# Ask Penguin

A podcast by Penguin Books UK. What should I read next? Ask Penguin is the podcast where your quirkiest, trickiest, and most urgent book questions get answered. Hosted by Rhianna Dhillon, we bring bestselling authors and Penguin insiders to explore some of your favourite books and discover new ones that you are yet to read. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feed: https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/d2a69c65-3300-4484-abcb-ea3e7d712478

## Latest episodes

- [Is death metal the secret to writing a bestseller? with Elif Shafak](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/56a8e4a220cf) (2026-10-14, 53 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/6ace358beea51f2aa39dc261/media.mp3
- [How do you adapt East of Eden for screen?](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/22bdf9cfedfa) (2026-09-30, 20 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/6abbbecb8ec4e79ce64b868a/media.mp3
- [How can I help someone fall in love with reading? with Nadia Shireen and Jonathan Douglas](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/8f91d36a8f12) (2026-07-15, 47 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/6a57a13ae743c69800ea637d/media.mp3
- [Which books help us reconnect with nature? with Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/bf0bd043acaf) (2026-07-01, 58 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/6a45384ce80d75fcb87cc834/media.mp3
- [What's wrong with reading to look smart? with Abir Mukherjee](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/25733feae186) (2026-06-17, 59 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/6a03315bece5b71f1f71b70c/media.mp3
- [Which debut novels should you be reading in 2026?](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/fc55e57e1dfe) (2026-06-03, 52 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/6a2003d5f8e85cfadac05b83/media.mp3
- [Which books emotionally wrecked you? With Dawn French](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/fc997c7ae17f) (2026-05-20, 59 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/6a0dd60711eba3cf15f743d9/media.mp3
- [What are the best novels about infidelity? With Sophie Mackintosh](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/e2f7b7f5039c) (2026-05-06, 42 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/69fb4c747272023359a158ce/media.mp3
- [What is a must-read book to make me laugh? With Bryony Gordon](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/a0d992625b65) (2026-04-22, 48 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/69e8e6ed1e1e81236407718b/media.mp3
- [Why I wanted to adapt Wuthering Heights with Emerald Fennell](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/783b5c6a8a5a) (2026-02-13, 68 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/698b6264ba80cf1ecb08c6b4/media.mp3
- [What secrets does Jane Austen's house hold?](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/0066cd4201b1) (2025-12-18, 27 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/69416c207e21d19ff2223155/media.mp3
- [What were the best books of 2025?](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/01cb02cd8afe) (2025-12-11, 41 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/69399e280e4329eef02ebdf8/media.mp3
- [What makes a setting feel so vivid it becomes a character? With Paula Hawkins](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/d6986bf18da2) (2025-12-04, 51 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/692f05727e5e771058ac40a1/media.mp3
- [What is the best translated fiction to read? With Karl Ove Knausgaard](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/982f60d976c1) (2025-11-20, 52 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/691ca8427b9e972a6b1de336/media.mp3
- [Why are generations at war with each other? With Zadie Smith](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/85da9b259fc1) (2025-11-06, 57 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/690a41dc68ccec9b8e9ff9b2/media.mp3
- [Is never growing up the secret to great storytelling? With Philip Pullman](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/0c855a4826fb) (2025-10-30, 43 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/68f8e8806ab78b4d43c54cea/media.mp3
- [Is Jane Austen's legacy more than just romantic love? With Andrew Hunter Murray and Gill Hornby](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/11aa0f30d0ff) (2025-10-15, 51 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/68ee59a8ead096a610ab18ac/media.mp3
- [Why do we still laugh when times are hard? With Ocean Vuong](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/601972dbda60) (2025-10-01, 54 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/68dd35456d92c33f9cc7f21e/media.mp3
- [Which books shocked and shaped our society? With Simon Prosser and Jack Edwards](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/92edceddd305) (2025-09-03, 66 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/68b86540b4b4b9b3d2e762d7/media.mp3
- [Which books defined a generation? with Irvine Welsh and Derek Owusu](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/5cfc6fd72a59) (2025-08-05, 48 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/68937c7eeef665d629c51caa/media.mp3
- [How did penguin turn the UK into a nation of readers? with Kate Mosse](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/c81e1a7e13cb) (2025-07-29, 56 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/6888ec9f4ef63abd0cee8ca5/media.mp3
- [What should you read this summer? With Anthony Horowitz](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/37aa9f3d0976) (2025-06-19, 48 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/6824b3b6a9ce4d369412891c/media.mp3
- [What can fiction teach us about queer history? with Charlie Porter](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/4ae751d478c8) (2025-06-05, 43 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/6824b394a9ce4d3694127d57/media.mp3
- [What are the best book club books? with Yrsa Daley-Ward](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/5d230e835403) (2025-05-22, 51 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/6824b368a9ce4d36941271c1/media.mp3
- [What are the must read debut novelists of the year? (2025)](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/5eeb96ec8500) (2025-05-08, 43 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/681b8bb73e6644d7a3603999/media.mp3
- [What are the best romance books? With Emily Henry](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/e54176145643) (2025-04-24, 39 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/6808f75362faec0e0ac0f50d/media.mp3
- [Why are children’s books so much fun to read? with Greg James and Chris Smith](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/5a18d26b6eba) (2025-04-10, 37 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/67f6962a02787319784b9489/media.mp3
- [Ask Penguin Series 2 Trailer](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/cdaddc64eae9) (2025-04-03, 1 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/67ed4b197401961729861209/media.mp3
- [Jodi Picoult on the theory behind Shakespeare’s plays](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/a399164cf62b) (2025-01-24, 7 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/67925dff850b1ddbd30b52d5/media.mp3
- [A day in the life of a Publicist with Alison Barrow](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/176b0ce42526) (2025-01-23, 9 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/678fab2bd186489b1476839b/media.mp3
- [The human experience and AI with Jeanette Winterson](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/4c268a5db14a) (2025-01-22, 9 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/678ce5415dd9c67f17be1e2e/media.mp3
- [A day in the life of a Books Editor with Simon Prosser](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/6963766f8c39) (2025-01-21, 9 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/678ce48d5c9549fc00b85c9e/media.mp3
- [How to tackle reading the big Classics with Henry Eliot](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/e7066c6e4ec1) (2025-01-20, 8 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/6788db43352b1f918dd79a0d/media.mp3
- [What are the best books of the year? (2024)](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/410231949bbc) (2024-12-19, 12 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/675ae76dc8d884607ca9c387/media.mp3
- [What are the best Winter reads? with Jeanette Winterson](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/fe00b6161633) (2024-12-12, 36 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/67581e5b102e6d4448bab44a/media.mp3
- [How do we best preserve the history of World Wars? With Al James, Terry Deary and James Holland](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/175ea721619c) (2024-12-05, 49 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/67237160ef013310c71bbcac/media.mp3
- [How do you become a published author, anyway? with Jennie Godfrey](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/a85496205d61) (2024-11-28, 41 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/6745fb2a3b4b27092b751cd9/media.mp3
- [What are the best books to gift at Christmas? with William Hanson](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/2f29fcf25eb2) (2024-11-21, 48 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/673c9cc075e6ea9d68980f42/media.mp3
- [Could Shakespeare have been a woman? with Jodi Picoult](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/b114ed0a154e) (2024-11-14, 43 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/67336e0616fd6db3c5435eab/media.mp3
- [Was the book better than the film? with Robert Harris](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/8af60c79a0bb) (2024-11-07, 27 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/672399280e172486e43ed623/media.mp3
- [How do you plot the perfect murder mystery? with Kate Atkinson](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/676ff3b953ed) (2024-10-31, 25 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/6720bdcb8c8e0138f0c41421/media.mp3
- [Do ghost stories still have the power to scare us? with Daisy Johnson](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/af96131d2582) (2024-10-24, 31 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/67179a6d83ac9fccacb795f7/media.mp3
- [How do we define a classic novel? With Henry Eliot and Gill Hornby](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/479cc44b4a12) (2024-10-16, 44 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/6710188f95a9a20475aa19b7/media.mp3
- [Who gets to write African History? with Zainab Badawi](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/ec48978821e4) (2024-10-10, 30 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/67053e72d649b24958f2e035/media.mp3
- [What are some of the best prize-winning books to read? With Sara Collins](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/a6730ab793fe) (2024-10-08, 38 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/66fbff55cb6b8e9ccc3237a8/media.mp3
- [Ask Penguin Trailer](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/16b7d688da83) (2024-09-26, 1 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/66f4151ac7d3a08180b7596c/media.mp3
- [The Best Of the Penguin Podcast 2023](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/6de05c272c6e) (2023-12-27, 37 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/657aed6e3d9b37001729a809/media.mp3
- [Sebastian Faulks with Nihal Arthanayake](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/56d8bd45a238) (2023-12-20, 43 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/657adfc2ab94d400169acad7/media.mp3
- [C Pam Zhang with Nihal Arthanayake](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/b16303e11a55) (2023-12-06, 46 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/656f0cf61ce7dc00125a9581/media.mp3
- [Peter Singer with Nihal Arthanayake](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/89411073/d42e431347fa) (2023-11-22, 53 min): audio https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/thepenguinpodcast/e/655c7ca64152300012437cdf/media.mp3

Shows are listed from Apple Podcasts' charts and directory, and Podcast Index where it is used. Every show and episode belongs to its publisher and plays from the publisher's own feed; this site hosts none of them.