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The TLS Podcast

The TLS
Literature
Shakespeare
Edna O'brien
Poetry
Dylan Thomas
Gardening
Virginia Woolf
Jane Austen
World War II
Paris
Psychedelics
Charles Dickens
Irish Women's Representation
Booker Prize
Brexit
Translation
Mental Health
Han Kang
Nobel Prize In Literature
James Baldwin

A weekly podcast on books and culture brought to you by the writers and editors of the Times Literary Supplement.

To read more, welcome to the TLS.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes672Founded12 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CultureFiction

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Latest Episodes

This week, we look back at some of the year's highlights, and illuminating conversations about rest, relaxation and reading with Emily Herring and Christy Edwall.

Produced by Charlotte Pardy

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informat... more

This week, we look back at some of the year's highlights, and illuminating conversations with Joanna Kavenna and Nick Enfield.

Produced by Charlotte Pardy

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, A. E. Stallings takes stock of Christopher Nolan's Odyssey, a  “thrilling combination of seemingly opposite tendencies”; and Sam Riviere reads us a new poem

'The Odyssey', directed by Christopher Nolan

'Warm War' by Sam Riviere

Produced... more

Before we turn the page on July, here's a look back at some of the conversations from this month's episodes on The TLS Podcast.

In this month's TLS Highlights, Hannah Lowe reads a new poem with a botanical theme; Claire Harman explores the self-poss... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Joanna Kavenna
Author of Seven (Seven, novel)
Author
Episode: Summer Games
A. E. Stallings
Oxford Professor of Poetry, poet and translator
University of Oxford
Episode: A wine-dark Western?
Sam Riviere
Poet, novelist, and publisher
Faber & Faber
Episode: A wine-dark Western?
Geoff Dyer
Author and TLS Ackley Prize winner
TLS
Episode: Moving Pictures
Ben Street
Author and academic, reviewer for TLS
TLS
Episode: Moving Pictures
Claire Harman
Literary critic and reviewer of Emily Brontë material culture
The TLS
Episode: Earthing Emily
Carrie Cracknell
Director of Arcadia (West End production)
Theatre; Arcadia production
Episode: The Art of Chaos
Hirsh Sawhney
The TLS's reviewer
TLS
Episode: The Art of Chaos
Scarlett Baron
Writer/reviewer on Joyce and Burgess
The TLS
Episode: Economies of Scale

Hosts

Alex Clarke
Host of The TLS Podcast, TLS (Times Literary Supplement)
Lucy Dallas
Host of The TLS Podcast, Arts editor and co-host
Toby Lichtig
TLS contributor, books editor on TLS contributor picks for summer

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 595 ratings
  • Intelligent and pleasant

    Intelligent chatter in a pleasant mood.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Flodysseus
    Germany4 months ago
  • If only they would focus on the substance

    Good guests and interviews but the opening chit chat between the two main hosts is not for me. I avoid podcasts which are more about the interaction between hosts than substance. I don’t care what these two have been up to in the last week. I fast forward past the small talk, which absolutely does not make me feel like part of their gang, to get to the point with this one if the topic looks worthwhile. The chatter does decrease once they get down to business but even so..

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Lacwn
    United Kingdom9 months ago
  • Audio quality is poor

    Almost always interesting literary discussions but the audio quality is so bad. Get a new audio engineer.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Manila Ph listener
    Philippines2 years ago
  • Fine once you get to the substance

    Good guests and interviews but the opening chit chat is not for me. I avoid podcasts which are more about the interaction between hosts than substance. I fast forward past the small talk to get to the point with this one. The chatter does cease once they get down to business

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Lacwn
    United Kingdom2 years ago
  • great show in spite of the awful jarring theme music

    Podcast Addict
    4
    Elan Mask
    2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise intelligent, thoughtful discourse and engaging guests.
The show's mix of criticism, publishing culture, and live event insights is a distinctive strength.
Audio quality and production occasionally cited as inconsistent by critics.
Some appreciate the warm host banter but others dislike lengthy preambles and ad breaks.
Guests and TLS connections are a strong draw for literature-focused audiences.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

July Highlights
Q: How do you ensure the actors convey the dense ideas with enough clarity for the audience?
By having the actors deeply understand the material, resisting the urge to overcomplicate, and using a shared sense of purpose to guide their delivery so the audience can follow the core human connections.
July Highlights
Q: Why did you decide to revisit Arcadia now and what drew you to directing it?
The decision was rooted in the play's enduring resonance and the director's appreciation for its intellectual depth, combined with a desire to bring its emotional and philosophical energy to a contemporary stage.
Earthing Emily
Q: Tell us how Deborah Lutz's approach to Emily Brontë differs from traditional biographies.
Lutz concentrates on the material world—objects, the house, rooms, and manuscripts—to tell Emily's story, offering a strong sense of the physical and historical context rather than relying solely on literary criticism or gossip.
Food fights
Q: How do the books discussed frame food as a political instrument in Ukraine?
They show food as both a personal sustenance act and a broader political symbol, illustrating how families navigate famine, war, and occupation, while also highlighting communal efforts to sustain civilians and soldiers alike.
Live From the Hay Festival: Toby talks to Colm Tóibín
Q: Could you talk about ending a short story, which is a real problem for you as you've described?
He explains that endings must feel earned and that moving from the fixed past into a space of possible futures is a key technique, sometimes illustrated by hearing a critic describe how endings in his work function, which he then revisits.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The TLS Podcast

What is The TLS Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A thoughtful, literature-forward show that blends author interviews, literary criticism, and cultural commentary. Episodes often orbit novels, poetry, and theatre, with occasional forays into film, journalism, and publishing culture. The hosts' warm, witty banter provides a comfortable entry point into deep dives on craft, memory, and material culture, while guests range from poets and novelists to critics, editors, and theatre practitioners. The format tends to pair accessible book-talk with rigorous insights, making it well suited for listeners who love literature, literary history, and thoughtful cultural analysis. A notable strength is the thoughtful curation of guests who bring both scholarly gravitas and practical storytelling, though... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The TLS Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The TLS Podcast:

1. London Review Bookshop Podcast
2. The LRB Podcast
3. Close Readings
4. The Book Club
5. Backlisted

How many episodes of The TLS Podcast are there?

The TLS Podcast launched 12 years ago and published 672 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The TLS Podcast?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The TLS Podcast?

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What guests have appeared on The TLS Podcast?

Recent guests on The TLS Podcast include:

1. Joanna Kavenna
2. A. E. Stallings
3. Sam Riviere
4. Geoff Dyer
5. Ben Street
6. Claire Harman
7. Carrie Cracknell
8. Hirsh Sawhney

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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