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Simon Mayo's Books of the Year

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London
We All Live Here
Jojo Moyes
Presumed Guilty
Family Politics
Meet the Newmans
Cuckooland
The Restless Republic
States Of Play
Sportswashing
Rusty Sabich
The House Of Mirrors
You Are Here
Women's Football
Black Tag
Social Media
Aaron
William Boyd
Romantasy
Mental Health

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

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes319Founded8 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
BooksArts

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Simon Mayo's Books of the Year

Latest Episodes

Sebastian Faulks joins Simon and Matt for a natter about some of his favourite authors and books.

He tells us about the first book he ever bought with his own money, what he would have liked to have done for a career if he hadn't become a hugely su... more

Multimillion bestselling author, Sebastian Faulks, joins Simon and Matt for a chat about his brilliant new novel 'Farewell To Eden'.

They chat about the inspirations for the story - which are rooted in Sebastian's father's own experiences - and have... more

Journalist, broadcaster and author Jon Ronson joins Simon and Matt for a spot of Q&A.

We learn about the authors he loves reading, how he orders his bookshelves, other careers he wanted to pursue - and - who he'd invite to his fantasy dinner party!... more

Journalist and bestselling author, Jon Ronson, joins Simon and Matt for a chat about his brilliant new book 'The Castle'.

They discuss the manosphere, masculinity, performative male...and how the idea for this book came from his own son's story of ... 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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People also subscribe to these shows.

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Recent Guests

Sebastian Faulks
Bestselling author
Episode: Sebastian Faulks Q&A
Jon Ronson
Author of The Castle: Adventures in a World of Unravelling Men
Author
Episode: Jon Ronson Q&A
David Baldacci
International bestselling author
Episode: David Baldacci Q&A
Russell T Davies
Television writer and producer
BBC/television
Episode: Chris Chibnall Q&A
Chris Chibnall
Broadchurch creator and screenwriter/author
The Parkwood Murders (book)
Episode: Chris Chibnall
Nick Hornby
Bestselling author and fellow writer, featured via a voice note question
Episode: Elizabeth Strout Q&A
Elizabeth Strout
Pulitzer Prize–winning author and subject of the Q&A
Episode: Elizabeth Strout Q&A
Dawn French
Guest actor, comedian, writer
Author
Episode: Dawn French Q&A
Lucy Foley
Best-selling author who contributed a voice note question
Episode: Anthony Horowitz Q&A

Hosts

Simon Mayo
Host of the Books of the Year podcast
Matt Williams
Co-host on the Books of the Year podcast; producer and interviewer

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 1.1k ratings
  • The adverts - oh my goodness!

    The length of the adverts and the amount of ad breaks is now becoming distracting. Ended the Anthony Horowitz episode early.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    MrsSmitb
    United Kingdom5 months ago
  • 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 States9 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 Kingdom3 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Some note long ad breaks; others praise the high-quality questions and insights.
Listeners appreciate the mix of deep craft discussions and accessible banter.
Fans love the diverse range of guests and thoughtful book recommendations.
Shows strong host chemistry and engaging author conversations.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#29
United Kingdom/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#73
United Kingdom/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#148
Canada/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#180
Australia/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#39
Ireland/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#58
New Zealand/Arts/Books

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Sebastian Faulks Q&A
Q: What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given by a fellow author?
Faulks says the worst advice is to write about what you know. His advice to aspiring authors is to write about what they do not know and find out through research.
Sebastian Faulks Q&A
Q: Sebastian, what is the last book that you really, really enjoyed reading?
Faulks recommends Julian Jackson's A Certain Idea of France, a biography of Charles de Gaulle, praising its pace and account of de Gaulle's wartime leadership and complicated character.
Sebastian Faulks
Q: What would you like to step inside, the world that's been created, and be part of it?
Faulks expresses a wish to inhabit the worlds he writes about, noting that stepping into Tolstoy's Moscow and St. Petersburg would be an appealing fantasy for his imaginative engagement with historical settings.
Sebastian Faulks
Q: Is that the way you would always work, that you would go and write down lots and lots of stuff and then from those notes, create a story?
Faulks explains that every book comes about in a different way, and Paris Echo arrived through a new approach that distinguished it from his earlier writing, focusing on how the city shapes the characters and the narrative rather than following a single fixed method.
Jon Ronson
Q: Before we go any further, at what stage do you realize that you've got a new book here?
I had two realizations: first, after coming out of a serious operation and convalescing, I felt a need for a compelling mystery, and second, speaking with the women who went to the Castle helped me see the deeper themes about purpose and power.

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?

This series centers on in-depth author conversations, mixing bonus Q&As with broader discussions about writing craft, reading habits, and the publishing world. Episodes commonly feature candid questions from hosts, fan questions, and lively banter that helps reveal how successful writers approach deadlines, research, and storytelling across fiction and non-fiction. Listeners can expect a diverse lineup of acclaimed authors and prominent literary figures, with practical takeaways on writing routines, storytelling structure, and book recommendations that inspire new reads. A notable strength is the combination of intimate author interviews with a welcoming, conversational vibe that makes complex craft topics accessible and entertaining.

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How many subscribers and views does Simon Mayo's Books of the Year have?

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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 Waterstones Podcast
3. Screenshot
4. Kermode on Film
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 319 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 Simon Mayo's Books of the Year?

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.

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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. Sebastian Faulks
2. Jon Ronson
3. David Baldacci
4. Russell T Davies
5. Chris Chibnall
6. Nick Hornby
7. Elizabeth Strout
8. Dawn French

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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