Read On - The Audiobook Show from RNIB

Episode

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  488: History Books with Lucy Worsley, Kate Williams plus Andrew Pettegree and Arthur der Weduwen 07.08.2026 57mnt

  Today on Read On we revisit some favourite historians with Lucy Worsley on Jane Austen, Kate Williams on Rival Queens plus Andrew Pettegree and Arthur der Weduwen on the history of libraries.Plus we find some new books in the RNIB Library
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  487: Dame Harriet Walter & Dougie Donnelly - Boswell Book Festival 31.07.2026 57mnt

  Two very different authors this week on Read On, although with one thing in common, they both narrated the audio versions of the books they were speaking about at the Boswell Book Festival. Dougie Donnelly tells Robert Kirkwood about Recorded Highlights - My Life in Sport, and Dame Harriet Walter gives new scenes to some of Shakespeare's female characters in She Speaks!Plus we find some fiction and biography in the RNIB Library.
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  486: Inspired by Shakespeare 24.07.2026 57mnt

  Today on Read On, three very different authors all inspired by Shakespeare, Michael Morpurgo on his Shakespeare retellings, Nydia Hetherington on her book about the witch from the Tempest, Sycorax and Bernard Cornwell on William's brother, Richard Shakespeare, in his book Fools and Mortals.All that plus new books in the RNIB Library.
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  485: Frances Wilson - Electric Spark & Adam Hart - Operation Pimento - Boswell Book Festival 17.07.2026 57mnt

  Today on Read On, two biographical tales recorded at the Boswell Book Festival. Robert Kirkwood talks to Frances Wilson about Electric Spark - The Enigma of Muriel Spark, and author Adam Hart about Operation Pimento: My Great-Grandfather's Great Escape.Plus we have some new books in the RNIB Library
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  484: Summer Books 10.07.2026 57mnt

  Today on Read On, three summer themed books, One Girl One Summer with Isabel Ashdown, Hot Girl Summer with Sophie Gravia and Summer on a Sunny Island with Sue Moorcroft. All that plus some new books in the RNIB Library.
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  483: Bec Manser - Wildheart 03.07.2026 57mnt

  Today on Read On we hear from half spooky, half sparkly debut author Bec Manser on her debut novel Wildheart and we ask about RNIB's involvement in sensitivity reading around a blind character in the book, Amelia Hilton explores some books about myth and legend, we get a whoop of joy from Carnegie Medal winner Beth O'Brien and find some brand new books in the RNIB Library.
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  482: Gordon Buchanan at the Boswell Book Festival 26.06.2026 1j 2mnt

  Today on Read On we hear a full talk, sponsored by RNIB Connect Radio, from the Boswell Book Festival. Natural history cameraman Gordon Buchanan is in conversation with Robert Dawson Scott live on stage as he discusses his book In the Hide - How the Natural World Saved my Life, and how dangerous animals were not the only thing he was hiding from.NB The podcast version of this is a slightly longer edit than the one broadcast on RNIB Connect Radio
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  Beth O'Brien wins the Carnegie Medal for Writing (and the Shadower's Award!) 23.06.2026 7mnt

  Visually Impaired author Beth O'Brien has won the Carnegie Medal for Writing, the most prestigious award for authors of children's and young adult books.Wolf Siren reimagines Little Red Riding Hood as a girl with vision impairment, and the audiobook, recorded at the RNIB Talking Book studios, even has a narrator with vision impairment.Beth has been a frequent flyer on our Read On programme, her last visit being just two weeks ago, but here she is telling Robert Kirkwood about her sight condition and her award-winning book, Wolf Siren
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  481: Penny Lancaster at the Boswell Book Festival 19.06.2026 57mnt

  Today on Read On we hear a talk from the Boswell Book Festival with Vice President of RNIB Penny Lancaster, on her book Someone Like Me. She chats to Janet Smith live on stage about surviving childhood as a dyslexic and being the tallest pupil in the room, about her job as a Special Constable, about her charity work and much more.Image shows: Penny speaking during her panel and making Janet laugh. She's sitting on the right in front of a green banner with "Boswell Book Festival" branding. 
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  480: Beth O'Brien - Wolf Siren and Feather Vane - Carnegie Medal for Writing and Scottish Book Trust 12.06.2026 57mnt

  Today on Read On we talk to partially sighted author Beth O'Brien about her Carnegie Shortlisted book Wolf Siren and her brand new book Feather Vane, and about a recent tour she was on with Scottish Book Trust called Inclusive Stories.We also hear about Monsterland from Nicolas Jubber and get a double Books of My Life from both Beth and Signa Rudovica from Scottish Book Trust.
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  479: J.P. Rose - Birdie - Carnegie Medal for Writing 05.06.2026 57mnt

  Today on Read On, Robert Kirkwood talks to J.P. Rose about her Carnegie shortlisted book Birdie, plus they chat about her alter-ego Jacqui Rose and her best selling gangland thrillers, including collaborations with Martina Cole, and back to the world of children's fiction with her Paddock Grove series.Plus we'll find new books in the RNIB Library.
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  478: Jason Reynolds - Twenty-four Seconds from Now - Carnegie Medal for Writing 29.05.2026 57mnt

  Today on Read On, Robert Kirkwood talks to Jason Reynolds about his Carnegie Shortlisted book, Twenty-four Seconds from Now, a tender, sweet, wholesome piece of fiction discussing how to approach first sex, how to respect women, how to be gentle, how to make it about love. It shows us a refreshingly different side to male sexuality.We also listen back to Eric Motley on Madison - A Place of Hope and find new books in the RNIB Library.
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  477: Katya Baylen - Ghostlines - Carnegie Medal for Writing 22.05.2026 57mnt

  Today on Read On, a former Carnegie Medal winner, Katya Baylen, discusses this year's shortlisted title, Ghostlines and we talk about her very own Braille copy of October, October. We also find some new books in the RNIB Library.
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  476: Tia Fisher - Not Going to Plan - Carnegie Medal for Writing 15.05.2026 57mnt

  Today we talk to Tia Fisher about her Carnegie shortlisted book, Not Going to Plan, a powerful verse novel about sexual consent, unplanned pregnancy and the breaking of taboos.We also find some new books in the RNIB Library.
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  475: Best of the Boswell Book Festival 08.05.2026 57mnt

  As we look forward to this year's festival, starting on the day this episode is released, let's listen back to some highlights. First up, Jen Stout takes us on a Night Train to Odesa, Alexander McCall Smith reflects on his knighthood, Nigel Havers is Playing with Fire and Dame Judy Dench talks about her sight loss.
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  474: Julie Caplin - The Hotel by the Sea 01.05.2026 57mnt

  Today we escape to the Algarve in Julie Caplin's brand new book The Hotel by the Sea, we visit a fairy tale exhibition in London, we review Ruth Ozeki's Timecode of a Face and we find some books in the RNIB Library.Plus there's some news about an Aria nomination for Read On!
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  473: Rob Harrell - Popcorn - Carnegie Medal for Writing 24.04.2026 57mnt

  On today's Read On I'm joined by author and artist Rob Harrell from his home in Texas as we discuss his Carnegie Medal for Writing short listed book, Popcorn, plus his previous book, based on his battle with eye cancer, Wink.We also find some new books in the RNIB Library.
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  472: Lucy Roth/Lucy Nichol - The Party To End All Parties 17.04.2026 57mnt

  Today on Read On - The Audiobook Show, Lucy Roth, who also writes under the name Lucy Nichol, talks music, mental health, and learns how to hide a body as we go to The Party To End All Parties. Plus we find some new books available from RNIB Library.
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  471: Carnegie Medal Winners 10.04.2026 57mnt

  As this year's Carnegie Medal Shortlist interviews start to happen, today is a listen back to three winners of the most prestigious prize in children's fiction, Manon Steffan Ros, Joseph Coelho and Tanya Landman.
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  470: Ben Markovits - The Rest of Our Lives 03.04.2026 57mnt

  Today we go on a road trip with Ben Markovits and his book The Rest of Our Lives.When Tom Layward's wife had an affair he resolved to leave her as soon as his youngest daughter turned eighteen. Twelve years later, while driving her to Pittsburgh to start university, he remembers his pact, and keeps driving ...Plus we'll find some new books in the RNIB Library.