Read On - The Audiobook Show from RNIB
RNIB Connect Radio
A weekly show all about audiobooks recorded at the RNIB Talking Book studios.
We talk to your favourite authors and narrators, along with reviews and news about new audiobooks.
Presented and produced by Robert Kirkwood, you'll find a new episode here every Friday at 1pm plus bonus content such as longer uncut interviews and episodes of our occasional extra show, The Book Group.
Talking Books is a free service from RNIB giving access to over 40,000 fiction and non fiction books for adults and children. Find out more by searching for RNIB Library.
Get involved and join the conversation by emailing radio@rnib.org.uk or find Robert on Twitter @Talking_Books
Other great podcast channels from RNIB Connect Radio
Connect - Our main channel with news, features and articles on sight loss.
Conversations - Blind and partially sighted people speaking about a wide range of topics.
Tech Talk - Technology for blind and partially sighted people.
Sport - See sport differently.
The Happy Hour - Mental health, mindfulness, and overall wellbeing.
Tracks of My Life - Take a journey through our guest's life.
Support - Other podcasts from RNIB.
TV Guide - Daily audio TV listings
We talk to your favourite authors and narrators, along with reviews and news about new audiobooks.
Presented and produced by Robert Kirkwood, you'll find a new episode here every Friday at 1pm plus bonus content such as longer uncut interviews and episodes of our occasional extra show, The Book Group.
Talking Books is a free service from RNIB giving access to over 40,000 fiction and non fiction books for adults and children. Find out more by searching for RNIB Library.
Get involved and join the conversation by emailing radio@rnib.org.uk or find Robert on Twitter @Talking_Books
Other great podcast channels from RNIB Connect Radio
Connect - Our main channel with news, features and articles on sight loss.
Conversations - Blind and partially sighted people speaking about a wide range of topics.
Tech Talk - Technology for blind and partially sighted people.
Sport - See sport differently.
The Happy Hour - Mental health, mindfulness, and overall wellbeing.
Tracks of My Life - Take a journey through our guest's life.
Support - Other podcasts from RNIB.
TV Guide - Daily audio TV listings
Episodes
Mentioned books
Dec 20, 2019 • 1h 7min
150: Episode 150 - John le Carré
In an hour long special, John le Carré talks about his life and work, Brexit, his confidence trickster father, and much more.This longer version contains around 10 extra minutes that were cut for broadcast.
Dec 13, 2019 • 1h 13min
149: Christmas Special with Noddy Holder, Charlie Grima, Sue Moorcroft and Tricia Ashley
On today's Christmas Special, romantic fiction meets glam rock!
Trisha Ashley shares her recipe for a cosy romantic Christmas. (Starts at 1.20)
Wizzard drummer Charlie Grima recalls a Christmas showdown on Top of The Pops. (14.00)
Queen of Christmas, Sue Moorcroft finds snow and chocolate while researching her new novel. (28.05)
And Noddy Holder joins Red in the studio for a special glam rock ‘n’ roll Christmas. (40.45)
Plus ... There's an extra 15 minutes of Noddy Holder at the end of this episode that we couldn't fit on air.
Dec 6, 2019 • 59min
148: Diane Jeffrey, John Cormack, plus 'The Robin' and other Christmas books
Diane Jeffrey discusses her taut psychological thriller – ‘The Guilty Mother’ and her novel approach to research. (Starts at 1.05)
Narrator John Cormack reveals his own surprising back story. (16.30)
Lynne Livingstone walks us through the Winter Wonderland of Christmas books in the RNIB Library. (29.00)
We find out more about that Yuletide icon: The Robin. (36.00)
And we return to Diane Jeffrey for the Books of her Life (51.47)
(This podcast is slightly longer than the broadcast version)
Nov 29, 2019 • 58min
147: Joely Richardson, Philip Pullman and Danielle McLaughlin
In today's Audiobook Show, we talk to Danielle McLaughlin about winning the UK's richest short story prize – The Sunday Times Audible Award. (Starts at 1.10)
Author of ‘His Dark Materials’ Philip Pullman explores the background to Lyra’s quest. (17.12)
Hollywood actress Joely Richardson reveals how she was profoundly moved by something she saw at The RNIB Talking Books studios. (38.22)
And we return to Danielle McLaughlin for the Books of her Life. (49.23)
Nov 22, 2019 • 58min
146: Book Week Scotland (2019)
The Scottish Book Trust, for Book Week Scotland, distribute a free book of new writing around a chosen theme ... this year's it's "Blether."RNIB produce the audio version of that book, and today's show is a small selection of 15 short stories and poems, all read by their authors. We couldn't cram the whole book into an hour, and the stories here are less than half of what's in the whole book which you can listen to here.
Nov 15, 2019 • 58min
145: Chris Lintott, Jane Clarke and Robin Kermode
On this edition of The Audiobook show, Chris Lintott discusses ‘The Sky at Night’ and the astronomical power of The Zooniverse. (Starts at 0.57)
Jane Clarke introduces Red Szell to some awesome egg-speriments! (22.25)
Actor Robin Kermode has some surprising advice for Robert Kirkwood on improving your public speaking (41.52)
And we return to Chris Lintott for the Books of His Life (50.52)
Nov 8, 2019 • 58min
144: Sita Brahmachari, Laura Ellen Anderson, Gary Younge and The Blind Mechanic
On this week's show, Marilyn Davidson Elliot introduces us to ‘The Blind Mechanic: The Amazing Story of Eric Davidson, Survivor of the 1917 Halifax Explosion’ - NB recorded on the phone from Canada, sorry about the sound quality. (Starts at 1.19)
We go in search of lost yeti treasure with Amelia Fang creator Laura Ellen Anderson. (18.38)
Sita Brahmachari imagines a post-apocalyptic world in which children must pollinate plants. (32.50)
And writer Gary Younge shares the books of his life. (46.56)
Nov 1, 2019 • 58min
143: Benjamin Myers, Lucy Ellmann, Stephanie Ellyne and The Greatcoat
In today's audiobook show, Benjamin Myers discusses his haunting coming-of-age novel ‘The Offing’. (Starts at 0.54) We eavesdrop on the afternoon an RNIB narrator, Stephanie Ellyne, met Lucy Ellmann, the author of the book she is reading. (22.32) Red celebrates Halloween by reviewing an atmospheric ghost story by Helen Dunmore. (41.17)And we return to Ben Myers for the Books of His Life (48.53)
Oct 25, 2019 • 58min
142: Patricia Cornwell, Lynne Truss and narrating Ducks, Newburyport
Lynne Truss tackles crime and bad grammar in 1950s Brighton. (Starts at 1.03) Patricia Cornwall launches her new cyber crime series after conducting her own investigations at NASA. (19.26)Stephanie Ellyne talks about narrating a thousand page novel with just eight sentences. (35.22)And we return to Lynne Truss for the books of her life. (48.22)
Oct 18, 2019 • 58min
141: The Booker Prize 2019 and more from the Wigtown Book Festival
In today's show we listen to the Booker winning audiobooks, 'Girl, Woman Other' by Bernardine Evaristo and 'The Testaments' by Margaret Atwood (Starts at 1.07)
Salman Rushdie tells us about the joint narratives of 'Quichotte' (13.02)
We return to the Wigtown Book Festival where founder of The Big Issue, Lord Bird, reveals how learning to read saved him from a life of crime. (28.02)
Journalist Melanie Reid discusses coming to terms with disability and recording her memoir as a Talking Book. (37.00)
And Professor Steve Jones shares some fascinating facts about the vital role the sun plays in our lives. (45.42)
