Podcasts · Arts · Education

The Book Club

Goalhanger

39 episodes

The Book Club, hosted by Dominic Sandbrook and Tabitha Syrett, brings the historical context behind famous books to life. Each week, the hosts explore a classic or contemporary title, unpacking the world in which it was written and the story behind its author. This is not your typical literature podcast: The Book Club educates AND entertains, leaving you knowing some of the greatest stories ever told.

Episodes

  1. 38. The Truth Behind Stephen King’s The Shining

    · 1 h 20 min · S1 E38

    How did Stephen King's stay in a ghostly hotel in Colorado inspire The Shining? Is Stanley Kubrick's iconic movie a faithful adaptation? And, is King a good writer? Join Dominic Sandbrook and Tabitha Syrett as they…

  2. 37. Dostoevsky’s Russian Masterpiece: White Nights

    · 1 h 19 min · S1 E37

    Who was Fyodor Dostoevsky? Was White Nights his masterpiece? And, how did the world of 19th century Russia influence his writing? Join Dominic Sandbrook and Tabitha Syrett as they delve into the fascinating story…

  3. 36. The Bell Jar: Sylvia Plath’s Tragedy

    · 1 h 34 min · S1 E36

    How did the paranoia of 1950s McCarthyist America shape Sylvia Plath? Why was The Bell Jar the poet's only novel? And, what was the truth of her relationship with fellow poet Ted Hughes? Join Dominic Sandbrook and…

  4. 35. Goldfinger: The Ultimate James Bond Novel

    · 1 h 15 min · S1 E35

    Why did James Bond appeal to 1950s Britain? Is Goldfinger hopelessly out of date? And, who really inspired the titular villain? Join Dominic Sandbrook and Tabitha Syrett as they delve into the fascinating story behind…

  5. 34. American Psycho: Murder, Trump, and New York City

    · 1 h 13 min · S1 E34

    Why was the book so heavily censored on publication? Is the novel gratuitously violent? And, what happened when Tabby met Bret Easton Ellis? Join Dominic Sandbrook and Tabitha Syrett as they delve into the fascinating…

  6. 33. Jane Eyre: The Best Brontë Novel?

    · 1 h 22 min · S1 E33

    Why is Jane Eyre a romantic classic? Who was Charlotte Brontë? And, what social critiques lie in the heart of the novel? Join Dominic Sandbrook and Tabitha Syrett as they delve into the fascinating story behind the…

  7. 32. A Month In The Country: Is This The Greatest Novella Ever Written?

    · 1 h 05 min · Episode 32

    How did the First World War affect the British soldier survivors? Is this pastoral novella one of the UK's best books? How did J L Carr's Yorkshire upbringing impact the setting and tone of the story? Join Dominic…

  8. 31. Lord Of The Flies: Survival Of The Fittest

    · 1 h 18 min · S1 E31

    How did William Golding’s experience in the Second World War inspire Lord Of The Flies? Why was the novel initially rejected by publishers? And, what does it say it about the fragile nature of society? Download the…

  9. 30. Lolita: Nabokov’s Twisted Masterpiece?

    · 1 h 32 min · S1 E30

    Who was Vladimir Nabokov? Why is Lolita so controversial? And, what was the reaction to its publication? Join Dominic Sandbrook and Tabitha Syrett as they delve into the story behind Lolita, and the novel itself.…

  10. 29. Rebecca: Daphne du Maurier’s Gothic Epic

    · 1 h 10 min · S1 E30

    How did Daphne du Maurier use her own experience to write the chilling events of Rebecca? Who is the sinister Mrs Danvers? And, what really happened to Rebecca? Join Dominic Sandbrook and Tabitha Syrett as they delve…

  11. 28. Hemingway’s Spanish Civil War: For Whom The Bell Tolls

    · 1 h 20 min · Episode 28

    How did the Spanish Civil War inspire one of Ernest Hemingway’s greatest novels? Why was Hemingway so captivated by Spain? And, were the characters of For Whom The Bell Tolls inspired by real people? Join Dominic…

  12. 27. Brave New World: The Dystopia That Came True?

    · 1 h 23 min · S1 E27

    How does Aldous Huxley satirise roaring twenties America? Is a Brave New World more realistic than 1984? And, what is the novel's Shakespearean connection? Join Dominic Sandbrook and Tabitha Syrett as they delve into…

  13. 26. Mafia and Mystery: Is ‘My Brilliant Friend’ the Greatest Novel of the Century?

    · 1 h 13 min · S1 E26

    What does My Brilliant Friend tell us about the dark underbelly of Italian society after the Second World War? Who is the mysterious Elena Ferrante? And, how did she craft a heartbreaking parable of escape and love?…

  14. 25. The Thirty-Nine Steps: The First James Bond

    · 1 h 13 min · S1 E25

    How did the First World War inspire The 39 Steps? Why did John Buchan set the novel in Scotland? And, is the dashing protagonist Richard Hannay, a model for later Spy heroes? Join Dominic Sandbrook and Tabitha Syrett…

  15. 24. Jane Austen, Nazis and Murder: The Ultimate Summer Reading List

    · 40 min · Episode 24

    Which books should you take on your summer holiday? How have some of Dominic and Tabby’s favourite destinations shaped these novels? And, what makes a summer classic? Email us: thebookclub@goalhanger.com For…

  16. 23. The Odyssey Retold: Circe, Monsters and Myth

    · 1 h 10 min · Episode 23

    How does Madeline Miller re-work Greek mythology to explore women’s experience? Is Circe the best fantasy novel of the 2010s? And, why do we remain captivated by the world of ancient Greece? Join Dominic Sandbrook and…

  17. 22. The Leopard: The Greatest Historical Novel Ever Written?

    · 1 h 22 min · Episode 22

    How did Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa’s family story shape his only novel, The Leopard? Why is The Leopard considered an Italian masterpiece? And, who is the sexiest man ever written? Join Dominic Sandbrook and Tabitha…

  18. 21. The Wind In The Willows: How A Bedtime Story Became An Icon

    · 1 h 33 min · Episode 21

    How did Kenneth Grahame come up with the idea for The Wind In The Willows? Why was the novel initially rejected by publishers? And, what character would Tabby and Dominic be? Join Dominic Sandbrook and Tabitha Syrett…

  19. 20. Game of Thrones: The Horrifying True Story Behind A Song of Ice and Fire

    · 1 h 27 min · Episode 20

    What real-world historical events and figures inspired the political conflicts in Westeros? Is George R. R. Martin's A Game of Thrones better than J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings? And, is it likely that George…

  20. 19. Little Women: The Secret Sadness of a Classic

    · 1 h 17 min

    How did Louisa May Alcott break social and literary conventions? Is Little Women the first coming of age story in a novel? And, what do Tabby and Dominic think of Greta Gerwig’s 2019 film adaption? Join Dominic…

  21. 18. The Code Of The Woosters: The Funniest Book Ever Written?

    · 1 h 05 min · Episode 18

    How did P.G. Wodehouse become one of the most widely read humorists of the 20th century? Why have Jeeves and Wooster become such an iconic pairing? And, did P.G. Wodehouse collaborate with the Nazis? Join Dominic…

  22. 17. Oscar Wilde's Downfall: The Picture of Dorian Gray

    · 1 h 22 min · Episode 17

    How did the anxieties of late-Victorian Britain inspire Dorian Gray? Which real people lay behind the characters of Dorian Gray? What were the French Decadents, and how did they influence Wilde? Join Dominic Sandbrook…

  23. 16. The Hunger Games: Rebellion and Violence In Dystopian America

    · 1 h 16 min

    What does The Hunger Games say about the state of modern America? How did reality TV inspire The Hunger Games? Why did Suzanne Collin's novel become such a sensation with young adults? Join Dominic Sandbrook and…

  24. 15. Mrs Dalloway: Woolf, Sexuality, and Change

    · 1 h 24 min · Episode 15

    What does Mrs Dalloway express about female sexuality and experience? Why did its modernist style cause such controversy? And, what was Virginia Woolf really like? Join Dominic Sandbrook and Tabitha Syrett as they…

  25. 14. Beloved: Memory, Morrison, and Modern American Fiction

    · 1 h 20 min · Episode 14

    Who is Beloved, and what is the true historical story that inspired the novel? How does Toni Morrison use magical realism to explore the horror of Slavery? Why has Beloved become such a monumental piece of American…

  26. 13. The Woman In White: Victorians, Sensation, and Scandal

    · 1 h 12 min · Episode 13

    How did Wilkie Collins craft one of the earliest examples of detective fiction? What does The Woman In White reveal about the Victorian society? And, why did the novel cause such a sensation? Join Dominic Sandbrook…

  27. 12. A Court of Thorns and Roses: ''Fairy Smut'' or Fantasy Sensation?

    · 1 h 15 min · Episode 12

    How was ACOTAR inspired by traditional folklore? Why has the novel become such a mass sensation? And, what is Romantasy? Join Dominic Sandbrook and Tabitha Syrett as they delve into the fascinating story behind the…

  28. 11. The Hound of the Baskervilles: Mystery, Folklore, and Sherlock Holmes

    · 1 h 17 min · Episode 11

    The Hound of the Baskervilles: Mystery, Folklore, and Sherlock Holmes What is the true story that inspired Arthur Conan Doyle's best-seller? Why have there been so many portrayals of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson in…

  29. 10. East Of Eden: Steinbeck, Sin, and Redemption

    · 1 h 09 min · Episode 10

    Why did Steinbeck consider East of Eden his magnum opus? What does the novel reveal about human nature? How did Steinbeck interrogate early 20th century American society? Join Dominic Sandbrook and Tabitha Syrett as…

  30. 9. Normal People: Class, Ireland, and Heartbreak

    · 1 h 10 min · Episode 9

    Is Sally Rooney's hit novel really a love story? How does class division impact the love Marianne and Connell feel for each other? Is Rooney creating a relatable story of miscommunication during first loves, or a tale…

  31. 8. Northern Lights: Dogma, Destiny, and Dæmons

    · 1 h 18 min · Episode 8

    To what extent is Pullman’s novel a critique of organised religion? How was Northern Lights inspired by Milton's Paradise Lost? And, did Northern Lights reshape the landscape of modern children's literature? Join…

  32. 7. Frankenstein: Horror, Humanity, and Hubris

    · 1 h 16 min · Episode 7

    Did Mary Shelley create the first true science fiction novel? Is Frankenstein a philosophical fable? How did Frankenstein inspire countless more horror stories? Join Dominic Sandbrook and Tabitha Syrett as they delve…

  33. 6. The Secret History: Dark Academia, Greek Myth, and Murder

    · 1 h 23 min · Episode 6

    How does Donna Tartt combine gothic academia and greek mythology in her captivating debut novel? What do the characters tell us about the dark side of human nature? And, did her own university experience influence the…

  34. 5. Nineteen Eighty-Four: Big Brother, Surveillance, and Fear

    · 1 h 29 min · Episode 5

    Why is 1984 as relevant today as when it was published? Who is Big Brother, and why is he so powerful? What was George Orwell's intention when creating the world of 1984, and what does it tell us about politics today?…

  35. 4. Hamnet: Love, Grief, and Motherhood

    · 1 h 07 min · Episode 4

    How does Maggie O'Farrell create the historical figures of William Shakespeare and his wife, Agnes Hathaway, in her novel Hamnet? What does the film adaptation starring Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley do differently to…

  36. 3. The Great Gatsby: Old Money, Murder, and the American Dream

    · 1 h 08 min · Episode 3

    Was Daisy Buchanan, the object of Jay Gatsby’s obsessive love in the novel, inspired by the author’s own love life? What window does The Great Gatsby open onto 1920s America, with its Jazz, flappers, and bootlegging?…

  37. 2. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro: Cloning, Free Will, and Soulmates

    · 1 h 03 min · Episode 2

    What inspired Kazuo Ishiguro’s timeless story about mortality, growing up, and the human condition? How are its characters so relatable, and yet entirely unique? And, why does the dark secret at its heart challenge…

  38. 1. Wuthering Heights: Passion, Violence, and Revenge on the Moors

    · 1 h 01 min · Episode 1

    Why does Emily Brontë's novel, Wuthering Heights, have such an enduring romantic association? Is Heathcliff a romantic lead, or an abusive antihero? Are the characters aspirational in any way, or irredeemable? Join…

  39. The Book Club - Trailer

    · 1:44 · Trailer

    Do you want to learn more about some of the greatest stories ever told? Join Dominic Sandbrook, co-host of The Rest Is History, and Tabitha Syrett as they delve into the world of literature. Each week, our hosts look…

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