Freedom, Books, Flowers & The Moon

This week, TLS editor Martin Ivens and writer and broadcaster James O'Brien on the long decline of the Conservatives; and Muriel Zagha celebrates 75 years of Powell and Pressburger's The Red Shoes.'The Party's Over: The rise and fall of the Conservatives fromThatcher to Sunak', by Phil Barton-Cartledge'The Right to Rule: Thirteen years, five prime ministers and theimplosion of the Tories', by Ben Riley-Smith'The Case for the Centre Right', edited by David Gauke'All to Play For: The advance of Rishi Sunak', by Michael Ashcroft'The Red Shoes: Beyond the mirror', BFI Southbank, until January 7Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, our special interview with the newest winner of the Booker Prize, Paul Lynch; and Emily Kopley on new editions of Virginia Woolf's mesmerising diaries.'Prophet Song', by Paul Lynch'The Diary of Virginia Woolf', in five volumes.Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Mary C Flannery explores the spells and potions of medieval magic; and Jean Wilson on the trail of the ever elusive Anne Boleyn.‘Love spells and lost treasure: Service magic in England from the later Middle Ages to the early modern era’, by Tabitha Stanmore ‘Textual magic: Charm and written amulets in medieval England’, by Katherine Storm Hindley‘Hunting the falcon: Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn and the marriage that shook Europe’, by John Guy and Julia Fox Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's show, TLS contributors on the best books of 2023; and David Horspool explores the crucial part sport has played in the evolution of Britain and Britishness.'More than a game: A history of how sport made Britain', by David HorspoolProduced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Samantha Harvey joins us to talk about her voyage around the earth; and Miranda France on a fascinating tour of the British archipelago.‘Orbital’, by Samantha Harvey‘The Britannias: An island quest’, by Alice AlbiniaProduced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, James Marcus goes partying with Susan Sontag and George Steiner; and Laura Beers sheds a light on Eileen O'Shaughnessy, George Orwell's first wife.'Maestros and monsters: Days and nights with Susan Sontag and GeorgeSteiner', by Robert Boyers'Wifedom: Mrs Orwell's invisible life', by Anna FunderProduced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Colin Jones explores the streets of Paris as the French Revolution grew pace; and an extract from a very special event at the British Library in celebration of Hilary Mantel.'The Revolutionary Temper: Paris, 1748-1789', by Robert Darnton'A Memoir of My Former Self: A Life in Writing', by Hilary MantelProduced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Ruth Scurr on a magnificent biography of Claude Monet; and Fiona Stafford explores how vital trees were to Wordsworth's work.'Monet: the restless vision', by Jackie Wullschläger'Versed in living nature: Wordsworth's trees', by Peter Dale and Brandon C YenProduced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Theo Zenou introduces us to the heroes of Jewish boxing; and Sophie Oliver on the development of Virginia Woolf's 'frock consciousness' .'Stars and scars: The story of Jewish boxing in London', by Jeff Jones'Bring no clothes: Bloomsbury and the philosophy of fashion', by Charlie Porter'Bring no clothes: Bloomsbury and Fashion', at Charleston in Lewes until 7 January 2024Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Ysenda Maxtone Graham on the women who fought their way into horticulture; and Mary Beard leads us down a Homeric rabbit hole.'An almost impossible thing: the radical lives of Britain's pioneering women gardeners', by Fiona Davison'Homer and his Iliad', by Robin Lane Fox'The Iliad', translated by Emily WilsonProduced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Elizabeth Lowry is impressed by a study of Hardy’s late-life love poetry; and TLS science editor Sam Graydon on his ‘mosaic’ biography of Einstein‘Woman much missed: Thomas Hardy, Emma Hardy, and poetry’, by Mark Ford‘Einstein in time and space: a life in 99 particles’, by Samuel Graydon Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Jonathan Barnes joins us to explore the visionary work of Quatermass creator Nigel Kneale; and a wonderful conversation about literature and horticulture between Dame Penelope Lively and her daughter, musician Josephine Lively.'The Quatermass Experiment 70th Anniversary', Nigel Kneale, Alexandra Palace'You Must Listen', BBC Sounds'Life in the Garden', by Penelope LivelyProduced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, poet Camille Ralphs explains why she submitted to WH Auden's exacting syllabus; and Toby Lichtig joins us to preview the autumn's notable fiction.'Daydream College for Bards', by Camille Ralphs'The Fraud', by Zadie Smith'North Woods', by Daniel Mason'The Variations', by Patrick Langley'The Wren, The Wren,' by Anne EnrightProduced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we drop in on a conversation between Mary Beard and two former TLS editors; and Anne Enright joins us to talk about turning poet in her new novel.'Emperor of Rome: Ruling the ancient Roman world', by Mary Beard'Big Caesars and little Caesars: How they rise and how they fall -from Julius Caesar to Boris Johnson', by Ferdinand Mount'Palatine: An alternative history of the Caesars', by Peter Stothard'The Wren, The Wren', by Anne EnrightProduced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Nicola Shulman introduces the volunteer army who joined James Murray to create the OED; and John Niven on his extraordinary memoir of his brother's life.'The Dictionary People: The unsung heroes who created the OxfordEnglish Dictionary', by Sarah Ogilvie'O Brother', by John NivenProduced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Adam Mars-Jones on the "fractal brocade" of his semi-infinite novel series; and Amber Massie-Blomfield revisits Susan Sontag's production of Waiting for Godot in Sarajevo, thirty years on.'Caret', by Adam Mars-JonesProduced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the last of our summer round-ups, Gwendoline Riley stalks the streets of London in the company of Michael Bracewell; and Ruth Scurron a final work by the indomitable Janet Malcolm.Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's round-up, we talk to Mary C Flannery about the continuing attraction of the irrepressible Wife of Bath; and mystery writer Nicola Upson on the unconventional life and unforgettable work of Josephine Tey.Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the second of our summer round-ups, we revisit Richard Smyth discussing the life and the work of the naturalist Ronald Blythe; and Lucasta Miller on an extraordinary collection of commonplace books.Produced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the first of our seasonal round-ups, we look back at Stephen Marche on the agonies of the writing life; and Nat Segnit dives into Adam Gopnik's survey of mastery.'On writing and failure: Or, the peculiar perseverance required toendure the life of a writer', by Stephen Marche'The real work: On the mystery of mastery', by Adam GopnikProduced by Charlotte Pardy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.