Damian Barr's Literary Salon

From the freshest debuts to the biggest bestsellers, this is where the world’s best writers read for the first time from their latest greatest books and share their own personal stories. Recent world premieres include ‘Hamnet’, ‘Again, Rachel’ and ‘Shuggie Bain’.

Enjoy our Book of the Week strand (formerly named Salon Exclusives), where each bite-size episode offers an exclusive taster of a new book. Or relax into an in-depth interview with one of your very favourite writers. Warm your heart with Armstead Maupin. Or hang on every word with Yaa Gyasi.

Hosted by writer and broadcaster, Damian Barr, and handpicked Guest Hosts, the Literary Salon live events and recordings celebrate storytelling and invite you to be part of it.


Produced and edited by Megan Bay Dorman. Programmed by Matt Casbourne. 

Books
26
BOOK OF THE WEEK: Rootless by Krystle Zara Appiah
16 min
27
JOJO MOYES SPECIAL: in conversation about Someo...
36 min
28
BOOK OF THE WEEK: Old God's Time by Sebastian B...
15 min
29
BOOK OF THE WEEK: In Ordinary Time by Carmel Mc...
Enjoy this vivid and evocative extract from a beautiful literary memoir
14 min
30
BOOK OF THE WEEK: The Garnett Girls by Georgina...
Perfect for lovers of character-led novels, summers by the beach and books by Taylor Jenkins Reid
10 min
31
BOOK OF THE WEEK: Someone Else’s Shoes by Jojo ...
14 min
32
BOOK OF THE WEEK: Getting Better by Michael Rosen
19 min
33
BOOK OF THE WEEK: Mouth to Mouth by Antoine Wilson
15 min
34
BOOK OF THE WEEK: River Sing Me Home by Eleanor...
11 min
35
‘Marple’ Special: Kate Mosse, Lucy Foley & Ella...
86 min
36
BOOK OF THE WEEK: Cells by Gavin McCrea
18 min
37
BOOK OF THE WEEK: The Weather Woman by Sally Ga...
18 min
38
BOOK OF THE WEEK: Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and...
23 min
39
BOOK OF THE WEEK: Carrie Kills A Man by Carrie ...
16 min
40
BOOK OF THE WEEK: The Marmalade Diaries
A wistful, witty and heartwarming story of intergenerational friendship as lockdown forces Aitken into an unlikely companionship with the formidable widow Winnie, fifty years his senior.
14 min
41
BOOK OF THE WEEK: Difference is Born on the Lip...
A reading from Handrick's beautifully written and unflinchingly honest new book
16 min
42
BOOK OF THE WEEK: Jackdaw by Tade Thompson
13 min
43
Alan Cumming Book Week Scotland Salon Special! ...
Alan Cumming in discussion with Damian Barr - plus performances from Len Pennie and Courtney Stoddart
78 min
44
BOOK OF THE WEEK: I Am Not Raymond Wallace by ...
15 min
45
BOOK OF THE WEEK: One For Sorrow, Two For Joy ...
'Intense, beautiful and heartbreaking'
16 min
46
BOOK OF THE WEEK: New Skin for the Old Ceremony...
11 min
47
BOOK OF THE WEEK: Boy Friends by Michael Pedersen
An exceptional meditation on masculinity, male friendship and grief
15 min
48
BOOK OF THE WEEK: The Foghorn Echoes by Danny R...
13 min
49
BOOK OF THE WEEK: The Marriage Portrait by Magg...
The first podcast in the world to share an extract of this hotly anticipated historical fiction!
15 min
50
SALON EXCLUSIVE: Bobby Palmer reads from 'Isaac...
13 min