
Advertise on podcast: The Waterstones Podcast
Rating
4.6from
This podcast has
206 episodes
Language
EnglishPublisher
WaterstonesExplicit
No
Date created
2018/04/19
Latest episode
2026/10/27
Average duration
31 min.
Release period
11 days
Description
Going beyond the book with a wide range of authors to discover the story behind the books we love.
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Check latest episodes from The Waterstones Podcast podcast
Kyle MacLachlan
2026/10/27
Kyle MacLachlan is an actor with such range that everyone seems to know him from a different piece of work. From his debut in Dune, to iconic roles in Blue Velvet, Twin Peaks, Sex and the City and Desperate Housewives, he's always seemed to be brave enough to take anything on. Even Showgirls. But as we discovered from our conversation with him, it's never been quite that simple. Join us as we discuss creative collaboration, conquering fear and why David Lynch will always be a part of him.
Judi Dench: an encore!
2026/10/20
The only thing better than talking to Judi Dench about her career in acting is to talk to her a SECOND time! We were delighted to be invited back to her home for a conversation alongside Brendan O'Hea about her work on stage, TV and film, and some incredible insight into her childhood, upbringing and family life, as captured in her memoir, Is It Too Late to Make a Run for It?
Elif Shafak
2026/10/13
Taking inspiration from the life of Gustave Flaubert, the new novel from Elif Shafak flips expectations by giving voice to the women who shaped him. In an inspiring conversation about creativity in times of crisis and conflict, we spoke with her about her views on the nature of time, marrying Eastern and Western literature and whether she has found an answer to the question that prompted this new book.
Louise Kennedy
2026/09/29
Louise Kennedy has followed her Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize-nominated Trespasses with another brilliant novel, Stations, which follows the trajectories of two teenage friends as they leave '80s Ireland for London. We sat down with her to talk about her own journey, why escape is so difficult and creating characters for readers to take to their hearts.
Ann Patchett
2026/09/14
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 reckoning with our own mortality; we sat down to speak with her about what it means to love and to lose, what she's learned as a bookseller about reading and why the most important thing for any writer is getting your posture right.
Xand van Tulleken
2026/09/09
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 van Tulleken wanted to cut through the noise to sort fact from fiction. Two years later, his new book, Make Me Well, shares the results. We sat down with him to discover what wellness means, what works (and what doesn't) and why for most people the real benefits might be found elsewhere entirely.
Rebecca F. Kuang returns!
2026/09/07
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 family, only for loss to appear suddenly and change her perspective. In a fascinating discussion we spoke with Rebecca about linguistic relativity, getting grief wrong and falling foul of flat listings with clever camera angles.
Kate Atkinson
2026/09/01
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 curate 1951's Festival of Britain. We sat down to speak with her about the allure of the period, how she creates character and why bringing joy to readers is still what drives her.
Rebecca Perry
2026/08/25
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 connections between her curator character and the art of writing, playing with the tropes of historical fiction, and her love of cats.
Jon Ronson
2026/08/20
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 disenfranchised men to paint a portrait of masculinity in crisis as only he can. We spoke with him about where his work ethic comes from, being a slave to the algorithm and how many turrets is too many turrets.
Alice Oseman
2026/07/01
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 Netflix adaptation concludes with the film Heartstopper Forever, we were delighted to spend some time with Alice to reflect on all those years of work, the incredible fans and maybe even what might come next.
Andrew Sean Greer
2026/06/23
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 trials of his hapless author Arthur Less in his eponymous Pulitzer Prize-winning Less, Greer’s latest novel transports us to Villa Coco in Tuscany for a summer we will never forget. We sat down to speak with him about how to create a ‘charm novel’, the real-life inspiration behind his fiction and the deeper meaning that lies underneath even the funniest moments.
Meet the Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize 2026 Shortlist Authors
2026/06/18
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 realism to modern satire, from private lives to open houses - these are the writers that have most excited our experience booksellers and we can't wait for you to discover your own favourite. Join us for a freewheeling conversation about technique, tenacity and turning inspiration into something tangible.
Lily King
2026/06/09
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 month as our fiction pick, we finally got to sit down with Lily to talk about writing love, being surprised and how she feels about making her readers sob uncontrollably.
Elizabeth Strout
2026/06/08
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 new character for readers to meet. We sat down to speak with her about where Artie Dam came from, what he's wrestling with and why there are still things we never say.
Podcast reviews
Read The Waterstones Podcast podcast reviews
LIT LOVER USA 2024/09/25
Less Host Talking
Great guests like Nigel Slater ; would be 5 star if host spoke much much less!
Jo St Nick 2020/11/25
Clans and Whisky Friends
Your interview highlighted Graham’s love of History and Sam’s can-do spirit beautifully
correconmigo 2020/11/25
Clandlands
Truly enjoyed hearing more from Sam and Graham on their Scottish adventure. Cannot wait to (hopefully) visit Scotland one day but until then I’ll live...
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