Blackwell Online Podcasts

In his groundbreaking new book '1415', Ian Mortimer looks at Henry V's 'year of glory', a period of religious persecution, personal suffering and the Battle of Agincourt, and asks whether the King deserves to be remembered as the greatest man who ever ruled England.

Jenny Uglow, author, historian and critic discusses her latest book 'A Gambling Man'. The book presents a study of Charles II, exploring his elusive nature through the tumultuous first decade of the restoration, a period which saw the plague, the Fire of London and the Dutch war.

Dan Cruickshank discusses his new book 'The Secret History of Georgian London'. The book looks at the darker side of the Georgian capital, where prostitution was rife, houses of ill repute were widespread, and many tens of thousands of people were dependent in some way on the wages of sin.

In 'It's a Don's Life', Mary Beard presents a selection of entries from her now famous blog on the Times Literary Supplement website, covering themes such as the classics, universities and teaching - and much else besides.

Writer, broadcaster and journalist Mark Vernon takes a sideways glance at modern living in his new book 'Plato's Podcasts', presenting the would-be thoughts of Ancient Philosophers on various topics central to our 21st century existence.

Amanda Vickery's new book 'Behind Closed Doors' unlocks the homes of Georgian England to examine the lives of the people who lived there, revealing what these abodes meant to the inhabitants both physically and psychologically.

Mark Hudson, journalist and prize-winning author, discusses his new book, 'Titian: The Last Days'. The book is an exploratory journey through the life and work of 16th-century Venetian painter, detailing the artist's struggles with his work, clients and family while celebrating his largely unfinished, final paintings.

German historian, novelist and journalist Philipp Blom looks at the pre-First World War era and argues that the emergence of the new European world dominated by globalisation, consumerism and other dramatic social shifts thought to have been triggered by the conflict, were already well established...

Christian Wolmar's 'Blood, Iron and Gold' shows how the rise of the train paved the way not only for engineering and architectural innovation, but for the rapid movement of people and goods around the world.

Michael Frayn, author, critic and playwright, discusses his new title Travels with a Typewriter. Documenting his travels to numerous locations worldwide including Israel, Berlin, Japan, America and Cuba, Frayn turns his attention not to the extraordinary, but to the ordinary, typical happenings of everyday life.

Roland Chambers discusses his biography of Arthur Ransome revealing him to be much more than a popular children's writer.

Julian Baggini offers philosophical opinions to 100 familiar saying and quotations such as 'is the grass always greener on the other side?' 'Is there ever smoke without fire?' And 'is it better to be safe than sorry?'

In 'Traffic', Tom Vanderbilt looks at how our behaviour changes when we get behind the wheel and what that says about us as drivers and people.

Rodge Glass discusses his fascinating biography on the Scottish writer and artist Alasdair Gray.

Muslim intellectual, cultural-critic and author Ziauddin Sardar discusses his new book 'Balti Britain'.