unimaginable hardship.

The horrific reality of a siege is being played out again in the Middle East  and Russian history is relevant to the war in Ukraine.

Helen Dunmore was a major literary talent.

Helen died of cancer in 2017.

Patricia Scanlan - Francesca’s Party

'Revenge - God's gift to women!' 

That's the message printed on the cover of this book.

So does the author know what the desire for revenge feels like?