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The Book Club

The Spectator
Franz Kafka
Nero
Modernity
Kafkaesque
Bureaucracy
Memory
Nuclear War
The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn
May Day
Agrippina
Translation
Jewish Literature
Existentialism
Atomic Bomb
Hiroshima
The Spectator
Nuclear Deterrence
Cold War
Jim
The Quality Of Love

Literary interviews and discussions on the latest releases in the world of publishing, from poetry through to physics. Presented weekly by Sam Leith.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes465Founded9 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ArtsSociety & CultureBooks

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Artwork for The Book Club

Latest Episodes

My guest in this week’s Book Club podcast is Caroline Moorehead, whose new book A Sicilian Man: Leonardo Sciascia, the Rise of the Mafia and the Struggle for Italy’s Soul tells the remarkable story of one of Italy’s best-known writers – who used the... more

This week’s Book Club podcast deals with attention: what it is, why it is in crisis, how it came to be the biggest business in the world, and how we can resist the tech juggernaut that is destroying it. I am joined by two co-authors of the new book A... more

My guest in this week’s Book Club is Joanna Kavenna, who talks about her witty, philosophically riddling new novel Seven: Or, How To Play A Game Without Rules. She tells me about taking her bearings from Italo Calvino, making up a board game and then... more

In this week’s Book Club podcast, my guest is the philosophy professor C. Thi Nguyen, whose new book The Score: How To Stop Playing Someone Else’s Game asks why rules and scores and metrics are so liberating in games, yet so deadening in real life. H... more

Key Facts

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Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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People also subscribe to these shows.

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Recent Guests

Joanna Kavenna
Brilliant novelist and author of 'Seven: How to Play a Game Without Rules'
Episode: Joanna Kavenna: How To Play A Game Without Rules
Jonathan Slaght
Writer and conservationist, author of Tigers Between Empires.
Episode: Jonathan C. Slaght: The Journey to Save the Siberian Tiger from Extinction
James Geary
Writer and author of The World in a Phrase, A Brief History of the Aphorism
Episode: James Geary: A Brief History of the Aphorism
Leon Craig
Writer and author of The Decadence
Episode: Leon Craig: The Decadence
Benjamin Myers
Writer of the novel 'Jesus Christ Kinski'
Episode: Benjamin Myers: Jesus Christ Kinski
Graham Robb
Writer known for blending history, travelogue, and memoir
Author
Episode: Graham Robb: The Discovery of Britain
Peter James
Notable thriller writer
Episode: Peter James: Jack Higgins's The Eagle Has Landed
Luke Kemp
Research Associate at the Center for the Study of Existential Risk at Cambridge and author of "Goliath's Curse, The History and Future of Societal Collapse"
Center for the Study of Existential Risk, Cambridge
Episode: Luke Kemp: The History and Future of Societal Collapse
Sudhir Hazareesingh
Fellow of Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College, Oxford
Episode: Sudhir Hazareesingh: Daring to be Free

Host

Sam Leith
Literary editor and insightful interviewer known for engaging discussions on literature and culture, often drawing on his extensive literary background.

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 427 ratings
  • Speccie

    Such an enjoyable listen. Erudite, funny, knowledgeable and educational.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Mark1962!!
    United Kingdoma month ago
  • Best book show out there

    Sam Leith is such a good interviewer. He’s clearly an intelligent and alert reader; his questions are always designed to get the most out of the authors he is talking to - genuinely insightful and illuminating. Recommended to anyone who is serious about their reading.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    4th Generation Blades Fan
    United Kingdom2 months ago
  • Best book show out there

    Sam Leith is such a good interviewer. He’s clearly an intelligent and insightful reader; his questions are always incisive, designed to get the most out of the authors he is talking to.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    5th Generation Blades Fan
    United Kingdom4 months ago
  • can do without idiotic laughter

    Generally it’s very good and by far the best of its kind available, better than radio 4’s equivalents now. Occasional slips, like Frances Wilson on Lawrence—spoiled by her irritating forced laughter throughout, and again now exactly the same on Muriel Spark.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    sextus Pompeius
    United States6 months ago
  • Excellent podcast for book lovers

    Always interesting, with a wide range of books and authors. Highly recommended.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    gileden
    Israela year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The content is regarded as insightful, covering a wide range of topics in literature and culture.
Listeners have highlighted the podcast as a leading choice in the literary space.
There is a strong appreciation for the depth of discussion and the quality of guests featured.
Some reviews mention issues with occasional humor that detracts from the discussions.
Listeners praise the host for being an intelligent and engaging interviewer.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#39
United Kingdom/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#99
United Kingdom/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#136
Canada/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#99
Australia/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#165
Italy/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#215
Australia/Arts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

C. Thi Nguyen: How To Stop Playing Someone Else’s Game
Q: Why are scores in the wider world different from those in games?
Nguyen discusses how scoring systems in the real world can often reduce complex human values into simplistic metrics that limit personal agency, contrasting them with the enriching experience of games.
C. Thi Nguyen: How To Stop Playing Someone Else’s Game
Q: Can you talk a bit about how that came to be a way into your subject?
Nguyen explains that the book is about games and meaningful experiences, mentioning that rock climbing plays a significant role in shaping his understanding of game dynamics and personal fulfillment.
Speaker series: Bernard Cornwell – Sharpe's Storm
Q: To what extent does Sharpe come alive when you're writing a Sharpe novel?
He's a horrible companion, but he's with me all the time. I hear him in my head.
Speaker series: Bernard Cornwell – Sharpe's Storm
Q: Do you ever suffer from writer's block?
No, I absolutely refuse to believe in writer's block. I mean, a nurse does have an excuse. I don't believe in the bloody stuff, writer's block.
Speaker series: Bernard Cornwell – Sharpe's Storm
Q: How were you able to produce two books a year for so many years?
I just wrote two a year, why not? I was quite relieved when I could stop doing that.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Book Club

What is The Book Club about and what kind of topics does it cover?

An exploration of the literary world, featuring insightful interviews with authors from various genres, this podcast covers a broad spectrum of topics, including literature, philosophy, and contemporary societal issues. Each episode typically focuses on a specific book, allowing guests to share their unique perspectives while engaging in deeper discussions about the themes and contexts of their works. From debuts to well-known literary figures, the conversations often reveal the nuances of writing, the creative process, and the connections between literature and real-life experiences, making it an enriching listen for avid readers and those interested in culture and the arts.

Where can I find podcast stats for The Book Club?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Book Club. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Book Club and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Book Club get?

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What are the audience demographics for The Book Club?

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How many subscribers and views does The Book Club have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Book Club has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Book Club?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Book Club:

1. Best of the Spectator
2. The LRB Podcast
3. Backlisted
4. The Edition
5. Americano

How many episodes of The Book Club are there?

The Book Club launched 9 years ago and published 465 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Book Club?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Book Club?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Book Club from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on The Book Club?

Recent guests on The Book Club include:

1. Joanna Kavenna
2. Jonathan Slaght
3. James Geary
4. Leon Craig
5. Benjamin Myers
6. Graham Robb
7. Peter James
8. Luke Kemp

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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