Tag Archives: The Readers Summer Book Club

The Readers Episode 37; E-Reader Admissions, Book Group Books, A Listeners Top 5 Summer Reads & We Ask… Are We Literary Enough?

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This week on The Readers sees Simon finally admitting something about e-readers that Gavin has known for a while, they discuss Book Group Books, we have one of our listeners, Kristin’s, top 5 summer books and we ask the big question… are we literary enough?

Don’t forget you can find us on Twitter, Good Reads and Facebook now as well as subscribing to us on iTunes here.

An E-Reader Admission () As one of Simon’s favourite authors Tess Gerritsen has a new mini e-book coming out Gavin uses it to wind Simon up about what he could be missing out on, yes, could be. Listen on to hear quite an admission.

Do We Read Book Group Books Differently? () After reading The Readers Summer Book Club books and having had some time away to think about it. Simon and Gavin discuss how reading for a book group can make you read differently and more critically. You might love a book and yet still be rather critical of it. They also discuss the etiquette of book groups and how the different dynamics work.

Kristin’s Top Five Summer Reads () The Readers were thrilled to discover they had a Skype voicemail the other day from Kristin all the way in California! She has very kindly phoned in to share her top five books this summer. A big thanks to Kristin! We would welcome more, hint, hint!

Are We Literary Enough? () Not that he wants to make it too personal but the other day Simon missed out on a job in books because he was told, as he hadn’t read Charles Dickens, that he wasn’t literary enough. This has lead him to really thinking about what he reads, how literary it is or isn’t, what literature is and does it all matter. Get ready for a big discussion about this that almost gets a little bit heated!

Next week on The Readers () More book based banter, we might have the Carlos Ruiz Zafon interview, we might make you wait a little longer, either way there will be an episode brimming with bookish chatter.

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The Readers Summer Bookclub; Pure by Andrew Miller

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Well it’s been quite an experience but sadly, and Simon has hankies at the ready, it is the last in The Readers Summer Book Club series, and what a book to end on. This week we discuss ‘Pure’ by Andrew Miller, winner of the Costa Prize last year, and get lost in the murky (and smelly) gothic, dark world of Paris in the late 1700’s. As always we catch up with the author, Andrew Miller, Simon and Gavin give their thoughts and we have a guest to give another insight on the book too.

Don’t forget you can find us on Twitter, Good Reads and Facebook now as well as subscribing to us on iTunes here.

An Interview with the Author () This week Gavin and Simon are joined by Andrew Miller to discuss his Costa winning novel ‘Pure’. They ask him where the idea for ‘Pure’ came from, how much research he had to do for the novel, the humour he uses in the historical and what it was like to win the Costa prize. Plus, as ever, much more.

Simon & Gavin’s Thoughts () The two co-hosts discuss how they got on with ‘Pure’ as such a historical novel, why it might be more a Costa book than a Booker book, why Simon chose it and if hype can sometimes affect how you read a book because of the expectation that you put in your own head. This part, as you are probably aware by now, is spoiler free.

The Readers Panel Discusses… () Simon and Gavin are joined by blogger Lucy of ‘Literary Relish’, to discuss the book a little more. They get very spoiler full as they look at the big twists and turns in the novel, and Simon gets told off for being too harsh – even though he says that he wasn’t being, honest.

Next week on The Readers () Book based banter will be back to normal with Gavin and Simon just nattering away about books. They will be having a catch up, talking about ‘Summer Reads’ and telling you the twelve titles that they are each looking forward to over the autumn and winter. Until next week…

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The Readers Summer Book Club; Redemption in Indigo by Karen Lord

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In the seventh, and penultimate, instalment of The Readers Summer Book Club we discuss ‘Redemption in Indigo’ by Karen Lord a book that blends the literary, genre and folk lore. If you haven’t read this week’s chosen book then do not despair as we will give you a forewarning of the part with all the spoilers. As always we catch up with the author, Karen Lord, Simon and Gavin give their thoughts and we have a guest to give another insight on the book too.

Don’t forget you can find us on Twitter, Good Reads and Facebook now as well as subscribing to us on iTunes here.

An Interview with the Author () This week Gavin and Simon are joined by Karen Lord, all the way from Barbados, to discuss her rather magical and surreal debut novel ‘Redemption in Indigo’. They ask her to tell them more about the background of the book and the folk tale that inspired it, her thoughts on the whole genre and literary divide (which her book combines), and also what other Caribbean literature, both genre and not, that we should be looking out for and reading.

 

Simon & Gavin’s Thoughts () The two co-hosts discuss how they got on with ‘Redemption in Indigo’, and it brings up the genre vs. literary debate once again… You will be able to see Simon’s thoughts in more detail on his blog here soon and Gavin’s on his here soon too.

The Readers Panel Discusses… () Simon and Gavin are joined by blogger David of ‘Follow The Thread’, to discuss the book a little more. Simon grills him on the genre and literary divide too, plus we want to know if he would recommend it as a good book group book.

Next week on The Readers Summer Book Club () We have the last ever Readers Summer Book Club choice, as we will be starting something new in due course, ‘Pure’ by Andrew Miller. Gavin and Simon will be joined by the author and some new guests for some more book based banter. Until next week…

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You can subscribe to our weekly podcast on iTunes here.

The Readers Summer Book Club; Now You See Me by S.J. Bolton

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In the sixth instalment (or fifth after last week’s mishap) of The Readers Summer Book Club we discuss the thriller ‘Now You See Me’ by S.J Bolton. If you haven’t read this week’s chosen book then do not despair as we will give you a forewarning of the part with all the spoilers. As always we catch up with the author, S.J. Bolton, Simon and Gavin give their thoughts and we have a guest to give another insight on the book too.

Don’t forget you can find us on Twitter, Good Reads and Facebook now as well as subscribing to us on iTunes here.

An Interview with the Author () This week Gavin and Simon are joined by S.J. Bolton ‘lovely author, nasty books’, or Sharon as she is properly known, to discuss her dark and rather deliciously disturbing novel ‘Now You See Me’. They ask her where the idea came from, her thoughts and interests with Jack the Ripper and if women writing about murdering women is better than men doing it?

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Simon & Gavin’s Thoughts () The two co-hosts discuss how they got on with ‘Now You See Me’, without giving too much away THEY BOTH LOVED IT and both devoured it with a couple of days. They have a nightmare though trying to discuss it without spoilers, so thank goodness for the next section where they can spoil away…

The Readers Panel Discusses… () Simon and Gavin are joined by blogger and lifelong friend of Simon’s, the lovely Polly of Novel Insights, to discuss the book a little more and give a new perspective on it from a female readers point of view. She discusses crime novels and it is revealed that she started Simon reading these books with an ironic purchase when Simon was ill. You will be able to see Simon’s thoughts in more detail on his blog here soon and Gavin’s on his here soon too.

Next week on The Readers Summer Book Club () We have the penultimate book in The Readers Summer Book Club, ‘Redemption in Indigo’ by Karen Lord. Gavin and Simon will be joined by the author and some new guests for some more book based banter. Until next week…

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You can subscribe to our weekly podcast on iTunes here.

The Readers Summer Interlude; Ernest Apologies, A New Book Group & The Future of The Readers

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Unfortunately due to various issues beyond our control we do not have The Readers Summer Book Club’s fifth titles discussion show today. Simon and Gavin were really excited about discussing ‘Ready Player One’ by Ernest Cline alas it is not meant to be… for now. However instead you have a short ‘summer interlude’ where we discuss a new venture, the future of The Readers moving forward and also the fact that Simon and Gavin met last week.

Don’t forget you can find us on Twitter, Good Reads and Facebook now as well as subscribing to us on iTunes here.

Ernest Apologies & Some ‘Ready Player One’ Discussion () So huge apologies again for no Ernest on the show, we loved ‘Ready Player One’ and were very excited about it alas for reasons beyond our control we have been unable to record with him, but we may do in the future and pop the episode in then. In the meantime Gavin and Simon do discuss the book as they know lots of you bought it and wanted to discuss it. There may be a longer show in the future.

A New Book Group () Simon and Gavin have been thinking and plotting and though they won’t be doing another Summer Book Club, or an Autumn one, they have got a new book club planned and it will mean MORE episodes of the Readers.

The Readers 2.0 () After the Summer Book Club is finished The Readers will be back ALL NEW. Well, when we say all new it will be all new and yet the same. They have taken on lots of feedback from comments and goodreads and will be coming back on Tuesday’s with slightly shorter episodes and less author interviews, and shorter ones when they are on… apart from with the new addition of Readers Special’s which will be ‘The Readers In Conversation With…’ starting in July with none other than Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter who Gavin and Simon met for an hour last week…

The Readers Met Up () Yes Simon and Gavin met up last week in London for a Readers recording, but did they get on? Listen in for more.

Next Week On The Readers () The Summer Book Club resumes with S.J. Bolton and the discussion of her book ‘Now You See Me’ we will speak to you then.

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You can subscribe to our weekly podcast on iTunes here.

The Readers Summer Book Club; Bleakly Hall by Elaine Di Rollo

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In the fourth instalment (half way already) of The Readers Summer Book Club we discuss the novel ‘Bleakly Hall’ by Elaine Di Rollo, we also start with a very, very exciting announcement. If you haven’t read this week’s chosen book then do not despair as this is a book full of fascinating and funny true tales of space so we can’t do spoilers. We catch up with Elaine Di Rollo, a listener leaves a voicemail, another listener joins The Readers for some discussion and Simon and Gavin give their thoughts on the book too.

Don’t forget you can find us on Twitter, Good Reads and Facebook now as well as subscribing to us on iTunes here.

An Interview with the Author () This week Gavin and Simon are joined by the lovely Elaine Di Rollo to discuss her surreal and rather bonkers world of ‘Bleakly Hall’. They ask her why she decided to write the book in a hydrotherapy centre between the wars, what research she had to do, if the characters or the place came first and much more.

  

Simon & Gavin’s Thoughts () The two co-hosts discuss how they got on with ‘Bleakly Hall’, without giving too much away Simon ends up feeling like a bad person even though he enjoyed it. They also discuss if a book you read for a book group can get a tough time as it does get pulled apart. You will be able to see Simon’s thoughts in more detail on his blog here soon and Gavin’s on his here soon too.

The Readers Panel Discusses… () Simon and Gavin are joined by Jennifer to discuss the book a little more and give a new perspective on it from across the ocean, she helps Simon articulate what he has found so difficult to explain about his thoughts on the book.

Next week on The Readers Summer Book Club () We have the fifth book in The Readers Summer Book Club, ‘Ready Player One’ by Ernest Cline. Gavin and Simon will be joined by the author and some new guests for some more book based banter. They will speak to you then, though they will see each other for real in between.

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You can subscribe to our weekly podcast on iTunes here.

The Readers Summer Book Club; Packing for Mars by Mary Roach

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In the third instalment of The Readers Summer Book Club we discuss our only non-fiction title ‘Packing for Mars’ by Mary Roach. If you haven’t read the book then do not despair as this is a book full of fascinating and funny true tales of space so we can’t do spoilers. We catch up with Mary Roach, a listener leaves a voicemail, another listener joins The Readers for some discussion and Simon and Gavin give their thoughts on the book too.

Don’t forget you can find us on Twitter, Good Reads and Facebook now as well as subscribing to us on iTunes here.

An Interview with the Author () This week Gavin and Simon are joined by the very lovely (and very, very funny) Mary Roach to discuss her latest non-fiction book ‘Packing for Mars’. They ask her why she decided to write about space as a subject, what research she had to do and just how on earth she finds the courage to ask the questions we would love to but might not dare.

 

Simon & Gavin’s Thoughts () The two co-hosts discuss how they got on with ‘Packing for Mars’, without giving too much away they are feeling quite smug about their choices at the moment. You will be able to see Simon’s thoughts in more detail on his blog here and Gavin’s on his here later today.

A Listeners Thoughts () One of The Readers listeners Joanna couldn’t join us for the discussion (as Simon has been ill and had to reschedule everything) so instead she leaves us some of her thoughts on the book. Unfortunately due to a Skype technical error we only have the first minute.

The Readers Panel Discusses… () Simon and Gavin are joined by Elizabeth, who while they record they discover lives just down the road from NASA in Houston, to discuss the book a little more and give a new perspective on it from across the ocean.

Next week on The Readers Summer Book Club () We have the fourth book in The Readers Summer Book Club, ‘Bleakly Hall’ by Elaine Di Rollo. Gavin and Simon will be joined by the author and some new guests for some more book based banter. We will speak to you then.

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You can subscribe to our weekly podcast on iTunes here.

The Readers Summer Book Club; Half-Blood Blues by Esi Edugyan

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In the second instalment of The Readers Summer Book Club we discuss ‘Half Blood Blues’ by Esi Edugyan. If you haven’t read the book then do not despair as in the first two parts of the show contains no spoilers, as Gavin and Simon interview the author and then talk about the book between themselves, however the last section of the show however is brimming with spoilers, which is fine if you have read the book already. Make sense? Hope so!

Don’t forget you can find us on Twitter, Good Reads and Facebook now as well as subscribing to us on iTunes here.

An Interview with the Author (01.10) This week Gavin and Simon are joined by the very lovely Esi Edugyan to discuss her second novel ‘Half Blood Blues’. They ask her why she decided to write about this period in time and from jazz musician’s perspectives, the struggles she had with finding a publisher and much more.

 
Simon & Gavin’s Thoughts () Without giving away any spoilers Gavin and Simon catch up on how they got on with ‘Half Blood Blues’, we won’t say too much other than the fact that Gavin found this one of the biggest challenges of the book club, but also the most rewarding. You will be able to see Simon’s thoughts in more detail on his blog here and Gavin’s on his here later today.

The Readers Panel Discusses… () Simon and Gavin are joined by Tara of the blog Book Sexy Review and one of our UK listeners Sarah. They discuss the book in much more detail, BE WARNED there are SPOILERS, as they look at the relationships in the novel, Tara points out some pit falls and they discuss the ending and their thoughts on it.

Next week on The Readers Summer Book Club () We have the third book in The Readers Summer Book Club, our only non-fiction read, ‘Packing for Mars’ by Mary Roach. Gavin and Simon will be joined by the author and some new guests for some more book based banter. We will speak to you then.

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You can subscribe to our weekly podcast on iTunes here.

The Readers Summer Book Club; The Last Werewolf by Glen Duncan

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It is finally here, the thing that Gavin and Simon have been so excited about, The Readers Summer Book Club starts today. Our first book is ‘The Last Werewolf’ by Glen Duncan. If you haven’t read the book then do not despair as in the first two parts of the show contains no spoilers, as Gavin and Simon interview the author and then the book between them, the last section of the show however is brimming with spoilers, which is fine if you have read the book already. Make sense? Hope so, so here it is, the first Readers Summer Book Club.

Don’t forget you can find us on Twitter, Good Reads and Facebook now as well as subscribing to us on iTunes here.

An Interview with the Author (01.04) This week Gavin and Simon are joined by the very lovely Glen Duncan to discuss his novel ‘The Last Werewolf’. They ask him why he went from ‘literary’ to ‘literary reads genre’, the pros and cons of writing such an explicit book and having a protagonist that is the very last werewolf on earth.

 

Simon & Gavin’s Thoughts (28.25) Without giving away any spoilers Gavin and Simon catch up on how they got on with their first choice, we won’t say too much other than the fact that Simon is a little bit smug and pleased with himself. You will be able to see Simon’s thoughts in more detail on his blog here and Gavin’s on his here later today.

The Readers Panel Discusses… (38.36) Simon and Gavin are joined by Sakura of the blog Chasing Bawa, Amy of Stuff and Nonsense and freelance journalist and writer Nicola Mostyn. They discuss the book in much more detail, his novels before and since, the genre & literature mix, werewolves as protagonists and so much more, BUT BE WARNED there are SPOILERS.

Next week on The Readers Summer Book Club (1.08.50) We have the second book in The Readers Summer Book Club and that is ‘Half Blood Blues’ by Esi Edugyan. Gavin and Simon will be joined by the author and some new guests for some more book based banter. We will speak to you then.

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You can subscribe to our weekly podcast on iTunes here.

The Readers Episode 34; Out of Print Books & Things We Think We Don’t Like in Books

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This week, in the last show before The Readers Summer Book Club starts next week, Gavin and Simon have an hour jam packed with bookish banter as they discuss; out of print books, books with subjects they think they don’t like and also a final ‘what they have read, are reading and want to read next’ until after the summer.

Don’t forget you can find us on Twitter, Good Reads and Facebook now as well as subscribing to us on iTunes here.

Out of Print Books () When Gavin and Simon both got an email from Hesperus Press informing them of a new competition to uncover an out of print book and get it back in print they wanted to share it with all of you (more details here). They also thought it was a really good time to discuss out of print books and so this week they have. Why should some out of print books come back and why should some definitely not? Why do people always assume that out of print books are older books? Which books would they like to see come back?

Things We Think We Don’t Like in Books () This is a subject Simon in particular has been wanting to talk about for quite a while. Which subjects in books do you just not like… and why? In the second segment of the show this week Simon and Gavin tell you their prose prejudices and find out they have some in common but also Gavin is shocked at some of Simon’s choices.

What We’ve Read, Are Reading & Want To Read Next () It hasn’t been long since Simon and Gavin did the three books on their reading periphery. However as normal service is on hold until after The Readers Summer Book Club they decided to do another before it has a hiatus for 9 weeks. So…

  

Gavin has read another by one of his favourite authors: Orbus by Neil Asher
He is reading, but being very secretive about: Railsea by China Mieville
Over the summer he will be reading some YA in the form of: A Confusion of Princes by Garth Nix

  

Simon has read and adored: It’s A Dons Life by Mary Beard
He is rather shameful to admit he is reading: The Archers: Family Ties by Joanna Toye
Over the summer as he travels the UK himself he will be reading: Notes on a Small Island by Bill Bryson

Next week on The Readers () The Summer Book Club starts with Glen Duncan’s ‘The Last Werewolf’, Simon feels he should apologise for all the rudery in it.

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You can subscribe to our weekly podcast on iTunes here.