BBC - Books

Coming Soon

Tobias Menzies & Gytha Lodge—A Good Read
Tobias Menzies and Gytha Lodge talk good books with Harriett Gilbert
Tomorrow10:00
BBC Radio 4 Extra
Celebrating Brian Patten—Poetry Please
Roger McGough, Lemn Sissay and others celebrate Brian Patten.
Tomorrow16:00
BBC Radio 4
Fairy Tales—Word of Mouth
Michael Rosen and Jamie Tehrani on how fairy tales travel the world, changing as they go.
Tomorrow21:00
BBC Radio 4
Samuel Taylor Coleridge—The Write Stuff, Series 5
Sebastian Faulks, John Walsh, Stephen Fry and Lynne Truss compete on the literary quiz.
Wednesday14:00
BBC Radio 4 Extra
Trade and traffic—Free Thinking
Anne McElvoy looks at the ways in which trade connects us.
Friday21:00
BBC Radio 4
Rachel Kushner - The Mars Room—World Book Club
Harriett Gilbert talks with Rachel Kusher about The Mars Room.
Saturday12:06
BBC World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa

Available Now

Philippa Perry and Stuart Maconie—A Good Read
Guests talk to Harriett Gilbert about books they love and loath, at the Hay Festival 2026.
BBC Radio 4
Poetry to keep you afloat—The Verb
Poetry to help navigate storms, rivers and seas with body and mind.
BBC Radio 4
The Path and the Poem: Frank O'Hara & Terminates Here: Endings—Poetry Extra
Daljit Nagra selects two short highlights from the BBC's poetry archive.
BBC Radio 4 Extra
Into the American West—Words and Music
Henry Goodman and Lorelei King with readings and music evoking the American landscape.
BBC Radio 3
The Child's Eye View—Free Thinking
Shahidha Bari asks how we can learn from children's perspectives. With Katherine Rundell.
BBC Radio 4
Dean Atta—Poetry Please
Author and poet Dean Atta curates a selection of poetry chosen by listeners.
BBC Radio 4
Louise Welsh and Chris Brookmyre—A Good Read
Two crime writers choose favourite books
BBC Radio 4
Poetry Please - “I love to see the summer beaming forth”—Poetry Extra
Daljit Nagra celebrates summer with another highlight from the BBC's poetry archive.
BBC Radio 4 Extra
The Verb - a house of multipoet occupancy—The Verb
Daniel Mendelsohn, Lydia Unsworth, Joe Shute and Khadijah Ibrahiim join Ian McMillan.
BBC Radio 4
Eccentrics & Outsiders—Free Thinking
Matthew Sweet takes a sideways look at Englishness.
BBC Radio 4
Gwyneth Lewis—Poetry Please
Selections of poetry on various themes, chosen by listeners.
BBC Radio 4
Harriet Tyce and Matt Edmondson—A Good Read
Harriett Gilbert talks to the writer and the DJ about their favourite books.
BBC Radio 4

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500 Words 2019
Everything you need to know about this year's story-writing competition for kids.
BBC National Short Story Award 2019
Judges for the competition are announced as submissions open.
Neil Gaiman on science fiction
The author of the Sandman comics shares the sci-fi novels that inspired him.
Lenny Henry's guide to graphic novels
The actor compiled a list of his favourite comics during the recording of Anansi Boys.
Are you magic or muggle-born?
Test your knowledge of the world of Harry Potter with our ultimate quiz.
Are you a Jane Austen superfan?
Quiz time: Test your Austen knowledge to see if you qualify.