The Waterstones Podcast

Waterstones
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Going beyond the book with a wide range of authors to discover the story behind the books we love.

  1. 5 DAYS AGO

    Jackie Morris and Robert Macfarlane

    Artist Jackie Morris and writer Robert Macfarlane have already blessed us with The Lost Words and The Lost Spells and their third project together is a field guide like no other. The Book of Birds asks us to really look and listen to a selection of birds whose future is under threat. We sat down with them both to discover more about the importance of drawing and painting from life rather than death, how to find the voice of each bird and what any one of us can do to engage more with the wonder of these incredible animals.

    36 min
  2. Patrick Radden Keefe

    7 APR

    Patrick Radden Keefe

    The investigative reporting of Patrick Radden Keefe has already given us non-fiction classics like Say Nothing and Empire of Pain. In London Falling, he turns his eye to the story of Zac Brettler, who plunged to his death from a luxury London apartment at the age of just 19. What his parents then discovered was an alternative life that had led their son through the capital’s dangerous underworld to that Thames-side balcony. We spoke with him about what makes a story compelling, his conversations with Zac’s parents, and what ultimately led to that fatal fall.

    34 min
  3. Waterstones Children's Book Prize 2026

    17 MAR

    Waterstones Children's Book Prize 2026

    For the first time ever, the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize assembles our shortlisted authors and illustrators for a special interview in which we discover more about the joy of picture books, the nature of world building, and how they incorporate important and mature themes as readers get older. Ahead of our winners announcement on 26 March, sit back and enjoy the brilliant creativity of them all.

    1 hr
  4. Antony Beevor

    10 MAR

    Antony Beevor

    The legends surrounding the figure of Rasputin are so well-trodden we may think we know the story, but how did a man born as a peasant come to find himself within the Tsar’s inner circle and how instrumental was he in the downfall of the Romanov dynasty. Luckily, we have historian Antony Beevor to answer every one of these questions and more.

    27 min
  5. George Saunders

    17 FEB

    George Saunders

    Booker Prize-winner George Saunders takes us back to that space between life and death in his new novel, Vigil, leading to a fruitful conversation about providing comfort at the end of life, why repentance at the end might not make the difference and why he’s always happiest raising questions and providing no answers.

    23 min
  6. Julian Barnes

    20 JAN

    Julian Barnes

    Booker Prize-winner Julian Barnes has a bibliography that would keep a reader happy for many months, even years, but with mention that his latest book, Departure(s), might be his last, we were determined to speak with him about his approach to fiction, the passage of time, and the very special relationship between writer and reader.

    21 min
  7. Gareth Southgate

    09/12/2025

    Gareth Southgate

    From the discipline he learnt from his grandfather and the integrity from his parents, to the lessons learned from everything from inflatable unicorns to crucial penalties, Gareth Southgate's approach to management has lessons for us all. We sat down to speak to him about personal values, taking pride in your actions and what the future might hold.

    26 min
  8. Val McDermid

    03/12/2025

    Val McDermid

    Continuing the seasonal series after Michael Morpurgo’s Spring, Val McDermid turns from crime to Winter, with its festivals, rituals and new year drive to achieve. We sat down with her to talk about the ghosts of Christmas past, holding on to tradition and why the new year is such a creative time for writing.

    21 min
See All (187)

4.3
out of 5
213 Ratings

About

Going beyond the book with a wide range of authors to discover the story behind the books we love.

Information

  • Creator
    Waterstones
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    187
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Waterstones
  • Show Website
    The Waterstones Podcast

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