This week on the Penguin Podcast, Isy Suttie is joined by medical doctor, academic and science populariser and presenter, Chris van Tulleken. Chris joins us to discuss his latest book, Ultra Processed People: Why Do We All Eat Stuff That Isn't Food… and Why Can't We Stop? This thoughtful conversation also includes insightful details about the addictive nature of ultra-processed foods, the human desire to consume what we know is bad for us, what the food companies are really up to, and why we...

This week on the Penguin Podcast, Nihal Arthanayake is joined by the second winner of Stormzy's Merky Books Prize, and she was also one of the Observer's best new novelists, it's Jyoti Patel. Jyoti joins us to discuss her debut novel, The Things That We Lost, a story of family, loss and how far we go to protect those we love. Also discussed on the podcast is the experience of mixing British and Gujarati cultures, the privilege of studying the arts, the importance of being your authentic self,...

This week on the Penguin Podcast, Isy Suttie is joined by professor and writer, Jonathan Kennedy. Jonathan joins us to discuss his debut work of non-fiction, Pathogenesis, a look at the latest science of infectious diseases and bacteria, and how it has shaped human evolution. Isy and Jonathan also discuss the Stone Henge, his love for cycling scenery, how some bacteria have given us abilities we wouldn't otherwise have, and the importance of South Africa and Pata Pata by Miriam...

This week on the Penguin Podcast, Isy Suttie is joined by award-winning author, Diana Evans Diana joins us to discuss her latest novel, A House for Alice, the follow-up to the best-selling and critically acclaimed, Ordinary People. Isy and Diana also discuss home and belonging, the idea of letting go, taking risks in writing and reading, and the importance of music and a treasured guitar. Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode, and please do leave us a review – it really...

This week on the Penguin Podcast, Isy Suttie is joined by award-winning author and professor, Sarah Bakewell. Sarah joins us to discuss her latest work of nonfiction, Humanly Possible: seven hundred years of humanist freethinking, inquiry, and hope  Isy and Sarah also discuss Humanism and religion, finding beauty in the complexity of the world, a brief history of human dissection, and the writing of Michel de Montaigne. Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode, and please do...

This week on the Penguin Podcast, Nihal is joined by writer, science populariser and theoretical, Carlo Rovelli. He joins us to talk about the new English translation of his first book, Anaximander. They all also discuss the singular genius of the philosophers of the past, the importance of questioning our reality, the significance of a typewriter in his writing career, and his admiration for the theoretical physicist John Wheeler.  Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode, and...

This week on the Penguin Podcast, Nihal Arthanayake is joined by English writer and national treasure, Julian Barnes. He joins us to discuss the paperback publication of his most recent novel, Elizabeth Finch. Nihal and Julian also discuss his 'controlled' friendship with novelist Anita Brookner, how his worldview has been shaped by his french perspective, why Olympic women rowers move him to tears, and why the British need to honestly address their imperial history. Don't forget to...

This week on the Penguin Podcast, Nihal Arthanayake is joined by Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist, Paul Harding. Paul joins us to discuss his brand new novel, This Other Eden. We also hear how the pressure of winning a prize affects the writing process, why Paul prefers to keep his personal politics side-lined in his fiction, what success means to him, and why he sometimes sits to read the Oxford English Dictionary Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode, and please do leave us...

This week on the Penguin Podcast, Isy Suttie talks to author, TV presenter, Sunday Times bestseller and beloved chef, Nadiya Hussian. They discuss her new cookbook, Nadiya's Everyday Baking. They also delve into the effectiveness of cooking to deal with grief, how food connects us with our memories, how Nadiya picked up her cooking skills, and the relevance of a set of false teeth in her family. Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode, and please do leave us a review – it...

Happy New Year! Our first episode of the year features best-selling author, Jane Fallon, talking to Nihal Arthanayake about her brand-new novel, Just Got Real. Two also discuss the joys of editing a first draft, the pressure of achieving a best seller, Jane's fascination with the theme of revenge, and the importance of 'believability' in her novels. Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode, and please do leave us a review – it really does help us. And finally, to find out more...

As we approach the new year, we're revisiting some of our favourite moments on the Penguin Podcast with part two of our Best of the Penguin Podcast. We're joined by Jarvis Cocker, Asma Khan, Lisa Jewell, Hanif Abdurraqib, and Ian McEwan. Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode, and please do leave us a review – it really does help us. And finally, to find out more about the #PenguinPodcast, visit https://www.penguin.co.uk/podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for...

As we approach the end of 2022, we're revisiting some of our favourite moments on the Penguin Podcast this year. In part one, we're joined by Alison Hammond, Claire Fuller, Michael Rosen, Sinead Moriarty, and Damon Galgut live from this year's Hay Festival. Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode, and please do leave us a review – it really does help us. And finally, to find out more about the #PenguinPodcast, visit https://www.penguin.co.uk/podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See...

This week on the Penguin Podcast, Nihal is joined by Malorie Blackman, author of the critically acclaimed and internationally renowned Noughts and Crosses series. She joins us to talk about her new memoir, Just Sayin': My Life In Words. Malorie also discusses her approach to, and the challenges of writing a memoir, having a positive attitude toward failure, how institutional racism affects health care, her experience of being asked for a ticket at her own event, and the importance of writing...

This week on the Penguin Podcast, Nihal is joined by author, screenwriter, booker winner and one of Britain's best-loved writers, Ian McEwan. He joins us to talk about his brand new novel, Lessons. Ian also discusses the delight of discovery when writing, the experience of total emersion while creating, the challenge and bliss of writing a long novel like Lessons, why a larval rock is important to him, and the special relevance of a mountain goat.  Don't forget to follow the show so you never...

This week on the Penguin Podcast, from the Southbank Centre we bring you the live launch event of Greta Thunberg's The Climate Book. 'The Climate Book brings together an unprecedented collective of over 100 experts, activists and witnesses to tell the biggest story in the world: how and why our planet is changing.' Copyright © Southbank Centre  Don't forget to follow the show so you never miss an episode, and do leave us a review as it really does help. To find out more about the...

This week on the Penguin Podcast, we break down the publishing process. Host Leena Norms is joined by Penguin author, Derek Owusu, his agent Crystal Mahey-Morgan and editor Tom Avery. With Derek's debut novel as the anchor, they break down the process of finding an agent, acquiring a book, editing, and everything in between. Don't forget to follow the show so you never miss an episode, and do leave us a review as it really does help. To find out more about the #PenguinPodcast, visit...

 This week on the Penguin Podcast, Isy Suttie talks to best-selling author, Salley Vickers.   Salley joins us to talk about her latest novel, The Gardener.   Isy and Salley also discuss psychoanalysis and its benefits, her affection towards children and their curiosity towards the mysteries of life, the power and different layers of silence, and how gardening during lockdown helped with the writing of her latest book.  Don't forget to follow the show so you never miss an episode, and do leave...

 This week on the Penguin Podcast, Derek Owusu talks to playwright and poet, Yomi Sode.   Yomi joins us to discuss his debut poetry collection, Manorism.   Derek and Yomi also discuss the influence of Caravaggio and the double standards of celebrating the art and the artist, the power of stillness to create reflection, how pop culture influences poetry, and cultural appropriation and the ways in which we perpetuate and endorse it. Don't forget to follow the show so you never miss an episode,...

 This week on the Penguin Podcast, our new host Athena Kugblenu talks to bestselling author and screenwriter, Gabrielle Zevin.   Gabrielle joins us to discuss her latest novel, Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow.   They also discuss literature and gaming, why we need to merge our online selves with our real-life selves, the importance of love in friendships, how our identities shift depending on where we are and who we're talking to, and the importance of failure when it comes to...

 This week on the Penguin Podcast, Nihal Arthanayake talks to former journalist and best-selling novelist, Robert Harris.   Robert joins us to discuss his latest work of epic historical fiction, Act of Oblivion, out now in hardback.   He also discusses his observations on the static nature of history and humanity, how journalism informs his ability to write fiction, the potential of a simple idea to inform an entire novel, the irrationality of politics, and the UK’s shifting perspectives on...

This week on the penguin podcast, Isy Suttie is joined by bestselling author, Lisa Jewell.   Lisa joins the Penguin Podcast to discuss her latest novel, The Family Remains, the long-awaited sequel to her New York Times best-seller, The Family Upstairs.   They also discuss Lisa’s development from writing relationship novels to psychological thrillers, why a nameplate from outside her childhood bedroom is so important, her experiences in an abusive relationship, and how liberation helped her...

This week on the penguin podcast, Derek Owusu is joined by Booker and Costa shortlisted novelist, Nadifa Mohamed.   Nadifa joins us to discuss her latest novel, The Fortune Men, a fictional account of the life of Mahmood Hussein Mattan, who was wrongly convicted and executed in 1952.    They also discuss Nadifa's love for travelling, her interest in cars and which model she gifted herself, how fact informs her fiction and the importance of including flaws in characters. Don't forget to...

This week, we bring you the live-streamed episode of the Penguin Podcast, featuring Nihal Arthanayake talking to writer, rapper and campaigner, Darren McGarvey about his most recent work, The Socal Distance Between Us.   Clear and insightful, together they discuss the roles of anger and optimism in positive social change, the power of emotional range in persuasiveness, how beneficial real life conversation is for cooperative dialogue, the class and equality issues in the U.K, and the...

This week on the Penguin Podcast, Isy Suttie is joined by author, radio presenter and pop legend, Jarvis Cocker.   Jarvis talks to Issy about his first memoir, 'Good Pop, Bad Pop'.   He also discusses why outer space and The Beetles were so influential to him, why he thinks everyone is creative, what he needs for his creativity, and what he wanted for Pulp as a revolutionary force.   Don't forget to follow the show so you never miss an episode, and do leave us a review as it really does help....

This week on the Penguin Podcast, Isy Suttie joined by Irish book award winner and best-selling author, Sinead Moriarty. Sinead talks to Issy about her latest novel, Your, Mind, Ours, a novel about what it takes to create a 'blended' family. They also discuss why families are the primary focus within her novels, the importance of the first draft, the special note she has pinned above her work desk, and her inability to throw away her fluffy socks.  Don't forget to follow the show so you never...