Skip to content
HeyJared

World Book Club

The world's great authors discuss their best-known novel.

Podcast · By BBC World Service · English · Official site

Indexed episodes, last 90 days
7
Latest publication
Sep 22, 2026
Audience
Checking…
Earliest in this view
Aug 1, 2026

Latest episodes

  1. Episode · Sep 22, 2026

    In the Studio: Poet Leonie Charlton on wildfires (opens the original)

    Episode notes · Neutral tone

    Read excerpt

    An edition of In The Studio on the subject that became the dominant story across the world in the summer of 2026. In December 2024, the Scottish poet Leonie Charlton’s house burned to the ground. From that moment, Leonie was obsessed with fire. She saw it everywhere, writing about and mulling over the acute experience of watching everything she and her family had ever owned go up in flames. In early summer this year, Leonie set off through the ruggedly wild and beautiful landscape of the West Co

  2. Episode · Sep 15, 2026

    In the Studio: Jack in the Green (opens the original)

    Episode notes · Positive tone

    Read excerpt

    In the south of England, Hastings' traditional Jack in the Green takes place every early May Day weekend and sees a seven foot-tall conical tower of leaves - the Jack - being processed through the old fishing quarters of the town before being led up to a steep hill overlooking the sea where it is 'slain' to release the spirit of summer as the gathered, fervent, crowds take home leaves from him as symbols of luck and fertility. Neil McCarthy goes behind the scenes of one of the biggest celebratio

  3. Episode · Sep 8, 2026

    In the Studio: The Bayeux Tapestry (opens the original)

    Episode notes · Positive tone

    Read excerpt

    The Bayeux Tapestry has English history stitched into its fabric, depicting the last time the country was invaded, by William the Conqueror in 1066. France has been its home since then. But now thanks to high-level negotiations involving President Emmanuel Macron and King Charles III, it will be on display at the British Museum until next summer. Ten colours of woollen thread were used create battlefields and sea voyages on the artwork, as well as scenes of everyday life in the 11th century. Loa

  4. Episode · Sep 8, 2026

    Steve Levine: Revisiting the Beach Boys (opens the original)

    Episode notes · Positive tone

    Read excerpt

    Steve Levine is a multi-award winning British record producer. He has produced albums for stars ranging from Deniece Williams to China Crisis; from Ziggy Marley to Quarterflash; as well as being producer of Culture Club’s first three multi-platinum selling albums from the 1980s. In 1984 Steve won Producer Of The Year at The Brit Awards, and in 1988 he won a Grammy Award for his work with Deniece Williams The Beach Boys self-titled 1985 CD – which Steve originally produced - was the band’s first

  5. Episode · Sep 5, 2026

    Daniyal Mueenuddin : This is Where the Serpent Lives (opens the original)

    Episode notes · Positive tone

    Read excerpt

    Harriett talks with Daniyal Mueenuddin about This Is Where the Serpent Lives. Daniyal's debut novel is a rich and compelling portrait of contemporary Pakistan, following the intertwined lives of unforgettable characters whose fortunes are shaped by love, ambition, loyalty and betrayal. Set against the backdrop of a vast rural estate, the novel explores the lives of servants and landowners, dreamers and opportunists, as they navigate systems of class, power and privilege. Recorded in front of liv

Publishing over time

Last 90 days. Choose a month to open its work.

Recurring subjects

Named in the text we hold. One piece can cover several.

Audience

No verified audience measurement yet.

About this data

Counts cover the work we have indexed. Tone needs enough text and a confident classification. Excerpts and episode notes are not full articles or transcripts.

Identity or attribution wrong? Suggest a correction.

See coverage about World Book Club