In the second of two Boswell Book Festival shows, Robert Kirkwood talks to Michael Morpurgo about 'The Boy Who Would Be King' and why we should leave Roald Dhal books alone, Esme Young from Sewing Bee goes 'Behind the Seams', Val McDermid says why her books '1979' and '1989' were written due to Covid, and Andrew Cotter decides which one of his labs, Olive or Mabel, would make the better guide dog. Plus, with Lynne Livingston, we look for some non-fiction books in the Talking Books library ..read more

At seven months pregnant, Victoria Bennett was looking forward to new motherhood and all that was to come. But when the telephone rang, the news she received changed everything. In today's episode we chat to Victoria Bennett about her memoir All My Wild Mothers, the story of how sometimes life grows, not in spite of what is broken, but because of it. Plus with Lynne Livingston we find three new gems in the RNIB Talking Books Library ..read more

In today's show we hear about the history of coronations with author Lucinda Gosling, hear some books by, and about, King Charles, and talk to Baroness Glenconner about her book Lady in Waiting - My Life in the Shadow of the Crown. Plus Lynne Livingston will be along with her round up of some new books entering the Talking Books Library ..read more

There are so many books entering the RNIB Talking Book Library at the moment it can be hard to keep up, so with help from audio publisher Dominic Gribben from Hachette, senior audio manager at Orion, Paul Stark and Lynne Livingston from RNIB Library, Robert Kirkwood takes a deep dive to find some new gems ..read more

The Invisible Pen and The Power of Words - two fascinating worlds of writing and speaking.  Marcia Layton Turner has written over 30 books, and her work has appeared in major publications such as The New York Times and USA Today. She will share her secrets on how to bring someone else's story to life, the importance of trust and communication in the ghostwriting process, and how to maintain authenticity while writing for someone else. Blazin’ Blake Lindsay, is a blind motivational speaker and life coach He will share his wisdom on the power of words and how to inspire and motivate other ..read more

Robert Kirkwood talks to debut author Ryan Love about the brand new 'warm hug' of a book, Arthur and Teddy Are Coming Out Plus we listen back to a chat with an author and presenter listed in The Independent's list of most influential gay people, Neil McGregor ..read more

From the 166 voices in Lincoln in the Bardo, the dramatisation of a selection of 2000AD comics, or the multiple voices in The Golden Compass, today we explore the world of audiobooks that feature multiple voice actors.  Featuring interviews with author George Saunders and head of audio production at Penguin Random House, Chris Thompson, join us as we dive into the world of multi-voice audiobooks and discover the magic that comes from hearing a story come to life through the voices of multiple talented actors ..read more

This week, let's explore the fascinating world of translating books. Join us as we delve into the intricacies of language and the art of transforming literary works from one tongue to another. Nicola Smalley chats about her work translating Norwegian and Swedish into English and instead of a 'books of your life' she gives us three favourites she's translated. Plus we listen back to how 'The Distance Between Me and the Cherry Tree' was translated from Italian ..read more

Today's show features a celebration of, and a chat with, one of the most distinctive and prolific voices in the RNIB Talking Books library, who first recorded for RNIB around 60 years ago, Gabriel Woolf.  ..read more

From All Quiet on the Western Front, to 12 Years a Slave, and possibly returning to All Quiet on the Western Front, many winners of the Best Picture Oscar have been based on books. Robert Kirkwood grabs some popcorn and explores which of those books including Forest Gump, Silence of the Lambs, Gone with the Wind and the Godfather, amongst many others, are available in the RNIB Talking Books library ..read more