Rephonic
Artwork for Little Atoms

Little Atoms

Neil Denny
Art
Colonialism
Grief
Folklore
It Comes From the River
Land Of Hope
Literature
Climate Change
London
Ireland
A Flat Place
Identity
Guy Trash
Old Soul
Age Of Discovery
Violence
Nature
Divorce
The End Of Drum-Time
The Coast Road

Little Atoms is a weekly show about books, with authors in conversation. Produced and presented by Neil Denny.

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

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes728Founded18 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CultureFiction

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Little Atoms

Latest Episodes

Elif Shafak is an award-winning British Turkish novelist, whose work has been translated into fifty-seven languages. The author of twenty books, fourteen of which are novels, she was awarded the Halldór Laxness Prize for her contribution to the art o... more

Hernan Diaz is the Sunday Times bestselling author of Trust, which won the Pulitzer Prize and was longlisted for the Booker Prize. It was named one of The New York Times’s 100 Best Books of the Century. His previous novel, In the Distance, was a fina... more

Isabel Allende is one of the most widely read authors in the world, having sold more than seventy-seven million books. Born in Peru and raised in Chile, Isabel won worldwide acclaim in 1982 with the publication of her first novel, The House of the Sp... more

Louise Kennedy grew up a few miles from Belfast. She is the author of the acclaimed short-story collection, The End of the World Is a Cul de Sac, which won the John McGahern Prize. Her debut novel Trespasses, published in 2022, has been translated in... 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.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Poured Over
Poured OverBarnes & Noble
The Book Club
The Book ClubThe Spectator
The LRB Podcast
The LRB PodcastThe London Review of Books
Front Row
Front RowBBC Radio 4

Recent Guests

Elif Shafak
British-Turkish novelist and President of the Royal Society of Literature
Royal Society of Literature
Episode: Little Atoms 1008 - Elif Shafak's In One Brief Moment All Eternity
Hernan Diaz
Author of Ply
Author, Ply
Episode: Little Atoms 1007 - Hernan Diaz's Ply
Isabel Allende
Author and storyteller, author of Storytelling, A Masterclass in Crafting Stories
Self-employed (author)
Episode: Little Atoms 1006 - Isabel Allende's Storytelling
Louise Kennedy
Author
Author of Stations and Trespasses
Episode: Little Atoms 1005 - Louise Kennedy's Stations
China Miéville
Author of The Rouse
Episode: Little Atoms 1004 - China Miéville's The Rouse
Fatima Bhutto
Author
Author of The Hour of the Wolf
Episode: Little Atoms 1003 - Fatima Bhutto's The Hour of The Wolf
Marlon James
Author of The Disappearers, Booker Prize winner for A Brief History of Seven Killings
Author; Hamish Hamilton (UK)
Episode: Little Atoms 1002 - Marlon James' The Disappearers
Sarah Polley
Filmmaker, author of Run Towards The Danger
Author, Filmmaker
Episode: Little Atoms Archive - Sarah Polley's Run Towards The Danger
Maggie O'Farrell
Author of The Marriage Portrait
Episode: Little Atoms Archive - Maggie O'Farrell's The Marriage Portrait

Host

Neil Denny
Host of Little Atoms; conducts author interviews and leads weekly conversations about books and ideas.

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 249 ratings
  • Fascinating and gentle

    I LOVE this podcast for finding new books to read, hearing new ideas, and tuning out of the chaos of the world around me. I have so many downloaded for long journeys or nights I can’t get to sleep. Thank you Neil Denny!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Beccy2019
    United Kingdom8 months ago
  • So Interesting & Very Rewarding

    This is an excellent podcast. Neil, the presenter is very personable, relates well with all the authors interviewed, which makes each episode a rewarding and a relaxing listen.

    Each episode does encourage me to read the book discussed with the most recent one being so good.

    Thank you, thank you.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    PineGroveCharlie
    United Kingdom2 years ago
  • Inspiring

    Really inspiring content. Should be on everyone’s top podcast list! So glad I stumbled across this.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    tyupgdtt33
    United Kingdom7 years ago
  • Wow

    What a great podcast series. Loved every single episode 👍

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    madeintaiwa
    United Kingdom7 years ago
  • Always interesting

    Every episode of LA is worth listening to. There’s always some really interesting insight to take away. Always something to change how you think about the world. Can’t recommend it enough.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    iamjamesward
    United Kingdom8 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners praise the thoughtful, calm interviewing style and depth of questions.
Fans value the breadth of guests and the book recommendations they provide.
Feedback highlights variable audio quality but consistently strong interviews.

Top Society & Culture Podcasts

How To Fail With Elizabeth Day
How To Fail With Elizabeth DayElizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment
Uncanny
UncannyBBC Radio 4
Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth
Rosebud with Gyles BrandrethGyles Brandreth / Plain Jaine Media
SAS: The Shadow War
SAS: The Shadow WarThe Independent / Aurra Studios
The Affair…with Anna Williamson
The Affair…with Anna WilliamsonThe Affair…with Anna Williamson
Anything Goes with James English
Anything Goes with James EnglishAnything Goes with James English

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Little Atoms 1008 - Elif Shafak's In One Brief Moment All Eternity
Q: If the purpose of praying is to commune with God, the purpose of writing and reading fiction is to commune with others, and I just wanted you to just expand on that idea a little bit more.
Shafak distinguishes autobiographical writing from what she calls transcendental writing. Fiction lets people travel into another person's psyche, move beyond the limits of their own identity and discover other ways of seeing and living.
Little Atoms 1008 - Elif Shafak's In One Brief Moment All Eternity
Q: Tell us then, first of all, how you would describe this novel.
Shafak says the novel began with her questions about literature and creativity during periods of crisis. It imagines Flaubert's life through 30 female voices and is also a story about a lonely boy who finds companionship in books and art.
Little Atoms 1007 - Hernan Diaz's Ply
Q: Would you tell us first of all how you would describe this novel?
Diaz explains that Ply began with a speculative angle on technology but ultimately centers on intimacy, subjectivity, and the space between people, exploring how I relates to you and how selfhood is formed.
Little Atoms Archive - Sarah Polley's Run Towards The Danger
Q: What did you learn about childhood acting and safeguarding children on set?
Polley emphasizes first-priority attention to the child's wellbeing, with on-set protections, union oversight, and clear protocols to prevent harm and misalignment between artistic goals and a child's health.
Little Atoms Archive - Sarah Polley's Run Towards The Danger
Q: What happened with the concussion and how did the treatment change you?
She details a multi-faceted Pittsburgh program that re-engaged her with stimuli and movement, leading to a dramatic reduction in symptoms and a broader philosophy of approaching fears head-on.

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 Little Atoms

What is Little Atoms about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show centers on in-depth author conversations, often exploring how historical contexts, mythology, and literary craft shape contemporary fiction and non-fiction. Guests range from prize‑winning novelists to writers investigating true crime, history, and cultural commentary, with episodes that pair rigorous research with intimate discussions of craft, process, and thematic resonance. A recurring strength is the way interviews illuminate how authors translate archival material, myth, or real events into compelling narrative, while foregrounding the human voices behind the pages. A standout trait is the breadth of guests across literary fiction, history, and culture, offering podcast listeners thoughtful perspectives, behind‑the‑scenes wr... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Little Atoms?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Little Atoms. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Little Atoms and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Little Atoms get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Little Atoms, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Little Atoms?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Little Atoms, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Little Atoms have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Little Atoms has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Little Atoms?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Little Atoms:

1. Poured Over
2. The TLS Podcast
3. The Book Club
4. The LRB Podcast
5. Front Row

How many episodes of Little Atoms are there?

Little Atoms launched 18 years ago and published 728 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 Little Atoms?

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 Little Atoms?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Little Atoms from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Little Atoms?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Little Atoms. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Little Atoms?

Recent guests on Little Atoms include:

1. Elif Shafak
2. Hernan Diaz
3. Isabel Allende
4. Louise Kennedy
5. China Miéville
6. Fatima Bhutto
7. Marlon James
8. Sarah Polley

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.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days