As we approach Halloween, I figured it was time to get a little gothic on the Lit With Charles podcast. My guest today is writer and literary champion Mairi Kidd, whose new novel Poor Creatures imagines the world of Mary Shelley before she wrote Frankenstein - the people around her, the ideas she was grappling with, and the forces that shaped one of the most enduring stories in literature.Our conversation ranges from the radical literary circles of the early 19th century to the power of Scottish folklore and those places where the veil between worlds feels thin. It was such a pleasure to speak with Mairi, and learn a little bit more about a fascinating writer’s history.Lit with Charles loves reviews. If you enjoyed this episode, I’d be so grateful if you could leave a review of your own, and follow me on Instagram at @litwithcharles. Let’s get more people listening – and reading!Mairi Kidd’s four books were:Possession, A. S. Byatt (1990)The Owl Service, Alan Garner (1967)Sunset Song, Lewis Grassic Gibbon (1932)The Sea Road, Margaret Elphinstone (2000)
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Richard Scott, author of "Soho" and "That Broke into Shining Crystals"
We don’t have enough poetry on this show, and it’s time to change that. My guest today is Richard Scott, a contemporary British poet known for his bold, lyrical explorations of queer identity, desire, shame, and the politics of the body. He trained as an opera singer before turning to poetry, and has released two collections, Soho (2018) and That Broke into Shining Crystals (2025). In our conversation, Richard and I go through 4 poems that have inspired his journey as a poet and I was so grateful to have such a fun yet deep conversation with him about poetry, and to learn a little more about this beautiful craft.Lit with Charles loves reviews. If you enjoyed this episode, I’d be so grateful if you could leave a review of your own, and follow me on Instagram at @litwithcharles. Let’s get more people listening – and reading!Richard Scott’s four poems were:Clair de Lune by Paul Verlaine (1869)Flowers by Arthur Rimbaud (written in the early 1870s and first published posthumously in 1886)A Part Song by Denise Riley (2012)Singing by Mei-mei Berssenbrugge (2020)
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Tom Ayling, a bookseller for Jonkers Rare books (REPLAY)
We’re revisiting one of our most popular episodes: a 2023 conversation with rare bookseller Tom Ayling. Tom shares insights into the world of rare and antiquarian books — from the thrill of uncovering forgotten first editions to the evolving market for collectors.Now running his own business in Oxfordshire, Tom offers a behind-the-scenes look at book collecting, the history of the trade, and the enduring appeal of physical books. Perfect for anyone curious about rare books, literary history, and the stories hidden on library shelves.Find Jonkers Rare Books: https://www.jonkers.co.uk/Follow me @litwithcharles for more book reviews and recommendations!
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Tom McCarthy, author of "The Threshold and The Ledger"
Today I’m joined by acclaimed novelist and critic Tom McCarthy to talk about his latest book, The Threshold and the Ledger, a fascinating exploration of Ingeborg Bachmann — one of the most important writers of postwar European literature.We discuss Bachmann’s major works, including Malina and Salt and Bread, and the recurring themes of trauma, memory, history, and hospitality in her writing. Tom also shares the writers and books that shaped his own work, and we explore the connections between Bachmann, Derrida, and the wider world of modernist literature.If you’re interested in literary history, feminist writing, or the politics of language, this episode is full of ideas and inspiration.Follow @litwithcharles for more author interviews, book conversations, and literary deep dives — and leave a review if you enjoy the show.
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Alexander Starritt, author of "We Germans"
In this episode of Lit with Charles, I speak with Alexander Starritt, author of the novels We Germans (2020) and Drayton and Mackenzie (2024).We Germans is a devastatingly humane wartime confession: an elderly German writes a long letter to his British grandson about serving on the Eastern Front, with the grandson’s present-day interjections sharpening the moral contrasts between war and ordinary life. Drayton and Mackenzie is a rare, gripping business novel that follows two friends from graduation into the high-stakes world of building a clean-energy company, where private choices collide with macro forces - finance cycles, technology, and industrial realities.We talk about structure (letters, interjections, and the occasional omniscient lens), how fiction can engage with the “big stuff” shaping our lives (economics, climate, technology), why industrial solutions - not apps - sit at the core of decarbonisation, and how character is revealed gradually, the way real people change. We also explore Alexander’s rural upbringing, German heritage, and the literary influences that inform his work - from Larkin’s melancholy clarity to Tolstoy’s vast social canvas.If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and follow me on Instagram @litwithcharles.Alexander Starritt’s four picks were:“Dockery and Son,” by Philip Larkin (1964)The Shipping News, by Annie Proulx (1993)Red Plenty, by Francis Spufford (2010)War and Peace, by Leo Tolstoy (1869)
Welcome to Lit With Charles, a podcast on all things literary!
I'm Charles Pignal, and every fortnight I’m asking guests about the four books which have made the biggest impact on their lives and work.
If you're like me, you love literature – but maybe aren't always sure what you should be reading. The aim of this podcast is to make literature exciting and accessible; in each episode writers, artists, and other interesting people are giving real recommendations, to help you discover new books and authors off the beaten track. Here at Lit With Charles, every book has a story to tell.
Ireland