Mentioned in Podcasts

Person

Every book Simon Winchester recommended on podcasts

Key facts

  • Simon Winchester has recommended or discussed 3 books on podcasts, as of July 18, 2024.
  • Simon Winchester has talked about books on 1 podcast, as of July 18, 2024.
  • Those books came up in 3 episodes, as of July 18, 2024.
  • The 3 books Simon Winchester has mentioned in the most episodes, as of July 18, 2024: Life: A User's Manual, Midnight's Children and Seeds of Change.
  • The latest episode with a book mention from Simon Winchester aired on July 18, 2024.

Updated

Guest on The Book Review · 3 books · 3 episodes across 1 podcast

Simon Winchester is a British author and journalist best known for his narrative nonfiction books exploring history, science, and language. On episodes of The Book Review podcast, Winchester discussed several literary works that influenced him or related to broader historical themes. He mentioned Henry Hobhouse's Seeds of Change, describing it as a fascinating study of six specific seeds and vegetables that transformed the course of human history. Winchester also highlighted Georges Perec's novel Life: A User's Manual, citing it as his personal favorite book and a constant companion that also served as a stylistic influence on Susan Barker's writing. Furthermore, he compared Susan Barker's depiction of China in her writing to Salman Rushdie's novel Midnight's Children, praising both works for providing vivid and monumental portraits of nations undergoing historical transitions.

Books recommended by Simon Winchester

Who said what is determined automatically. In hand-checked samples, at least 6% of mentions were credited to the wrong speaker — sometimes an interviewer’s line recorded as the guest’s, sometimes the reverse. Every entry below quotes the words and links to the episode, so you can check it.

We earn a commission if you buy through the store links below, at no cost to you.

  1. Life: A User's Manual

    Georges Perec · Discussed · 2 episodes

    Life: A User's Manual by Georges Perec is a monumental, intricately structured masterpiece of contemporary literature that maps out the lives of apartment building residents in Paris with breathtaking detail and inventiveness.

    Discussed
    “yes well I mean my to be perfectly honest my favorite book is life of uses manual it's a book I have everywhere with me”
    The Book Review Inside The New York Times Book Review: ‘Give Us the Ballot’ 2015-08-30 Listen at 22:14
    Where to get it
    AmazonListen on Audible

  2. Midnight's Children

    Salman Rushdie · Discussed · 1 episode

    Midnight's Children is a celebrated novel by Salman Rushdie that explores the magical realist history of India from its independence and partition onward, touching upon regional themes such as Kashmir.

    Discussed
    “as someone compared it to saying it's a Chinese version as it were of Midnight's Children as Vivid a description of China as Salon Rashi described India the coming to Independence”
    The Book Review Inside The New York Times Book Review: ‘Give Us the Ballot’ 2015-08-30 Listen at 17:38
    Where to get it
    AmazonListen on Audible

  3. Seeds of Change

    Henry Hobhouse · Discussed · 1 episode

    Discussed
    “there's this marvelous book called by a man called hubhouse I think called seeds of change about the six vegetables or six seeds that changed the world”
    The Book Review The History of Jann Wenner and Rolling Stone 2024-07-18 Listen at 19:32
    Where to get it
    AmazonListen on Audible

Books Simon Winchester wrote

Every book by Simon Winchester mentioned on podcasts →

Appearances

EpisodePodcastDateBooks
The History of Jann Wenner and Rolling StoneThe Book Review2024-07-181
Inside The New York Times Book Review: ‘Give Us the Ballot’The Book Review2015-08-302
Inside The New York Times Book Review: ‘Give Us the Ballot’The Book Review2015-08-301
Other mentions (1: passing, ad reads, own books)
Passing Atlantic
“my first trip across the Atlantic that I wrote a book about was from Liverpool to Montreal on a ship the Empress of of Britain”
The Book Review The History of Jann Wenner and Rolling Stone 2024-07-18 Listen at 30:41