Rnib Talking Books

In Read On this week, we are focusing on resilience: Mick Dawson and blind veteran Steve Sparky Sparks discuss their gruelling journey to row across the Pacific Ocean. Sarah Jane Douglas and Richard Frazer reveal the reconciliation each of them found through walking and contemplation. Ed Caesar introduces us to 'The Moth and The Mountain': the extraordinary story of a World War One veteran who sought to climb Mount Everest. And we return to Mick Dawson, to hear the books of his life.

Vicky Goldie reveals how working for RNIB and her own personal circumstances informed the character of her blind detective.   Paul Mylrea reviews Ngaio Marsh's 'Scales of Justice'.   Tim Finch discusses his novel Peace Talks, which has been short listed for the Costa Award.   And Anna Bell shares a cautionary tale in her new rom com We Just Clicked.

In this Read On 2020 Booker Prize special episode, host Red Szell interviews each of the six shortlisted authors, shares some fun facts about the world's most prestigious literary prize and reveals the winner through the Books of Their Life.

The Best of Read On 2020 Part 2:  Robert Kirkwood talks to the winner of the Costa First Novel award, Sarah Collins. Stuart Turton takes us on a mysterious  and murderous voyage in his new novel The Devil and the Dark Water.   We hear the heart warming story of how an RNIB volunteer, a musician and a holocaust survivor came together to create a Talking Book   The RNIB Library’s Lynne Livingstone gives us her literary antidote to lockdown.   Best selling novelist Sarah Morgan transports us to the Lake District in search of family harmony.   And SD Robertson shares the Books of His Life.  

The Best of Read on 2020: Part 1 Costa Award Winner Jack Fairweather introduces us to 'The Volunteer'. We hitch a ride with an enchanted suitcase and author LD Lapinski’s 'Strange Worlds Travel Agency'.   Husband and wife narrators Alastair Petrie and Lucy Scott reveal how they kept calm and carried on narrating despite lockdown.   Blade Runner meets Forrest Gump in Simon Stephenson’s android rom-com, Set My Heart To 5.   And loyal listener Penny Melville Brown shares some of her audiobook highlights of 2020.    

Charlie Mackesy discusses both writing, illustrating and recording (in his barn) 'The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse'. Joanna Toye catches us up with the goings on at Marlow's Department Store in 'Christmas for the Shop Girls'. Emma Powell talks about narrating RNIB's Read-A-Long book 'Red and the Wolf'. And we return to Charlie Mackesy for the Books of his Life.

In today's show, we focus on Contemporary Crime.   Mark Billingham on 'The Killing Habit'   Matthew Parris on 'Scorn'   Chris Brookmyre on 'Want You Gone'   Emma Swan on narrating 'That'll Be The Day'   And Red reviews 'Trunk Music' by Michael Connelly

Sally Gardner brings us a fairy tale for adults with The Snow Song. Tineka Smith and Alex Court on 'Mixed Up: Confessions of an Interracial Couple'. Robert Kirkwood talks to Charlotte Levin about her debut novel 'If I Can't Have You'. And we return to Sally Gardner for the Books of her Life.

This week we’ll be using our little grey cells to investigate some new developments in classic crime...   Sophie Hannah tells us why Hercule Poirot is working with a new partner, and her publisher talks about how the collaboration came about.   Lynn Shepherd discusses adding crime scenes to stories inspired by Jane Austen and Charles Dickens.     And Red finds the book in The Library that made him want to be a crime writer.

Val Wood discusses her new historical romance ‘The Lonely Wife’ and her long-standing role supporting those with sight loss in her local area of Hull and Yorkshire’s East Riding.   Amanda Robson leads us into the dark psychological world of her new domestic thriller ‘My Darling’.   Loyal listener, Penny Melville-Brown takes us on a European tour of her favourite crime fiction.   And we have a tribute to the recently departed actor and narrator Geoffrey Palmer.  

Ahead of next week’s announcement of who has won The 2020 Booker Prize, Read On this week features interviews with all six of the short listed authors as they discuss the background to their novels and the material they explore.   Ranging from a re-examination of the role played by African women during Mussolini’s 1935 invasion of Ethiopia to a dystopian near future in which a group of people live as hunter gatherers in the last wilderness on Earth, the six novels in contention for the World’s most prestigious literary prize reveal some surprising facts about their books and show a common concern with examining how people behave under pressure.   And we finish up hearing from one of last year’s joint winners, Bernardine Evaristo, who shares the Books of Her Life.

Booker shortlisted author Maaza Mengiste takes us back to 1935 and introduces us to the African women who fought Mussolini's invasion of Ethiopia in 'The Shadow King'.    MJ Ford introduces us to his dark new crime thriller 'Watch Over You'.   And Brandon Taylor reveals how his Booker shortlisted debut 'Real Life' had to be saved from the trash! 

Polly Crosby leads us into the haunting world of her debut novel ‘The Illustrated Child’.    Douglas Stuart reveals how a childhood afflicted by poverty and addiction in 1980s' Glasgow informed his Booker shortlisted novel ‘Shuggie Bain’.    Avni Doshi discusses the themes behind her debut ‘Burnt Sugar’, reveals how it has changed her view on audiobooks and her delight at also being shortlisted for this year’s Booker. And we return to Polly Crosby for the Books of her Life. 

Caroline Corcoran introduces us to her disturbing new psychological thriller ‘The Baby Group’.   Tsitsi Dangarembga discusses her Booker short-listed novel ‘This Mournable Body’, and reflects on post-colonial life in Zimbabwe.   We hear from the joint-winner of last year's Booker Prize, Bernadine Evaristo.   And we return to share the Books of Caroline Corcoran’s Life.

Gill Paul re-imagines the love triangle between the world’s richest man,  the President’s widow, and one of the greatest soprano of all time in her historical novel ‘The Second Marriage’.   Diane Cook walks us through her debut novel The New Wilderness, which has been shortlisted for this years Booker Prize.   And we return to Gill Paul to hear the books of her life.

Morten Bonde discusses his self-help memoir Sentenced to Blindness: Now What? Robert Kirkwood looks at Notes on Blindness, and the source material Touching the Rock by John Hull (Starts at 23.25) And Stu Turton unveils his dazzling new novel 'The Devil and the Dark Water'

Claire Allan discusses her dark new psychological thriller, The Liar's Daughter Janice Galloway joins Robert Kirkwood in the Glasgow studios to record her collection of short stories, Jellyfish (Starts at 21.36) Gail Honeyman tells us all about Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, before the book was released (31.20) And we return to Claire Allan for the books of her life. (46.46)

In today's show we hear the shortlist for this year's Booker Prize. Clare Marchant introduces us to her timeslip novel, The Secrets of Saffron Hall. (Starts at 7.30) A gathering of Talking Book narrators tell Robert Kirkwood about their favourite reads. (22.00) We timeslip back to Nicola Cornick's first visit to Read On. (34.11) And we return to Clare Marchant for the books of her life (51.48)

Miranda Emmerson transports us to Soho in the swinging sixties for ' A Little London Scandal' For Roald Dahl Day, Robert Kirkwood discovers more than children's books in the RNIB Library (Starts at 18.25) Penny Melville Brown reviews some thrillers and more. (26.20) B.J. Novak talks about and reads from his 'Book With No Pictures' (33.50) And we return to Miranda Emmerson for the Books of her Life. (44.34)  

Eleanor Wasserberg chats about 'The Light at the End of the Day' and being inspired by a painting. Neil MacGregor talks about the book version of his radio show ' A History of the World in 100 Objects' and how he also was inspired by art. (Starts at 22.25)   Narrator Ray Sawyer chats about narrating Alan Bennett. (34.04) We listen to a couple of books narrated by actors who were in Star Wars. (36.16) And as the Booker Prize approaches, we hear the books of last year's joint winner, Bernardine Evaristo (43.12)