Philippe Sands on 38 Londres Street: Pinochet, Prosecution, and a Nazi in Patagonia
On this episode, we're joined by author and international human rights barrister Philippe Sands to talk about his latest book, 38 Londres Street, a gripping exploration of justice, memory, and impunity through the intertwining stories of Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet and Nazi fugitive Walter Rauff who spent decades in Chile avoiding extradition.We consider the groundbreaking legal concept of universal jurisdiction through the lens of Pinochet's dramatic 1998 arrest in London—a defining moment that transformed international justice—and what it means for the complex geopolitics of today. Drawing inspiration from literary figures like Roberto Bolaño, Bruce Chatwin, and Ariel Dorfman, Sands blends detective-style nonfiction with profound moral complexity, tracing the ominous echoes among Nazi Germany, fascism, and the Cold War. He also tells us about the book's sensational reception in Chile, where the effects of his reporting have reignited long-suppressed debates about accountability and national memory. In typical fashion, we also cover everything from Pinochet's visit to Hatchards a few days before his arrest—where he reportedly bought every book he could find on Napoleon—to his compulsive viewing of Star Wars films while awaiting trial.
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54:12
Charlie Porter on Nova Scotia House: Relationships, Radicals, and Reclamation
On this episode, we’re joined by writer and fashion critic Charlie Porter to discuss our Fiction Book of the Month, Nova Scotia House—a powerful love story that summons a lost generation, set against the backdrop of the UK AIDS crisis and its aftermath throughout the 1980s and ’90s.Our discussion of the novel’s vivid characters and cultural history offers a fascinating window into queer life in London at the close of the 20th century—and into Charlie’s own personal journey toward living without fear.In true form, we also cover everything from Virginia Woolf and the Bloomsbury Group to the feud over “punk” between British artist and filmmaker Derek Jarman and fashion icon Vivienne Westwood. Charlie also shares his love of Proust and 19th-century literature, despite his improbable hatred of Madame Bovary.Finally, we discuss the resurrection of the UK AIDS Memorial Quilt—consisting of 42 twelve-foot-by-twelve-foot panels—which Porter has helped present at Tate Modern in London this summer.Signed copies of the book are available in-store and on our website. Listeners of The Hatchards Podcast can receive 15% off at checkout with the code “NOVA15.”Hosted by Ryan Edgington and Olivia Robinson.
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1:00:42
Lola Kirke on Wild West Village: Fame, Family, and Finding Your Voice
On this episode, we were joined by Lola Kirke, the British-American actress and musician known for Mozart in the Jungle, Mistress America, and Gone Girl, who has written Wild West Village—a witty and moving essay collection described by Booklist as the “Andy Warhol Diaries for rich New York City art kids of the new millennium.”The book follows Kirke’s famous family—including her father, Simon (drummer for Free and Bad Company), and her sister, Jemima (of HBO’s Girls)—from West London to the West Village, as Lola navigates life in a family of larger-than-life personalities who party hard, exude effortless cool, and embody talent, beauty, and sophistication.
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49:13
Laurent Binet on Perspectives: Michelangelo, Mannerism, and Murder
On this episode, we were joined by Laurent Binet, the Prix Goncourt-winning author of HHHH, to discuss his new novel, Perspectives—a murder mystery set in Renaissance Florence, where Giorgio Vasari (possibly the world’s first art critic) is tasked with finding the killer of one of the city’s most prominent painters.Like much of Binet’s previous work, the novel is a historical counterfactual: the period’s mise-en-scène is precisely rendered, but the story he tells is playful and inventive."Playful" is also a word that can be used to describe Binet himself. As a guest, he’s funny, laid-back, and happy to go down the rabbit hole with us as we discuss everything from Proust to Philip Marlowe, Simenon to Stanley Kubrick.
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37:10
RaMell Ross on Nickel Boys: Colson Whitehead’s Masterpiece on the Screen
On this episode, we were joined by Oscar-nominated filmmaker RaMell Ross, director and co-writer of Nickel Boys, the new screen adaptation of Colson Whitehead's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel.Rated five stars by The Times and The Guardian, hailed as a "masterpiece" by The Independent, and recently named Best Film of 2024 by the National Society of Film Critics, Ross' film is a transformative adaptation of Whitehead's novel, employing a first-person POV that faithfully translates the book's prose experience into the language of cinema.RaMell spoke to us about the daunting task of adapting the work of a literary icon, his unique journey from potential NBA prospect to artist, his love of J.D. Salinger, and whether genre-oriented books make for the most successful screen adaptations.
The Hatchards Podcast is a conversation show about books brought to you by England’s oldest bookshop. Featuring interviews with some of our favourite authors, bookish waffle, and the occasional glass of wine. Hosted by Ryan Edgington and Matt Hennessey.
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