Read On - The Audiobook Show from RNIB
A weekly show all about audiobooks and accessible reading from RNIB Talking Books.
Tune in for fresh episodes every Friday at 1pm, accompanied by a re-airing on Saturday at 10pm, Sunday at 2pm, and Monday at 6pm.
Our programme features discussions with your beloved authors and narrators, as well as critiques, updates, conversations about audiobooks, and reading materials that are easily accessible. Presented and produced by Robert Kirkwood.
Read On - The Audiobook Show from RNIB episodes
Showing episodes 1 to 10 of 614
Damian Barr, Amanda Barrie and Percival Everett
In today's Read On we talk to Damian Barr about his novel The Two Roberts and we hear from Coronation Street and Carry On actress Amanda Barrie about her memoir I'm Still Here - My 90 Years and we find a link between those two books. We also find some new books in the RNIB Library and get a Books Of My Life from the winner of the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, Percival Everett.
Crime Books
This week on Read On we investigate some different styles of crime. Anita Frank discusses her WW1 historical fiction murder mystery thriller, The Good Liars, we get cosy with Josie Lloyd in Miss Beeton’s Murder Agency, and from the archive a listen back to the creator of Inspector Morse, Colin Dexter. Plus we find new books in the RNIB Library.
The RHS Sandringham Talking Books Garden with Lynda La Plante, Richard Osman and more
Today we revisit the RHS Sandringham Flower Show to hear about RNIB's Talking Books Garden. With Toby Davey we hear from the people behind it, some visitor reactions, and hear exclusive audio recorded for the garden from Richard Osman and Lynda La Plante
Gavin Francis, Stephen McGinty & Darren McGarvey - Boswell Book Festival
This episode of Read On contains subject matter that some listeners may find upsetting. Today Robert Kirkwood is recording on location at the Boswell Book Festival with Gavin Francis on The Unfragile Mind - Making Sense of Mental Health, Stephen McGinty on One Morning in March - Dunblane and the Shooting that Changed Britain and Darren McGarvey on Trauma Industrial Complex - The Dangers of Oversharing in a Digital World. Plus in the spirt of Boswell, we find some new biographies in the RNIB Library
History Books with Lucy Worsley, Kate Williams plus Andrew Pettegree and Arthur der Weduwen
Today on Read On we revisit some favourite historians with Lucy Worsley on Jane Austen, Kate Williams on Rival Queens plus Andrew Pettegree and Arthur der Weduwen on the history of libraries. Plus we find some new books in the RNIB Library
Dame Harriet Walter & Dougie Donnelly - Boswell Book Festival
Two very different authors this week on Read On, although with one thing in common, they both narrated the audio versions of the books they were speaking about at the Boswell Book Festival. Dougie Donnelly tells Robert Kirkwood about Recorded Highlights - My Life in Sport, and Dame Harriet Walter gives new scenes to some of Shakespeare's female characters in She Speaks! Plus we find some fiction and biography in the RNIB Library.
Inspired by Shakespeare
Today on Read On, three very different authors all inspired by Shakespeare, Michael Morpurgo on his Shakespeare retellings, Nydia Hetherington on her book about the witch from the Tempest, Sycorax and Bernard Cornwell on William's brother, Richard Shakespeare, in his book Fools and Mortals. All that plus new books in the RNIB Library.
Frances Wilson - Electric Spark & Adam Hart - Operation Pimento - Boswell Book Festival
Today on Read On, two biographical tales recorded at the Boswell Book Festival. Robert Kirkwood talks to Frances Wilson about Electric Spark - The Enigma of Muriel Spark, and author Adam Hart about Operation Pimento: My Great-Grandfather's Great Escape. Plus we have some new books in the RNIB Library
Summer Books
Today on Read On, three summer themed books, One Girl One Summer with Isabel Ashdown, Hot Girl Summer with Sophie Gravia and Summer on a Sunny Island with Sue Moorcroft. All that plus some new books in the RNIB Library.
Bec Manser - Wildheart
Today on Read On we hear from half spooky, half sparkly debut author Bec Manser on her debut novel Wildheart and we ask about RNIB's involvement in sensitivity reading around a blind character in the book, Amelia Hilton explores some books about myth and legend, we get a whoop of joy from Carnegie Medal winner Beth O'Brien and find some brand new books in the RNIB Library.