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Artwork for Simon Mayo's Books of the Year

Simon Mayo's Books of the Year

Bauer Media
Family Politics
Cuckooland
The House Of Mirrors
You Are Here
The Restless Republic
English Civil War
Oliver Cromwell
The Poison Tree
Kleptopia
Hunted
Live Aid
British Book Industry Awards
Writing
Libraries
Anna Trapnel
Charlotte Countess Of Derby
British Library
1650s
Alice
Erin Kelly

Simon Mayo & Matt Williams invite the world's finest authors in for a chat

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes293Founded8 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
BooksArts

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Simon Mayo's Books of the Year

Latest Episodes

Author Francis Spufford joins Simon and Matt for a natter about his processes, favourite authors, the ordering of his bookshelves and much more.

We also learn who he'd invite to his fantasy dinner party!

Francis Spufford joins Simon and Matt for a natter about his new novel, 'Nonesuch'. They talk about his fascination with The Blitz, his inspirations for the fantasmical parts of the story and how he melded two genres together.

They also discuss cra... more

International bestselling crime writer, Kathy Reichs, joins Simon and Matt for a chat about her latest Temperance Brennan novel.

They discuss taxidermy (Simon makes makes his feelings known!), forensic pathology, autopsies, animals, the origins of ... more

Bestselling author, Jennifer Niven, joins Simon and Matt to talk about the authors she admires, her writing process and the job she would have liked to do if she wasn't an author.

Simon and Matt also surprise Jennifer with a question from bestselli... more

Key Facts

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Number of Listeners
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Recent Guests

Francis Spufford
Acclaimed best selling author, writer of Nonesuch
Penguin Random House (publisher)
Episode: Francis Spufford
Kathy Reichs
Bestselling author and forensic anthropologist
Episode: Kathy Reichs
Jennifer Niven
Best-selling author of 'Meet The Newmans'
Episode: Jennifer Niven
Ann Cleeves
Best-selling crime novelist known for the Jimmy Perez series
Episode: Ann Cleeves
Jonathan Freedland
Top journalist and bestselling author
Episode: Jonathan Freedland
Ken Follett
Multi-million selling author, known for historical fiction such as "The Pillars Of The Earth".
Episode: Ken Follett
Callie Hart
International bestselling author and speaker
Episode: Callie Hart Q&A
Saara El-Arifi
Romantasy author and fan of Callie Hart
Episode: Callie Hart Q&A
William Boyd
International bestselling author, known for works such as "Any Human Heart" and "The Predicament"
Episode: William Boyd Q&A

Hosts

Simon Mayo
Host with a long-running affiliation to book discussions and wide-ranging literary interviews; frequently anchors conversations with wit and insight.
Matt Williams
Co-host bringing balance with banter, deep knowledge of books, and strong interview technique.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 1.1k ratings
  • Is the podcast over or just on break

    Of course this is an awesome podcast!! The hosts’ enthusiasm for well written interesting works of fiction and non fiction has rekindled my interest in reading. Hopefully they are just on break and haven’t ended the show!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    .3147652344
    United States2 months ago
  • Great to have them back

    Lovely to hear Simon and Matt back. They keep the politics to the genuine political subjects. I have dropped Simons film review pod as Kermode just wont stop dragging politics into everything.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    DrewzyJ
    United Kingdoma year ago
  • David Nicholls

    Driving along, listening to the brilliant interview with David Nicholls I pulled over just so I could order his book ‘You are here’ - and it is living up to expectations.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Alisouthampton
    United Kingdom2 years ago
  • Favourite Podcast Bar None 😍

    Love book/author podcasts and this is by far the best. Having Simon and Matt back like the good old days makes me so happy and the banter is great! Good spread of books and authors and I have now read a couple recommended that I wouldn’t normally have chosen and couldn’t put them down. Keep doing what you do guys, we love it! X

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    feeona78
    United Kingdom2 years ago
  • My favourite podcast

    Books of the year is my favourite podcast, Simon and Matt keep me company during my ironing sessions (I hate ironing) so their easy banter and great interviews are fabulous. Being a book worm this is great for recommendations and great to hear about the book from the writers perspective. Love love love it

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ginabean1107
    United Kingdom3 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Some listeners miss a broader range of voices and occasional absence of episodes.
Listeners praise the warm banter and strong interviews between hosts.
Fans note the breadth of authors and the helpful book recommendations.
The show is valued for its insightful Q&As and engaging host chemistry.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#94
United Kingdom/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#244
United Kingdom/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#75
Ireland/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#120
Indonesia/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#185
Denmark/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#213
Ireland/Arts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Francis Spufford Q&A
Q: What is the last book you really, really enjoyed reading?
He highlights The Everlasting by Alex Harrow as a recent favorite, praising its imaginative blend of Arthurian myth, time-travel romance, and its clever handling of history changing with how it's told.
Callie Hart
Q: How do you handle the challenges of creating a coherent magic system?
Callie shares that establishing clear limitations and plotting carefully are crucial for making the magic believable and engaging in the story.
Callie Hart
Q: What is romantasy and why is it so popular right now?
Callie explains that romantasy blends fantasy and romance, appealing to readers who might find either genre daunting, thus inviting a wider audience to enjoy the stories.
Callie Hart Q&A
Q: If you weren't an incredibly successful and brilliant author, what other profession would you like to have done?
Callie Hart considers being a doctor or a literary agent and expresses admiration for her agent's fast-paced job.
Callie Hart Q&A
Q: What was the last book you really, really enjoyed reading?
Callie Hart mentions she enjoyed reading Joe Abercrombie's 'The Blade Itself' and appreciates its phenomenal world building and character development.

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 Simon Mayo's Books of the Year

What is Simon Mayo's Books of the Year about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A literary chat show that pairs two seasoned hosts as they welcome leading authors from a range of genres, from literary fiction to crime and romantasy. Episodes mix in-depth author conversations with lively banter, Q&A segments, and behind-the-scenes discussion about writing, research, and the publishing world. Listeners can expect thoughtful insights into craft, storytelling, and the cultural context around new releases, along with strong recommendations across a broad spectrum of contemporary literature, often anchored by the guests' latest books.

Noteworthy elements include a steady rotation of high-profile authors, frequent Q&As, and a warm, conversational interview style that surfaces both craft-focused and personal storytelling angl... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Simon Mayo's Books of the Year?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Simon Mayo's Books of the Year:

1. Kermode & Mayo’s Take
2. The Rest Is Entertainment
3. Kermode on Film
4. The Waterstones Podcast
5. The Radio 2 Book Club

How many episodes of Simon Mayo's Books of the Year are there?

Simon Mayo's Books of the Year launched 8 years ago and published 293 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 Simon Mayo's Books of the Year?

Recent guests on Simon Mayo's Books of the Year include:

1. Francis Spufford
2. Kathy Reichs
3. Jennifer Niven
4. Ann Cleeves
5. Jonathan Freedland
6. Ken Follett
7. Callie Hart
8. Saara El-Arifi

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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