Christmas 2020

Doireann Ní Ghríofa, Liz Nugent, Michael Harding, Catherine Ryan Howard, Mike McCormack, Elaine Feeney, Patrick Freyne & Anna Carey join with book clubs from around the country to say goodbye to 2020. Phew.

With Mark Tighe and Maggie O'Farrell

With the huge success of Champagne Football, Mark Tighe talks about it and the inspiration he found in All The President's Men. The Best Book Club EVER (that's its name) in Mallow, Co Cork ask Maggie O'Farrell about Hamnet. And Stefanie Preissner looks at what the books we choose for others says about how we see them.

With Helen Cullen and Chris Whitaker

Helen Cullen talks about lack of the representation of ‘The Irish Mammy’ in fiction and insights gained from her own novel ‘The Truth Must Dazzle Gradually’. Chris Whitaker answers questions from the Readin’ & Feedin’ Book Club in Drogheda, Co Louth about his novel ‘We Begin At The End’. Stefanie Preissner has a bone to pick about cop clichés.

With Michelle Gallen and Doireann Ní Ghríofa

With Big Girl, Small Town shortlisted for the Costa First Novel Award, Michelle Gallen talks about small-town Ireland. Doireann Ní Ghríofa answers questions from the Wicklow Women’s Book Club about ‘A Ghost in the Throat’, the Irish non-fiction book of the year at the An Post Irish Book Awards.

With John Banville and Sarah Crossan

John Banville tells us why we need to read Hubert Butler. Stefanie Preissner has a wish-list of books she would like to read...once they have been written, that is. And the Giant’s Causeway Book Club put their questions to Sarah Crossan about her novel One.

With Jan Carson and Louise O'Neill

From The Haunting of Hill House to a terraced one in East Belfast, Jan Carson will look at terrorising of the domestic space and the legacy of Shirley Jackson. Stefanie Preissner navigates the blurred lines between fact and fiction. And the Bitchin' Book Club in Dublin will be put their questions to Louise O’Neill, about her novel Asking For It.

With Karrie Fransman, Jonathan Plackett & John Connell

On this edition of The Book Show...when Jack becomes Jacqueline: we’re talking gender-swapped fairytales. Stefanie Preissner has reached 'peak memoir' and she should know she’s written two, The Book Movie Whiskey Album Club in Limerick city can’t wait to get stuck into John Connell’s The Cow Book.

With Shaun Bythell and Anne Griffin

Bookseller and author Shaun Bythell talks about The Seven Kinds of People You Find in Bookshops. We will take a look at the role of suspense in fiction, and the Tanyard Lane Book Club, Tullamore, Co Offaly quiz Anne Griffin, the Irish Book Awards Newcomer of the Year 2019 about her novel, ‘When All Is Said’.

With Jenny Offill and Paul Howard

On this edition of the Book Show: a possible culture clash as teachers in Kerry question Paul Howard about Ross O’Carroll Kelly, Stefanie Preissner has tips to finally tackle that ever increasing pile of books marked ‘to be read’ and writer Jenny Offill talks about trying to be funny about climate crisis...and life in the US in general.

With Frank Cottrell-Boyce and Sara Baume

Children's author and screenwriter Frank Cottrell Boyce spells out why children's books are so important and why they should be afforded more respect. Sara Baume will be quizzed by the Mannan Castle Book Club from Co Monaghan about her novel 'spill simmer falter wither'

With Lennie Goodings

With publishing pioneer Lennie Goodings of Virago & Donal Ryan.

With Michael Connelly and more

Best selling thriller author Michael Connelly on how he solved his own problem writing during this pandemic in an eerily quiet Los Angeles. We look at how bookshops might function when they reopen, hear from a first time author who has yet to see her debut novel in an actual shop & book clubs recommend some of their favourite reads for the summer.

With Ian Rankin and Colum McCann

On this week's podcast Rick O’Shea gets a socially distant tour of Ian Rankin’s writer’s den in Edinburgh, Colum McCann - under lockdown - in the US, is grilled about his novel Apeirogon by a book club whose latest meeting he gatecrashed and Stefanie Preissner has the latest news from the world of books.

With Mark O’Connell and Liz Nugent

On this week's podcast Rick O'Shea hears about some of the 'perverse pilgrimages' embarked upon by Mark O'Connell in his search for how best to survive the apocalypse, Liz Nugent is quizzed by the Tuesday-Thursday Book Club in Tramore Library about her novel 'Skin Deep' and Stefanie Preissner has the week's news.

With Naoise Dolan and Mike McCormack

Rick talks to Naoise Dolan about her debut novel ‘Exciting Times’ which is set in Hong Kong and is one of the reasons she has been able to beat the ‘reader’s block’ which had been plaguing him of late. Stefanie Preissner has the week’s book news and Mike McCormack answers questions from the Roundwood Book Club about his work ‘Solar Bones’.

With guest Maggie O'Farrell

In this week's Book Show Rick O'Shea talks to Maggie O'Farrell about her telling of the story of Shakespeare's son Hamnet. Sebastian Barry is grilled by the Castlebar Library Book Club about his novel 'Days Without End' and Stefanie Preissner brings you the week's book news.

With Derek Landy and Anne Enright

In the first of a new series Derek Landy tells Rick O’Shea about the problems with writing in a time of pandemic and Anne Enright is quizzed by the Wise Owl Book Club from Navan.

The Christmas Book Show

A very special Book Show for Christmas Day 2019

The One in Eoin Colfers Shed

Wexford author Eoin Colfer has sold over 25million copies of his books, including his popular Artemis Fowl series. Rick O’Shea went to visit him in his creative hub – the shed at the end of his garden.

The One with Eoin Colfer, Jan Carson, Baz Ashmawy and Eilish O’Carroll

Rick O’Shea visits Eoin Colfer him in his creative hub – the shed at the end of his garden. Jan Carson, winner of the EU Prize for Literature is interviewed by the Book Paper Scissors Book Club in Belfast. We find out what the one book is that Baz Ashmawy and Eilish O’Carroll would recommend.

The One with Pulitzer Prize winner Elizabeth Strout and Eithne Shortall

Rick O'Shea chats to Pulitzer Prize winner Elizabeth Strout on the return of Olive Kitteridge, and a lucky book club gets to quiz Eithne Shortall on her novel Three Little Truths.

The One with Blindboy, Bernadine Evaristo and John Boyne

Rick O’Shea chats to Blindboy Boatclub. 2019 Booker Prize co-winner Bernadine Evaristo reads from her prize-winning novel. John Boyne wrestles with the questions put to him by the members of Hughie’s Bar Bookclub in Donegal on his novel The Hearts Invisible Furies. The Book Show Sun 8th December 19.00 RTÉ Radio 1 rte.ie/culture bookshow@rte.ie

Trailer: The Book Show

An all-new show that's all about books from the man with the biggest book club in Ireland, Rick O'Shea! The first episode of the new series will be available on Friday 6th December 2019.

The Book Show, Sunday 2nd December

This week Eithne Shortall talks to authors about love and fiction. She's joined by Hazel Gaynor, David Park and Abby Green.

The Book Show, Sunday 25th November

This week Louise O’Neill (Asking For It, Almost Love) looks at the world of commercial women’s fiction.

The Book Show, Sunday 18th November

On this week’s Book Show Sara Baume (Spill Simmer Falter Wither, A Line Made By Walking) looks at artists’ books.

The Book Show, Sunday 4th November

On this week’s Book Show Mike McCormack (Solar Bones) presents an episode about Irish science fiction.

The Book Show, Sunday 28th October

On this week’s Book Show we look back at Neil Jordan’s career as a fiction writer.

The Book Show, Sunday 22nd October

On this week’s Book Show Nuala O’Connor (Becoming Belle, Miss Emily) takes a look at historical fiction.

The Book Show, Sunday 14th October

This week the Book Show travels to Belfast to hear how writers there are reworking old tales, discovering new styles and travelling beyond established binaries.

The Book Show, Sunday 7th October

Kit de Waal invites fellow author Donal Ryan into her home to talk about the craft of writing and to hear him read some of his work.

The Book Show, Sunday 30th September

John Connell re-reads James Joyce's coming-of-age novel, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man and he hears how it has been adapted for this year's Dublin Theatre Festival.

The Book Show Sunday 23rd September

This week on The Book Show Lisa McInerney is in Cork to meet writers there and to hear how the city is featured in their work.

The Book Show, Sunday 16th September

This week The Book Show returns with writers asking the questions: This week Belinda McKeon presents a programme on Writing in the Age of Trump.

The Book Show, Sunday 22nd April

Liz Nugent meets singer Neil Hannon whose song A Lady of A Certain Age inspired Liz's new book Skin Deep. Liz will also speak to other crime writers about their writing process.

The Book Show, Sunday 16th April

Tristram Shandy by Laurence Sterne was first published in 1759 and was an instant bestseller. Regan Hutchins discusses why its one of his favourite books.

The Book Show, Sunday 8th April

Eoin Colfer the creator of Artemis Fowl celebrates the fun and diversity of children's books. He's joined by Liz Pichon (Tom Gates) and Shane Hegarty (Darkmouth).

The Book Show Sunday 1st April

Eimear McBride is the first Beckett Creative Fellow at the Beckett Archive in the University of Reading. She visits the archive to explore Samuel Beckett's Stirrings Still.

The Book Show, Sunday 25th March

This week on Sunday 25th March, John Boyne sits in the chair.

The Book Show, 4th November 2017

This week on The Book Show Sinéad Gleeson looks at the literature of the Russian Revolution in 1917.

The Book Show, Saturday 28th October

Anne Enright, Paul Howard, Lisa McInerney & Donal Ryan join Sinead Gleeson on stage for our extended #DearCharacter show in Smock Alley.

The Book Show, Saturday 14th October

This week on The Book Show we look at a troubled teenage friendship with Julie Buntin author of Marlena. And we hear about the LA writer John Fante.

The Book Show, Saturday 7th October

This week on The Book Show, Sinéad Gleeson speaks to the UK poet Hollie McNish about her new collection Plum.

The Book Show, Saturday 30th September

This week Sinéad Gleeson speaks to Natasha Pulley about The Bedlam Sticks - her historical novel about the dangerous hunt for quinine in 19th century Peru.

The Book Show, Saturday 23rd September

This week Sinéad talks to Sally Rooney about her critically acclaimed debut novel Conversations With Friends.

The Book Show, Saturday 9th September

The Book Show returns to air and this week we speak to Maggie O'Farrell about her gripping memoir 'I Am I Am I Am: 17 Brushes With Death.

The Book Show, Monday 17th July

Interview with Will Self

The Book Show, Saturday 13th May

This week Sinéad Gleeson hears about Hopdance, the autobiographical novel by playwright Stewart Parker. She speaks to Charlie Fox about monsters, freaks and beasts.

The Book Show, Saturday 6th May

Sinéad Gleeson speaks to Helen Simpson about ageing and fiction and to Lennie Goodings about Virago books. We also hear from Rory Gleeson about his debut novel, Rockadoon Shore.

The Book Show

Saturday 29th April 2017

The Book Show, Saturday 22nd April

In this special hour long episode Sinéad Gleeson talks to John Boyne and to composer Max Richter. And she looks at the life and writing of Jean Rhys.

The Book Show

Saturday 4th March 2017

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