Advertise on podcast: Talking about books

One of a series of publications by the British Library, 'Crawling Horror - Creeping Tales of the Insect Weird' is edited by Daisy Butcher and Janette Leaf, respectively postgraduate researchers at Hertfordshire University and Birkbeck, University of London.   They have searched the archives for 19th and 20th  century tales about insects - some good, some bad.  Some by men such as HG Wells and Edgar Allen Poe, others introducing previously overlooked women writers.  In this extended version of an interview with Rob Pearman on Local Life, Janette and Daisy explain and illustrate this strange world - with recorded excerpts from three of the fascinating tales.

Clare Hobba discusses two books that make the connection between wildlife and the environment: "Vesper Flights" by Helen Macdonald and "Wilding" by Isabella Tree.

A special for Halloween week - tales of man eating plants, killer orchids, trees looking for revenge and more botanical Gothic tales - as collected for her new anthology by local researcher Daisy Butcher.

Local writer and teacher Clare Hobba tells Rob Pearman why she wanted to talk about Man Booker 2018 prize winner 'Milkman' by Anna Burns.

Rob Pearman tells regular reviewer Debbie Heath why he chose George Saunders' Man Booker prize winning novel 'Lincoln in the Bardo' for this edition in the series 'Talking about Books and Audiobooks'

Val Page introduces Rob Pearman to the work of prolific Scottish writer Peter May.  The Lewis Man begins with the discovery of a body buried in the peat....

Local author of fiction for children, Camilla Chester, discusses the first of Hilary Mantel's planned trilogy about Thomas Cromwell with Local Life host Rob Pearman.

Regular reviewer, Debbie Heath, tells Rob Pearman why she recommends Gail Honeyman's first novel 'Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine' (with excerpts from the audiobook).

Debbie Heath chose Daphne du Maurier's famous novel 'Rebecca' as a topic for this series of conversations because it has become a favourite, not least owing to its intricate language and structure.  Rob Pearman was glad to have been reminded about this writer's great skill, especially when he realised that he had never actually read this novel!

Jill Burridge discusses Kate Atkinson’s novel “Life after Life” with Talking Newspaper listener Dr Marie Freeman. Extracts by courtesy of Calibre Audio.

Graham Greene’s powerful novel – one of many by this Berkhampstead-bred writer – is set in anti-clerical, socialist Mexico in the 1920s. Val Page tells Rob Pearman why she chose this title.

Local author of children’s fiction, Camilla Chester, discusses with Rob Pearman “At Risk” the first spy/crime thriller written by Stella Rimington, former Head of MI5. In this novel, Liz Carlyle, MI5 intelligence officer, faces a terrorist threat as well as the patronising sexist attitude of her MI6 partner.   This discussion includes extracts from the audiobook read by Maggie Mash. (Recorded January 2017.)