Going beyond the book with a wide range of authors to discover the story behind the books we love.
Listen in the Podli app 🎧
Follow your favourite podcasts, listen offline and in the car with CarPlay and Android Auto, and always pick up where you left off. Free to try.
Sep 29, 2026 · 24:44
Louise Kennedy has followed her Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize-nominated Trespasses with another brilliant novel, Stations, which follows the trajectories of two teenage friends…
Sep 14, 2026 · 27:11
After losing her best friend, Ann Patchett poured all that love into her new novel, Whistler. Bringing platonic love to the fore, alongside the unearthing of the past and a…
Sep 9, 2026 · 41:05
50% of people in the UK take supplements and the consumer blood-testing industry is now a $128 billion business. But does any of it work? In an increasingly confusing world Xand…
Sep 7, 2026 · 25:38
In her most personal novel yet, Rebecca F. Kuang transports readers to Taipei, where Yale student Lily is working on her Chinese language to better connect with her Chinese…
Sep 1, 2026 · 25:59
Kate Atkinson 's latest novel beautifully combines her skills in historical detail and crime caper plotting for a story which assembles a motley crew of misfits attempting to…
Aug 25, 2026 · 23:28
Join us as we celebrate Rebecca Perry as the author of this year's Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize-winner, May We Feed The King. Over a glass of bubbly, we discuss the…
Aug 20, 2026 · 34:24
Jon Ronson 's latest journalistic adventure begins with a series of text messages from his son which then leads to an odyssey from reality TV, to influencers, to America's…
Jul 1, 2026 · 25:49
When Alice Oseman created the first volume of Heartstopper on her own, she couldn’t have foreseen what a phenomenon it would become. As the final volume hits shelves and the…
Jun 23, 2026 · 17:36
Andrew Sean Greer writes the kind of novels that you want to press into others' hands when what they need is a book filled with charm, comedy and a sense of romance. After the…
Jun 18, 2026 · 1:12:16
The Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize Shortlist is here and it's time to meet the class of 2026. With books that take us from modern America to medieval Europe, from magical…
Jun 9, 2026 · 24:22
Through her writing about love, Lily King has made readers care deeply about her characters and what life does to them. A year on from Heart The Lover's publication and after a…
Jun 8, 2026 · 18:35
Having captivated readers with the eponymous Olive Kitteridge and Lucy Barton , Elizabeth Strout has moved down the coast from Maine to Massachusetts for her latest novel, and a…
Jun 3, 2026 · 25:04
George Michael managed to be both enigmatic and to share some of the most personal details about his life but superfan Sathnam Sanghera has looked a little closer to really…
Jun 1, 2026 · 24:33
Following the phenomenal success of Hamnet, Maggie O'Farrell returns with Land, an epic novel of upheaval and loss beginning in 19th century Ireland, with its roots in Maggie's…
May 22, 2026 · 26:00
When Siri Hustvedt lost her husband, Paul Auster, to cancer, her immediate instinct was to write. This, in fact, has always been her instinct and the resulting book, Ghost…
May 19, 2026 · 25:36
When Douglas Stuart won the Booker Prize with his debut, Shuggie Bain, it announced the arrival of a distinctive new voice in fiction. Now, after two novels set in his native…
May 6, 2026 · 36:16
Artist Jackie Morris and writer Robert Macfarlane have already blessed us with The Lost Words and The Lost Spells and their third project together is a field guide like no other.…
Apr 7, 2026 · 33:30
The investigative reporting of Patrick Radden Keefe has already given us non-fiction classics like Say Nothing and Empire of Pain. In London Falling, he turns his eye to the…
Mar 17, 2026 · 1:00:22
For the first time ever, the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize assembles our shortlisted authors and illustrators for a special interview in which we discover more about the joy…
Mar 10, 2026 · 27:06
The legends surrounding the figure of Rasputin are so well-trodden we may think we know the story, but how did a man born as a peasant come to find himself within the Tsar’s…
Feb 17, 2026 · 22:57
Booker Prize-winner George Saunders takes us back to that space between life and death in his new novel, Vigil, leading to a fruitful conversation about providing comfort at the…
Jan 20, 2026 · 20:52
Booker Prize-winner Julian Barnes has a bibliography that would keep a reader happy for many months, even years, but with mention that his latest book, Departure(s), might be his…
Dec 9, 2025 · 25:57
From the discipline he learnt from his grandfather and the integrity from his parents, to the lessons learned from everything from inflatable unicorns to crucial penalties,…
Dec 3, 2025 · 21:11
Continuing the seasonal series after Michael Morpurgo’s Spring, Val McDermid turns from crime to Winter, with its festivals, rituals and new year drive to achieve. We sat down…
Dec 1, 2025 · 17:26
Salman Rushdie ’s return to fiction sees him sharing a collection of stories which look at the questions that await us all at the end of our lives. We spoke with him about…
Oct 30, 2025 · 1:01:48
Join us for what promises to be an unmissable evening with bestselling author R.F. Kuang, as we celebrate the publication of her much-anticipated new novel, Katabasis.The…
Oct 28, 2025 · 11:09
30 years after he introduced the world to Lyra Belacqua, Philip Pullman launched the final volume in his Book of Dust series: The Rose Field. Just ahead of that event we sat down…
Oct 27, 2025 · 25:47
From the moment she began her education at Oxford University, Malala Yousafzai was aware how hard it would be for her to enjoy a normal student experience. But as we discover…
Oct 21, 2025 · 35:40
From her childhood in Islington to the red carpet at Cannes, Kathy Burke has always spoken her mind, and that strength and independence of thought is on every page of her memoir,…
Sep 16, 2025 · 31:04
Ian McEwan 's masterful new novel is a piece of speculative fiction that shows a radically altered UK on the other side of climate catastrophe and global warfare. But it centres…
Sep 12, 2025 · 10:43
With the arrival of Among the Burning Flowers, the majestic prequel to her classic fantasy, The Priory of the Orange Tree, we sat down with Samantha Shannon to talk about…
Sep 2, 2025 · 30:05
Back in 2017, we made Slow Horses by Mick Herron our Thriller of the Month in August and a whole host of readers found their new obsession. Now, 15 years on from its first…
Aug 27, 2025 · 30:50
We sat down with the phenomenal A. F. Steadman to discuss all things Skandar, including emergency sandwiches, superfan events and reading for pleasure as we celebrate the…
Jul 15, 2025 · 14:55
Already the best selling YA thriller writer, thanks to series like A Good Girl's Guide To Murder, Holly Jackson is back with Not Quite Dead Yet, her first novel for adult…
Jun 18, 2025 · 52:28
The Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize 2025 shortlisted authors are here! Meet Catherine Airey (Confessions), Gurnaik Johal (Saraswati), Niamh Ní Mhaolieoin (Ordinary Saints),…
Jun 10, 2025 · 17:27
What do you do when you've already sold over 36 million copies of your Horrible Histories books? You write the kind of book that you, as a reader, would kill to read. And Terry…
Jun 3, 2025 · 27:13
Known for her pioneering work as an intimacy co-ordinator on shows such as Normal People and I May Destroy You, Ita O'Brien has distilled her practice into a book that has…
May 14, 2025 · 24:27
We sat down with our beloved Waterstones Children's Laureate, Frank Cottrell-Boyce to discuss the magic of movie sets, the power of Shakespeare, the importance of reading for…
May 12, 2025 · 18:00
Continuing a conversation begun with his first novel, On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous, we sat down with Ocean Vuong to discuss his new book, The Emperor of Gladness, which sees a…
May 6, 2025 · 31:27
From dismissal of symptoms to one-size-fits-all surgical solutions, women's healthcare comes under the spotlight in Naga Munchetty 's important new book, It's Probably Nothing.…
Apr 29, 2025 · 31:49
Robert Macfarlane 's latest book is his most personal and political yet, asking a question which may sound simple, but which forces the reader to look at rivers in a profoundly…
Apr 8, 2025 · 35:13
Jack Fairweather brings the same rigour and narrative flair that won him the Costa Book of the Year award for The Volunteer, to his new book, The Prosecutor , which tells the…
Apr 1, 2025 · 1:02:56
Completing a trilogy of outstanding books that examine the efforts to bring Nazi war criminals to account, Philippe Sands blends memoir, travelogue, detective story, and…
Mar 25, 2025 · 34:08
Hallie Rubenhold helped readers to see the Ripper murders from an entirely new perspective with The Five, which assiduously assembled the lives of his victims. With The Story of…
Mar 19, 2025 · 42:51
Spring is Michael Morpurgo ’s first non-fiction book for adults in almost 40 years and the book itself is a portrait of waiting for the seasons to change. In a fascinating…
Mar 12, 2025 · 22:39
Jessie Burton uses her literary skills to enchant and entertain younger readers in her new novel, Hidden Treasure, which is a luminous tale of fortune and loss set on the banks…
Mar 10, 2025 · 21:06
Natasha Brown ’s Assembly was a debut that announced the arrival of a fresh new voice in fiction and her latest, Universality, shows her wielding words as weapons in a tale of…
Mar 4, 2025 · 20:45
When you've waited ten years for a new novel from one of the world's literary luminaries, you want to know as much as you can from the author. We were delighted to sit down and…
Feb 25, 2025 · 28:30
Mark Steel brings his trademark humour to his account of cancer diagnosis, treatment and recovery but is sure not to pull any punches whilst he’s at it. When confronted with your…
Feb 18, 2025 · 41:46
2025 is a big year for Kate Mosse . Celebrating the 20th anniversary of her bestselling novel, Labyrinth, and the 30th winner of the prize she helped found, The Women’s Prize, we…
Feb 14, 2025 · 1:09:59
Andrew O’Hagan ’s Caledonian Road was one of 2024’s bestselling novels, with readers delighting in his searing portrayal of privilege punctured in a changing world. To celebrate…
Feb 11, 2025 · 29:45
Bestselling author Jojo Moyes knows how to create characters and relationships which engage her readers and We All Live Here is no exception. A blended family is tested to its…
Feb 4, 2025 · 45:15
When Han Kang accepted the Nobel Prize for Literature at the end of 2024, she spoke about the thread that connects her writing, from a poem she wrote at the age of 8, all the way…
Jan 14, 2025 · 23:12
Four university friends now in their thirties are all experiencing their own takes on motherhood in the new novel from Holly Bourne , and a baby shower for one of them becomes…
Jan 7, 2025 · 29:02
After the success of her first book, Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before? Dr Julie Smith wanted to create a new book, something to turn to when you find yourself in the eye of…
Dec 18, 2024 · 1:07:41
Shortly after her Booker Prize win, we were delighted to host Samantha Harvey in conversation with Chief Executive of the Booker Prize Foundation, Gaby Wood, at Waterstones…
Oct 29, 2024 · 24:44
On Boxing Day 2022, whilst in Rome, Hanif Kureishi fell after feeling faint. When he awoke, he realised he couldn't move his limbs, and life changed profoundly for him and those…
Oct 28, 2024 · 43:59
After the completion of her seasonal quartet, readers will have been wondering where Ali Smith might take us next and it shouldn't be a surprise that a writer who had so…
Oct 15, 2024 · 28:20
From his mega-selling debut, to viral superstardom and a career-renaissance that continues to this day, Rick Astley ’s life has always been filed with music. We sat down to speak…
Oct 9, 2024 · 26:41
Sometimes you want a second helping, and so it is with Stanley Tucci . After speaking with him about his memoir Taste, we were delighted to chat again about his new book, What I…
Oct 7, 2024 · 28:22
Since winning the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize in 2015 with his debut picture book, Blown Away, we have been big fans of the work of Rob Biddulph . So when the chance came…
Oct 2, 2024 · 25:07
With a narrative that stretches over seven decades, the new novel from Alan Hollinghurst doesn’t just give us the intimate details of a man’s life, but allows us to see the…
Oct 1, 2024 · 27:41
Following her bestselling classic, The Suspicions of Mr Whicher, Kate Summerscale now transports the reader to 1950s Britain and the murders at Rillington Place, in The…
Sep 24, 2024 · 26:00
The ability to appreciate even the smallest moments of joy in our busy lives can be the difference between just another day and a truly memorable one. This spirit infuses the…
Sep 16, 2024 · 37:28
When you have a world-renowned portraitist like Joe Lycett in the building, you get easels, paints and canvas out and indulge in a bit of dual-portraiture. We sat down with the…
Sep 11, 2024 · 27:54
The Iranian Embassy siege of 1980 was one of those ‘where were you when it happened?’ moments, but beyond the explosive live footage of the SAS assault that ended things, what of…
Sep 9, 2024 · 32:45
The sound of change jangling in our pockets may be less familiar in these days of contactless payment, but we all know how important money can feel in our lives. But might it…
Sep 3, 2024 · 27:42
After creating the irresistible anti-hero Grace in How To Kill Your Family, Bella Mackie returns with more familial dysfunction, more unlikeable characters and, yes, more murder…
Aug 27, 2024 · 16:29
Clare Chambers knows how to hook readers, with her previous novel, Small Pleasures, winning The British Book Awards 2022 Pageturner Book of the Year. She looks set to do it all…
Aug 20, 2024 · 18:46
After introducing us to legal dogsbody Gary Thorn in The Satsuma Complex, comedian Bob Mortimer returns with its sequel, The Hotel Avocado. We sat down with a nice slice of…
Jul 26, 2024 · 12:36
Ferdia Lennon’s riotously funny debut disarms from the very first page. With a setting of Syracuse in 412 BC but a very modern Irish vernacular, readers will enjoy every minute…
Jul 9, 2024 · 24:12
Chris Whitaker 's previous novel, We Begin At The End, was a multi-award-winning smash with readers, who fell in love with its characters and pressed copies on friends so as to…
Jun 19, 2024 · 1:00:47
The Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize is powered by our brilliant booksellers, whose keen eye for the most exciting new talent makes it a thrilling short list every year. In this…
Jun 17, 2024 · 21:18
Hot from winning the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2024, we spoke with V. V. Ganeshananthan about her novel, Brotherless Night, which took over 15 years to complete. Exhaustive…
May 28, 2024 · 25:05
The concept of following Brooklyn with a sequel took even the author by surprise, but after 15 years the story of Eilis continues in Long Island. We spoke with Colm Tóibín about…
May 14, 2024 · 24:13
Some debuts are so assured and so distinctive that you just have to know more about what went into their creation. Kaliane Bradley ’s The Ministry of Time is one such debut. We…
May 1, 2024 · 25:18
With a novel that spans twenty years, marked by three celestial events and characters with their feet firmly on the ground, we sat down for a fascinating conversation with former…
Apr 29, 2024 · 35:01
On 12 Aug 2022, over 30 years after a fatwa had been ordered against him, Salman Rushdie was attacked as he was about to give a public lecture at the Chautauqua Institution. By…
Apr 23, 2024 · 23:13
Fresh from breaking hearts with the TV adaptation of his bestselling One Day, David Nicholls came in to talk to us about his new novel, You Are Here, which introduces us to…
Apr 19, 2024 · 16:08
Not many writers would be brave enough to take an American classic like The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and rework it from a new perspective, but then Percival Everett isn’t…
Apr 16, 2024 · 30:55
With African history having largely been told through a western lens, Zeinab Badawi travelled to over 30 countries in the continent of her birth over the course of 7 years,…
Apr 9, 2024 · 29:57
Rejoice! For Marian Keyes is back with another hilarious novel which follows Anna Walsh's move from New York back to Ireland, leaving expensive beauty products and easy access to…
Apr 2, 2024 · 30:53
When Chimene Suleyman went to an abortion clinic with her partner, she had no idea that this would be the last time she would see him; even less that she was not the only woman…
Mar 26, 2024 · 26:00
With a debut that became an immediate bestseller and a second novel that joined his first as a Waterstones Thriller of the Month, we were of course front of queue to find out…
Mar 19, 2024 · 24:42
If you’ve ever seen someone in the supermarket who you’re sure you know, but can’t remember their name, or had the answer for something on the tip of your tongue, or had that…
Mar 12, 2024 · 39:42
Anna Jones has always been a passionate advocate for vibrant, sustainable cooking that places vegetables centre stage. In her latest book, Easy Wins , she highlights 12 hero…
Mar 5, 2024 · 33:49
Growing up in the shadow of Canary Wharf’s towers, Gary Stevenson always yearned for more. In an eye-opening conversation we learn how a simple card game changed his life and how…
Feb 27, 2024 · 30:39
The facts are compelling: A couple sailing to the other side of the globe, adrift after their yacht sinks and a battle to survive for 117 days. But the telling of that story is…
Feb 6, 2024 · 14:55
Fresh from co-writing the brilliant Adventures on Trains series with M. G. Leonard , Sam Sedgman has created an ingenious new adventure for children that follows aspiring…
Jan 30, 2024 · 22:38
An idyllic, private Greek island in the company of a movie star may sound like paradise but things are about to turn deadly in The Fury, the latest thriller from Alex Michaelides…
Jan 23, 2024 · 23:43
You've been told the problem is salt, or sugar, or even you! But in a fascinating conversation with Chris Van Tulleken we discover why it’s not you, it's the food. And by food we…
Nov 7, 2023 · 28:04
After charming the nation with Love, Nina - the collection of letters written to her sister during a five year stint as a nanny in '80s London, surrounded by literary types all…
Nov 2, 2023 · 30:17
Looking back on his life so far through the prism of food, Ed Gamble’s Glutton is a hilarious take from a foodie obsessive who’s come to recognise quality over quantity. We sat…
Oct 24, 2023 · 38:18
Widely regarded as one of Britain’s greatest actresses, Dame Judi Dench has conquered both stage and screen in a career spanning six decades. In Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays The…
Oct 23, 2023 · 18:47
With a career spanning seven decades, Sir Patrick Stewart is still probably best known to many as Captain Jean-Luc Picard or Professor X - but what of the journey towards these…
Oct 17, 2023 · 16:42
Having created thrills on screen as an actor it was perhaps only a matter of time before Richard Armitage decided to create a literary thriller of his own. After memorable…
Oct 10, 2023 · 25:47
Familiar to millions as the woman who brought Indian cookery into UK kitchens through her books and TV series, Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cookery is celebrating its 40th anniversary…
Oct 3, 2023 · 21:29
In her latest book, eminent historian and author, Mary Beard , presents a thematic approach to the role of Roman Emperor. What did it mean to be at the head of the empire, what…
Sep 26, 2023 · 29:12
Well-known to fans of The Young Ones, Bottom, or any number of alternative comedy shoots from the 1980s onwards, Adrian Edmondson ’s anarchic comedy of violence has surprising…
Sep 19, 2023 · 22:35
No matter how you feel about them, there’s no doubt that the Royal Family still play a crucial role in our national identity - but how did we get to where we are? And how much do…
Listen in the Podli app 🎧
Follow your favourite podcasts, listen offline and in the car with CarPlay and Android Auto, and always pick up where you left off. Free to try.
Your podcast? Get the Podli badge for your site
