Benjamin Pester, author of "The Expansion Project"
In this episode of Lit with Charles, I speak with Ben Pester, author of the novel The Expansion Project.Blending corporate satire with surrealism, The Expansion Project follows Tom, who brings his daughter Hen to Capmeadow Business Park for “Bring Your Daughter to Work Day.” When Hen vanishes without a trace, Tom’s reality begins to unravel. Decades later, an unnamed Archivist pieces together the story from the ruins of the mysterious “Expansion Project.”We discuss Ben’s approach to structure, surrealism, and storytelling, and the books that have influenced his creative process.If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and follow me on Instagram @litwithcharles.Ben Pester’s four books were:Way Far Away, by Evelio Rosero (2024)Sweet Home, by Wendy Erskine (2018)Something Happened, by Joseph Heller (1974)Self Portrait in Green, by Marie Ndiaye (2005)
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Amy Twigg, author of "Spoilt Creatures"
This week, we’re doing something a little different. Normally I’m the one asking the questions, but today, in the name of bringing new voices into the conversation, I’m handing the mic over to someone who usually works behind the scenes on the Lit With Charles podcast – Liv. In this episode, she speaks with British author Amy Twigg, whose fantastic debut Spoilt Creatures follows a 30-something woman as she joins an all-women commune in rural Kent, and falls down the rabbit hole in all that entails. I hope you enjoy it!Lit with Charles loves reviews. If you enjoyed this episode, I’d be so grateful if you could leave a review of your own, and follow me on Instagram at @litwithcharles. Let’s get more people listening – and reading!Amy Twigg’s four books were:Frankenstein, Mary Shelley (1818)I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, Michelle McNamara (2018)Little Eyes, Samanta Schweblin (2018)The Haunting of Hill House, Shirley Jackson (1959)
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Alice Austen, author of "33 Place Brugmann"
Today’s guest is a truly remarkable creative – novellist, screenwriter, playwright, producer, past resident of the Royal Court Theatre, co-founder of the Harvard Human Rights Journal, winner of the John Cassavetes Award for film, as well as the first American to receive a fellowship to the European Court of Human Rights. I spoke with Alice Austen about her debut book, 33 Place Brugmann, which is a suspenseful, emotive portrait of a Brussels apartment block during the Second World War. It’s always a pleasure to speak with such a fascinating polymath, and I hope you all enjoy listening.Lit with Charles loves reviews. If you enjoyed this episode, I’d be so grateful if you could leave a review of your own, and follow me on Instagram at @litwithcharles. Let’s get more people listening – and reading!Alice Austen’s four books were:Dubliners, James Joyce (1914)100 Years of Solitude, Gabriel García Márquez (1967)Tropisms, Nathalie Sarraute (1939)Tess of the d’Urbervilles, Thomas Hardy (1891)
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Caitlin Macy
Today’s episode marks a very fun development in the Lit With Charles universe: my first repeat podcast guest! Caitlin Macy is an American writer known for her sharp portrayals of class, privilege, and social dynamics – especially of New York City’s elite. So, when I visited the States a few weeks ago, I knew I wanted to make time to chat with her. Caitlin is a fantastic writer, and I found her thoughts on literature (and four book selections) absolutely fascinating.Lit with Charles loves reviews. If you enjoyed this episode, I’d be so grateful if you could leave a review of your own, and follow me on Instagram at @litwithcharles. Let’s get more people listening – and reading!Caitlin Macy’s four books were:The Great Gatsby, F Scott Fitzgerald (1925)Collected Stories, John Cheever (1978)Runaway, Alice Munro (2004)The Portrait of a Lady, Henry James (1881)
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Joanna Pocock, author of "Greyhound"
This week, I spoke with the Irish-Canadian author Joanna Pocock, whose new memoir, Greyhound, absolutely blew me away. The story follows Joanna as she recounts two journeys – one from 2006, and one from 2023 – that she took across the United States of America. However, unlike the classic ‘roadtrip’ novel, Joanna undertook the entirety of both journeys by Greyhound bus. What follows is an incredible portrait of a nation and its people: a feminist, ecological, anti-capitalist, profoundly humanist elegy that left me desperate to buy a ticket and head for the open road.Lit with Charles loves reviews. If you enjoyed this episode, I’d be so grateful if you could leave a review of your own, and follow me on Instagram at @litwithcharles. Let’s get more people listening – and reading!Joanna’s four books were:Bear, Marian Engel (1976)Silent Spring, Rachel Carsen (1962)Refuge: An Unnatural History of Family and Place, Terry Tempest Williams (1991)America Day by Day, Simone de Beauvoir (1948)
Welcome to Lit With Charles, a podcast on all things literary!
I'm Charles Pignal, and every fortnight I’m asking guests about the four books which have made the biggest impact on their lives and work.
If you're like me, you love literature – but maybe aren't always sure what you should be reading. The aim of this podcast is to make literature exciting and accessible; in each episode writers, artists, and other interesting people are giving real recommendations, to help you discover new books and authors off the beaten track. Here at Lit With Charles, every book has a story to tell.
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