Ask Penguin
Penguin Books UKWhat should I read next? Ask Penguin is the podcast where your quirkiest, trickiest, and most urgent book questions get answered. Hosted by Rhianna Dhillon, we bring bestselling authors and Penguin insiders to explore some of your favourite books and discover new ones that you are yet to read.
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| Publishes | Twice monthly | Episodes | 258 | Founded | 20 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | BooksSociety & CultureArts | |||
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Latest Episodes
In this special bonus episode, and to mark Jane Austen’s 250th birthday, we step inside her home in Alton to uncover the life she lived there and the objects she treasured most. From first editions to her own annotated books which formed her personal... more
What were our favourite books of the year and what are we most excited to read in 2026? Join the team behind the Ask Penguin podcast to look back at standout titles, memorable podcast moments, and the reading intentions we’re taking into the New Year... more
Which novels are truly unputdownable and what should you read on a dark winter's night? We’re joined by best-selling author, Paula Hawkins, who discusses art, love and remote islands in her latest thriller, The Blue Hour. She also helps us tackle you... more
What are the best new books in Korean fiction? What is the process of translating a book into English? And how do you evoke a sense of place you haven't visited?
This week we sat down with award-winning and internationally best-selling author, Karl ... more
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Reviews
- Inconsistent volume
Great podcast but volume varies in the space of an episode - goes from very loud to hard to hear.
Apple Podcasts3loujane87
United Kingdom5 months ago - A gem!
One of my favorite programs - interesting, well-recorded, and sharply smart without a whiff of pretension. Bravo!
Apple Podcasts5WaterBearer137
United States5 months ago - Eh
Kinda boring but it was okay🙃
Apple Podcasts4Abby@234United States6 months ago - Great pod!
Thoroughly insightful and enjoyable podcast, I’ve learnt a lot from listening and it’s helped reignite my curiosity about books!
However audio is a bit inconsistent. Sometimes the audio is too quiet or too loud, especially on eps with guests who speak at dif volumes, so I have to keep adjusting the volume on my device.
Apple Podcasts4Cameren B-GUnited Kingdom6 months ago - Heart warming
Love the way Nihal interviews authors in a relaxed manner. A natural conversation forms and he gives the time to his interviewee to form and express their thoghts calmly. Their talks are very comforting and pleasant. I enjoy the other interviewer talks as well except that she keeps trying to find ecos with her own writing, which I find a bit annoying beause it is not about her I want to learn but about the author she is interviewing, and every chance she has she makes a silly connection to the s... more
Apple Podcasts5JuliaMNZ
New Zealanda year ago
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Chart Rankings
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
Apple Podcasts | #249 | United States/Arts/Books |
Apple Podcasts | #5 | United Kingdom/Arts/Books |
Apple Podcasts | #19 | United Kingdom/Arts |
Apple Podcasts | #53 |  Canada/Arts/Books |
Apple Podcasts | #142 | Canada/Arts |
Apple Podcasts | #19 |  Australia/Arts/Books |
Talking Points
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Frequently Asked Questions About Ask Penguin
What is Ask Penguin about and what kind of topics does it cover?
This series focuses on addressing various book-related inquiries, encouraging listeners to explore their literary curiosities. Conversations with bestselling authors and industry insiders often center on book recommendations, writing practices, and contemporary literature. Notable themes include the impact of literature on society, personal storytelling, and cultural insights, resulting in a dynamic exploration of readers' urgent questions. The series creates a vibrant community around the shared love of reading while highlighting new voices alongside established authors.
Where can I find podcast stats for Ask Penguin?
Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Ask Penguin. 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 Ask Penguin and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.
How many listeners does Ask Penguin get?
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What are the audience demographics for Ask Penguin?
Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Ask Penguin, 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 Ask Penguin have?
To see how many followers or subscribers Ask Penguin 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 Ask Penguin?
These podcasts share a similar audience with Ask Penguin:
1. The Waterstones Podcast
2. Bookclub
3. A Good Read
4. Take Four Books
5. World Book Club
How many episodes of Ask Penguin are there?
Ask Penguin launched 20 years ago and published 258 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 Ask Penguin?
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 Ask Penguin?
Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Ask Penguin 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 Ask Penguin?
Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Ask Penguin. 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 Ask Penguin?
Recent guests on Ask Penguin include:
1. Paula Hawkins
2. Jane Lawson
3. Zadie Smith
4. Philip Pullman
5. Ocean Vuong
6. Sarah Howe
7. Jack Edwards
8. Irvine Welsh
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.