The Book Club Review

What if the antidote to our increasingly frantic world isn't a grand gesture, but simply the act of paying attention?This week, Kate and Laura are joined by actor, podcaster, and author Miranda Keeling – returning to the pod to talk about her wonderful new book, The Place I'm In, a collection of the small, luminous moments she's gathered from daily life. After her debut The Year I Stopped to Notice, Miranda is back with more of her 'noticings': fragments from parks, supermarket queues, and streets that remind us how much magic is hiding in the everyday.Their book club read is the perfect complement: The Anthropologists by Ayşegül Şavas – a soulful, quietly funny novel following Asya and Manu as they hunt for an apartment, trying on different futures for size in a city far from home. Asya, a documentary filmmaker, spends her days in the park gathering footage – an anthropologist of the ordinary – and her project rhymes beautifully with Miranda's own.Plus recommendations inspired by the art of the everyday.You can find out more about Miranda and her work at mirandakeeling.com, and her podcast Stopping to Notice – over 200 five-minute episodes of binaural location recording – is the perfect companion listen.Find all the books mentioned at our bookshop.org shop. And if you'd like to join Kate's monthly book club and reading community, head to patreon.com/thebookclubreview.BooklistAshes and Stones by Alison Shaw – a journey through Scotland in search of the women killed in the witch trialsOpen Book by Jessica Simpson – Laura takes a nostalgic trip back through her twentiesNo Such Thing as Monday by Sîan Hughes – a brilliantly written novel from the author of Pearl; up there with Eimear McBride ( A Girl Is a Half-Formed Thing) and Maggie O'FarrellThe Anthropologists by Aysgul SavasThe Imperfectionist, Oliver Burkeman's newsletter Small Things Like These by Claire KeeganFlesh by David SzalayThe Café With No Name by Robert SeethalerMemories of Distant Mountains (illustrated notebooks) by Orhan PamukA Nobel Laureate's journals offer much colour but little drama, by Dwight Garner for the NYT (gift link)Look Closer: How to Get More Out of Reading by Robert Douglas FairhurstThe Place I'm In by Miranda KeelingSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A new local literary festival provided the perfect opportunity to record the very first Book Club Review live. Kate is joined by author and broadcaster Bee Rowlatt, whose books include the best-selling Talking About Jane Austen in Baghdad, which went on to be dramatised by the BBC, and In Search of Mary inspired by Mary Wollstonecraft. Bee also runs the Wollstonecraft Society, a human rights charity. Her debut novel, One Woman Crime Wave, is a novel that explores the realities of wealth, influence, and inequality in present-day London and offers plenty of talking points for book club discussion and debate. Join our festival audience to hear more about Bee's life and work and why Mary Wollstonecraft and her writing has never been more relevant.Books mentionedFind all the titles below in The Book Club Review's bookshop on Bookshop.orgTalking About Jane Austen in Baghdad: The True Story of an Unlikely Friendship by Bee RowlattThe Correspondent by Virginia EvansIn Search of Mary by Bee RowlattLetters Written in Sweden, Norway and Denmark by Mary WollstonecraftOne Woman Crime Wave by Bee RowlattAn Inspector Calls by J. B. PriestlyUprising by Tahmima AnamFeminism for a World on Fire by Natasha WalterNotesFind out more about The Mary Wollstonecraft memorial sculpture (The Guardian)Follow the Barnsbury Book Festival for news and updatesPatreonDiscover what's on offer over on The Book Club Review Patreon. In becoming a member you'll get extra shows and become part of a warm community swapping book recommendations and connecting over our shared love of books and reading. At the book club tier you can join our monthly book club and come and talk books with Kate in person every month. And as a paying member you're supporting Kate in making this independent podcast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Book of Love vs The Dud Avocado: Fantasy, Paris & Book Club VerdictsIn this episode of The Book Club Review, we return to our book club roots with two wildly different novels: The Book of Love by Kelly Link and The Dud Avocado by Elaine Dundy.The Book of Love is the first novel from acclaimed American short story virtuoso and Pulitzer Prize finalist Kelly Link. In a seemingly ordinary coastal town three teenagers become pawns in a supernatural power struggle. Vulture magazine named it ‘the escapist masterpiece of the year’ but what did Laura’s book club think?Our second book-club pick is Elaine Dundy's The Dud Avocado – a fizzing, exuberant novel from 1958 about a young American woman let loose in Paris, determined to live life on her own terms. It gained instant cult status on first publication and remains a timeless portrait of a woman hellbent on living, a book that feels bracingly modern despite being nearly seventy years old. But did it make for a good book club read?We've also got some listener feedback on Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, we're catching up on recent reads, and the books we’re excited about next.Get more from the pod on PatreonCome behind the scenes and enjoy extra episodes, book club membership, community chat threads, readalongs, Kate's reading diaries and more, head to patreon.com/thebookclubreviewBooklistYou'll find all the books mentioned in the pod's Bookshop.org bookshopBookshop.org listSlow Days Fast Company by Eve BabitzDidion and Babitz by Lili AnolikProject Hail Mary by Andy WeirThe Book of Love by Kelly LinkAmerican Gods by Neil GaimanWhat We Can Know by Ian McEwanThe Dud Avocado by Elaine DundyBonjour Tristesse by Françoise SaganNiccolo Rising by Dorothy DunnettOther links of noteOne Grand BooksFrances Ambler's substackSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Valentine’s-ish Literary Romance: Lucas Oakley on Nearly Departed, Boys Book Club & love stories that stay with you long after readingJoin Kate and Lucas Oakeley for this Valentine's-ish episode of The Book Club Review, recorded at Housmans Bookshop in King's Cross. We're exploring literary fiction where love takes centre stage, but the reward is complexity rather than a guaranteed happy ending.Nearly Departed manages to combine the enjoyable tropes of Rom Com with the thoughtful exploration through writing that we associate with literary fiction. We explore how Lucas’s real-life experiences—witnessing a fatal cycling accident and his father's first wife dying young—shaped the book's exploration of love, loss, and second chances, and the art of balancing humour with heartbreak while playing with rom-com tropes.Of course, we’ve got plenty of recommendations for love stories with emotional depth, including Lily King's Writers & Lovers, Andrew Kaufman's All My Friends Are Superheroes, Kazuo Ishiguro's The Remains of the Day, David Nicholls' Sweet Sorrow, Douglas Stuart's John of John, and hot-book-of-the-moment Wuthering Heights. We’re also discussing Boys Book Club, the organization Lucas has co-founded to encourage men to read and talk about books. What makes a great book club pick for an all-male book club? We’re going to be finding out.We’ve even got Valentine's recipe – rigatoni with a long-simmered ‘Sunday sauce’ – and a couple of cocktail ideas. All in all, the perfect ingredients for a literary Valentine’s weekend.Become a member of The Book Club Review communityJoin The Book Club Review community on Patreon for ad-free listening, extra episodes, Kate’s weekly reading diaries, the opportunity to connect with other listeners in the chat groups, and at the higher tier to talk books in-person with Kate at the monthly book club. Find all the details and how to sign up at patreon.com/thebookclubreview.BooklistYou can find all the titles mentioned in this episode in the Book Club Review bookshop on bookshop.orgNearly Departed by Lucas Oakeley Heart The Lover by Lily KingAll My Friends are Superheroes by Andrew KaufmanSweet Sorrow by David NichollsJohn of John by Douglas StuartWuthering Heights by Emily BrontëComfort MOB: Food that Makes You Feel GoodTheory & Practice by Michelle de KretserAll My Precious Madness by Mark BowlesThe Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre DumasThe Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey NiffeneggerThe Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and Tales of the Jazz Age by F. Scott FitzgeraldLife Out of Order by Audrey NiffeneggerLinksFollow Lucas on Instagram and Tik Tok @lucasoakeley, and you can find out all the details for the Boy’s Book Club at theboysbookclub.co.ukHousmans bookshop, the longest continuous-running radical bookshop in Britain, established in 1945 and based in London’s Kings Cross since 1959See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What makes a bestseller? Is it the quality of the writing, or just the right book at the right time? This week Kate is joined by co-host Laura Potter and returning guest Phil Chaffee to find out.Between us we've tackled six of the biggest bestsellers out there – Dan Brown's The Secret of Secrets, Freida McFadden's The Housemaid, Andy Weir's Project Hail Mary, Matt Dinnerman's Dungeon Crawler Carl, SenLinYu's Alchemised, and Sarah Adams' In Your Dreams – and we have some opinions.We're sharing our honest experiences of each one: what worked, what didn't, and whether these books truly earned their place on the bestseller lists. But this isn't just a round of verdicts. We're also pooling our recommendations for the bestsellers we genuinely think are worth your time, like The Correspondant by Virginia Evans – because there are some real gems out there among the hype.And as always, we round off with our current and upcoming reads.Press play to find out which bestsellers passed the test – and which ones didn't.Support the pod on PatreonExplore all the benefits of membership. Kate's weekly reading diary is available to free members. Paid tiers include ad-free episodes, extra shows, chat group access and our monthly book club at Patreon.com/thebookclubreview. BooklistYou can also find all the books mentioned in The Book Club Review bookshop on Bookshop.org, the online bookstore that supports independent bookshops.The Secret of Secrets by Dan BrownThe Da Vinci Code by Dan BrownThe Housemaid by Frieda McFaddenGone Girl by Gillian FlynnIn Your Dreams by Sarah AdamsAlchemized by SenLinYuGideon the Ninth by Tamsyn MuirDungeon Crawler Carl by Matt DinnimanThe Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas AdamsProject Hail Mary by Andy WeirThe Martian by Andy WeirNobody's Fool by Harlen CobdenThe Correspondant by Virginia EvansThe Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas (Robin Buss)Rivals by Jilly CooperThe novels of Stephen KingThe Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey NiffeneggerThe Smiley books by John Le CarreThe Underground Railroad by Colson WhiteheadThe Night Always Comes by Willy VlautinIce by Jacek Dukaj (Author) , Ursula Phillips (Translator)The Virgin in the Garden by A.S. ByattI'll Take The Fire by Leïla Slimani(also The Country of Others and Watch US Dance)Lullaby / The Perfect Nanny by Leïla SlimaniNearly Departed by Lucas OakeleyCaptain Corelli's Mandolin by Louis de BernieresThe Covenant of Water by Abraham VergheseDemon Copperhead by Barbara KingsolverSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this engaging discussion, bibliotherapist Ella Berthoud shares her wisdom on finding the right books to combat January's gloom. Known for co-authoring *The Novel Cure*, she recommends creating a cozy reading nook to escape winter's darkness. Ella suggests uplifting reads like *The Enchanted April* and classics such as Ovid's *Metamorphoses* for renewal. She also provides insights on battling reading slumps with favorites and audiobooks, plus techniques for deeper literary engagement. Tune in for ample inspiration and book recommendations to brighten your reading life!

We're celebrating the end of the year with a look back over our favourite reads of 2025, from new releases to backlist gems, best book club books, best non-fiction, best comfort reads and more. Between us we read over 350 books in 2025. Listen in to hear the ones we loved best. We've also got a radical new idea for a book club involving cold-water swimming and the works of Robert B. Parker, and how to embrace DNFing without guilt. Join us for recommendations to see you through the festive season and set your new reading year off in style.With Phil Chaffee and Sarah OliverSerious ReadersTake advantage of Serious Readers offer. Head to seriousreaders.com/bcr and use the code BCR at checkout for £150 off any HD light.PatreonHead to Patreon.com/thebookclubreview for all the benefits of membership and how to sign up.You can also buy someone gift membership at https://www.patreon.com/thebookclubreview/gift BooklistMother Mary Come to Me by Arundhati RoyThe Silver Book by Olivia LaingCrudo by Olivia LaingDream Count by Chimamanda Ngoze AdicheThe Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran DesaiHeart the Lover by Lily KingDeep Cuts by Holly BrickleyThe Transit of Venus by Shirley HazzardPet Sematary by Stephen KingYou Dreamed of Empires by Alvaro EnrigueVera, or Faith by Gary ShteyngartLake Shore by Gary ShteyngartOur Country Friends by Gary ShteyngartGlorious Exploits by Ferdia LennonA Waiter in Paris by Edward ChisholmThe First Man by Albert CamusRobert B. Parker novelsQuestion 7 by Richard FlanaganThe Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre DumasMuybridge by Guy DelisleThe Sense & Sensibility Diaries by Emma ThompsonThe Lockwood & Co novels by Jonathan StroudThe Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth BrowerShattered Lands by Sam DalrympleMaurice and Marilyn, or A Marriage at Sea by Sophie ElmhurstAgent Zo by Clare MulleyThe Devil Two Step by Jamie QuattroTrain Dreams by Denis JohnstonTree of Smoke by Denis JohnstonThe Director by Daniel KelmanWe Do Not Part by Han KangHow to End a Story by Helen Garner (3 volume diaries collection)The Children’s Bach by Helen GarnerThis House of Grief by Helen GarnerEucalyptus by Murray BailWild Thing by Sue PrideauxNonesuch by Francis SpuffordPet Sematary 1983 coverSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

'I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train' wrote Oscar Wilde, in the Importance of Being Ernest. In this episode Kate is joined by critic, editor and podcaster Lucy Scholes and regular pod guest Phil Chaffee to explore the intimate world of diaries. Can immersing ourselves in the details of other people's lives offer us valuable insight into how to fully appreciate the passing moments of our own? From gossipy self-mythologising Samuel Pepys right up to the present with the experimentation of Sheila Heti's Alphabetical Diaries, and the beauty and hard-won insight of Helen Garner's Baillie Gifford prize-winning diaries. Also not to be missed, living it up Vanity Fair style through the glitz and glamour of 80s New York, with Tina Brown.And if you enjoy this conversation don't miss Part II, over on the Patreon, where we swap notes on our favourite fictional diaries, consider the diaries we'd love to read if they had only been published and share some thoughts on our own diary keeping. You'll find that episode plus lots of benefits including ad-free listening, extra episodes, our community of readers and the pod book club over at patreon.com/thebookclubreview.And to take advantage of that Serious Readers offer of £150 off any HD light head to serious readers.com/bcr and use the code BCR at checkout.Book listThe Private Life of the Diary by Sally BayleyThe Paris ReviewThey by Kay DickLord Jim at Home by Dinah BrookeLove Life of a Cheltenham Lady by Dinah BrookePart of the Story by Margaret BusbyWoman Alive by Susan ErtzShow Don't Tell by Curtis SittenfeldSome People Need Killing by Patricia EvangelistaLook Closer by Robert Douglas FairhurstThe Correspondent by Virginia EvansThe Diary of Samuel Pepys, Robert Latham (ed)The Diaries of Virginia WoolfHow To End a Story by Helen GarnerHenry Chips Channon: The DiariesThe James Lees Milne diariesWriting Home by Alan BennettThere and Back: 1999–2009 by Michael PalinThe Vanity Fair Diaries 1983–1992 by Tina BrownEnd of a Berlin Diary by William L. ShirerWar in Val D'Orcia by Iris OrigoRussian Journal by Andrea LeeBeloved Son Felix: Coming of Age in the Renaissance by Felix PlatterDiary of a Tuscan Bookshop by Alba DonatiModern Nature by Derek JarmanPharmacopeia by Derek JarmanWent to London, Took the Dog by Nina StibbeAlphabetical Diaries by Sheila HetiA Woman in the Polar Night by Christiane RitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Phil Chaffee, a seasoned journalist known for his critical insights on the Booker selections, joins Martin Vovk, a music-industry data specialist and devoted Booker Prize historian. They dive into this year's Booker Prize shortlist, discussing novels like David Szalay's 'Flesh,' which explores themes of masculinity and trauma, and Kiran Desai's 'The Loneliness of Sonia and Sonny,' notable for its magical realism. The conversation also sparks lively predictions about which book might take home the coveted prize.

Phil Chaffee, a passionate journalist and contemporary literature commentator, joins Elizabeth Eva Leach, a scholarly music tutor at Oxford who tackles around 200 books a year. They dive into this year's Booker longlist, highlighting overlooked gems that didn't make the shortlist. Conversations spark around titles like "Misinterpretation" focusing on trauma, the atmospheric "Seascraper", and the humor-inflected war narrative in "Endling". Their top picks include the moving "Love Forms" and the immersive "Seascraper", revealing literary treasures awaiting discovery.