Stuff Ian Likes Podcast
1) Episode 29: Empty World by John Christopher
John Christopher’s 1977 children’s novel about the end of the world is as grim as anything on a similar theme that he wrote for adults, just toned down for language and “themes.” In this episode I tak...Show More
2) Episode 28: C. S. Lewis by A. N. Wilson
A wonderfully bookish biography of a bookish person by another bookish person. This book is a delight for those who are fans of Lewis or even if you re not. Wilson is a fabulously erudite reteller of ...Show More
3) Episode 27: Galaxy Quest
Galaxy Quest is a 1999 science fiction comedy starring Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver and Alan Rickman. It’s an utter delight and a favourite of mine. Riffing more than slightly off the real-life experie...Show More
4) Episode 26: Heart Of The Comet by David Brin and Gregory Benford
Collaborations aren’t normally something that I enjoy but when they work they are an absolute delight (see episode 1 of this series for more proof). This 1980s classic by two giants of the field is a ...Show More
5) Episode 25: Illusion by Paula Volsky
Episode 25: Illusion by Paula VolskyIllusion is a brilliant novel that tells a fantasy version of the French Revolution. It’s a delight to read despite covering fairly grim material and I absolutely l...Show More
6) Episode 24: Underfoot In Show Business by Helene Hanff
Helene Hanff rose to international prominence with 84, Charing Cross Road, but she had been a writer all her life. This frequently hilarious memoir details how that writing life began…
7) Episode 23: The Stainless Steel Rat by Harry Harrison
James Bolivar diGriz is a career criminal in a universe that barely acknowledges his existence. He is also the hero of a series spanning 50 years of the life of Harry Harrison. Funny, smart and exciti...Show More
8) Episode 22: Beloved Exile by Parke Godwin
Arthurian literature has fallen off my radar a little in recent years, pretty much because of real world issues influencing how I feel about it. Beloved Exile is, however, a genuinely superb novel abo...Show More
9) Episode 21: A Mirror For Princes by Tom de Haan
The story of Reyhnard, Prince turned itinerant labourer, is a wonderfully grim tale about the son of a brutally pragmatic king and how his life turns out. It’s a superb meditation on power and who des...Show More
10) Episode 20: Adrian Mole by Susan Townsend
Susan Townsend chronicled life in the late 20th/early 21st Centuries hilariously in the Adrian Mole books. Funny and touching, they are a wonderful look at how we all changed during that time.