The Oldie Podcast

Sam Leith, literary editor of the Spectator, talks about 'How to Write a Book Review' and proffers wisdom on how to make a review 'really sing on the page' and why you should read a book armed with a pen.

Mary enlightens course-goers, telling them that 'only a blockhead goes into journalism for money' in her session on 'How to Write a Column' – something she has been doing now, for the best part of 50 years.

Sophia Money-Coutts on modern manners: drinks at 6.30, dinner at 8.30 – and get married by 30\. The former features director of Tatler talks tongue-in-cheek about the world of the magazine, and her new book The Plus One which is published on 9th August.

The father of our ‘Golden Oldies’ columnist, Rachel Johnson, has written a political thriller – an account of the skulduggery that might have gone on behind the scenes in the run-up to the EU referendum. Described as a ‘unique peek under the dirty doormat of politics’. He talks at Chichester Cathedral, an Oldie lunch in partnership with the Literary festival.

A year of walks, inspired by a song – Dave Goulder’s The January Man. Month by month, season by season and region by region, Christopher Somerville walks many of the 140,000 miles of footpaths across the British Isles. He talks at Chichester Cathedral, an Oldie lunch in partnership with the Literary festival.

Anna is the great-niece of the Nobel Prize-winning novelist Boris Pasternak – author of Doctor Zhivago. She tells the story of the true and tragic love affair between Boris and Olga Ivinskaya which inspired the literary classic. She talks at Chichester Cathedral, an Oldie lunch in partnership with the Literary festival.

Roger Lewis looks back on his journalism and books, and discusses his unique, sardonic, comic style. He also unlocks the characters of Peter Sellers and Laurence Olivier in a discussion of his ground-breaking biographies.

Charles Duff stands in to replace his cousin John Julius Norwich, who was forced to stand down due to ill health, at the June 5th 2018 lunch. An actor and lecturer in Shakepeare and theatre history, he entertains and enthrals in equal measure talking about his memoir, Charley's Woods published by Zuleika.

Fresh from reporting on the Royal Wedding for CNN from 4.30am until 9pm, Angela Levin reveals extracts from her royal biography, Harry: Conversations with the Prince at the Oldie Literary Lunch on June 5th 2018.

Lady Antonia Fraser in conversation with her cousin, Harry Mount, on her book The King and the Catholics: The Fight for Rights 1829 at the Oldie Literary Lunch on June 5th 2018 at Simpson's-in-the-Strand. With an introduction by Barry Cryer.

Barry Cryer on Tony Hancock. Barry recalls the comic genius of his friend, and how Hancock discarded his brilliant writers before finally, tragically discarding himself.

Paul Atterbury and Marc Allum discuss their new book, which celebrates 40 years of the Antiques Roadshow. They reveal their greatest and most interesting finds over the years, including a letter written by a doomed Titanic passenger and some original Beatrix Potter drawings. Royal family expert Hugo Vickers talks about his strife with big-budget Netflix series _The Crown_ and his issues with the impact of fictional dramatisations on the historical education of the public. He discusses what should be taken as truth and what should not with regards to the popular series. Renowned broadcaster John Tusa tells the story of his journey from Czechoslovakian emigrant, through Cambridge University and on to a distinguished career at the BBC. He shares the lessons that he learnt whilst in prestigious jobs - from presenting Newsnight, to running the BBC World Service. The Oldie Literary Lunch is brought to you by Noble Caledonia - the world leaders in small ship cruising. For more info about the The Oldie and the lu

In early April we had our ‘rebooted’ computer course at the Royal Geographical Society with Matthew Webster, who has been our technological expert and columnist since 2000\. The internet was personified: described as an ‘angsty teenager’; and the course-going oldies were there to ‘tame’ it. Here is a recording from the session.

Harry Mount interviews Tom Hodgkinson, our Town Mouse columnist and cofounder of the Idler empire, about eminent Victorians, town vs country, and the key to a harmonious, idling existence.

Robert Fox discusses his sombre return to the Falklands to advise on a new feature film about the Battle of Goose Green – where he was one of only two journalists embedded with British forces. In conversation with Harry Mount.

It is 100 years since the Royal Air Force took flight. Joshua Levine, author of Fighter Heroes of WWI, commemorates the centenary with a preview of the new RAF museum. In conversation with Harry Mount.

Ferdie Rous, our editorial assistant, talks about ‘fat shaming’. No Thinifer himself, he admits he should be revelling in the fight for ‘fat acceptance’, but he feels it’s sad – the obese are not an oppressed group and would all do well to shift the stones. In conversation with Annabel Sampson.

Nicholas Shakespeare, the distinguished novelist, on Six Minutes in May. A talk on Chamberlain's downfall, Churchill's eventual accession to number 10, and with a brief look at what could have happened had events worked out differently. Harry Mount, our editor, also praised Shakespeare for his great modesty, 'bringing up the 16th century playwright and not admitting that they're related'. Peter Snow and Ann MacMillan, the husband-and-wife writerly pair, on War Stories: Gripping Tales of Courage, Cunning and Compassion. Cheerily and grippingly told: this book examines thirty-four previously untold stories of those who showed great humanity and heroism at a time of war. And, finally, Simon Jenkins, the esteemed journalist and chronicler of the British landscape, on the rituals, ceremonies and architecture of some of our most undervalued national treasures, in Britain's 100 Best Railway Stations.  The Oldie Literary Lunch is brought to you by Noble Caledonia - the world leaders in small ship cruising. For mo

On the eve of a retrospective exhibition at the British Museum, John Julius Norwich recalls the remarkable life and tremendous spirit of his friend Patrick Leigh Fermor, the man whom John Julius credits with opening up the Byzantine world to him – the subject of his subsequent book on the subject Byzantium: The Early Centuries.  John Julius talks about Paddy's incredible intellectual curiosity and lightness of touch: ‘All the time you were aware of being in touch with perhaps the most extraordinary man you’d ever met.’ 'Ghika, Craxton, Leigh Fermor – Charmed Lives in Greece’, the British Museum, 8th March to 15th July

Michael Wooldridge is a Professor of Computer Science and Head of the Department of Computer Science at the University of Oxford – he is also the author of the Ladybird Book for Artificial Intelligence, that is published on the 22nd March. He talks to Annabel Sampson, our digital editor, about writing the book, and how you take something as difficult as AI and make it understandable. He also reveals that his very eminent colleagues, distinguished holders of chairs at the University of Oxford, have asked: ‘how’d do you do that?’ – I’d like to do one too.'