The Booker Prize Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Earlier this week, author Jenny Erpenbeck and translator Michael Hofmann were announced as the winners of the International Booker Prize 2024, for the novel, Kairos. Jenny and Michael join Jo and James to talk about whether their win has truly sunk in yet and what might be next, and administrator of the International Booker Prize, Fiammetta Rocco also joins to give some insight into how the prize works. It's our last episode of this season of The Booker Prize Podcast so make sure you don't miss this one – but all our previous episodes will continue to be available so you can listen whenever you want. Find out more about Kairos: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/kairos A full transcript of the episode is available at our website. Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit http://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @thebookerprizes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With under a week until the International Booker Prize 2024 ceremony, we're back with the second part of our deep dive into this year's six shortlist books. Listen in to hear what Jo and James think of the remaining three books on the list, common themes that run across the shortlisted reads and which book they want to see win the award.   In this episode Jo and James discuss: Brief biographies of each author, and short summaries of each book Their thoughts on the three books books discussed in this episode The common themes running through these books Which book they think might win Reading list: Mater 2-10 by Hwang Sok-yong, translated by Sora Kim-Russell and Youngjae Josephine Bae: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/mater-2-10 Crooked Plow by Itamar Vieira Junior, translated by Johnny Lorenz: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/crooked-plow Not a River by Selva Almada, translated by Annie McDermott: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/not-a-river A full transcript of the episode is available at our website. Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit http://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @thebookerprizes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sally Rooney is one of the best-loved writers of her generation and her second novel, Normal People, has been overwhelmingly popular across the world – first in book form and then its TV adaptation. Nominated for the Booker Prize 2018, Normal People follows Marianne and Connell as they come of age and figure out their place in the world. It's a love story that has touched readers everywhere but it's also a novel that has something to say about class and politics, in particular. So tune in to this episode to hear Jo and James discuss our February Monthly Spotlight pick. In this episode Jo and James: Consider how the book became so popular Whether the haters have a leg to stand on Share a brief biography of Sally Rooney Summarise the plot of Normal People Discuss the themes explored in the novel Reading list: Normal People by Sally Rooney Conversations With Friends by Sally Rooney Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney A full transcript of the episode is available at our website. Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit http://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @thebookerprizes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A happy Burns Night to one and all. In honour of this day of celebration for ol' Rabbie Burns, and by extension all Scottish literature, we're taking a dive into one of the most popular Booker Prize winners: Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart. The novel, Stuart's debut, presents a blistering and heartbreaking exploration of the unsinkable love that only children can have for their damaged parents. In this episode Jo and James: Share a brief biography of Douglas Stuart Summarise the plot of Shuggie Bain Discuss their thoughts on the novel Delve into the characters, particularly Shuggie and his mother, Agnes Consider the idea of the divided self in Scottish literature Reading list: Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart Loitering With Intent by Muriel Spark His Bloody Project by Graeme Macrae Burnet A full transcript of the episode is available at our website. Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit http://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @thebookerprizes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's winter in the northern hemisphere right now and we are simply filled with the urge to hibernate. If you're feeling the same vibe and want to stay in with a good book, allow us to recommend three short books that could keep you company through a weekend. Listen in this week to hear Jo and James discuss some of the most bijou of novels from the Booker Prize and International Booker Prize archive. Reading list: Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan Offshore by Penelope Fitzgerald Boulder by Eva Baltasar, translated by Julia Sanches A full transcript of the episode is available at our website. Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit http://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @thebookerprizes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A.S. Byatt's Possession is a blockbuster of a novel, loved by both critics and readers. If you haven't already read it, you've probably heard of it. (And if you haven't heard of it, well, we're here to fill you in.) Possession won the 1990 Booker Prize and it's a romp of a novel that's part detective thriller and part romance. It also happens to be the subject of our first Monthly Spotlight of 2024 – formerly known as Book of the Month – so tune in as we delve into the book and the life of its author. In this episode Jo and James: Share a brief biography of A.S. Byatt Explore Byatt's literary rivalry with her writer sister, Margaret Drabble Summarise the plot of Possession Hear a clip of Byatt reading from the book at the 1990 Booker Prize ceremony Discuss their thoughts on the novel Reading list: Possession by A.S. Byatt: https://thebookerprizes.com/archive/books/possession An Awfully Big Adventure by Beryl Bainbridge: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/an-awfully-big-adventure The Gate of Angels by Penelope Fitzgerald: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/the-gate-of-angels Lies of Silence by Brian Moore: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/lies-of-silence Amongst Women by John McGahern: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/amongst-women Solomon Gursky Was Here by Mordecai Richler: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/solomon-gursky-was-here The Virgin in the Garden by A.S. Byatt The Djinn in the Nightingale's Eye by A.S. Byatt The Biographer's Tale The Children's Book by A.S. Byatt: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/the-childrens-book A full transcript of the episode is available at our website: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/features/the-booker-prize-podcast-episode-28-possession-by-as-byatt Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit http://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @thebookerprizes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

WARNING: this episode contains some adult language. We’re back after our festive hiatus – and how better to start the year than with a rundown of some of the most-anticipated reads of 2024. This week, Jo and James are joined by journalist and TLS podcast host Alex Clark, so listen in as they discuss the books, by Booker Prize authors and beyond, that we should all keep an eye out for this year. 2024 reading list: Long Island by Colm Tóibín The Women Behind the Door by Roddy Doyle James by Percival Everett Choice by Neel Mukherjee What Will Survive of Us by Howard Jacobson Parade by Rachel Cusk The Spoiled Heart by Sunjeev Sahota The Heart in Winter by Kevin Barry The Underground Sea by John Berger The Summer We Crossed Europe in the Rain by Kazuo Ishiguro Knife by Salman Rushdie My Heavenly Favourite by Lucas Rijneveld, translated by Michele Hutchison The Road to the Country by Chigozie Obioma Parasol Against the Axe by Helen Oyeyemi Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner Mr Geography by Tim Parks Fourteen Days: A Collaborative Novel Day by Michael Cunningham Enlightenment by Sarah Perry Godwin by Joseph O'Neill Caledonian Road by Andrew O'Hagan   Other books mentioned: Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín The Woman Who Walked into Doors by Roddy Doyle Paula Spencer by Roddy Doyle The Committments by Roddy Doyle The Snapper by Roddy Doyle The Van by Roddy Doyle Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha by Roddy Doyle Two Pints by Roddy Doyle The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain The Sellout by Paul Beatty The Trees by Percival Everett Erasure by Percival Everett Suder by Percival Everett The Lives of Others by Neel Mukherjee Who's Sorry Now? by Howard Jacobson Kalooki Nights by Howard Jacobson J by Howard Jacobson The Finkler Question by Howard Jacobson Live a Little by Howard Jacobson Mother's Boy by Howard Jacobson The Dog's Last Walk: (and Other Pieces) by Howard Jacobson The Outline trilogy by Rachel Cusk Into the Fold by Rachel Cusk Second Place by Rachel Cusk Self-Portrait by Celia Paul The Year of the Runaways by Sunjeev Sahota China Room by Sunjeev Sahota City of Bohane by Kevin Barry Beatlebone by Kevin Barry Night Boat to Tangier by Kevin Barry The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie The Discomfort of Evening by Lucas Rijneveld, translated by Michele Hutchison The Hours by Michael Cunningham The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry Virginia Woolf's Nose by Hermione Lee Mayflies by Andrew O'Hagan A full transcript of the episode is available at our website. You can listen to Alex's podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/the-tls-podcast/id868068396   Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit http://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @thebookerprizes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In our last episode of the year (time flies!), we catch up with International Booker Prize 2023 winners Georgi Gospodinov and Angela Rodel. The winning novel, Time Shelter, follows an enigmatic therapist who runs a ‘clinic for the past’ that offers a promising treatment for Alzheimer’s sufferers. It was the first book from Bulgaria to win the International Booker – and, in fact, to be shortlisted – and its win has been received with much excitement in Gospodinov's home country and beyond. This week, we catch up with author and translator to find out how the award has changed their lives and what they've been up to since their win. In this episode Jo and James speak to Georgi and Angela about: The book, its plot and its themes What the night of their International Booker Prize win was like How their lives have changed since winning the prize What it means for translators to receive recognition alongside the writers they work with The importance of music in their work The unique working relationship between writers and translators Why Bulgarian literature deserves more recognition and which books to look out for A full transcript of the episode is available at our website. Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit http://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @thebookerprizes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sara Cox, host of BBC Two's TV book club, Between the Covers, joins Jo and James to discuss our December Book of the Month: Any Human Heart by William Boyd. Told through the journals of Logan Mountstuart, it's an engrossing – and often funny – novel that takes in many of the defining events of the 20th century and the people who shaped them. The Booker Prize 2002-longlisted book was recently discussed on Between the Covers, so tune in to our podcast as Sara, James and Jo talk about William Boyd's beloved novel, as well as Sara's own reading habits and inspirations. In this episode Jo, James and Sara talk about: The idea behind television book club Between the Covers The variety of books guests have been bringing to this series of Between the Covers The novels that got Sara into reading at a young age Sara's favourite Booker Prize books How Sara balances reading and her own writing – and whether what she's reading influences her work What the book clubbers on Between the Covers thought of Any Human Heart A brief summary of Any Human Heart and a discussion about its plot Who they'd recommend the book to Reading List: Any Human Heart by William Boyd: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/any-human-heart Life of Pi by Yann Martel: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/life-of-pi The Way We Live Now by Anthony Trollope War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy Pessimism is for Lightweights by Salena Godden Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. by Judy Blume Catherine Cookson novels Jilly Cooper novels Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha by Roddy Doyle: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/paddy-clarke-ha-ha-ha John Boyne novels Margaret O'Farrell novels Redhead by the Side of the Road by Anne Tyler: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/redhead-by-the-side-of-the-road A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/a-spool-of-blue-thread A full transcript of the episode is available at our website. Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit http://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @thebookerprizes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Step behind the velvet rope and let Jo and James take you on a VIP tour of the Booker Prize 2023 award ceremony. Listen in as they speak to some of this year's shortlisted authors and judges, as well as other guests at the ceremony and hear, first-hand, how the shortlisted authors felt in the run up to the announcement, how the judges enjoyed being part of the jury and what it feels like to be a guest at one of the most exciting events in the booklover's calendar. In this episode Jo and James speak to: Paul Lynch, 2023 Booker Prize winner Paul Murray, 2023 Booker Prize shortlistee Robert Webb, 2023 Booker Prize judge Adjoa Andoh, 2023 Booker Prize judge Graeme Macrae Burnet, 2016 Booker Prize longlistee Frederick Studemann, literary editor of the Financial Times A full transcript of the episode is available at our website. Follow The Booker Prize Podcast so you never miss an episode. Visit http://thebookerprizes.com/podcast to find out more about us, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok @thebookerprizes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices