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. Julian Barnes

    JAN 20

    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
  2. Gareth Southgate

    12/09/2025

    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
  3. Val McDermid

    12/03/2025

    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
  4. Salman Rushdie

    12/01/2025

    Salman Rushdie

    Salman Rushdie’s return to fiction sees him sharing a collection of stories which look at the questions that await us all at the end of our lives. We spoke with him about mortality, looking back and what the future might hold, together with what drives his creativity.

    17 min
  5. RF Kuang in conversation with Samantha Shannon

    10/30/2025

    RF Kuang in conversation with Samantha Shannon

    Join us for what promises to be an unmissable evening with bestselling author R.F. Kuang, as we celebrate the publication of her much-anticipated new novel, Katabasis.The internationally bestselling author of Babel and Yellowface returns with Katabasis: a sublimely dark and unputdownable tale of two rival Cambridge academics who must join forces on a rescue mission in hell itself.R.F. Kuang is now the author of six novels, with her debut novel The Poppy War written on her gap year in China and released in 2018. This was followed by The Dragon Republic (2019), The Burning God (2022), Babel (2022) and most recently Yellowface (2023).

    1h 2m
  6. Philip Pullman

    10/28/2025 · BONUS

    Philip Pullman

    30 years after he introduced the world to Lyra Belacqua, Philip Pullman launched the final volume in his Book of Dust series: The Rose Field. Just ahead of that event we sat down to speak with him about his feelings on finishing this epic writing task, the importance of imagination, and what he might turn to next as a storyteller.

    11 min
  7. Malala Yousafzai

    10/27/2025

    Malala Yousafzai

    From the moment she began her education at Oxford University, Malala Yousafzai was aware how hard it would be for her to enjoy a normal student experience. But as we discover from her new memoir and from our fascinating conversation with her about it, she was determined, for once, to throw herself fully into life at university. From clubs to dances, missed deadlines to lockdown, heartbreak to happiness - she shares with great honesty the many ways in which she forged her own path in life.

    26 min
  8. Kathy Burke

    10/21/2025

    Kathy Burke

    From her childhood in Islington to the red carpet at Cannes, Kathy Burke has always spoken her mind, and that strength and independence of thought is on every page of her memoir, A Mind of My Own. We sat down to speak with her about those early days in London, how they have informed her whole life, and what have been her guiding principles through it all.

    36 min
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4.7
out of 5
33 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
    182
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Waterstones
  • Show Website
    The Waterstones Podcast

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