Showing titles in Art & Literature

A great many writers use their own lives as the raw material for their work, but few have done it with the wit and courage of Simon Gray. Like his previous best seller, The Smoking Diaries, The Year of the Jouncer has the rare ability to make you laugh aloud one moment and ponder the sad mysteries of mortality the next - and sometimes to do both at the same time.

The award-winning author discusses her unforgettable novel, first published in 1975, with author Gregory Maguire ( Wicked). Babbitt's classic story centers on a young girl who stumbles upon the mysterious Tuck family and their secret, magic spring. The moving prose and rich imagery have made this story a favorite among young readers.

Oscar Wilde is remembered as one of the wittiest minds ever, thanks to his provocative style and humor. In the 1890s, he was one of London's most popular playwrights; his masterpieces are The Importance of Being Earnest and the dark and fantastical Picture of Dorian Gray. His writings entwine themes of beauty, decadence and duplicity, which made him a more than colorful agent provocateur in the Victorian society. This would eventually lead to a very public trial after he was accused of sodomy. His defense, punctuated with witticism, often left the court roaring with laughter, but the evidence was against him, and he was eventually sent to prison.

Lucy Diamond talks to us about her latest audiobook, On a Beautiful Day. Following the success of The Secrets of Happiness and The House of New Beginnings, among others, this highly anticipated story has once more delighted fans and critics alike, who praise it for being 'a hugely satisfying read'. In this exclusive interview, Lucy discusses her writing habits, her sources of inspiration and her fans.

In this interview, Armando Iannucci talks about his favourite composers, whether or not it's cool to like classical music and what it was like to do stand-up comedy aged 12. Armando is a multiaward-winning satirist, writer, director and producer best known for Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa, The Thick of It, In the Loop and Veep. His new audiobook, Hear Me Out, is an exploration of the many ways in which classical music can enhance and comment on the human experience.

New York Times best-selling author and screenwriter Jojo Moyes talks to Audible about her final instalment in the Me Before You series, Still Me. In Still Me, Louisa Clark arrives in New York ready to start a new life, confident that she can embrace this new adventure and keep her relationship with Ambulance Sam alive across several thousand miles. As she tries to keep the two sides of her world together, she finds herself carrying secrets - not all her own - that cause a catastrophic change in her circumstances.

Award-winning author Nina Stibbe talks to Audible about the release of her latest audiobook, An Almost Perfect Christmas. Heartwarming, hilarious and poignant, Nina tells us all about her audiobook in this exclusive interview, also offering life-altering tips on how to enjoy (and survive) a hectic family Christmas.

Joining us in the Audible Studios to discuss the second book in his Pendulum trilogy, Freefall, is author, screenwriter and filmmaker Adam Hamdy. Born and raised in London, Adam Hamdy has been writing thrillers ever since he can remember. Adam talks to us about his transition into writing, what inspires him the most and the art of suspense.

International best-selling author Tad Williams talks to Audible about the newly published addition to his celebrated Osten Ard series, The Witchwood Crown. Delving into one of the most highly anticipated audiobooks of the year, Tad talks to us about his life as an author, his plans for the next few volumes of the fantasy saga and the various inspirations from which he draws when writing.

In the late 1970s Ondaatje returned to his native island of Sri Lanka. As he records his journey through the drug-like heat and intoxicating fragrances of that "pendant off the ear of India", Ondaatje simultaneously retraces the baroque mythology of his Dutch-Ceylonese family. An inspired travel narrative and family memoir by an exceptional writer.

In this interview Karen Swan talks about her latest novel, The Christmas Secret. She discusses her deep connection with Scotland, her essential Christmas traditions and her gift-giving successes and disasters.... Best-selling author Karen Swan began her career as a fashion journalist but switched it for a life writing novels in a little tree house in the countryside. Renowned for her sumptuous stories of romance, idyllic European cities and happy-ever-afters, Karen is a master of the holiday listen.

Giles Wood and Mary Killen - better known as 'Giles and Mary off of Gogglebox' - joined us in the Audible Studios to discuss their debut audiobook The Diary of Two Nobodies. Believe it or not, they have a life outside that Channel 4 smash-hit programme: Giles is a brilliant artist and Mary a prolific author and journalist. They spoke to us about how they ended up on Gogglebox, what the most annoying things about each other are and the unusual term of endearment they use for each other.

Renowned author, journalist, presenter and art historian Simon Schama talks to Audible about the release of the next instalment in the Jewish history collection, Belonging: The Story of the Jews: When Words Fail (1942-Present Day). Following the success of the first volume, Audible talks to Simon about the next few centuries of Jewish life, his multiaward-winning career and his hopes for a better and more equal society.

Thriller writer, Sanjida Kay, joins Bryony Cullen in the Audible Studios to discuss her second psychological thriller, The Stolen Child. In this new book, the parents of an adopted child become worried when the child's biological father gets in touch, determined to take his daughter back.

After great success with her Imperial Radch trilogy, sci-fi author Ann Leckie comes to Audible to chat with us about her latest release, Provenance. We talk to her about what we can expect from Provenance, how it differs from her previous books and what prompted her to start writing novels.

Kate Murray-Browne visits the Audible Studios to discuss her debut novel, The Upstairs Room. It features a family struggling with a relocation and all the ghosts that come along with it and is described as frightening, clever and full of atmosphere.

Lynda La Plante visits the Audible Studios to discuss the audiobook release of her books Hidden Killers and The Cold Cases. Lynda began her career as an actress of stage and screen but, in the 80s, started writing books and TV screenplays to universal acclaim. Her debut novel, The Legacy, became a best seller and her popularity has never waned, producing hit after hit, including the Prime Suspect and the Trial and Retribution series.

James Boswell forever changed the genre of biography when he painstakingly transformed a scholarly profusion of detail into a perceptive, lifelike portrait of Dr. Samuel Johnson. James Boswell's Life of Samuel Johnson reveals a man of outsized appetites and private vulnerabilities and is the source of much of what we know about one of the towering figures of English literature.

Robin Morgan talks to Julie Corbin about her fifth novel, What Goes Around, about learning to write and taking revenge.

'This book is just about my favourite book of all time ... I'm not entirely convinced I could like somebody who didn't like this book ... it's funny and moving and gives you an insight into this extraordinary moment as the war is about to begin ... it's so vivid, and what's more, it's incredibly...