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A Good Read

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Rating
★★★★★
4.7
from
40 reviews
Categories
Country
United States
This podcast has
395 episodes
Language
English
Publisher
BBC Radio 4
Explicit
No
Date created
2025/05/12
Latest episode
2026/10/12
Average duration
28 min.
Release period
16 days

Description

Find reading inspiration with favourite books chosen by our guests.

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Check latest episodes from A Good Read podcast


Andrea Wulf and Selina Brown
2026/10/12
Lively conversation around three book choices. Presenter Harriett Gilbert talks to two guests about books they love EUPHORIA by Lily King HUNGER PAINS by Derek Owusu LOVED AND MISSED by Susie Boyt Selina Brown has written three children's picture books. She is the founder and CEO of the Black British Book Festival. Her book recommendation is Hunger Pains by Derek Owusu - a novel that puts the growing trend of male obsession with appearance and fitness under the spotlight. Fellow guest Andrea Wulf is author of eight books, including the Founding Gardeners and The Invention of Nature. Her latest, The Traveller, is about the life of ethnographer George Forster, She chooses the novel chooses Euphoria by Lily King. It's based on the life of the life of the American explorer and anthropologist Margaret Mead. Loved and Missed by Susie Boyt is Harriett's choice - a poignant story about the fierce love of a grandmother who brings up her troubled daughter's child. Producer: Maggie Ayre, BBC Audio Bristol Join us over on Instagram @agoodreadbbc Photo credit: Antonina Gern
Dr Vee Kativhu and Susie Riddell
2026/08/03
Guests discuss books they love. This time:  Loving and Giving by Molly Keane, chosen by podcaster and Archers actor Susie Riddell The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré, chosen by education activist Dr Vee Kativhu The Land in Winter by Andrew Miller, chosen by presenter Harriett Gilbert Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Sarah Goodman Join us over on Instagram @agoodreadbbc
Lauren Child and David McAlmont
2026/07/27
A sharing of book recommendations and lively discussion. Harriett Gilbert is joined by children's author Lauren Child and musician David McAlmont to talk about books they love by George Orwell, Elizabeth Strout and Alan Bennett. The books are: Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout, chosen by Lauren Child Burmese Days by George Orwell, chosen by David McAlmont Killing Time by Alan Bennett, chosen by Harriett Gilbert Producer for BBC Audio Bristol: Sally Heaven Join us over on Instagram @agoodreadbbc
Cariad Lloyd and Geoff Dyer
2026/07/20
Writer, actor and comedian Cariad Lloyd and writer Geoff Dyer join Harriett Gilbert for an enthusiastic and robust discussion about favourite books. The books are: The Transit of Venus by Shirley Hazzard, chosen by Geoff Dyer Question 7 by Richard Flanagan, chosen by Harriett Gilbert The Others by Sheena Kalayil, chosen by Cariad Lloyd Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Eliza Lomas Join us over on Instagram @agoodreadbbc
Joanne Harris and Islam Issa
2026/07/13
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson, chosen by Joanne Harris Mother Mary Comes to Me by Arundhati Roy, chosen by Harriett Gilbert Akhenaten: Dweller in Truth by Naguib Mahfouz, chosen by Islam Issa Join us over on Instagram @agoodreadbbc Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Sally Heaven
Daisy Dunn and Andrew Hunter Murray
2026/07/06
The classicist and the author talk about books they love with presenter Harriett Gilbert. One of the books is eerily prescient about the state of the world today. The books are: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, chosen by classicist Daisy Dunn Rogue Male by Geoffrey Household, chosen by podcaster and author Andrew Hunter Murray A Life's Music by Andreï Makine, translated by Geoffrey Strachan, chosen by presenter Harriett Gilbert Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Beth O'Dea Join us over on instagram @agoodreadbbc Photo credit: Timothy Foster
Philippa Perry and Stuart Maconie
2026/06/29
A special episode of A Good Read, recorded live at the Hay Festival. The books are: London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe, chosen by psychotherapist and artist Philippa Perry All Quiet on the Orient Express by Magnus Mills, chosen by presenter and writer Stuart Maconie Luka and the Fire of Life by Salman Rushdie, chosen by presenter Harriett Gilbert Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Maggie Ayre Join us over on Instagram @agoodreadbbc Photo credit: Pal Hansen
Louise Welsh and Chris Brookmyre
2026/06/22
Two Scottish crime writers choose books by: Iain Banks (Espedair Street) Muriel Spark (Memento Mori) And Harriett's choice is Summer by Edith Wharton Producer: Maggie Ayre BBC Audio Bristol Photo credit: Julie Broadfoot
Harriet Tyce and Matt Edmondson
2026/06/15
The books are: Brighton Rock by Graham Greene, chosen by Harriet Tyce Agent Zigzag by Ben Macintyre, chosen by Matt Edmondson Cluny Brown by Margery Sharp, chosen by Harriett Gilbert Join us over on Instagram @agoodreadbbc Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Sally Heaven Photo credit: Suki Dhanda
Kelly Cates and Tom Rob Smith
2026/06/08
Three books that deal with the intricacies of relationships and marriage. Not That Sort of Girl by Mary Wesley Aftermath by Rachel Cusk Three Days In June by Anne Tyler Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Maggie Ayre
Patrick Grant and Mary-Ann Ochota
2026/04/01
This time the community clothing entrepreneur and host of The Great British Sewing Bee Patrick Grant chooses his favourite book along with fellow guest anthropologist and broadcaster Mary-Ann Ochota. The books are: Parsnips Buttered by Joe Lycett The Flow by Amy Jane Beer Heatwave by Penelope Lively Produced in Bristol by Maggie Ayre
Maryam Moshiri and Doug Naylor
2026/03/23
Newsreader Maryam Moshiri and Red Dwarf creator Doug Naylor discuss their chosen books, including Bridget Jones's Diary, with Harriett Gilbert. Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding, chosen by Maryam Moshiri Why You Should Read Children's Books, Even Though You Are So Old and Wise by Katherine Rundell, chosen by Doug Naylor Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson, chosen by Harriett Gilbert Join us over on Instagram @agoodreadbbc Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Sally Heaven
Victoria Pile and Julian Baggini
2026/03/16
THE LIVES AND LOVES OF A SHE DEVIL by Fay Weldon, chosen by Victoria Pile THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA by Ernest Hemingway, chosen by Julian Baggini CLEAR by Carys Davies, chosen by Harriett Gilbert Comedy writer and director Victoria Pile joins philosopher and author Julian Baggini to talk about their favourite books with Harriett Gilbert. On the menu is a feminist revenge novel that is as dark as it is funny, a classic Hemingway novella that casts us out to sea, and an evocative short story set on a remote island off Scotland. Join the conversation on Instagram: agoodreadbbc Produced for BBC Audio Bristol by Becky Ripley
Lolita Chakrabarti and Dr Guy Leschziner
2026/03/09
This week's books are: How to Measure a Cow by Margaret Forster (chosen by Lolita Chakrabarti) The House of God by Samuel Shem (chosen by Guy Leschziner) A Very Easy Death by Simone de Beauvoir (chosen by Harriett Gilbert) The producer is Eliza Lomas for BBC Audio Bristol Join us over on Instagram @agoodreadbbc
Frank Cottrell-Boyce and Jung Chang
2026/03/02
The children's author Frank Cottrell-Boyce and the author of Wild Swans and Big Sister Little Sister Red Sister Jung Chang choose their good reads. Where Should We Run To by Alan Garner chosen by Frank Cottrell-Boyce Death of A Naturalist by Seamus Heaney chosen by Harriett Gilbert Hans Christian Andersen's Fairytales chosen by Jung Chang Produced in Bristol by Maggie Ayre

Podcast reviews

Read A Good Read podcast reviews


4.7 out of 5
40 reviews
★★★★★
Bailah Ora 2026/01/24
Harriet is terrific
Harriet is a superb moderator. She encourages her guests, who are so intelligent, to express their opinions, providing stimulating discussions. Why i...
★★★★★
Glinda49 2025/11/16
A Good Read
I don’t live in the UK and I seldom know Harriet’s guests, but this has become a favorite podcast. I really enjoy listening to them discuss books they...
★★★★★
therealtruthninja 2025/09/13
Harriet Gilbert is marvelous
I’m so grateful to have A Good Read as my book podcast. Intelligent, thoughtful, quietly surprising — as orchestrated by the incomparable Harriet Gilb...
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