12 June 2022
Episode 341
30 minutes
The veteran broadcaster, biographer and historian talks to Georgina Godwin about his latest book ‘Barbarossa: How Hitler Lost the War’. It gives a detailed account of the Nazis’ calamitous invasion of the Soviet Union and the political and military decision-making that shaped it.
12 June 2022
Share episode
DownloadWant more radio episodes like these in your inbox?
Sign up to Monocle’s email newsletters to stay on top of news and opinion, plus the latest from the magazine, radio, film and shop.
Meet the Writers - latest episodes
Louis de Bernières
At this year’s World of Words Gstaad Literature Festival, Georgina Godwin speaks to the award-winning British novelist about his circuitous route to becoming a writer and his bestseller ‘Captain Corelli’s Mandolin’.
Monocle Reads: Lexi Stadlen
Georgina Godwin speaks to anthropologist and ethnographer Lexi Stadlen about her new book ‘Nine Paths: A Year in the Life of an Indian Village’. Lexi spent 18 months living in a small community off eastern India, immersing…
Louisa Young
Louisa Young is a best-selling novelist, journalist, songwriter and biographer. She speaks to Georgina Godwin about her book, ‘Twelve Months and a Day’. Young’s newest novel is heartbreaking and thought-provoking, following…
Monocle Reads: Dreaming the Impossible
Georgina Godwin speaks to British-Indian journalist and author Mihir Bose about his latest book, ‘Dreaming the Impossible: the Battle to Create a Non-Racial Sports World’.
Arthur Snell
Arthur Snell is a former British diplomat who has held postings around the world. He speaks to Georgina Godwin about his new book, ‘How Britain Broke the World: War, Greed and Blunders from Kosovo to Afghanistan, 1997-2021’…
Monocle Reads: How to Be a Writer
Marcus Berkmann has been a freelance journalist for over 30 years. He sits down with Georgina Godwin to talk about his latest book ‘How to Be a Writer’ which offers a candid, humorous and unfiltered view into the often…
Ruth Ozeki
The winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2022 speaks to Georgina Godwin. Ozeki, who is also a film-maker and Zen Buddhist priest, talks about ‘The Book of Form and Emptiness’, which tells the story of a grieving teenager…
John Walsh
The journalist and author tells Georgina Godwin about his latest book ‘Circus of Dreams’, a memoir on the UK literary scene in the 1980s. Walsh worked as literary editor for the ‘Evening Standard’ and ‘The Sunday Times’ and…
Monocle Reads: Before We Were Trans
Kit Heyam is a trans awareness trainer, writer, activist and historian, as well as a lecturer in medieval early modern studies at Queen Mary, University of London. They speak to Georgina Godwin about their new book ‘Before…
Stephanie Merritt
Georgina Godwin meets the author, journalist and critic, also known by her pen name SJ Parris. She’s penned a historical thriller series and a memoir about her experience of living with depression, and also writes for ‘The…
Monocle Reads: ‘Every Family Has a Story’
On ‘Monocle Reads’ this week, we give you a highlight from the Hay Festival, where Georgina Godwin spoke to bestselling author and psychotherapist Julia Samuel about her latest book, ‘Every Family Has a Story’. Diving deep…
Waheed Arian
Born in Afghanistan, Waheed Arian has lived in a refugee camp, sheltered in cellars from a civil war, and endured malaria, TB and malnutrition. After being incarcerated in Britain as an illegal immigrant, he went on to…
Monocle Reads: ‘The Premonitions Bureau’
Sam Knight is a staff writer at ‘The New Yorker’ and a renowned longform journalist. He speaks to Georgina Godwin about his new book, ‘The Premonitions Bureau’, which is based on a 2019 article he wrote for the magazine…
Adam Hochschild
Description: The award-winning author, historian and journalist chats to Georgina Godwin. He is possibly best known for his book ‘Kings Leopold’s Ghost’, an account of the exploitation of people in colonial Congo and a…
Monocle Reads visits Hay Castle
On Monocle Reads this week Georgina Godwin visits Hay Castle. Once a great mediaeval stronghold, the castle stands in the heart of Hay-on-Wye which is known as the Town of Books as well as the site of the Hay Festival of…
