WIT LIT: the funny books podcast
28 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 3 years ago -Authors, comedians, and publishing people recommend the best witty literature. Hosted by Lily Lindon, editor at Vintage Books. Take reading less seriously. :) Twitter @lily_lindon; Instagram @BookyMcBookFace
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Episodes
BOOKSELLING & STAND-UP with Ben Pope, comedian and bookshop manager
September 06, 2021 08:27 - 55 minutes - 76.5 MB“’Humour’ is maybe the worst word in the English language” Wit Lit is a podcast about funny books - so who better to hear from than a comedian who is also a bookseller? That’s right, it’s only Mr BEN POPE - crowd favourite and manager at The Review Bookshop in Peckham - recommending his favourite funny books. We discuss silly book titles, writer’s voices versus comedian’s personas, how the brain can short-circuit ‘funny’ and ‘good’, and how War and Peace is just lots and lots of Tweets l...
FUNNY GAYS! with Laura Kay, author of The Split
June 30, 2021 10:48 - 37 minutes - 51.5 MB‘Queer people are simply the funniest people’ To end Pride Month with an amusing bang, and to assure everyone that you ARE allowed to still read gay books even if it’s not June, I’m happily joined by Laura Kay, author of THE SPLIT. She recommends her top five funny gay books, we talk about her own writing process and comedy inspirations, and yes, we talk about her cats. Listen in or you’re a homophobe xo Laura recommends: ONE LAST STOP - Casey McQuiston IN AT THE DEEP END - Kate Davies ...
CHICK LIT WIT! with Helly Acton and Hannah Tovey
May 21, 2021 08:00 - 35 minutes - 48.5 MBAuthor of The Shelf Helly Acton and Hannah Tovey, author of The Education of Ivy Edwards, talk about their relatable, entertaining, and emotionally messy everywoman characters. We talk about the particular condition of being a single thirty-year-old woman in our modern society — about funny break-ups, depressing weddings, and balancing love with independence. We also talk about their writing process: Second Book Syndrome, the personal significance of writing funny dialogue, and the vital impo...
Chick Lit Wit: Helly Acton and Hannah Tovey
May 21, 2021 08:00 - 35 minutes - 48.5 MBAuthor of The Shelf Helly Acton and Hannah Tovey, author of The Education of Ivy Edwards, talk about their relatable, entertaining, and emotionally messy everywoman characters. We talk about the particular condition of being a single thirty-year-old woman in our modern society — about funny break-ups, depressing weddings, and balancing love with independence. We also talk about their writing process: Second Book Syndrome, the personal significance of writing funny dialogue, and the vital impo...
'Books like your funniest friend': Amy Baxter, founder of Bad Form
May 10, 2021 07:51 - 31 minutes - 42.6 MB‘When I read right now, I want to feel like I’m chatting to a friend, I want an easy giggle’ :) Bad Form Literary Review’s founder and editor-in-chief Amy Baxter, who is also an Editorial Assistant at Penguin Random House (Michael Joseph), recommends her top funny books. They ended up being three books where funny women chat to you in warm, bitesize conversations -- perfect for our current de-socialised brains. Whether you’re looking for lightness and brevity in your reading, or books that ...
BAD FORM! Amy Baxter on Funny Essays
May 10, 2021 07:51 - 31 minutes - 42.6 MB‘When I read right now, I want to feel like I’m chatting to a friend, I want an easy giggle’ :) Bad Form Literary Review’s founder and editor-in-chief Amy Baxter, who is also an Editorial Assistant at Penguin Random House (Michael Joseph), recommends her top funny books. They ended up being three books where funny women chat to you in warm, bitesize conversations -- perfect for our current de-socialised brains. Whether you’re looking for lightness and brevity in your reading, or books that wi...
Bad Form’s Amy Baxter: Funny Essays
May 10, 2021 07:51 - 31 minutes - 42.6 MB‘When I read right now, I want to feel like I’m chatting to a friend, I want an easy giggle’ :) Bad Form Literary Review’s founder and editor-in-chief Amy Baxter, who is also an Editorial Assistant at Penguin Random House (Michael Joseph), recommends her top funny books. They ended up being three books where funny women chat to you in warm, bitesize conversations -- perfect for our current de-socialised brains. Whether you’re looking for lightness and brevity in your reading, or books that wi...
10 SHORT FUNNY BOOKS IN 10 MINUTES! (a solo show)
March 22, 2021 11:00 - 15 minutes - 20.8 MBAll I want to read (/am able to read) at the moment are short, funny books. Wondered if you might be the same? So here I am, for the first time GUEST-LESS, recommending 10 of my favourite witty short stories, essay collections, scripts, picture books, and short novels. Since brevity is the soul of wit, and tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes, I am brief and recommend the 10 books in just 10 minutes! (Not including the intro and theme music lol.) WOW! FUN! If you don't even have 10 ...
ROM-COMS! ft. Laura Jane Williams and Abigail Mann
February 13, 2021 16:30 - 45 minutes - 63.1 MBHappy Galentine's, Happy Valentine's and indeed Happy Any Day! To celebrate all things lovely and funny, today's episode is a celebration of rom-coms. I'm joined on my Zoom by two brilliant writers of funny love stories: Laura Jane Williams is the author of OUR STOP (the international 2019 hit), and two other novels, THE LOVE SQUARE (2020) and THE LUCKY ESCAPE (publishing June 2021). Abigail Mann is the author of THE LONELY FAJITA (winner of the Comedy Women in Print Unpublished Prize) and ...
COMEDY CRIME! ft. Caimh McDonnell
January 13, 2021 08:06 - 31 minutes - 42.8 MB“Comedy crime sounds like it involves three clowns with a ladder they’re inexplicably bad at carrying trying to break into a pie factory. It doesn’t sound like there’s respect for the story.” Wham!!! Welcome to Wit Lit Series 2!!! Caimh McDonnell is a former stand-up comedian, prize-winning script-writer, and present full-time author, whose tenth book THE STRANGER TIMES is publishing on 14th Jan 2021. We talk about how stand-up gives an author good and bad habits, how to build a fictional wor...
Stranger Times and Comedy Crime ft. Caimh McDonnell
January 13, 2021 08:06 - 31 minutes - 42.8 MB“Comedy crime sounds like it involves three clowns with a ladder they’re inexplicably bad at carrying trying to break into a pie factory. It doesn’t sound like there’s respect for the story.” Wham!!! Welcome to Wit Lit Series 2!!! Caimh McDonnell is a former stand-up comedian, prize-winning script-writer, and present full-time author, whose tenth book THE STRANGER TIMES is publishing on 14th Jan 2021. We talk about how stand-up gives an author good and bad habits, how to build a fictional ...
Funny Crime Novels ft. Caimh McDonnell
January 13, 2021 08:06 - 31 minutes - 42.8 MB“Comedy crime sounds like it involves three clowns with a ladder they’re inexplicably bad at carrying trying to break into a pie factory. It doesn’t sound like there’s respect for the story.” Wham!!! Welcome to Wit Lit Series 2!!! Caimh McDonnell is a former stand-up comedian, prize-winning script-writer, and present full-time author, whose tenth book THE STRANGER TIMES is publishing on 14th Jan 2021. We talk about how stand-up gives an author good and bad habits, how to build a fictional wor...
Witty Poetry ft. Joanna Lee
October 01, 2020 09:06 - 22 minutes - 21.2 MBWhat do you get if you cross poetry with a joke? In this episode I'm joined by Joanna Lee: agent at Curtis Brown, poet, and poetry critic whose work has been featured in the Guardian, LRB, and White Review. We talk about the lack of diversity in poetry criticism, the relationship between humour and tragedy, brevity, and ridiculous metaphors. NB: this was recorded before lockdown, and when I was in a phase of saying that everything I liked was 'omg so silly.' Please forgive me. Wit Lit List: P...
Witty Poetry (ft. Joanna Lee)
October 01, 2020 09:06 - 22 minutes - 21.2 MBWhat do you get if you cross poetry with a joke? In this episode I'm joined by Joanna Lee: agent at Curtis Brown, poet, and poetry critic whose work has been featured in the Guardian, LRB, and White Review. We talk about the lack of diversity in poetry criticism, the relationship between humour and tragedy, brevity, and ridiculous metaphors. NB: this was recorded before lockdown, and when I was in a phase of saying that everything I liked was 'omg so silly.' Please forgive me. Wit Lit List: P...
Comedy! Women! Print! Prize! (ft. Helen Lederer)
January 15, 2020 09:05 - 42 minutes - 77.7 MB“Humour is that last precious thing that distinguishes you from someone else.” Actual comedian, author, and founder of the Comedy Women in Print Prize Helen Lederer talks about writing wit, and how to enter for the 2020 prize. Meanwhile we talk about how Helen will literally die if she laughs too much, how groups of women are funnier to groups of men, and Helen writes the first line of my comedy novel. — Find out more the CWIP Comedy Women in Print Prize here. There are unpublished and pu...
READ TERRY PRATCHETT (ft. Colin Rothwell)
December 08, 2019 18:07 - 28 minutes - 52.4 MB"How would you describe Pratchett’s sense of humour?" "Oooh… ‘Really good?’" I talk to improviser and BNOC Colin Rothwell about one of our absolute favourite witty authors: Terry Pratchett. Listen in for advice about where to start if you've never read any Pratchett before, general gushing about how great (and silly? But not silly?) his Discworld books are. I look forward to hearing from all you audiobook casting agents. - Message me YOUR favourite funny books or quotes, I'd love to sh...
"I’m lost, and I need a wee." Silly Nature Writing (ft. Alice Attlee)
November 24, 2019 09:17 - 30 minutes - 55.1 MB*NOT ENDORSED BY ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (YET)* Sometimes nature writing is just silly people being silly in a pond. Walk and talk with nature writer, reader, and reviewer Alice Attlee. Suitable whether you have never read any nature writing before, or you just like puns about air pollution. Recorded in Highgate Woods on the hottest day of the year, so it even features an original nature soundscape playing live in the background! Hashtag calming, hashtag natural, hashtag there's also a few aero...
Funny Nature Writing ft. Alice Attlee
November 24, 2019 09:17 - 30 minutes - 55.1 MB*NOT ENDORSED BY ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (YET)* Sometimes nature writing is just silly people being silly in a pond. Walk and talk with nature writer, reader, and reviewer Alice Attlee. Suitable whether you have never read any nature writing before, or you just like puns about air pollution. Recorded in Highgate Woods on the hottest day of the year, so it even features an original nature soundscape playing live in the background! Hashtag calming, hashtag natural, hashtag there's also a few aero...
“I’m lost, and I need a wee.” Silly Nature Writing (ft. Alice Attlee)
November 24, 2019 09:17 - 30 minutes - 55.1 MB*NOT ENDORSED BY ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (YET)* Sometimes nature writing is just silly people being silly in a pond. Walk and talk with nature writer, reader, and reviewer Alice Attlee. Suitable whether you have never read any nature writing before, or you just like puns about air pollution. Recorded in Highgate Woods on the hottest day of the year, so it even features an original nature soundscape playing live in the background! Hashtag calming, hashtag natural, hashtag there's also a few aero...
Silly Nature Writing: “I’m lost, and I need a wee.” (ft. Alice Attlee)
November 24, 2019 09:17 - 30 minutes - 55.1 MB*NOT ENDORSED BY ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (YET)* Sometimes nature writing is just silly people being silly in a pond. Walk and talk with nature writer, reader, and reviewer Alice Attlee. Suitable whether you have never read any nature writing before, or you just like puns about air pollution. Recorded in Highgate Woods on the hottest day of the year, so it even features an original nature soundscape playing live in the background! Hashtag calming, hashtag natural, hashtag there's also a few aero...
How to Laugh When You're Depressed! (ft. Yaseen Kader)
November 11, 2019 08:16 - 26 minutes - 48.7 MBComedy researcher Yaseen recommends two Lucy Ellmann novels — Sweet Desserts and Varying Degrees of Hopelessness — for their dark humour, catastophising characters, and failing relationships. Oh, and their brevity. Yes, the famous brevity of that novelist who would, about a week after this was recorded, be shortlisted for the Booker Prize with Ducks, Newburyport… her 1000-page epic. CW/TW: depression, eating disorders, attempted suicide - but it IS gentle and funny I promise. OBVS LIKE, SHARE...
Depressed Humour (Yaseen Kader recommends Lucy Ellmann’s short novels)
November 11, 2019 08:16 - 26 minutes - 48.7 MBTV comedy researcher Yaseen recommends two Lucy Ellmann novels — Sweet Desserts and Varying Degrees of Hopelessness — for their dark humour, catastophising characters, and failing relationships. Oh, and their brevity. Yes, the famous brevity of that novelist who would, about a week after this was recorded, be shortlisted for the Booker Prize with Ducks, Newburyport… her 1000-page epic. CW/TW: depression, eating disorders, attempted suicide - but it IS gentle and funny I promise. OBVS LIKE, SH...
Funny (Gay) Plays ft. Billie Collins
October 27, 2019 10:00 - 36 minutes - 67.2 MBPlaywright and script reader Billie Collins talks about the best of funny plays. From Phoebe Waller-Bridge's Fleabag, to Oscar Wilde's Lady Windermere's Fan, to a scene where a gal tries to ask someone on a date through the medium of fish. As a bonus, Billie explains how to be a lesbian on small town Tinder (with Pokemon metaphors, of course). OBVS LIKE, SHARE, FOLLOW & GIVE IT 5 STARS THX! --- Wit Lit plays mentioned this episode: Fleabag, Phoebe Waller-Bridge Cannibals, Rory Mullarkey S...
"Less Shakespeare, More Lesbians" (ft. Billie Collins)
October 27, 2019 10:00 - 36 minutes - 67.2 MBPlaywright and script reader Billie Collins talks about the best of funny plays. From Phoebe Waller-Bridge's Fleabag, to Oscar Wilde's Lady Windermere's Fan, to a scene where a gal tries to ask someone on a date through the medium of fish. As a bonus, Billie explains how to be a lesbian on small town Tinder (with Pokemon metaphors, of course). OBVS LIKE, SHARE, FOLLOW & GIVE IT 5 STARS THX! --- Wit Lit plays mentioned this episode: Fleabag, Phoebe Waller-Bridge Cannibals, Rory Mullarkey S...
“Less Shakespeare, More Lesbians” (ft. Billie Collins)
October 27, 2019 10:00 - 36 minutes - 67.2 MBPlaywright and script reader Billie Collins talks about the best of funny plays. From Phoebe Waller-Bridge's Fleabag, to Oscar Wilde's Lady Windermere's Fan, to a scene where a gal tries to ask someone on a date through the medium of fish. As a bonus, Billie explains how to be a lesbian on small town Tinder (with Pokemon metaphors, of course). OBVS LIKE, SHARE, FOLLOW & GIVE IT 5 STARS THX! --- Wit Lit plays mentioned this episode: Fleabag, Phoebe Waller-Bridge Cannibals, Rory Mullarkey S...
'Less Shakespeare, More Lesbians' (ft. Billie Collins)
October 27, 2019 10:00 - 36 minutes - 67.2 MBPlaywright and script reader Billie Collins talks about the best of funny plays. From Phoebe Waller-Bridge's Fleabag, to Oscar Wilde's Lady Windermere's Fan, to a scene where a gal tries to ask someone on a date through the medium of fish. As a bonus, Billie explains how to be a lesbian on small town Tinder (with Pokemon metaphors, of course). OBVS LIKE, SHARE, FOLLOW & GIVE IT 5 STARS THX! --- Wit Lit plays mentioned this episode: Fleabag, Phoebe Waller-Bridge Cannibals, Rory Mullarkey...
Let's Talk About Sex Books, Baby (ft. Leena Norms)
October 12, 2019 15:57 - 38 minutes - 71.2 MBI talk to book activist, cool content creator, and stud muffin Leena Norms about silly sex self-help books. Includes 101 tips to make your wife love you, a quiz about what to call your vagina, and erotic fan-fic involving a certain British political figure... OBVS FOLLOW, LIKE, SHARE, GIVE IT 5 STARS PLS THX. --- Get in touch if you have recommendations of funny books, quotes, or want to be a guest! You can contact me all official-like @witlitpod or @witlitpodcast, or all unofficial-like ...
WIT LIT: Trailer
October 06, 2019 11:44 - 1 minute - 2 MBComedians, writers, and publishing people recommend the best of witty literature. Take reading less seriously. This trailer fts. the dulcet tones of Leena Norms, Billie Collins, Yaseen Kader, Alice Attlee, Colin Rothwell, and your host, Lily Lindon.