The Hypothetical Bookshelf
The Hypothetical Bookshelf is a desert island discs for books. Inspired by Italo Calvino’s essay ‘Whom do we write for? Or The Hypothetical Bookshelf’ this is a podcast that asks writers what other works their writing is in conversation with, looking for the ways new work can make connections between different books on a writer’s and reader’s hypothetical shelf. Interviewing a different author each time, writers are asked to name five books of fiction or non-fiction that can be put beside their own on that imaginary bookshelf.
Episodes
This time we discover the five books from the hypothetical shelf of prize-winning author, Emily Midorikawa.
Emily’s debut novel, A Tiny Speck of Black and then Nothing, is published by Manilla Press and came out earlier this year (2026). Set in the Japanese city of Osaka in the early 2000s, it tells the story of two young women – Anna and Loll, an English language teacher and a nightclub hostess –...
This episode I speak with the award-winning Edward Hogan and we take a slightly different tac, diving into his favourite five short stories. Ed offers practical suggestions on how to improve your own short story writing and shares his prodigious insights into reading as a writer.
Edward Hogan was born in Derby in 1980 and now lives in Brighton. He is a graduate of the MA creative writing course at UEA and a recipient of the David Hi...
This episode we talk to Kiare Ladner.
As a child, Kiare wanted to live on a farm, run an orphanage and be on stage. As an adult, she found herself working for academics, with prisoners and on nightshifts. Her short stories have been published in anthologies, broadcast on the radio and shortlisted in competitions, including the BBC National Short Story Award. Nightshift, about one woman’s obsessive interest in another, is...
This episode explores the five books chosen by the wonderful Lara Haworth. Lara is a writer, visual artist and filmaker. Lara's debut novel, Monumenta, was published by Canongate in July 2024. It was short-listed for the Nero Book Prize and the McKitterick Prize and was named a Financial Times Best New Debut.
She teaches Short Story writing at City St Georges, University of London and co-hosts Field Ramble, a books podcast, with its...
Episode Five explores the hypothetical shelf of the fabulous Catherine Menon. Catherine is Australian-British, has Malaysian heritage and lives in London. She is a University lecturer in robotics and has both a PhD in pure mathematics and an MA in Creative Writing. Fragile Monsters is her debut novel.
Her short story collection, Subjunctive Moods, was published by Dahlia Publishing in 2018. Her short stories have won or been placed ...
The episode we take a look at the five books on Courttia Newland's hypothetical shelf. Courttia Newland is the author of nine books including his debut, The Scholar and the story collection, Cosmogramma. His work has appeared in many anthologies and been broadcast on BBC Radio 4. He is the co-editor of the seminal IC3 The Penguin Book of New Black Writing in Britain, spanning poetry, to short fiction, memoir and essays. As a screen...
This episode we hear the five books on the hypothetical shelf of the prize-winning author, essayist, poet and podcaster, Heidi James. Her critically acclaimed novels include: The Mesmerist’s Daughter, Carbon, Wounding, So The Doves, and most recently, The Sound Mirror which has been described as ‘An exhilarating, heart-rending work’ by The Irish Times and as ‘An exceptional novel’ by The Guardian. She ...
This episode we hear the five books on the hypothetical shelf of the bestselling author, Hester Musson. Hester's debut novel, The Beholders, was a Times bestseller, a Sunday Times historical book of the month and shortlisted for the HWA Debut Crown in 2024. Her second novel, The Night Hag, was published in February 2026.
Hosted by Rebekah Lattin-Rawstrone. Music by Seven Pillars of Wisdom. Artwork by ...
The Hypothetical Bookshelf launches with the talented, award-winning Deepa Anappara. Deepa grew up in Kerala, southern India, and was an award-winning journalist in cities including Mumbai and Delhi. Her debut novel, Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line, was named as one of the best books of the year by the New York Times, The Washington Post, Time, Guardian, and NPR. It won the Edgar Award for Best Novel, was longlisted for the Women&r...
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