Episodes
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In this episode, we were joined by Karl Ove Knausgaard, author of one of the key literary phenomenons of the 2010s, My Struggle, to discuss his latest novel, The Third Realm, the latest instalment in the riveting Morning Star series.
Karl Ove spoke to us about his journey toward becoming more at ease in literary interviews, his relationship with his work in translation, and how music informs oneâs sense of identityâcontrasting, for instance, his youthful love of punk and R.E.M. with his daughterâs of Ariana Grande. We also discuss âartistic preciousnessâ and how he has evolved from seeing writing as âsacrosanctâ to being able to work at the kitchen table despite constant interruptions.
Hosted by Ryan Edgington and Matt Hennessey. Produced by Lily Woods. -
On this episode, we were joined by the iconic actor, writer, and filmmaker Richard Ayoade to discuss his latest comic novel, The Unfinished Harauld Hughes, a fictional accounting of his quest to canonise the most significant British playwright of the 20th century (who also happens to be entirely made up).
Richard spoke to us about the figures that influenced the invention of Hughesâamong them Harold Pinter and Orson Wellesâand the ill-fated film Hughes authored, "O Bedlam, O Bedlam", which stopped the prolific playwright from ever writing again.
He expressed scepticism about the myths and exaggerations that create "great lost works" and literary recluses and discussed why it is important to approach comic writing from the inside out rather than trying to make fun of your characters.
For good measure, we also discuss his deep love of "Spinal Tap", Joan Didion, and the time he spent acting in Wes Anderson's "The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar." -
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On this episode, we were joined by the legendary British actor, Sir Simon Russell Beale CBE, to discuss his first memoir from a life on the stage, A Piece of Work: Playing Shakespeare & Other Stories.
Often described as the "best stage actor of his generation," Simon shares insights into the whopping 18 Shakespeare characters he has played throughout his career with the RSC and the National Theatre.
He generously invites us into his process as an actor and explains why the personal and working relationships he has formed with collaborators like Sam Mendes and Nicholas Hytner are essential to his extraordinary success.
Lastly, we discuss encounters with performing legends such as Stephen Sondheim and Lauren Bacall and an example of what it means to recieve a "bad note" from a director. -
On this episode, we were joined by Booker Prize-winning author Alan Hollinghurst to discuss his new novel, Our Evenings, releasing 3 October.
Immersing us in the revolutionary world of British theatre in the 1960s, the novel follows Dave Winn, an English actor of Burmese descent, through his experiences of success and failure, love and heartbreak, acceptance and hatred, and a final coda that reshapes our entire understanding of this extraordinary story.
Alan shares insights from his decades-long career of portraying queer life in Britain across the 20th and 21st centuries, highlighting how cultural and political shifts have influenced his storytelling.
He also offers us a sense of both the attraction and repulsion that draws him toward a world of wealth and privilege, leaving his charactersâand perhaps himselfâon the outside, looking in.
Hosts: Ryan Edgington and Matt Hennessey Producer: Lily Woods -
On this episode, we were joined by Booker Prize-shortlisted author Elif Shafak to discuss There Are Rivers in the Sky, her centuries-spanning new novel that follows three historical characters connected by ancient bodies of water.
We cover matters great and small, from the idea of water as a holder of memory to whether Elif is the type of person who will dispose of a tea mug or article of clothing once there is visible damage to it. We explore her relationship with The British Museum, inevitably weighing in on the much-politicised Elgin Marbles debate, and whether cultural artefacts belong to a regionâs government or its people.
Finally, we discuss Elifâs years of investigation by the Turkish government following the publication of The Bastard of Istanbul, with its depiction of the Armenian Genocide, and the surreal nature of seeing your fictional characters be put on trial in a court of law.
Hosted by Ryan Edgington and Matt Hennessey. -
On this episode, we were joined by actor and writer Griffin Dunne to discuss The Friday Afternoon Club, his fascinating memoir of his famous family â among them writers Joan Didion and John Gregory Dunne â and his remarkable career in Hollywood starring in films like Martin Scorsese's After Hours and An American Werewolf in London.
We also discuss his lifelong friendship with the late Carrie Fisher, and what it was like to watch his best friend and flatmate be propelled to unimaginable fame after she starred as Princess Leia in Star Wars.
Finally, Griffin provides insights into how he navigated writing the great tragedy of his family history: the murder of his sister Dominique at 22-years-old, she too on the cusp of cinematic stardom.
Signed copies of the book are available to purchase at our London Piccadilly location as well as on our website. -
On this episode, we were joined by author Lauren to discuss her hypnotising debut novel, 'Scaffolding', which charts the lives of two couples, both living in the same Paris apartment almost fifty years apart.
Lauren spoke to us about the decades-long journey towards bringing this novel to life, and how her career as a translator and non-fiction writer allowed her to freedom to craft this book in precisely the way she envisioned it.
We also spoke about monogamy and relationships, and how the novel was crafted 'in the key of Eric Rohmer,' the idiosyncratic 20th-century filmmaker who told Paris-set stories following the romantic and moral conflicts of glamorous young people. -
On this episode, we were joined by Booker Prize-winning author Richard Flanagan to discuss his fascinating new memoir, 'Question 7', a meditation on the decisions that we make and the reverberating effects that these choices can have on the course of history.
Richard spoke to us about why he feels that books must exist outside the moral grammar, and why good readers are as important as good writers.
He shared amusing anecdotes about a life spent on the road promoting his work, and his dissatisfaction with living in cities â where value is placed on the man-made over the natural world.
Finally, he contemplates the difficult question of whether he would even be sitting across from us had the atom bomb not been dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, freeing his father after years of back-breaking work in a Japanese POW camp.
'Question 7' has been chosen as the Hatchards Non-Fiction Book of the Month for June. Signed copies can be purchased across our three shops as well as on our website. -
On this episode, we were joined by Rachel Khong, author of the New York Times bestseller Real Americans â a multigenerational story about a Chinese American family that is three great novels wrapped into one.
The novel begins in New York City just before the attacks on September 11th when an unpaid intern with immigrant parents meets and falls in love with a blue-blooded stranger who is heir to a vast pharmaceutical empire. As the story moves back and forth in time â from Chinaâs cultural revolution of the 1960s to Silicon Valley in 2030 â our perspective shifts between the members of the family, with their stories exploring themes of race, class, and cultural identity.
Rachel spoke with us about her journey towards writing this epic novel; Western ignorance towards the legacy of the Chinese dictator Mao Zedong, a literary phenomenon known as the 'The Gosling Effect'; and the differences in family relationships between the East and West. -
On this episode, we were joined by author Percival Everett â Booker Prize finalist and poet of âpathological irony,â â to discuss his landmark new book, James, a retelling of Mark Twainâs The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from the point of view of Jim.
Following the retirement of his longtime editor in 2021, this novel casts Everett into the centre of the literary âmomentâ with the book climbing the UKâs bestseller lists despite it sacrificing none of the madcap invention or gallows humour that has cemented his cult reputation.
It also comes in the wake of his 2001 novel, Erasure, being adapted into the Oscar-winning film, American Fiction, itself a satire of a writer entering the literary mainstream.
Percival spoke to us about why his book is neither homage nor take down of Twainâs iconic novel; why âdistractionsâ like fishing and tennis are essential to his process; and finally, that thorny American issue â in his view the only American issue â addressing the legacy of slavery.
Hosted by Ryan Edgington and Lily Woods (Hatchards.co.uk manager).
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On this episode, we were joined by author Andrew OâHagan to discuss his truly exciting new novel, Caledonian Road, which has been selected as the Hatchards Fiction Book of the Month for April.
Wedged between two epochal events that have shaped our age â the global pandemic and Russiaâs invasion of Ukraine â the story follows Campbell Flynn, art historian, TV presenter, London resident, and man in free fall, as a web of crime and conspiracy eviscerates his sense of self-identity and redefines what it means to be a âgood liberalâ at a time where nothing is above scrutiny.
Andrew spoke us to about taking inspiration from classic Victorian novels; how his time spent with figures like Julian Assange and South London gangs informs the bookâs characters; why novelists should write without fear; and as Andrew is Glaswegian, we cover the cityâs ill-fated âWilly Wonka Experienceâ that grabbed global headlines back in March.
Signed copies of the book are now available to be purchased in-store or on our website.
Hosted by Ryan Edgington and Matt Hennessey.
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On this episode, we were joined by authors Robert P. Kolker and Nathan Abrams to discuss Kubrick: An Odyssey, their authoritative new biography on the life and work of the legendary filmmaker behind The Shining, Dr. Strangelove, and 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Robert and Nathan spoke to us about the process of rendering the mythology of Kubrick into flesh and blood; the rogues gallery of famous personalities that provided conflicting firsthand accounts; Kubrick's creative and personal life in the UK; and of course, the films, which according to our guests, represent the most rigorous body of work in the history of cinema.
Hosted by Ryan Edgington and Matt Hennessey.
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Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
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On this episode, we were joined by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Hisham Matar to discuss his brilliant new novel âMy Friends,â which tells the story of three exiled Libyan friends living in London over the course of four decades, each marked by an act of real political violence which occurred at the Libyan embassy in St. Jamesâs Square in 1984.
The author is himself an exile, having fled the country as a child due his fatherâs vocal criticism of the Qaddafi regime, ultimately settling in London, where he has lived for many years.
Hisham spoke to us about the long journey towards completing this highly personal novel; why he believes that authors are rarely in control of their own work; and the challenges of attempting to live freely as an exile, all the while knowing that your compatriots are struggling back home.
The novel is full of warmth, brilliant storytelling, and great style, all attributes which can also be used to describe this episode's guest. -
On this episode, we were joined by acclaimed journalist and writer Dolly Alderton, who's latest novel, Good Material, follows a standup comedian in his mid-30s navigating âThe Madnessâ that follows an unexpected breakup with his longtime girlfriend, Jen.
As Andy attempts to discover the flaw in himself that points to where it all went wrong, Dolly puts through him a series of alternatively hilarious and heartbreaking set pieces â a brief sojourn living on a houseboat; an album in his phone called âbaldâ where he takes a picture of his receding hairline each day; and a disastrous karaoke date with a holier-than-thou Gen-Z hipster.
In our conversation, Dolly spoke to us about charting the course of Andyâs breakup from a male point-of-view; her interest in the world of comedians; how sheâs been both Andy and Jen in relationships; as well as her fascination with generations, and why she feels that millennials have never been given their due.
Spoiler warning - the final minutes of this episode include a discussion about the book's last chapter. Proceed with caution if you don't wish to know how it ends! -
On this episode, we were joined by one of the most acclaimed writers of her generation, Zadie Smith, who's latest novel, The Fraud, tells the story of the most notorious English trial of the 19th century, and rightfully places slavery at the invisible centre of the traditional Victorian novel.
In our conversation, Zadie explains how she brought this vivid world of real-life characters to being; among them a famous British novelist and a freed slave from a sugar plantation in Jamaica; and why the lives of these Victorians connect so deeply to the concerns of the present day.
Far from a typical interview, we also spoke about a range of interesting topics, including, but not limited to: Donald Trump; OJ Simpson; David Foster Wallace and the 90s literati; the attention economy and its effects on modern reading; and why she believes you can love things like English country houses and classic Hollywood movies and still acknowledge the dark histories that gave them their power. -
On this episode, were were joined by celebrated British cultural biographer Roger Lewis, who's latest book, Erotic Vagrancy, is an extravagant, decade-in-the-making portrait of the ultimate love-hate relationship â the marriage of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.
In our conversation, Roger lays bare everything that made these two such an endless subject of fascination for the public; their cinematic successes and more legendary flops; Burton's place in the West End firmament; and of course, their legendary addictions, punch-ups, divorces, hospital bills, and stays in Rome, Paris, New York, London, where chaos followed wherever they went.
Roger also spoke to us about his lifelong obsession with British pop culture, having authored biographies of Peter Sellers, Peter O'Toole, and Charles Hawtrey, and why these subjects remain essential to understanding our shared cultural history â and his opinion, should probably be taught at Sixth Form. -
On this episode, we were joined International Booker Prize shortlisted author BenjamĂn Labatut, whoâs first novel written in English is The Maniac, a dark exploration of genius, telling three gripping stories about the consequences of scientific breakthroughs untethered by moral or ethical boundaries.
BenjamĂn spoke with us about his interest in humanityâs search for new forms of consciousness, be it through modern computers or the centuries old use of psychoactive drugs by the indigenous peoples of the Amazon.
He also explained that in matters of literature, something considered âmorally goodâ should be not confused with being interesting.
With the book depicting 20th century breakthroughs like the creation of the atom bomb and the eventual rise of AI, we also raised the question about releasing this book in the year of Oppenheimer and ChatGPT. Needless to say, the ideas explore in his new novel â and relayed in our conversation â could not be more timely or relevant. -
On this episode, we were joined by Anna Funder, acclaimed author of "Stasiland', to discuss her new book 'Wifedom,' which invites us into the mind of George Orwell's first wife Eileen O'Shaughnessy, who's talent, creative intelligence, and fascinating personal history were essential to the creation of 'Animal Farm' and '1984' â all without credit in Orwell's previous biographies.
In addition to discussing the marriage of Eileen and George Orwell, Anna also touches upon her own marriage; the difficulties of juggling the competing responsbilities of being a writer, mother, and wife, and the inevitable compromises that women make as a consequence of social structures which govern our society.
This episode was hosted by Ryan and his wife, Emily Rushton, a teacher and Doctoral Researcher at the University of Cambridge, who was finally given a public forum to take the piss out of her husband.
Warning: The following conversation includes discussions around sexual violence. This may be distressing for some listeners. -
On this episode of The Hatchards Podcast we were joined by writer/director Wes Anderson - Parisian, Texan, filmmaker and cinephile - who spoke to Ryan & Matt about his latest film, 'Asteroid City', and the accompanying book, 'Do Not Detonate Without Presidential Approval,' edited by Jake Perlin.
A collection of essays, articles and stories that inspired the movie, Do Not Detonate features pieces from some of the twentieth centuryâs most revered journalists and critics (Lilian Ross, Pauline Kael), contemporary writers on film and culture (Matt Zoller Seitz, K. Austin Collins), novelists (Georges Simenon), actors (Bob Balaban) and directors (Francois Truffaut) - and concludes with 'Wild to the Wild', a short story by Sam Shepard, whose life and work had a profound influence on the movie.
Wes spoke to us about the art of film criticism, his favourite film literature, the joy of rewatching movies and the wide array of influences - including mid-century American theatre, noir and science fiction - that fed into the making of his latest masterpiece, 'Asteroid City.'
The film was released in the U.K. on June 23 and the book is available from Hatchards' bookshops in Piccadilly, St. Pancras and Cheltenham, as well as Hatchards.co.uk.
With thanks to Wes, Focus Features, and Adam at Pushkin for arranging this interview. -
On this episode, we were joined by David Grann, author of the The Wager, the gripping story of a doomed 18th-century imperial expedition to South America which culminated in shipwreck, mutiny, and near-impossible survival.
Grann is a New Yorker staff writer and bestselling author of the contemporary non-fiction classics The Lost City Z and Killers of the Flower Moon, now a major motion picture from Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio premiering this week at the Cannes Festival.
He spoke to us about piecing together a story from several competing narratives; his love of sea tales and adventure stories; why his books lend themselves so well to the screen; and how stories such as these expose the ugly contradictions at the centre of colonial Europe.
We also hear about his own dangerous boat journey to Wager Island, where no amount of anti-motion sickness medicine could lessen the impact of the storm-wracked seas. - Montre plus
