Episode · SmartLess · 2026-06-29
Emma Thompson on SmartLess: every book mentioned
Have you been working on your faces in the mirror all morning? It’s Emma Thompson.
Emma Thompson recommended Getting Over Your Parents by The School of Life, and discussed Truth and Repair by Judith Lewis Herman and On Being Nice by The School of Life. Will Arnett discussed Alone in Berlin by Hans Fallada.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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Truth and Repair
Discussed“So the the books are truth and repair by a woman called Judith El Herman, author of trauma and recovery.”
Where to get it
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Getting Over Your Parents
Getting Over Your Parents by The School of Life is a thoughtful guide that explores the complex emotional dynamics and psychological challenges of separating one's identity from parental influence.
Recommended“Then there's getting over your parents which is a very important book for anyone who is human.”
Where to get it
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On Being Nice
Discussed“And then there's on being nice which of course is a very important thing but don't take it too far.”
Where to get it
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Alone in Berlin
Alone in Berlin is a powerful historical novel by Hans Fallada that portrays ordinary German citizens engaging in quiet, perilous acts of resistance against the Nazi regime.
Discussed“and I so many things and I was just I was just I watched within the last year uh a film that you did a few years ago oh god probably 10 years ago but it's based on one of my favorite books of all time which is Alone in Berlin.”
Where to get it
Other mentions in this episode (3) — ad reads, self-promotion and passing references, never counted
Passing Trauma and Recovery
“So the the books are truth and repair by a woman called Judith El Herman, author of trauma and recovery.”
Passing Harry Potter
“Well, it was it's written in the books that she has those glasses books.”
Passing Slow Horses
“I did a telly recently is it's a series called Down Cemetery Road which is a quote from a Philip Larkin poem and it's a Mick Herren book. is the slow horses group.”