The Author Archive Podcast

Jeffery Archer has died. The obituaries all make reference to his colourful life. This conversation was recorded in the year 2000. LIke others that came after him this former vice chairman of the Conservative Party and...

This splendid book tells the stories behind the buildings. It starts 3,000 years ago in Troy and finishes with what castles have become in the nuclear age. It's not just buildings, it's walls and people. Dan even puts...

There is an article in the Daily Telegraph written by Petra Khasoggi. When she was a teenager she discovered that her biological father is Jonathan Aitken. It is not a consistently happy story. We are used to...

Sir Ranulph Fiennes is still in the news. Where he is still unknown but he is often referred as a national treaure. Sir Ranulph Fiennes met David Freeman when his book 'The Secret Hunters' was published in 2001. The...

There is huge interest in the latest Charles Spencer book. This conversation was recorded at Althrop the Spencer family stately home in the nineties. It was memorable to talk to the author in one of the grand rooms...

There is a press story telling how Sir Rannulph Fiennes seems to have disappeared. Obviously I have no idea where he is. I remember him as a fascinating, engaging and memorable interviewee. In 2019 Sir Rannulph was...

The American president now suggests that he is closely associated with Jesus. He has distributed pictures. He is performing Bible readings. Will he include the bits from Matthew 5:9? Blessed are the peacemakers? He...

Antonio Forcione is a brilliant guitar player. Antonio really likes to entertain and he is joined by comedian, singer and songwriter Boothby Graffoe. When we talked Antonio was in a museum in Rome and Boothby was in...

Jeanette Winterson celebrates her 67th birthday on August 27th. On September 13th Jeanette is hosting an event about creativity and A I at the Southbank Centre. This interview was recorded when Jeanette was a 20...

This archive interview dates back to March 2014. Jim Lovelock was in his mid nineties' I was delighted to interview him. As I said at the time for me it was like meeting Elvis! He was energetic, effervescent and wise...

It is five years since the Taliban regained control in Afghanistan. Science is one of the many things they disapprove of. Religion is believed more than evident truth. All over the globe there are powerful politicians...

The new war that is happening now and the the appalling inhumanity still happening in the world makes this conversation distressingly relevant. There is the thought that some people are less human then others. Some...

Joe Boyd is a man about music, record producer, a film producer and author. He arrived in London in 1964 with Muddy Waters and a host of blues musicians who played to sold out UK audiences when they were unappreciated...

Kind of Blue is the most successful jazz LP ever made. It was recorded over two sessions in New York in 1959 and is still revered as a masterpiece. The session was lead by Miles Davis who was born 100 years ago. Ashley...

Simon Nicol was one of the founder members of Fairport Convention in 1967. Fifty nine years ago. He talks about being a member of the ground breaking Folk Rock band who still draw a capacity crowd at the Cropredy...