Ask Penguin

What were our favourite books of the year and what are we most excited to read in 2026? Join the team behind the Ask Penguin podcast to look back at standout titles, memorable podcast moments, and the reading intentions...

Which novels are truly unputdownable and what should you read on a dark winter's night? We’re joined by best-selling author, Paula Hawkins, who discusses art, love and remote islands in her latest thriller, The Blue...

What are the best new books in Korean fiction? What is the process of translating a book into English? And how do you evoke a sense of place you haven't visited? This week we sat down with award-winning and...

Which multi-generational novels inspired White Teeth? Where does Zadie Smith turn for her next great read? And our Penguin team is back to solve your reading dilemmas - whether you're after fascinating memoirs, this...

What was the inspiration behind Philip Pullman’s Northern Lights series? How does he want readers to feel on Lyra’s final adventure in The Rose Field? Has his demon changed now that he has got to the end of this writing...

Why do we still love Jane Austen’s novels 250 years later? What makes her stories continue to inspire readers and creators today? And if Jane were alive now, which book would you recommend she read? In this special...

I'm looking for a novel that reads like poetry - where should I start? Can you recommend a queer love story with a happy conclusion? What are the best books that explore small-town life? We put your book dilemmas to...

Outrageous, iconic and unforgettable - these are some of the books Penguin have been publishing over its 90-year history. As part of a special content series called 'The books that shaped us' on Penguin.co.uk, we...

Recorded live at Latitude Festival, Irvine Welsh sits down with host Rhianna Dhillon to delve into his new novel Men in Love, the eagerly awaited sequel to Trainspotting, which explores the vibrant landscape of youth...

From the paperback revolution to the obscenity trial that made Lady Chatterley’s Lover famous, we explore how Penguin turned the UK into a nation of readers as we celebrate our 90th birthday. Host Rhianna Dhillon speaks...

On the final episode of this series of the Penguin Podcast, Marble Hall Murders author Anthony Horowitz tells us how, when a famous actress asks you to write another novel, you do as you're told! Plus things heat up as...

This week on the Penguin Podcast we talk to writer, critic and curator Charlie Porter about his novel Nova Scotia House, discuss queer books and the importance of hearing queer voices in art. Plus we provide plenty of...

Whether you are in a book club or fancy starting your own, we have the book recommendations and conversation starters to make it a success! Plus we talk to Merky books author Yrsa Daley-Ward about her first novel The...

What is it like to write and publish your first ever novel? We find out by asking the authors William Rayfet Hunter ( Sunstruck ), Catherine Airey ( Confessions ), and Fiza Saeed McLynn ( The Midnight Carousel )...

Bestselling author, and Queen of the Romantic comedy novel, Emily Henry joins us on this week's episode to discuss her brand new book, Great Big Beautiful Life, novels full of spice, and which fictional character makes...

This week on the Penguin Podcast we jump into the exciting world of children's books and chat to Greg James and Chris Smith about their new book The Kid Who Fell Through Time. Plus we explore why there is a reading for...

The Penguin Podcast is back for another series of Ask Penguin. In each episode, we will take you inside Penguin Books to meet some of the incredible authors we publish, as well as the people who work here, to get...

In our final bonus episode from The Penguin Podcast, bestselling author Jodi Picoult shares her theory on the true author behind Shakespeare's plays that inspired her new novel, By Any Other Name. Explore the full list...

In this bonus episode we speak with Alison Barrow, Publicity Director at Penguin Books, to explore the fascinating world of book publicity. Alison shares insights into her role, offering a glimpse into her daily life as...

In this bonus episode from The Penguin Podcast, Episode 11 - Winter Reads, Jeanette Winterson shares her fascinating perspective on our relationship with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the evolution of human...

Ever wondered what the role of an Editor at Penguin Books involves? In our second bonus episode, Rhianna speaks with Publishing Director, Simon Prosser about what a typical day of an editor is like and when they ever...

In a special bonus episode taken from Episode 3: The Classics with Henry Eliot and Gill Hornby we share author and editor Henry Eliot's tips on tackling some of Classics' biggest tomes. Explore the full list of the...

We round-up a year of reading with recommendations from Penguin colleagues of their favourite books of the year and a look at what they are most excited for you to read in 2025. Explore the full list of the books...

Joining us this week is award-winning author Jeanette Winterson, as we explore her captivating new collection of ghost stories, Night Side of the River, and provide listeners with reading recommendations based on their...

Joining us in the studio to provide reading inspiration from the Roman Empire to the Second World War are author and podcast duo of We Have Ways of Making You Talk, James Holland and Al Murray, plus creator of Horrible...