
Meet the Writers
135 episodes — Page 1 of 3
Aea Varfis-van Warmelo and the lies that we tell ourselves
Philip Hensher and the beginning of the British novel
Adele Parks and the craft of a novel
Dave Eggers and the art of storytelling
Jack Jewers on Samuel Pepys: Historical mystery and Restoration London
Carlos Barragán on the new age of digital fraud
Marlon James and the people who we can’t forget
Teun Toebes and Jonathan de Jong on the right to live fully
Catherine Cho on devotion and destiny
The house of stories: Inside Chatsworth House’s literary treasures
Ruthie Rogers at The River Café
Sir Vince Cable and the changing global economic landscape
Louise Doughty and the letters that changed everything
Emma-Lee Moss and the icons of Cantopop
Simon Woodroffe on reinventing British dining
Kathy Lette on growing up, speaking out and ‘The Sisterhood Rules’
Nicholas Boggs and the legacy of James Baldwin
Chloe Aridjis on objects, projection and transformation
Raoul de Jong’s mystical journey into his Surinamese ancestry
Erica Wagner and the life of Washington Roebling
Victoria Bateman and the hidden economics of women
Ben Faccini on family, memory and fiction
Oliver Bullough on financial secrecy, corruption and global power
Anuradha Roy and life in the Himalayas
Leo Varadkar on power, identity and leaving politics
The winners of the 2026 Women’s Prize
Tim Wu and the future beyond big tech
Tayari Jones at the 2026 Hay Festival
Judy Blume on taboos, breaking barriers and leaving writing
Julia Franck on fiction, memoir and personal history
Oana Aristide on satire, space dreams and fiction
Megan Mulry and the Santa Fe International Literary Festival
Ece Temelkuran on exile, language and finding a new voice
Nicholas Thompson on leading change and running habits
Rachel Eliza Griffiths and the weight of memory

Catherine Carr and the complexities of sibling dynamics
Georgina Godwin meets award-winning documentarian Catherine Carr to discuss the exploration into sibling dynamics that led to her new book, ‘Who’s the Favourite?’, which gives insight into birth order, roles, and the impact of estrangement and loss.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Maria Semple on stoicism, rebellion and personal growth
Georgina Godwin meets Maria Semple, bestselling author of ‘Where’d You Go, Bernadette’, to discuss her new book, ‘Go Gentle’, which follows a divorced stoic philosopher’s mid-life transformation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Poet Sasha Debevec-McKenney on writing with joy
Georgina Godwin is joined by Sasha Debevec-McKenney to discuss the writer’s debut poetry collection “Joy is My Middle Name”, which is shortlisted for the 2026 Dylan Thomas Prize. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Margaret Busby on publishing, power and representation
Georgina Godwin meets Margaret Busby, Britain’s first black publisher. They discuss her career, the landmark anthology ‘Daughters of Africa’ and new release ‘Part of the Story: Writings from Half a Century’.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fatima Bhutto at the Daunt Books Festival 2026
Following the release of her memoir, ‘The Hour of the Wolf’, Fatima Bhutto joins Georgina Godwin at the Daunt Books Festival 2026.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Francis Spufford on faith, fantasy and the craft of fiction
Georgina Godwin is joined by renowned writer Francis Spufford. They discuss his early days at Chatto & Windus, his wrangles with sceptics and latest novel, ‘Nonesuch’, which is set in London during the Blitz.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Luka Ivan Jukic on the enduring significance of Central Europe
Georgina Godwin meets journalist and historian Luka Ivan Jukic, whose latest book, Central Europe: The Death of a Civilization and the Life of an Idea, explores the emergent rebirth of the region.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Karen Dobres and pitch politics
It’s International Women’s Day and Georgina Godwin is joined by a former model who helped transform Lewes FC into the world’s first equal-pay football club. She discusses ‘Pitch Invasion’, a story about sport, culture and Britain’s global soft power.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tom Freston on media, reinvention and change
Georgina Godwin meets Tom Freston to discuss his memoir, Unplugged. It traces his journey from launching MTV and shaping Comedy Central to how philanthropy reshaped his sense of purpose and reinvention.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Maria Alyokhina on activism, Russia’s regime and hope for the motherland
Georgina Godwin is joined by Maria Alyokhina, who shares insight into her latest memoir, Political Girl, and her hopes for the future of Russia. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bora Chung on the rise of Korean literature
Georgina Godwin speaks with author Bora Chung about her life and activism, the rise of South Korean literature and her short-story collection The Midnight Timetable, which explores speculative fiction and political themes.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andrey Kurkov on chronicling a nation at war
Georgina Godwin meets Ukrainian author Andrey Kurkov, who shares his experiences from four years of war, the impact of conflict on daily life and the role of culture in resistance.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Damian Barr on Scottish art, memory and belonging
Damien Barr meets Georgina Godwin to reflect on childhood shaping his memoir and novel, examining class, his move from journalism to fiction and celebrating overlooked Scottish artists via writing, theatre and an exhibition.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alexander B Smalls on opera, food and African heritage
Georgina Godwin meets Alexander B Smalls, tracing his path from opera to food writing via his family roots, landmark restaurants and books championing African cuisine, community and cultural pride.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Steve Crawshaw and confronting global impunity
Georgina Godwin speaks to Steve Crawshaw about his book Prosecuting the Powerful, including cases from Milošević and Putin to Netanyahu. Plus: the ICC, US hostility and why accountability matters in Gaza and Ukraine.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.