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The Book Show

ABC Australia
Climate Change
Literature
Booker Prize
Jane Austen
Love
Writing Process
Immigration
Australia
World War II
Mental Health
Australian Literature
Identity Politics
Prophet Song
Percival Everett
Orbital
Parenting
Motherhood
International Space Station
London
James

Your favourite fiction authors share the story behind their latest books.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes463Founded8 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ArtsBooks

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Artwork for The Book Show

Latest Episodes

How Susan Choi took her own family — and dialled up the tension — in her Booker shortlisted novel, Flashlight.

Flashlight traces the fallout from the disappearance of Serk, a Japanese born Korean on his family, including his American wife and daught... more

Fresh from the Oscars for Hamnet, Maggie O'Farrell joins Claire Nichols to discuss her book Land. Plus, Robert Forster of iconic indie band The Go-Betweens shares the musical influences behind his debut novel Songwriters on the Run.

Maggie O'Farrell... more

In Son of Nobody, Yann Martel tells Claire Nichols how he reimagines The Iliad, shifting the epic from heroic legend to life as an ordinary foot soldier.

Twenty-five years after Life of Pi changed his life, he also reflects on the enduring power of ... more

Bestselling author Ann Patchett joins Claire Nichols to discuss her novel Whistler and its unexpected take on step-parents, while Romy Ash unpacks her intimate, sexy and strange new book, Mantle.

American author Ann Patchett is the bestselling autho... more

Key Facts

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Number of Listeners
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Recent Guests

Yann Martel
Canadian author
Author of Life of Pi
Episode: Yann Martel flips the script on a Greek classic
Ann Patchett
Author of Whistler
Author
Episode: Why joy matters in Ann Patchett's Whistler
Romy Ash
Author of Mantle
Author
Episode: Why joy matters in Ann Patchett's Whistler
Siri Hustvedt
American novelist and essayist
Self
Episode: Siri Hustvedt's love letter to Paul Auster
Lee Lai
Author and illustrator of Canon
Episode: Lee Lai's graphic novel makes Stella Prize history
Amitav Ghosh
Author of Ghost Eye, best known for the Ibis Trilogy
John Murray (publisher)
Episode: Can we escape fate? Veronica Roth and Amitav Ghosh on past lives and destiny
Veronica Roth
Author of Divergent series and Seek the Traitor's Son
Pan Macmillan (publisher)
Episode: Can we escape fate? Veronica Roth and Amitav Ghosh on past lives and destiny
Elizabeth Strout
Pulitzer Prize–winning author known for Olive Kitteridge and Lucy Barton
Penguin Random House (publisher of The Things We Never Say)
Episode: Elizabeth Strout and Amanda Lohrey on aliens and a man called Artie
Amanda Lohrey
Miles Franklin Award winner for The Labyrinth; author of Capture
Text (publisher); publisher of Capture
Episode: Elizabeth Strout and Amanda Lohrey on aliens and a man called Artie

Host

Claire Nichols
Host of The Book Show

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 253 ratings
  • The Book Show

    One of two of the best podcasts around about reading and authors. Love it!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Itsallhistory
    Australia4 months ago
  • Love the show and host

    Great interviews of great books 😉

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Nat Fig
    Australia8 months ago
  • Brilliant show

    I love this show and the passion and knowledge of the program host Claire Nichols. Her ability to tap in to all different authors is amazing. One of my go to shows.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Paula Rogers
    Australiaa year ago
  • Fave Australian book podcast

    Been a fan since the beginning but especially enjoying the My Biggest Book series. Thank you!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    shmonblah
    United Statesa year ago
  • Love the show!

    I’m really enjoying listening to your show. Your interviews are always insightful and you manage to engage so warmly with your subjects. I’m also particularly loving the music that’s used, so congrats also to whoever is on the controls behind the scenes. Thankyou!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    All the time on the world
    Australia6 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Shows are seen as insightful, with high-quality guests and engaging discussions.
Listeners praise in-depth author conversations and the host's thoughtful, warm interview style.
A few critiques mention pacing or one-off segments that felt uneven to long-time listeners.
Some listeners note occasional changes in format but still value diverse topics and strong interviews.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#189
United States/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#80
United Kingdom/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#144
Canada/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#216
United Kingdom/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#4
Australia/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#16
Australia/Arts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Yann Martel flips the script on a Greek classic
Q: What was the core idea behind Son of Nobody's two-story approach?
Martel explains that the top is a verse epic representing the ancient Trojan War, while the bottom is a footnoted, modern domestic narrative; together they let myth and memory comment on each other and give readers two entry points into the same story.
Why joy matters in Ann Patchett's Whistler
Q: What was the most challenging aspect of writing Whistler or how did you approach the details before starting?
Patchett explains that there were not significant challenges; the writing was a pleasure and she built the details around a core idea and a sense of reunion with a late friend, rather than dwelling on grief.
Why joy matters in Ann Patchett's Whistler
Q: Can you tell me a little bit about what the launching pad was for Whistler?
Patchett describes moving from a failed earlier project to a new idea that clicked quickly, writing the book soon after deciding to pivot, and leveraging guidance from friends to accelerate momentum.
Siri Hustvedt's love letter to Paul Auster
Q: What was Paul like as a letter writer?
Hustvedt notes that Paul had a distinctive arc in his prose, with a rolling rhythm and longer sentences as he aged, and that their exchanges as writers were rigorous yet respectful, shaping both of their works.
Can we escape fate? Veronica Roth and Amitav Ghosh on past lives and destiny
Q: I want to get straight into reincarnation if we can, Amitav. Is this something you believe in?
I'm agnostic about reincarnation, preferring to discuss memory phenomena and how many children report past-life memories, which are supported by a lot of research, though not claimed as literal proof of reincarnation; the focus is on memory, identity, and cultural meaning rather than a fixed metaphysical mechanism.

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 Book Show

What is The Book Show about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Listeners can expect intimate author conversations that center craft, theme exploration, and the storytelling process behind contemporary fiction. Episodes frequently cover memory, identity, place, and social issues, with a strong emphasis on how historical moments and cultural contexts shape novels. The host guides in-depth discussions with diverse literary voices, often pairing two guests to illuminate different angles of a writer's approach. Noteworthy aspects include milestone conversations with groundbreaking works (e.g., graphic novels earning major prizes) and a balance of literary analysis with personal storytelling, making it appealing to readers who enjoy thoughtful, character-driven fiction and insights into writing practice.

Where can I find podcast stats for The Book Show?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Book Show. 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 The Book Show and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Book Show get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Book Show, 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 The Book Show?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Book Show, 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 The Book Show have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Book Show 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 The Book Show?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Book Show:

1. The Bookshelf
2. Chat 10 Looks 3
3. Big Ideas
4. Conversations
5. A Podcast of One's Own with Julia Gillard

How many episodes of The Book Show are there?

The Book Show launched 8 years ago and published 463 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 Book Show?

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 Book Show?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Book Show from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Book Show?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Book Show. 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 The Book Show?

Recent guests on The Book Show include:

1. Yann Martel
2. Ann Patchett
3. Romy Ash
4. Siri Hustvedt
5. Lee Lai
6. Amitav Ghosh
7. Veronica Roth
8. Elizabeth Strout

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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