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We came back to reading books as soon as the lockdown started. Now, that the world is back to working and commuting, one should find a perfect podcast to listen to. Well, take a listen to Backlisted Podcast!
Standing Out From Every Other Podcast
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Of course, reading a book is irreplaceable. The pure feeling of holding it in your hands, slowly turning the pages, making notes, and, last but not least, the core smell of old books – all these can't be swapped for one podcast. Yet, we're back to long commutes and getting ready for work in the morning. Brains need something to consume at least, and that's when audio content comes in. When you're getting bored of audiobooks or simple podcasts, bring your attention to the one called Backlisted. It focuses on books neglected by popular lists and reviewers, hence the name. Even the tagline proves that: “Giving new life to old books.” John Mitchinson and Andy Miller are co-hosts of the show.
Usually, guests choose a random book (from any time and author) that they want to represent. Then, they cast light on this piece of literature through Backlisted. It's important to note that the guest should be an avid fan of the book they brought! Naturally, they discuss the book to make it interesting for the Backlisted listeners. "As well as lively, well-informed discussion we include readings and audio clips of the featured author,” the hosts wrote in the “About” section of Backlisted's official website. “We also have a (long) list of books we’d love to cover but for it to happen we have to find a guest who feels as passionate about the book as we do.”
Mitchinson And Miller’s Great Company
Backlisted
But who are Mitchinson and Miller? Avid book lovers might have already heard Mitchinson’s name in the industry. He and Miller worked for Waterstones in the past, and now he’s with Boundless, a content-driven platform that publishes great writing daily. The latter also sponsors Backlisted in all their endeavors. “We wanted to recapture the excitement of those conversations in the staff room at Waterstones when someone was reading, I don’t know, say William Faulkner and it would all kick off,” Mitchinson explained to RadioTimes. “We wanted to create a warmer feel about books and try and restore some of the fun of reading.” And the podcast is outstandingly successful – it’s a regular in the Literature Top 10 on iTunes. It’s all thanks to Mitchinson and Miller’s cozy nature when they simply chat about the pieces they love.
Every podcast starts with a small chat about the book industry. When the hosts and their guests go through general news, they start speaking out about the chosen title. So far, they've already discussed works by Muriel Spark, Jane Gardam, JG Ballard, Raymond Chandler, Martin Amis, Nancy Mitford, and more. Most of the time, they focus on fiction and non-fiction of the 20th century. Still, Backlisted stands out. In one of the episodes, Mitchinson picked “I'll Sleep When I'm Dead: The Dirty Life and Times of Warren Zevon.” Being a biography written by an ex-wife, especially for the rock musician, it definitely stood out.
There’s one more edition of Backlisted to check out: Summer Reading Special — What We Read on our Holidays.
Sources: Evening Standard, Financial Times, Radio Times, The Book Satchel
