Talking Of Books

09/11/2019: How can books help us cope in trying times, particularly if you are a child? My Monster and Me by Nadiya Hussain is a beautiful picture book that tackles worry and anxiety, Jemima Small Vs. The Universe by Tamsin Winter explores body image and online bullying, and finally The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q Rauf navigates subject matter that even adults struggle to articulate. Reviewer Tamara Clarke, author of The Super Surfer which tackles the tricky subject of internet safety, and former school librarian and current Children’s Programme Advisor at the Emirates Literature Foundation Yvette Judge, share how books can help or hinder in difficult circumstances.  

26/10/2019: What book would you save in a fire? Who is coming to Sharjah International Book Fair? and which writer has come up with a novel way of… well…deciding what to include in their novel? Ft. Allison K Williams and Annabelle Corton.

26/10/2019: A Gillian Flynn novel inspired Tove Lo’s ‘Cool Girl’ – that’s our feature on Soundtrack this week.

26/10/2019: We said goodbye to Lyra Silvertongue at the end of The Amber Spyglass nearly a decade ago. She returned as a baby in prequel La Belle Sauvage, but now she’s all grown up at university and caught up in another deadly adventure in the highly anticipated Book of Dust Vol 2: The Secret Commonwealth. Anthony J Permal (AKA Tony Khan) and Maán Jalal weigh in. Ft. Annabelle Corton and Allison K Williams co hosting.

26/10/2019: Our book of the week explores the secrets and lies of Pakistani high society as they navigate love and loss against the backdrop of terror plots. Awais Khan shares the inspiration for his debut novel and advice from his experiences of finding an agent and getting published. Ft. Annabelle Corton and Allison K Williams co hosting.

19/10/2019: Since The Phantom of the Opera just graced the stage at Dubai Opera, we thought we’d look at the literary inspiration for this beloved musical and how much of the story was based on history?

19/10/2019: The Giver of Stars is a breathtaking story of five extraordinary ‘packhorse’ librarians and their journey through the mountains of a Kentucky mining town during the Depression in spite of a hostile landscape and community. Author Karen Osman joined us in the studio to review this latest standalone novel from the author best known for the heartbreaking Me Before You series.

19/10/2019: To be vegan or not to be vegan? That is the question! How To Live Vegan by YouTube sensations at BOSH! is hot off the press and we delve into the pages with food blogger at My Custard Pie, Sally Prosser, Emirati entrepreneur and travel film maker, Mohammed Parham Al Awadhi, and real life vegan Ariel Robinson.

12/10/2019: Isobel Abulhoul and James Mullan dived deep in to the Man Booker shortlist, talking about which are their favourites, not-so-favourites and which book they think could be the 2019 winner.

05/10/2019: When Raynor learns that Moth, her husband of 32 years, is terminally ill, their home is taken away and unsure of where to go in life, they literally decide to put one foot in front of the other and walk over 630 miles along the South West Coastal Path of the UK, camping in the wild, creating a new understanding of the word ‘Home’ along the way. Author and bookworm Daisy Line reviews The Salt Path by Raynor Winn, and Flora Rees recommends Two Steps Forward by Graeme Simsion and Anne Buist as the perfect fictional complement to our non-fiction reviews so far. 

05/10/2019: 1 Harley Davidson. 1 marriage. And 3 weeks round Spain and Portugal. What could possibly go wrong? Andy Hewitt author of recently published memoir The Furthest Points, joins us to talk about his love affair with motorcycles and tales of adventure. 

05/10/2019: Avni Doshi’s debut novel is a tale of familial devotion and deception set in India that tackles themes of memory, motherhood, and artistry. Flora Rees and Annabelle Corton from the Emirates Literature Foundation speak to the author herself about crafting such a layered story and the inspiration behind it. 

28/09/2019: So many books, so little time. Our reader recommending The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead, The Broken Earth trilogy by NK Jemisin, Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell, was Joan Wamae International Sales Manager at Hachette publishing (MENA region). She also shared her thoughts on Silence of the Lambs author Thomas Harris’ first standalone thriller in 13 years, Cari Mora!

28/09/2019: It was all about the connection between Florence and the Machine and poet Ted Hughes on Literary Soundtrack this week.

28/09/2019: Can a book give you the creeps? We reviewed The Institute, the latest novel from Stephen King, master of terrifying tales, and our listeners weighed in with the last book that scared them. Annabelle Corton from the Emirates Literature Foundation, playwright and Head of Drama at Studio Republik, Alex Broun, and freelance writer and voracious reader Fiona Du Viver chat all things King.

21/09/2019: On Talking of Books this week we are baffled by a social media challenge spiraling out of control, and wondrous at this recently discovered connection between one of Shakespeare’s First Folios and John Milton.

21/09/2019: What connects singer-songwriter Dido to the publishing industry? Flora Rees has all the details.

21/09/2019: Postscript by Cecelia Ahern is the highly-anticipated sequel to PS I Love You. Published just a few days ago, Annabelle Corton and Flora Rees from the Emirates Literature Foundation talk to author, editor and blogger at Circles in the Sand, Marianne Makdisi, about what to expect from the book Ahern never thought she’d write.

21/09/2019: Why should we avoid making important decisions in the afternoon? What makes the perfect nap? Annabelle Corton and Flora Rees from the Emirates Literature Foundation were joined by Jamal Al Mawed, Founder and Managing Director of Gambit Communications to review When - The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing by Daniel H. Pink.

14/09/2019: If you are a budding writer, there are no excuses to not get that pen to paper. From creative writing courses to a readings event at Dubai Literary Salon, get those writing fingers going this month.