Book Slam Podcast

The 73rd and, by all accounts, final Book Slam Podcast finds sisters doing it for themselves and the rest of us too. It features poetry from the brilliant CHIMENE SULEYMAN, ace music from JAGAARA, and SHAMI CHAKRABARTI introducing us to 'On Liberty' - simply essential. There's our hero SALENA GODDEN reading from her exceptional memoir, 'Springfield Road', and we close with the estimable LAURA BATES issuing a rallying cry from her book, 'Everyday Sexism'. Patrick's waxing melancholic, Elliott's waxing his car.

The 72nd Book Slam Podcast features the poetic talents of SOPHIA THAKUR, the comedic intellect of SIMON RICH, discussing his latest collection of stories, 'Spoiled Brats', and the intellectual comedy of MARK WATSON, reading from his truly brilliant novel, 'Hotel Alpha'. Elliott's not funny, Patrick's not smart.

Book Slam hits new heights with some prime pugilism of the literary variety. BILL HILLMAN (prize-fighter, gang-banger, bull runner) reads from his gripping debut novel, 'The Old Neighborhood', guitarist from The Slits and punk pioneer, VIV ALBERTINE, introduces her memoir, 'Clothes, Clothes, Clothes. Music, Music, Music. Boys, Boys, Boys' and Mercury Prize nominee and laureate of the lost, KATE TEMPEST, tells it exactly like it is. Cheery? Not quite. Essential? Most definitely. Elliott has the sponge, Patrick's on cuts and Vaseline.

Book Slam, London's favourite live literary juke joint, reaches three score podcasts and ten. It's all downhill from here. Nonetheless, we remain determined to enjoy the spoken word talents of the brilliant JESS GREEN and truly exceptional music from FIONA BEVAN. What's more, there's an interview with bestselling American crime writer, LAURA LIPPMAN, and she reads us a short story that made our hearts skip. Patrick's into 1D, Elliott's 2D at best.

The 69th Book Slam podcast is short, but serious - the perfect accompaniment, for example, for an earnest morning journey from Vauxhall to Old Street by public transport (other journeys and modes of carriage are available). Our old mucker NIKESH SHUKLA reads from his novel 'Meatspace' and discusses 'A God In Every Stone' with its brilliant author, KAMILA SHAMSIE. Music comes from LAURA J MARTIN. Elliott's on it, Patrick's on one.

Book Slam's 68th podcast rushes along like a train in the company of NED BEAUMAN discussing his new novel 'Glow', and EMMA JANE UNSWORTH introducing 'Animals'. There's music from BENIN CITY who put the 'ill' into brillo pads and poetry from ELVIS MCGONAGALL, putting the 'don' into Caledonia. Patrick's got beard envy, Elliott's got every other kind. 

The 67th Book Slam podcast is brought to you directly (and literally) from the studio floor. Guests include our founder, BEN WATT, of Everything But The Girl fame, reading from and discussing his extraordinary memoir, 'Romany And Tom', poetry from the brilliant WILL BURNS, stunning music from ANOUSHKA LUKAS, and a little snippet of our favourite Beard, FRANCESCA BEARD. Patrick is high on Tramadol and Diazepam, Elliott's high on life.

Book Slam's 66th Podcast marks something of a return to form with lots of clever people reading clever stuff in a clever, but nonetheless engaging, fashion, which nods coyly in the direction of postmodernism before sensibly leaving on the arm of narrative. Quite. The clever include SHEILA HETI, reading from and discussing 'How Should A Person Be', GARY SHTEYNGART, reading from and discussing 'Little Failure', and our dear friend NIKESH SHUKLA, an arse so smart that he provokes in most an involuntary tug of the forelock. Have you read his new novel 'Meatspace' yet? You really should. There's also great music from JAKE ISAAC. Patrick and Elliott are not clever. Some people think they just play thick from some misplaced desire to fit into to an increasingly asinine world. These people are wrong.

The 65th Book Slam Podcast is chock full of fascinating content undermined by some rather low rent banter and lousy production. Sorry. Guests include the brilliant JONATHAN LETHEM, reading from and discussing 'Dissident Gardens', DOMINIC FRISBY describing 'Life After The State' and fabulous music from LAURA GROVES. Elliott's just been for a run, Patrick turns up his nose.

The 64th podcast from Book Slam, London's best night of word and music, is an unusually entertaining one. It features Patrick's hero and satirist for hire, ANDY ZALTZMAN, a song from the excellent, SIVU, and an extract from the phenomenon that is CHUCK PALAHNIUK's story, 'Romance'. Patrick's a little giggly, Elliott's altogether more composed.

The 63rd Book Slam Podcast is noted in society for its hosts' exquisite good taste and pop cultural references from the 1990s (Teddy Riley anyone?). This episode features BERNARDINE EVARISTO reading from 'Mr Loverman', one of our most favouritest novels of recent years, the righteous poetry of DEAN ATTA, and exquisite music from AYANNA WITTER-JOHNSON. Patrick says, 'Am I the man from Del Monte?' Elliott says, 'Not so much.'

The 62nd Book Slam Podcast is fuller than a family bucket and arguably more sustaining. It features DBC Pierre, reading from and discussing the brilliant 'Petit Mal', Michael Smith introducing us to 'Unreal City', music from Thabo and The Real Deal, comedy from Matt Okine,and the ineffable Salena Godden's memoir, 'Springfield Road'. Elliott and Patrick reunite in a London studio for the first time in months to remarkably familiar effect.

Book Slam's 61st podcast is a transcontinental miracle of modern technology, which visits Lausanne, the 1960s and a festival Wilderness all via the magic of Skype. Guests include William Bond Boyd, discussing and reading from 'Solo', and Emylia Hall, introducing us to her new novel, 'A Heart Bent Out Of Shape'. Music comes from Lewis Floyd Henry and there's original poetry from Chris Head. Patrick is somewhat incoherent down the line from Zimbabwe, Elliott is somewhat incoherent.

The 60th Book Slam podcast has a sensibility both African and diasporic, featuring artists from our collaboration with the London African Music Festival. They include Noo Saro-Wiwa, reading from and discussing her brilliant book 'Looking For Transwonderland: Travels In Nigeria', plus poetry from Trinidadian maestro Roger Robinson and gifted Zimbabwean newcomer Belinda Zhawi. Patrick is struggling to stay relevant, Elliott struggling to care.

Book Slam's 59th podcast takes a trip down memory lane in the company of comedian and writer Viv Groskop, with whom Patrick once worked on a 'leading men's lifestyle periodical'. She subsequently went on to better things including her book 'I Laughed, I Cried'. Also featured is the remarkable Simon Rich who was one of the youngest ever writers on Saturday Night Live and looks considerably younger than that. He reads from the excellent 'The Last Girlfriend On Earth'. There is also magical music from Ana Silvera while Patrick waxes lyrical and Elliott simply wanes.

The 58th Book Slam Podcast finds Elliott abandoned and alone. He appears unfazed. He introduces spoken word from the quite brilliant TALIA RANDALL, plus readings from and interviews with MATT RUDD, author of 'The English: A Field Guide', and singer, broadcaster and now author, CERYS MATTHEWS. Check out Cerys's passion for songs and songwriting - she's an impressive lady. Patrick is not there, Elliott is not all there.

Book Slam's 57th Podcast is, frankly, one of our better ones. It features a brilliant reading from his novel 'Coconut Unlimited' by our old friend NIKESH SHUKLA; an excellent interview with WILL SELF, a man who puts the 'brio' into 'lugubriousness'; comedy from the SARA PASCOE; and beautiful music from GEORGE EZRA. Elliott is funny ha ha, Patrick is funny peculiar.

The 56th Book Slam Podcast includes MATT HAIG expressing an alien view of 'The Humans', ROSS SUTHERLAND dedicating a poem to someone very special, simply beautiful music from the extraordinary SOAK, and CAITLIN MORAN on being late for the Prime Minister. Patrick is taking ibuprofen, Elliott notes that the drugs don't work.

Book Slam's 55th Podcast features talk of 'cankles', the oxymoronic nature of self-help, and esoteric idiom. HADLEY FREEMAN reads from 'Be Awesome: Modern Life For Modern Ladies', PATRICK NESS introduces us to his briliant new novel, 'The Crane Wife', and MOHSIN HAMID is 'Filthy Rich In Rising Asia'. There's even truly beautiful music from the remarkable NADINE SHAH. Elliott is the Reverend William Archibald Spooner, Patrick is Mrs Malaprop. 

The 54th Book Slam Podcast is a brief madness, but no less angry for that. NIALL GRIFFITHS reads from his latest novel, 'A Great Big Shining Star', and explains why he's no misanthropist but high on life, SARA PASCOE's not feeling herself (but her boyfriend may be) and OLIVIA CHANEY just plain blew off our pop socks. Elliott's joined in the studio by SALENA GODDEN (pictured): they have more chemistry than copper sulphate.