Elif Shafak discusses her new novel. Hanna Pylväinen on writing about the Arctic Circle.By BBC Radio 4

Evie Wyld, Jessie Cave and Camille BordasBy BBC Radio 4

We welcome back Pastor Scott Henrich, a WELS pastor serving in Knoxville, Tennessee. His experiences reading historic Lutheran sermons inspired him to research Lutheranism's homiletical heritage in a way that may challenge some contemporary assumptions about the historic perception of Lutheran preaching. (See TLHP 39) You can contact him here: scot…

Lauren Elkin, Michèle Roberts and Maria BalshawBy BBC Radio 4

DEMON COPPERHEAD by Barbara Kingsolver, chosen by Rachel ParrisDID YE HEAR MAMMY DIED? by Séamas O'Reilly, chosen by Harriett GilbertBOTH NOT HALF by Jassa Ahluwalia, chosen by Sonali Shah Comedian and musician Rachel Parris and broadcaster and presenter Sonali Shah join Harriett Gilbert to read each other's favourite books. Rachel Parris (Late Nig…

Benjamin Myers, Frank Cottrell-Boyce and Claire KohdaBy BBC Radio 4

RADIO ROMANCE by Garrison Keillor, chosen by Sarah PhelpsPERSEPOLIS by Marjane Satrapi, chosen by Irenosen OkojieABSOLUTELY AND FOREVER by Rose Tremain, chosen by Harriett Gilbert Two authors pick books they love with Harriett Gilbert. Screenwriter, playwright and television producer Sarah Phelps (The Sixth Commandment, A Very British Scandal, East…

Irenosen Okojie talks to Johny Pitts about her new book, Curandera.By BBC Radio 4

BOOKS: WISHFUL DRINKING by CARRIE FISHERFORBIDDEN NOTEBOOK by ALBA DE CESPEDESYELLOWFACE by REBECCA F KUANG Harriett's guests today are comedian and writer Helen Lederer known for so many roles including as Catrionia in Absolutely Fabulous. Recently she has published her memoir Not That I'm Bitter and set up the Comedy Writing In Print Prize. She h…

Johny Pitts speaks to Garth Risk Hallberg about his new novel, The Second Coming.By BBC Radio 4

Writer and broadcaster Gyles Brandreth has chosen EF Benson's entertaining tale of competitive snobbery in the 1920s, Mapp and Lucia. In a contrasting choice, neuroscientist Hannah Critchlow advocates for Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi, a story of a Ghanaian family transplanted to Alabama which takes in neuroscience and opiate addiction. Harriet…

VOICES IN THE EVENING by Natalia Ginzburg (trans. DM Low), chosen by Tessa HadleyTHE ZONE OF INTEREST by Martin Amis (trans. Jessica Moore), chosen by Sebastian FaulksEASTBOUND by Maylis de Kerangal, chosen by Harriett Gilbert Two authors pick books they love with Harriett Gilbert. Tessa Hadley (Late In The Day, Free Love, After The Funeral) takes …

Rita Bullwinkel, Mohsin Hamid and Téa ObrehtBy BBC Radio 4

Recorded at the Hay Festival SHUGGIE BAIN by Douglas StewartON THE BLACK HILL by Bruce ChatwinAGAINST NATURE by Joris-Karl Huysmans Harriett Gilbert takes to the stage in the BBC Marquee at the Hay Festival for a special edition of the programme recorded in front of an audience.Actor and writer Doon Mackichan known for her outrageous character Cath…

Shahidha Bari discusses EM Forster's A Passage to India with Neel Mukherjee, Elizabeth Lowry and Dr Chris Mourant.By BBC Radio 4

ABSENT IN THE SPRING by Agatha Christie (writing as Mary Westmacott) (HarperCollins), chosen by Simon BrettIN THE GARDEN OF THE FUGITIVES by Ceridwen Dovey (Penguin), chosen by Denise MinaHIDE MY EYES by Margery Allingham (Penguin), chosen by Harriett Gilbert Crime writers Denise Mina and Simon Brett join Harriett Gilbert to read each other's favou…

Johny Pitts talks to Kevin Barry about his new novel, The Heart in WinterBy BBC Radio 4

Claire Messud, Kafka and Jiaming TangBy BBC Radio 4

QUARTET IN AUTUMN by Barbara Pym, chosen by Samantha HarveyMRS CALIBAN by Rachel Ingalls, chosen by Harriett GilbertPHARMACOPOEIA: A DUNGENESS NOTEBOOK by Derek Jarman, chosen by Darran Anderson Two award-winning writers share books they love with Harriett Gilbert. Produced by Mair Bosworth for BBC Audio…

Historian and author Kathryn Hughes and No Such Thing As a Fish presenter Dan Schreiber recommend favourite books to Harriett Gilbert. Kathryn chooses Flaubert's Parrot by Julian Barnes, an exploration of the French writer's life in the form of a novel. Dan's choice is very different - John Higgs taking on the conceptual artists and chart toppers T…

Octavia Bright talks to Maggie Nelson about Like Love, an anthology of essays which explore art and friendship and criticism. And a new prize for climate fiction. Presenter: Octavia BrightProducer: Nicola HollowayBy BBC Radio 4

Sarah Perry talks to Shahidha Bari about her new novel, EnlightenmentBy BBC Radio 4

Hari Kunzru talks to Shahidha Bari about his new novel, Blue RuinBy BBC Radio 4

Heather R. Darsie lives in the United States. She has a Bachelor of Arts in German Languages and Literature, and a Juris Doctorate. During her time at university, she had the privilege of studying in Costa Rica and France, with visits to Germany and other countries. Ms. Darsie first became interested in the Renaissance time period when she read a b…

Sunjeev Sahota talks to Alex Clark about his new novel, The Spoiled HeartBy BBC Radio 4

Sinéad Gleeson is a writer, broadcaster and editor of three anthologies of Irish writing. Her collection of essays, Constellations: Reflections from Life won Non Fiction Book of the Year at the 2019 Irish Book Awards, and now publishes her debut novel, Hagstone. Hagstone is set on a remote island of the coast of Ireland, it tells the story of Nell …

US author Percival Everett talks about his new novel, James - a retelling of Huckleberry Finn, told from the point of view of runaway slave, Jim. Plus, writing openly about the challenges of motherhood, and doing so with humour. Shahidha talks to two authors who have done just that, in the short story form: Naomi Wood, winner of the BBC Short Story…

Image: Martin Luther by Lucas Cranach the Younger "Wittenberg Uses of Law and Gospel" Our guest today Dr. Robert A. Kolb is a professor emeritus of Systematic Theology at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. See the emeritus faculty page at Concordia Lutheran Seminary: Kolb retired in 2009 after 16 years of distinguished service as missions professor of …

Alex Clark talks to Andrew O’Hagan about his new book Caledonian Road. Told over the course of a year, Caledonian Road follows art historian and public intellectual Campbell Flynn as a friendship with a young student calls into question the complacency of his much-cherished liberal credentials. With an epic Dickensian cast from drill artists to the…

THE RED PARTS by Maggie Nelson (Vintage), chosen by Carol Morley INVISIBLE CITIES by Italo Calvino (Vintage), chosen by Will Hislop ORDINARY PEOPLE by Diana Evans (Vintage), chosen by Harriett Gilbert Film director Carol Morley chooses a memoir called The Red Parts, in which author Maggie Nelson tries to make sense of the horror, grief and sceptici…

Carys Davies on her new novel, Clear. Plus Annie Ernaux and photographyBy BBC Radio 4

Alex Clark talks to novelist Jonathan Buckley about his novel, Tell. The story is told as a monologue by an unnamed narrator, the gardener of self-made businessman and would-be art collector, Curtis Doyle. Doyle has gone missing from his Scottish estate and many stories about his rags to riches life are being constructed. Tell is a novel concerned …

JUST KIDS by Patti Smith, chosen by Lindsey HilsumMAN'S SEARCH FOR MEANING by Viktor E. Frankl (trans. Ilse Lasch), chosen by Christopher EcclestonTOWARDS THE END OF THE MORNING by Michael Frayn, chosen by Harriett Gilbert The television journalist and actor share favourite books with Harriett Gilbert. Lindsey Hilsum, International Editor of Channe…

CHESS by Stefan Zweig (Faber), chosen by Katy Hessel MAUD MARTHA by Gwendolyn Brooks (Penguin), chosen by Amy Blakemore THE PIER FALLS by Mark Haddon (Vintage), chosen by Harriett Gilbert Art historian Katy Hessel chooses a book that she read in one sitting because she couldn't put it down: Chess by Stefan Zweig. A novella about the limitless possi…

"Last night I dreamt of Manderley again..." begins Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier one of the most well-loved novels of the 20th century. As part of the Daphne du Maurier: Double Exposure season on Radio 4, Open Book looks again at her hugely popular novels to reveal the enduring qualities and appeal of her writing. From the pirates, smugglers and bew…

ON WRITING by Stephen King, chosen by Kathryn WilliamsTHE BITCH by Pilar Quintana (translated by Lisa Dillman), chosen by Harriett GilbertON THE BEACH by Nevil Shute, chosen by Andrew McMillan The singer-songwriter Kathryn Williams loves books about the craft of writing and her choice of a good read is 'On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft', by the ma…

Image: Wittenberg c. 1530 from the host's personal collection. In May 1536 several prominent Reformed reformers traveled to Wittenberg to confess their understanding of what is received in the sacrament of Holy Communion and who receives it. Luther, Melancthon, and other Lutheran reformers readily signed on in agreement concerning this contentious …

More books worth reading chosen by well known guestsBy BBC Radio 4

Kate Davies talks to Chris Power about her new novel, Nuclear Family.By BBC Radio 4

An actor and singer and a computer scientist and author pick their favourite books.By BBC Radio 4

Sheila Heti on her new experimental book, Alphabetical Diaries.By BBC Radio 4

The frontman of Idles and the artistic director of Bristol Old Vic share book choices.By BBC Radio 4

Madeleine Gray on her witty, heartbreaking novel, Green Dot, about a young woman's affairBy BBC Radio 4

a former professional footballer and a film critic pick their favourite books.By BBC Radio 4

In this episode, translator Michael Holmen takes us through J. W. F. Höfling's How the Lutheran Church is Constituted (Grundsätze evangelisch-lutherischer Kirchenverfassung). In his book Höfling describes how the Lutheran church should be constituted according to the principles given in the Lutheran Confessions and in Martin Luther's writings. Höfl…

The crime writer and the singer aka Mull Historical Society choose favourite booksBy BBC Radio 4

Michael Cunningham speaks to Johny Pitts about his new novel, Day.By BBC Radio 4

Gerald Murnane talks to Chris Power about his writing life.By BBC Radio 4

Pulitzer Prize winning author, Hisham Matar, discusses his new novel My Friends.By BBC Radio 4

Image: Carl and Gottlieb Damler. These brothers immigrated to Manitowoc County, WI from the principality of Lippe-Detmold in the early 1850s. Although confirmed Reformed, they worshiped first in a union congregation, but then joined the Lutheran church under the leadership of Pastor Koehler. Carl is the host's g-g-g-grandfather. Our returning guest…