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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.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes732Founded18 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CultureFiction

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Artwork for Little Atoms

Latest Episodes

Sheila Armstrong is a writer from the north-west of Ireland. She is the author of the short story collection How to Gut a Fish and the novel Falling Animals. On this episode of Little Atoms she talks to Neil Denny about her latest novel The Red Mouth... more

Nick Harkaway is the author of the novels Gnomon, The Gone-Away World, Angelmaker, Tigerman, Titanium Noir and Karla's Choice. He is the son of John le Carré. On this episode of Little Atoms he talks to Neil Denny about his latest novel The Taper Man... more

Philip Hensher is the prizewinning author of twelve novels, and the editor of The Penguin Book of the British Short Story (in two volumes) and of The Penguin Book of the Contemporary British Short Story. He is Professor of Creative Writing at Bath Sp... more

A.K. Blakemore is a poet and novelist. Her debut novel, The Manningtree Witches, won the Desmond Elliott Prize for Best First Novel and was shortlisted for the Costa and RSL Ondaatje Prizes. Her second, The Glutton, was a New York Times Editors’ Choi... more

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Recent Guests

Nick Harkaway
Novelist and son of John le Carré
Episode: Little Atoms 1011 - Nick Harkaway's The Taper Man
Philip Hensher
Prizewinning novelist, editor and Professor of Creative Writing at Bath Spa University
Bath Spa University
Episode: Little Atoms 1010 - Philip Hensher's A History of the Novel in Britain
A. K. Blakemore
Poet and novelist, author of The Manningtree Witches, The Glutton, and Doom Painting
Granta
Episode: Little Atoms 1009 - A. K. Blakemore's Doom Painting
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

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 Kingdom9 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.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Little Atoms 1011 - Nick Harkaway's The Taper Man
Q: What do you think the character of George Smiley means to a contemporary audience?
Harkaway says Smiley can make meaning from chaos, but emphasizes that compassion is his defining quality. Smiley seeks a moral outcome in vexed situations and uses compassion as his guide.
Little Atoms 1011 - Nick Harkaway's The Taper Man
Q: How would you describe the novel?
Harkaway describes it as an espionage story in which an operation launched against the protagonists may be turned against the enemy. Smiley investigates a historic Karla operation from Los Angeles, while Roy Bland investigates its other end in Leningrad.
Little Atoms 1010 - Philip Hensher's A History of the Novel in Britain
Q: Why did you make the decision to end the book at the turn of the century, in 2000?
Hensher found that earlier histories were often insightful about novels written well before publication but consistently misjudged their contemporaries. He chose to avoid making claims about which recent writers would endure and to give earlier novelists room for proper consideration.
Little Atoms 1010 - Philip Hensher's A History of the Novel in Britain
Q: Where did the project come from?
Hensher says his editor at Penguin commissioned the history after their work together on literary introductions and British short-story anthologies. He wanted to address not only literary criticism but also the business, legal and publishing forces that shaped novels.
Little Atoms 1009 - A. K. Blakemore's Doom Painting
Q: So what ultimately did this revolt achieve do you think? Or what changed in England after it?
Blakemore says the revolt may have contributed to serfdom ending earlier in England than elsewhere in Europe, discouraged later poll taxes, and left a lasting radical political legacy despite being suppressed.

Audience Metrics

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

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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

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Which podcasts are similar to Little Atoms?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Little Atoms:

1. London Review Bookshop Podcast
2. Between The Covers : Conversations with Writers in Fiction, Nonfiction & Poetry
3. The TLS Podcast
4. The Waterstones Podcast
5. Take Four Books

How many episodes of Little Atoms are there?

Little Atoms launched 18 years ago and published 732 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Little Atoms?

Recent guests on Little Atoms include:

1. Nick Harkaway
2. Philip Hensher
3. A. K. Blakemore
4. Elif Shafak
5. Hernan Diaz
6. Isabel Allende
7. Louise Kennedy
8. China Miéville

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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