This week, Fintan O'Toole assesses what makes Labour leader Keir Starmer tick; and Linda Kinstler on the Ukrainian writer, musician and activist Serhiy Zhadan's chronicles of life during wartime. Plus John Kinsella reads his new poem, 'Rooks'.

'Keir Starmer: The Biography', by Tom Baldwin

'Rooks', by John Kinsella

'How Fire Descends: New and Selected Poems', by Serhiy Zhadan, translated by Virlana Tkacz and Wanda Phipps

'Sky Above Kharkiv: Dispatches from the Ukrainian Front', by Serhiy Zhadan, translated by Reilly Costigan-Humes and Isaac Stackhouse Wheeler

Produced by Charlotte Pardy

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, comedian and actor Tim Key introduces us to his new book of poetry; and Devoney Looser on the bold runaway women of early British novels.

'Chapters', by Tim Key, designed by Emily Juniper

'Gone Girls,1684–1901: Flights of feminist resistance in the

eighteenth- and nineteenth-century British novel', by Nora Gilbert

Produced by Charlotte Pardy

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The distinguished sociologist and cultural thinker Richard Sennett was once a professional cellist and his new book, The Performer, examines the links between artistic performance, politics and the public-sphere.

We were delighted to talk to him about his own experiences asa musician and about prominent figures from Leonard Bernstein and Roland Barthes to Donald Trump and Boris Johnson.

'The Performer: Art, Life, Politics', by Richard Sennett

Produced by Charlotte Pardy

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, a special interview with the sociologist Richard Sennett takes us from Roland Barthes to Leonard Bernstein; and Hettie Judah on two memoirs inspired by a love of 17th-century art.

'The Performer: Art, Life, Politics', by Richard Sennett

'Thunderclap: A Memoir of Art and Life & Sudden Death', by Laura Cumming

'The Upside-Down World: Meetings with the Dutch Masters', by Benjamin Moser

Produced by Charlotte Pardy

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This week, Sinéad Gleeson delights in the byways of Maeve Brennan's New York; and Costica Bradatan explores the enduring appeal of Henry David Thoreau.

'The Long-Winded Lady', by Maeve Brennan, with an introduction by Sinéad Gleeson

'Thoreau's Axe: Distraction and Discipline in American Culture', by Caleb Smith

'Henry at Work: Thoreau on Making a Living', by John Kaag and Jonathan van Belle

'Henry David Thoreau: Thinking Disobediently', by Lawrence Buell

Produced by Charlotte Pardy

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This week, Lamorna Ash goes back to school for the latest reboot of Tina Fey's Mean Girls; and Professor Eric Naiman on the challenges of teaching in the age of ChatGPT.

'Mean Girls', screenplay by Tina Fey, directed by Samantha Jayne and

Arturo Perez Jr

'The Brothers Karamazov', by Fyodor Dostoevsky

Produced by Charlotte Pardy

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, will George Berridge be convinced by the film adaptation of Alasdair Gray's Poor Things? And Peter Geoghegan explores how the climate emergency is being treated in Westminster.

'Mission zero: The independent net zero review', by Chris Skidmore

'Climate capitalism: Winning the global race to zero emissions', by Akshat Rathi

'The price is wrong: Why capitalism won’t save the planet', by Brett

Christophers

'Poor things', directed by Yorgos Lanthimos

Produced by Charlotte Pardy

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Charles Foster explores how psychedelic drugs are changing lives; and Alan Jenkins on the lure of the open seas.

'Ten Trips: The new reality of psychedelics', by Andy Mitchell

'Psychedelics: The revolutionary drugs that could change your life – a

guide from the expert', by David Nutt

'I feel love: MDMA and the quest for connection in a fractured world',

by Rachel Nuwer

'Psychonauts: Drugs and the making of the modern mind', by Mike Jay

'Sailing Alone: A history', by Richard J King

Produced by Charlotte Pardy

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The acclaimed novelist and her musician daughter on the joys of reading in trees, childhood gardens and what it's like to have a David Austin rose named after you.

Produced by Charlotte Pardy

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A special seasonal highlights show, with contributions from novelists Anne Enright and Samantha Harvey; and James Marcus on partygoers Susan Sontag and George Steiner.

'The Wren, The Wren', by Anne Enright

'Orbital', by Samantha Harvey

'Maestros and monsters: Days & nights with Susan Sontag & George

Steiner', by Robert Boyers

Produced by Charlotte Pardy

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Toby Lichtig goes to see the latest Roald Dahl adaptations, junior critic in tow; and Dinah Birch celebrates the enduring power of Ebenezer Scrooge.

'The Witches', at the National Theatre, London, until 27 January 2024

'Wonka', on general release

'A Christmas Carol', by Charles Dickens

Produced by Charlotte Pardy

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Lauren Elkin takes an artistic stroll in the footsteps of Gertrude Stein; and Maria Margaronis goes in search of Willa Cather deep in the Midwest.

'Gertrude Stein et Pablo Picasso: L'invention du langage', at the Musée du Luxembourg, Paris, until 28 January 2024

'Chasing Bright Medusas: A life of Willa Cather', by Benjamin Taylor

Produced by Charlotte Pardy

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, TLS editor Martin Ivens and writer and broadcaster James O'Brien on the long decline of the Conservatives; and Muriel Zagha celebrates 75 years of Powell and Pressburger's The Red Shoes.

'The Party's Over: The rise and fall of the Conservatives from

Thatcher to Sunak', by Phil Barton-Cartledge

'The Right to Rule: Thirteen years, five prime ministers and the

implosion of the Tories', by Ben Riley-Smith

'The Case for the Centre Right', edited by David Gauke

'All to Play For: The advance of Rishi Sunak', by Michael Ashcroft

'The Red Shoes: Beyond the mirror', BFI Southbank, until January 7

Produced by Charlotte Pardy

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, our special interview with the newest winner of the Booker Prize, Paul Lynch; and Emily Kopley on new editions of Virginia Woolf's mesmerising diaries.

'Prophet Song', by Paul Lynch

'The Diary of Virginia Woolf', in five volumes.

Produced by Charlotte Pardy

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Mary C Flannery explores the spells and potions of medieval magic; and Jean Wilson on the trail of the ever elusive Anne Boleyn.

‘Love spells and lost treasure: Service magic in England from the later Middle Ages to the early modern era’, by Tabitha Stanmore 

‘Textual magic: Charm and written amulets in medieval England’, by Katherine Storm Hindley

‘Hunting the falcon: Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn and the marriage that shook Europe’, by John Guy and Julia Fox 

Produced by Charlotte Pardy

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On this week's show, TLS contributors on the best books of 2023; and David Horspool explores the crucial part sport has played in the evolution of Britain and Britishness.

'More than a game: A history of how sport made Britain', by David Horspool

Produced by Charlotte Pardy

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This week, Samantha Harvey joins us to talk about her voyage around the earth; and Miranda France on a fascinating tour of the British archipelago.

‘Orbital’, by Samantha Harvey

‘The Britannias: An island quest’, by Alice Albinia

Produced by Charlotte Pardy

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, James Marcus goes partying with Susan Sontag and George Steiner; and Laura Beers sheds a light on Eileen O'Shaughnessy, George Orwell's first wife.

'Maestros and monsters: Days and nights with Susan Sontag and George

Steiner', by Robert Boyers

'Wifedom: Mrs Orwell's invisible life', by Anna Funder

Produced by Charlotte Pardy

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This week, Colin Jones explores the streets of Paris as the French Revolution grew pace; and an extract from a very special event at the British Library in celebration of Hilary Mantel.

'The Revolutionary Temper: Paris, 1748-1789', by Robert Darnton

'A Memoir of My Former Self: A Life in Writing', by Hilary Mantel

Produced by Charlotte Pardy

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This week, Ruth Scurr on a magnificent biography of Claude Monet; and Fiona Stafford explores how vital trees were to Wordsworth's work.

'Monet: the restless vision', by Jackie Wullschläger

'Versed in living nature: Wordsworth's trees', by Peter Dale and Brandon C Yen

Produced by Charlotte Pardy

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.