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The Portobello Bookshop Podcast

A show for all book lovers! We've hosted hundreds of events with brilliant authors across every genre, and now we're bringing those conversations directly to you. We'll also have podcast-exclusive content ranging from interviews with authors, bookseller discussions, book prize predictions, and so much more.

The Portobello Bookshop

For this episode, we are sharing a fantastic conversation with Elle McNicoll on her debut adult novel, Unapologetic Love Story. This event took place in the bookshop earlier this year.McNicoll is the bestselling author of books for children and young adults, and her debut children’s book, Like a Spark, was adapted into a wildly successful TV series.Elliot Fletcher is the Edinburgh based author of romance novels set in the Scottish Highlands including her debut, Whiskey Business.Elle and Elliot discuss authentic representation of neurodivergent and disabled people, the importance of romance, and queer and autistic coded characters in everything from Heated Rivalry to Pride & Prejudice.We unapologetically loved this event, and we hope you will too!

Event: Elle McNicoll on Unapologetic Love Story with Elliot Fletcher

In today’s episode, our Events Coordinator Elise is sitting down to chat with author Sarah Wang about her debut novel New Skin. We love this book and it was great to get into some of the fascinating and difficult topics that it covers including black market botox, class and immigration issues in America, reality TV, and mother/daughter relationships. Sarah Wang is an author and Creative Writing professor at Barnard College. She was in town for the Edinburgh International Book Festival and stuck around to sign books and have a chat with us in the shop. We were so happy to get to know more about Sarah and her work, and we hope you enjoy the conversation._______________________________________________Books Mentioned in this Episode:New Skin by Sarah WangThe Bridge by Colm Toibin (Signed copies)

Sarah Wang on New Skin with Bookseller Elise

Join us for a hilarious, engaging, informative discussion with Brandon Taylor for his latest novel, Minor Black Figures. Taylor was in conversation with the wonderful Niamh Ní Mhoileon for a bookshop event earlier this year. We loved hearing them chat about sweaty NYC summers, hot priests, and art restoration. Brandon Taylor is the celebrated author of three novels including this one, Real Life, and The Real Americans and a short story collection, Filthy Animals.Niamh Ní Mhoileon is the Edinburgh based author of Ordinary Saints.This was a truly special event and we are so happy to be able to share it with you all now! We hope you enjoy the conversation. Signed copies of Minor Black Figures: https://www.theportobellobookshop.com/9781787336421-sCopies of Ordinary Saints: https://www.theportobellobookshop.com/9781786584250 

Event: Brandon Taylor on Minor Black Figures with Niamh Ní Mhaoileoin

At the Portobello Bookshop, we're always excited to hear debut authors talking to dedicated booksellers, so you can imagine how much we loved the conversation featured in this episode!Jem Calder visited the shop to celebrate the launch of his debut novel, I Want You to Be Happy, earlier this year. Our very own bookseller Amos O'Connor led a fantastic discussion on the novel, the craft of writing, and much more. The audience was hanging on every word and we loved hearing more about Calder's process, and hints at a new book in the future!We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did.

Event: Jem Calder on I Want You to Be Happy with Amos O'Connor

Check out the first of our Bookseller Chats!Elise, Zoë, and Faye discuss what Autumn means for the publishing industry and the books they think everyone should be looking out for in the coming months.To check out our upcoming events and learn more about the bookshop, find our website here or follow us @portybooks across social platforms.We hope you enjoy the conversation!__________Books mentioned in this episode:- Bad Words by Ríoghnach Robinson- Out There by William Keohane- The Hill by Harriet Clarke- American Hagwon by Min Jin Lee - event on Fri 23rd Oct- Taipei Story by Rebecca F. Kuang - event on Tues 15th Sep- Partita by Barbara Kingsolver- As You Wake, Break the Shell by Becky Chambers - event on Wed 21st Oct- We Chase Shadows by Richard Osman- End Times Fascism by Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor- Exit Party by Emily St. John Mandel- Hollywood, Ending by John Green- Stations by Louise Kennedy- Peck and Peck by Bonnie Garmus- Music Against the Night by Yiyun Li - event on Mon 26th Oct- A Court of Splintered Harmony by Sarah J. Maas- A Court of Forgotten Melody by Sarah J. Maas- Threshing Day by Rebecca Yarros- The Sixth Faction by Veronica Roth- In One Brief Moment All Eternity by Elif Shafak- The Disappearers by Marlon James - event on Mon 21st Sep- The Rouse by China Mieville

Bookseller Chats: Autumn Recommendations with Elise, Zoë, and Faye

This episode comes from our recent event with Kiran Millwood Hargrave for her latest novel Almost Life. Hargrave is the bestselling author of books including The Mercies and The Dance Tree, and we were so thrilled to welcome her to the shop for this one.Almost Life follows Erica and Laure from their meeting in Paris in 1978 across decades and continents, life changes, regrets, longing, and so much love. Hargrave was in conversation with culture writer Rachel Ashenden for a heartfelt and hilarious discussion of sapphic yearning, coming out to your mum, and the joy of writing a novel like this one.To find out more about us, check out our website at https://www.theportobellobookshop.com/ or follow us across social platforms @portybooks. We hope you enjoy!

Event: Kiran Millwood Hargrave on Almost Life with Rachel Ashenden

For our first full length episode, we are delighted to share a conversation with literary legend George Saunders on his most recent novel Vigil. You might know Saunders from one of his 13 bestselling books, including his 2017 Booker Prize winning debut novel Lincoln in the Bardo.Saunders was in conversation with Glasgow based writer and editor Heather Parry.To check out our upcoming events and learn more about the shop, find our website here or follow us @portybooks across social platforms.We hope you enjoy the conversation!

Event: George Saunders on Vigil with Heather Parry

Welcome all book lovers, we're so excited to officially launch this podcast!A very long time in the making, we can't wait to start sharing our favourite author conversations, bookseller recommendations, podcast exclusive interviews, and much more.Our events team, Euan and Elise, kick things off with a quick episode to discuss more about our bookshop, the podcast, and what you can expect to see in the coming episodes.To find out more about our shop and events programme, check out our website at ⁠https://www.theportobellobookshop.com/⁠. You can also follow us across social platforms @portybooks. We hope you enjoy!