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Culture / Podcast

Meet the Writers

Want to know more about the authors behind your favourite books? Tune in to discover the methods of – and inspiration behind – some of the world’s most exciting writers. Every Sunday, Georgina Godwin hosts an in-depth discussion with the person behind the prose.

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Thomas Harding:

Georgina Godwin sits down with bestselling author, journalist and documentary-maker Thomas Harding. They discuss his new book, ‘The Maverick: George Weidenfeld and the Golden Age of Publishing’, which tells the story of the legendary publisher after moving to London just before the Second World War as a penniless Austrian-Jewish refugee, Weidenfeld went on to become a world-famous literary figure, publishings works such as ‘Lolita’ and ‘Double Helix’ and championing writers like Joan Didion, Henry Miller and JD Salinger. 

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4121 Oct 2023
27 min

Thomas Harding: 

Georgina Godwin sits down with bestselling author, journalist and documentary-maker Thomas Harding. They discuss his new book, ‘The Maverick: George Weidenfeld and the Golden Age of Publishing’, which tells the story of the legendary publisher after moving to London just before the Second World War as a penniless Austrian-Jewish refugee, Weidenfeld went on to become a world-famous literary figure, publishings works such as ‘Lolita’ and ‘Double Helix’ and championing writers like Joan Didion, Henry Miller and JD Salinger. 

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41129 Sep 2023
17 min

A Word in Your Ear – The Liars' Gospel: 

Monocle Radio’s Meet the Writers special season, A Word in Your Ear, begins with an excerpt from Naomi Alderman’s third novel, ‘The Liars’ Gospel’, a bold retelling of biblical narratives around the life of Jesus. She was mentored by Margaret Atwood after the two authors were paired together for the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative. Reading the text is BAFTA-winning actor Simon Russell Beale.

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41024 Sep 2023
25 min

Neil Blackmore: 

British author Neil Blackmore’s third novel, ‘The Intoxicating Mr Lavelle’, was shortlisted for the Polari Prize for LGBT+ fiction, while his 2021 novel, ‘The Dangerous Kingdom of Love’, was included in ‘The Times’ list of the best historical fiction. He speaks to Georgina Godwin about ‘Radical Love’, published earlier this year, and attitudes to sexual identity and morality in Regency England. He also talks about his unexpected popularity among German readers, his 20-year hiatus from writing and what it truly means to be radical.

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40917 Sep 2023
26 min

Naomi Klein: 

The award-winning Canadian author, activist and filmmaker Naomi Klein speaks to Georgina Godwin about her latest book, ‘Doppelganger: A Trip Into the Mirror World’. Since publishing her debut book, ‘No Logo’, in 1999, she has become one of the world’s foremost public intellectuals, regularly featuring on lists of the most influential people around the globe. In ‘Doppelganger’, she confronts her own double – a woman who shares her name but has radically different views – while considering the instability of identity and what it’s like to be freed from her own paranoia about brand and public image. For Klein, the doppelganger is a “narrow aperture” through which everything, from conspiracy theories and anti-vaxxers to projected doubling and the double-consciousness of minority communities, can be examined.

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40810 Sep 2023
27 min

Lisa Jewell: 

This week, Georgina Godwin meets bestselling British novelist Lisa Jewell. The Londoner started out working in the pattern room at fashion chain Warehouse but, after taking creative-writing classes, she realised that she wanted to be an author. It was a bet with a friend while on holiday in Malta that pushed her to write the first three chapters of her novel ‘Ralph’s Party’. A quarter of a century later, her books have sold 10 million copies and have been translated into 29 languages. She tells us about how ending a coercive marriage in her twenties gave her new clarity, why she loves writing about teenagers and what it’s like to be one of the key names at a publishing company. She also introduces us to her latest psychological thriller, ‘None of This Is True’, in which a podcaster becomes the subject of her own true-crime show. 

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4073 Sep 2023
27 min

Mark Vanhoenacker: 

Belgian-American pilot, author and writer, Mark Vanhoenacker, joins Georgina Godwin at Monocle’s studio in London to discuss his third book ‘Imagine a City: a Pilot’s Love Letter to the World’s Greatest Cities’. The book chronicles his journey from dreaming of glittering metropolises as a child in Massachusetts to exploring the world as a pilot. Vanhoenacker discusses everything from his love for language learning, his affinity for Japanese culture and his lengthy aviation career.

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40627 Aug 2023
20 min

Antoine Laurain: 

The French novelist, screenwriter, journalist and director Antoine Laurain joins Georgina Godwin at Monocle’s London studios to discuss his tenth novel, ‘An Astronomer in Love’. He takes inspiration from the true story of Louis XV’s astronomer and combines it with a beautiful, modern Parisian love story. Laurain also talks about how his work in the antiques business inspired his first book, ‘The Portrait’, as well as the distinctive character of the French publishing industry and what it’s like to meet bookish British royalty. 

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40520 Aug 2023
27 min

Amanda Craig: 

Sitting down with Georgina Godwin this week is the hugely acclaimed novelist, short-story writer and critic Amanda Craig. She returns to the show with her latest novel, ‘The Three Graces’. Set in contemporary Tuscany, the book examines the current state of Europe and explores difficult themes such as migration, racial discrimination and ageing. Craig opens up about her first experience of being published, navigating the “chick lit” genre and how Victorian literature inspired the array of more than 100 characters who appear – and often reappear – in her books. 

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40413 Aug 2023
24 min

Calder Walton: 

Georgina is joined by Calder Walton, a historian of intelligence and global security at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. He is a world-leading expert in intelligence history, great-power conflict, espionage and grand strategy. He also regularly contributes to the ‘BBC’, ‘Foreign Policy’ and ‘The Washington Post’. His new book ‘Spies: The Epic Intelligence War Between East and West’, builds on secret archives and exclusive interviews with former agents to tell the story of the century-long secret war between Russia and the West.

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4036 Aug 2023
25 min

Damian Lanigan: 

Joining Georgina Godwin in the studio this week is author and playwright Damian Lanigan. In his latest book, ‘The Ghost Variations’, protagonist Declan Byrnie’s career as a sought-after concert pianist is brought to a halt when tragedy strikes. Despite Lanigan having never played an instrument, he beautifully translates music to the page and the complexities of the piano as both a barrier and conduit to exploring feelings of love and grief.

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40230 Jul 2023
24 min

Andrew Boyd: 

Andrew Boyd, the American writer, activist and CEO – or “Chief Existential Officer” of the Climate Clock – joins Georgina Godwin to discuss his new book ‘I Want a Better Catastrophe: Navigating the Climate Crisis with Grief, Hope and Gallows Humor’. Described by Brian Eno as “a new and genuinely exciting kind of realism”, it acts as a manual for processing existential questions posed by climate change. Though it might be too late to the planet to stay under 1.5C global warming, Boyd argues that it’s never too late to care. 

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40123 Jul 2023
30 min

Shashi Tharoor: 

Shashi Tharoor is a bestselling author, politician, public intellectual and former diplomat. This week he joins Georgina Godwin to discuss his new book ‘BR Ambedkar: The Man Who Gave Hope to India’s Dispossessed’ and his long career in public service.

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40016 Jul 2023
26 min

Catherine Joy White: 

Catherine Joy White, an actress, author and gender advisor for the UN, sits down with Georgina Godwin to discuss her new book, ‘This Thread of Gold: a Celebration of Black Womanhood’. 

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3999 Jul 2023
27 min

Paul Burston: 

Paul Burston is an acclaimed Welsh writer, journalist, documentarian and activist. He has dedicated his career to creating and promoting LGBTQ+ stories, both in his own work and by lifting up other artists. He joins Georgina Godwin to discuss his new memoir, ‘We Can Be Heroes: A Survivor’s Story’.

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3982 Jul 2023
26 min

Tom Rachman: 

Tom Rachman is a bestselling English-Canadian novelist. After a successful career as a journalist and a foreign correspondent, he published his debut novel in 2010 to wide acclaim. This week Rachman joins Georgina Godwin to discuss his new book, ‘The Imposters’ – a darkly funny story about a failed writer trying to finish her final book during the pandemic. 

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