Every book has two stories: the one it tells, and the one it hides. The Secret Life of Books is a fascinating, addictive, often shocking, occasionally hilarious weekly podcast starring Sophie Gee, an English professor at Princeton University, and Jonty Claypole, formerly director of arts at the BBC.
Every week these virtuoso critics and close friends take an iconic book and reveal the hidden story behind the story: who made it, their clandestine motives, the undeclared stakes, the scandalous backstory and above all the secret, mysterious meanings of books we thought we knew.
This is a podcast for readers and book groups, students and teachers of literature, but it’s also for fans of history and biography, and anyone who’s excited by dazzling, deeply knowledgeable minds working hard and having the time of their lives.
Secret Life of Books - Episodes
Catch all our latest episodes right here on the website, or tune in via your favourite podcast app.
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We’ve started a Patreon so our listeners can help keep Secret Life of Books delivering enjoyable episodes each week. We love doing the show and want to keep up the level of high quality research, writing and production.
Most of all we want to keep the laughs coming.
Supporters at any level are the life-blood of Secret Life of Books as we grow, so please click the link to the Patreon account and become part of the show in a truly tangible way.
To express our gratitude and to bring you into the growing Secret Life of Books community, we’re offering a monthly Book Club for supporters. This happens on the third Tuesday of the month at 7pm AEST. You can send in questions ahead of time, join with a group, and we will record the sessions and make them available for members of the Secret Life of Books Club.
