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The Bibliofilles

Hosted by Sophie and Chaya

The Bibliofilles began, as all great modern love stories do, on Facebook during Lockdown. Sophie asked for a recommendation. Chaya prescribed The Song of Achilles. A DM became a dialogue; a dialogue became @thebibiliofilles; and now, finally, a podcast.

Chaya is a barrister, Sophie a former editor. We read across all genres and trends, from classics and non fiction, to contemporary fiction, romantasy and everything in between.

The Bibliofilles: The Podcast is life through books, where we get to ruminate beyond the reviews and reels, with thematic episodes, academic deep dives, classics, cult favourites and viral sensations.

There will be a book club built for those of us who never quite fit the mould. (with a twist, naturally).

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Today · 42 min
The Truth About East of Eden
Is Netflix’s East of Eden getting Cathy Ames completely wrong? Sophie and Chaya discuss John Steinbeck’s East of Eden, the new Netflix series starring Florence Pugh, and the huge controversy surrounding its interpretation of Cathy Ames. Is Netflix’s East of Eden faithful to the book? Why has Cathy Ames been rewritten as a more sympathetic character? And what does Steinbeck actually say about good, evil, free will and the power of choice? In this episode of The Bibliofilles, we compare the East of Eden book and Netflix series, exploring the biggest changes to Cathy, the Trask brothers, the Hamilton family and the central themes of Steinbeck’s classic novel. We also discuss “Timshel”, the biblical story of Cain and Abel, Steinbeck’s letters and the real-life inspirations behind East of Eden. 📚 We discuss: • East of Eden by John Steinbeck • The Netflix East of Eden adaptation • Florence Pugh as Cathy Ames • Cathy Ames: evil or misunderstood? • East of Eden book vs TV series • The meaning of Timshel • Cain and Abel and the themes of good vs evil • Free will and the power of choice • The Trask and Hamilton families • Steinbeck’s inspiration and personal life • The biggest differences between the book and Netflix adaptation If you’re watching East of Eden on Netflix, reading John Steinbeck’s novel, or looking for an East of Eden book vs series comparison, this episode dives into everything you need to know. What do you think about Netflix’s version of Cathy Ames? Does the adaptation change the meaning of Steinbeck’s original story? 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Sophie & Chaya. #TheBibliofilles #BookPodcast #EastOfEden #JohnSteinbeck #EastOfEdenNetflix #FlorencePugh #Netflix #BookTube #BookReview #TheBibliofilles Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
September 28 · 43 min
Undercover With The Far Right
What happens when you go undercover inside the far right and discover how easily dangerous ideas can become normalised? In this episode of The Bibliofilles, Sophie and Chaya dive into Harry Shukman’s The Year of the Rat, a gripping work of investigative nonfiction that follows Shukman as he spends more than a year undercover inside far-right groups using a hidden camera and the alias “Chris.” From secret pub meetings and Holocaust denial to loneliness, online radicalisation and the communities that draw people into extremist movements, Sophie and Chaya explore what Shukman discovered while moving between nine different groups. The conversation also takes a deeper look at some of the book’s most unsettling themes, including eugenics, IVF, falling birth rates, embryo screening, Silicon Valley funding and the ways dangerous ideas can be presented as completely ordinary. They discuss the morality of undercover journalism, the psychological tension of gaining the trust of people whose beliefs you fundamentally oppose, and Shukman’s own conflict over whether he was helping the very groups he was investigating. The episode also explores the book’s criticisms, including arguments that Shukman’s definition of the far right is too broad, before comparing The Year of the Rat with Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray and its themes of identity, disguise and living a double life. 📚 Books Mentioned The Year of the Rat by Harry Shukman 👉 https://link.amazon/B0iHxjhnC The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde 👉 https://link.amazon/B0ff8BFt1 Pachinko by Min Jin Lee 👉 https://link.amazon/B0jd1dgu5 Free Food for Millionaires by Min Jin Lee 👉 https://link.amazon/B009dtWNa The Odyssey by Homer 👉 https://link.amazon/B009dtWNa What do you think draws people towards extremist communities? And can dangerous ideas become normal simply because they are presented in a convincing or familiar way? 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations, literary debates, book recommendations and deep dives with Chaya & Sophie. If you love books, reading, literature, nonfiction, investigative journalism, classic novels, contemporary fiction and literary discussions, make sure you're subscribed to The Bibliofilles. #TheBibliofilles #BookPodcast #TheYearOfTheRat #HarryShukman #Books #BookTok #BookTube #Literature #Reading #BookRecommendations #Nonfiction #LiteraryPodcast #OscarWilde #DorianGray Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
September 21 · 48 min
You Won’t Believe These Are Real Books
Is fiction getting weirder? This week on Bibliofilles, Chaya and Sophie dive into the wonderfully strange world of weird books, exploring some of the most bizarre, surreal and completely unexpected stories they’ve come across. From women falling in love with bears, planes and even a front door, to characters transforming into insects, dogs and other creatures, there are some books where the premise alone makes you stop and think: how did someone even come up with this? Chaya and Sophie unpack what makes these stories so strange, why authors are drawn to the bizarre, and whether there’s something about weird fiction that makes certain books impossible to forget. Expect bizarre plots, unconventional romances, surreal storytelling and plenty of books that are almost impossible to explain to someone who hasn’t read them. What’s the weirdest book you’ve ever read? 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Sophie & Chaya. #Bibliofilles #BookPodcast #BookRecommendations #WeirdBooks #StrangeBooks #FictionBooks #BookClub #BookTok #BookTube #LiteraryFiction Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
September 14 · 52 min
You Know the Book. You Don't Know Its Real Name.
Why are some of the most famous books in history called what they are? And what if they had kept their original titles? In this episode of The Bibliofilles, Sophie and Chaya dive into the fascinating world of book titles, literary titles and the stories behind them including famous novels that were almost given completely different names. From The Secret History originally being considered as The God of Illusions, to Pride and Prejudice almost becoming First Impressions, 1984 being considered as The Last Man in Europe, and To Kill a Mockingbird nearly being called Atticus, we explore how much a title can change the way we see a book. They also look at the phenomenon of the "title drop", those brilliant moments when you suddenly realise why a book has been given its name and how titles can become bigger than the books themselves. Plus, we're joined by bestselling author Meg Mason, author of Sorrow and Bliss and Sophie, Staring There, to talk about how she creates her book titles, why Sophie, Staring There was originally called Lilac, and how much a title can shape the writing process. 📚 Books Mentioned The Secret History by Donna Tartt 👉 https://link.amazon/B047aiP9D Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen 👉 https://link.amazon/B09p14rnN Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell 👉 https://link.amazon/B0iGu7djN To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee 👉 https://link.amazon/B0eifZY86 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 👉 https://link.amazon/B00UOOQrx War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy 👉 https://link.amazon/B0g0z2BY5 The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett 👉 https://link.amazon/B0cFQ407B Dracula by Bram Stoker 👉 https://link.amazon/B00bOgUH9 Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll 👉 https://link.amazon/B03bkVwbD Catch-22 by Joseph Heller 👉 https://link.amazon/B06WOa116 Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson 👉 https://link.amazon/B0jgs2dCs Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck 👉 https://link.amazon/B07Py3TA1 Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell 👉 https://link.amazon/B00ha1Vmk Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J. K. Rowling 👉 https://link.amazon/B0jaN8TpF Northern Lights by Philip Pullman 👉 https://link.amazon/B090VVmIb Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick 👉 https://link.amazon/B0iRJO5dn Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason 👉 https://link.amazon/B09A20K1h Sophie, Standing There by Meg Mason 👉 https://link.amazon/B0dJ9P7fW What’s a book title that you think is absolutely perfect? And what book do you think should have had a completely different name? 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations, literary debates, book recommendations and deep dives with Chaya & Sophie. If you love books, reading, literature, classic novels, contemporary fiction, book recommendations and literary trivia, make sure you're subscribed to The Bibliofilles. #TheBibliofilles #BookPodcast #BookTok #BookTube #BookClub #Books #Reading #Literature #BookRecommendations #BookLovers #Bookish #LiteraryPodcast #ClassicBooks #ContemporaryFiction #MegMason Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
September 7 · 42 min
The Syllabus Exposed: Who’s Really Behind It?
In this episode of The Bibliofilles, Sophie and Chaya are back from their summer holidays with their September Book Club picks — The Year of the Rat by Harry Shukman and The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde — before diving into a much bigger question: who actually decides what we read? Inspired by new developments in Texas, where a mandatory school reading list includes more than 200 texts alongside Bible passages, Sophie and Chaya explore the politics of education, literary syllabuses and the power that comes with deciding which books students are exposed to. They look back at their own experiences of studying English, from The Great Gatsby, Frankenstein and War Poetry to The Go-Between, and ask whether students should have more choice over the books they study. The conversation then takes a deeper turn into university funding, foreign donations and the influence money can have on education, research and academic institutions. How much influence should donors have? Where does university funding come from? And can we really separate money, politics and what gets taught? Plus, Sophie and Chaya reveal the books they think should be on everyone's syllabus, including Toni Morrison, The Secret History, Giovanni's Room, Never Let Me Go, 1984 and more. Is there really such a thing as a neutral syllabus? And who gets to decide what the next generation reads? 📚 Books Mentioned The Year of the Rat by Harry Shukman 👉 https://link.amazon/B04jA3HWV The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde 👉 https://link.amazon/B0bUQ9I4G To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee 👉 https://link.amazon/B0gNt1tL0 The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas 👉 https://link.amazon/B0awcdlLf Up from Slavery by Booker T. Washington 👉 https://link.amazon/B0bGQuaRH The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare 👉 https://link.amazon/B0cEz42Jj Great Expectations by Charles Dickens 👉 https://link.amazon/B01PWmQRu Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White 👉 https://link.amazon/B0hPvrxRS Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck 👉 https://link.amazon/B0dxjifSF The Rape of the Lock by Alexander Pope 👉 https://link.amazon/B0iNQ493Z Sula by Toni Morrison 👉 https://link.amazon/B025v28K1 Beloved by Toni Morrison 👉 https://link.amazon/B04pm2BVP The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 👉 https://link.amazon/B064Bls4P The Secret History by Donna Tartt 👉 https://link.amazon/B0iBtIh8V Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin 👉 https://link.amazon/B06CMKsOs Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro 👉 https://link.amazon/B05B8w9ik Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell 👉 https://link.amazon/B04hFuY1N Frankenstein by Mary Shelley 👉 https://link.amazon/B0c6tqJ31 Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel 👉 https://link.amazon/B0bVI15Aa Mythos by Stephen Fry 👉 https://link.amazon/B0cfHtSmF I, Claudius by Robert Graves 👉 https://link.amazon/B01YLuLg1 Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall 👉 https://link.amazon/B01ofGRPf One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez 👉 https://link.amazon/B0bQKuN04 The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien 👉 https://link.amazon/B01V4NdmR Translations by Brian Friel 👉 https://link.amazon/B013y1XWF The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank 👉 https://link.amazon/B0gxXgiSi Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell 👉 https://link.amazon/B05EuH7Yh 📚 September Book Club Picks: The Year of the Rat — Harry Shukman The Picture of Dorian Gray — Oscar Wilde 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Chaya & Sophie. #TheBibliofilles #BookPodcast #BookTok #BookClub #ReadingList #Literature #Books #Education #BookRecommendations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
August 31 · 31 min
Luke Kennard: His Big Chance To Do Absolutely Nothing
We sat down with Professor Luke Kennard to talk about Black Bag, our July Book Club pick, and honestly we're still thinking about it. 🖤📚 Luke is a poet, novelist and critic. His collection Cane was shortlisted for the International Dylan Thomas Prize, Notes on the Sonnets won the Forward Prize for Best Collection in 2021, and his debut novel The Transition was a BBC Radio 4 Book at Bedtime pick. He's now a professor of literature and creative writing at the University of Birmingham, and somehow also finds time to review for the London Review of Books, the Telegraph, the Poetry Review and the TLS. Black Bag follows an out of work actor who gets paid to sit inside a black leather bag as part of a psychology experiment, based on a real 1967 study into the "mere exposure effect", the idea that we come to like almost anything just by being repeatedly exposed to it. Luke told us where the idea actually came from, how a footnote in a completely unrelated academic paper turned into an obsession, and why he was determined to make the costume weirder than the original. We talked about writing male vulnerability without writing a manosphere book, why the majority experience of a creative life is frustration rather than success, and what it's like judging his students' work while sending his own out to be judged in exactly the same way. In this episode we chat about: 📖 The real experiment behind Black Bag, and the mere exposure effect 🎭 Writing a passive protagonist who denies his own agency 🧠 Masculinity, emotional dysregulation, and writing men without being didactic about it ✍️ Why failure, not success, is the real story of a creative life 🎓 Teaching creative writing at Birmingham while his own work gets rejected too 🌀 Anne Carson's influence on the shape and rhythm of the book Head over to Substack for the extended cut, we've got a bonus quick fire round with Luke that didn't make the main episode. 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Chaya & Sophie. #LukeKennard #BlackBag #BookTok #BookClub #AuthorInterview #ContemporaryFiction #BritishFiction Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
August 24 · 39 min
Adaptations: The Ones We Loved, The Ones We Hated
What makes a great book adaptation and what happens when Hollywood gets it completely wrong? 📚🎬 In this episode of The Bibliofilles, Sophie and Chaya dive into the biggest book-to-film and book-to-TV adaptations, from the adaptations they absolutely loved to the ones that completely missed the point. Plus, they get into the hugely anticipated The Odyssey adaptation, discussing Christopher Nolan’s take on Homer’s epic, what was changed from the original poem, the missing intimacy and sexuality, the depiction of PTSD, Circe, the Cyclops and whether the film captures the heart of the original story. They also look ahead to upcoming adaptations including Klara and the Sun, Pride and Prejudice, East of Eden, The Love Hypothesis, In Memoriam and Buckeye and reveal the books they desperately want to see brought to the screen. In this episode: 📚 The best book-to-film adaptations 🎬 The adaptations that completely missed the mark ⚡ Books vs films: which is actually better? 🧙 Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings & Game of Thrones 💔 Never Let Me Go & We Need to Talk About Kevin 💕 Bridgerton, It Ends With Us & the rise of romance adaptations 🏛️ Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey adaptation 🔮 The books we want to see adapted next Which book adaptation do you think got it right — and which one completely ruined the book? 👇 All books mentioned are linked below 👇 Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien 👉 https://link.amazon/B0dKivsBE Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen 👉 https://link.amazon/B0a2ffdKR The Godfather by Mario Puzo 👉 https://link.amazon/B0gWMEWLH Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling 👉 https://link.amazon/B08yksPbN The Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King 👉 https://link.amazon/B0faJ8h5R We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver 👉 https://link.amazon/B03WT5H1R Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke 👉 https://link.amazon/B07q2N2wT It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover 👉 https://link.amazon/B00VDC34Z Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir 👉 https://link.amazon/B0f8RsOa9 Dune by Frank Herbert 👉 https://link.amazon/B0dKfgPPs Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro 👉 https://link.amazon/B08C2JTr7 Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë 👉 https://link.amazon/B0dTefgkV Game of Thrones Series 👉 https://link.amazon/B05ipHoug Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer 👉 https://link.amazon/B005j12Si The Testaments by Margaret Atwood 👉 https://link.amazon/B0gLGYGBP Atonement by Ian McEwan 👉 https://link.amazon/B0cuSbjog The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins 👉 https://link.amazon/B0daEqVNI Call Me by Your Name by André Aciman 👉 https://link.amazon/B01eBEnaS Bridgerton Series by Julia Quinn 👉 https://link.amazon/B05AGH2og The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood 👉 https://link.amazon/B03zFAERq The Deal by Elle Kennedy 👉 https://link.amazon/B0dmC1VYR Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin 👉 https://link.amazon/B02XZ1df0 Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro 👉 https://link.amazon/B0a2ttTfO East of Eden by John Steinbeck 👉 https://link.amazon/B0gvYmbCL The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood 👉 https://link.amazon/B0dSpRau9 The Housemaid by Freida McFadden 👉 https://link.amazon/B0aptJMwk In Memoriam by Alice Winn 👉 https://link.amazon/B089c8smW Buckeye by Patrick Ryan 👉 https://link.amazon/B0bRaZPRy Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates 👉 https://link.amazon/B06N0L3gU The Odyssey (Emily Wilson translation) 👉 https://link.amazon/A0aVpgM5g #TheBibliofilles #BookTok #BookRecommendations #BookAdaptations #BookToFilm #BookToScreen #BookLovers #ReadingCommunity #BookPodcast #BooksAndMovies Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
August 17 · 53 min
The Best Books of 2026 So Far (WE CRIED!)
In this episode of The Bibliofilles, Sophie and Chaya round up the best books of the year so far and it's not just their own picks. They've spent hours combing through every major "best of" list from Goodreads, The New York Times and NPR, then added their own favourites, submissions from Bibliofilles Insiders, and an exclusive segment from senior editors across Spotify Audiobooks worldwide. From the most talked-about book of the year to a lit RPG series flying completely under the radar, a devastating non-fiction deep dive, and the sports romance nobody saw coming, this episode covers new releases, overlooked backlist gems, and the books they simply can't stop thinking about. 📖 In this episode: The most talked-about book of the year so far and why it's dividing readers The lit RPG series outselling literary fiction that nobody's talking about Non-fiction picks spanning true crime, memoir and modern history Sophie and Chaya's personal favourite reads of the year (including one not even out yet) Exclusive best books recommendations from senior editors at Spotify Audiobooks (US, UK, Canada and Australia) Insider picks from Bibliofilles Substack subscribers A recommendation from the National Year of Reading campaign Independent bookshop bestsellers from The Wandering Chapter The books they're most excited to read before the year is out Whether you're searching for the best books of 2026, new book releases, literary fiction, book club recommendations, or your next unputdownable read, this episode has something for every reader. 👇 All books mentioned are linked below 👇 Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke 👉 https://link.amazon/B05FZnSS2 Strangers by Belle Burden 👉 https://link.amazon/B08UUmiA7 Lost Lambs by Madeline Cash 👉 https://link.amazon/B0fC4AwVj Vigil by George Saunders 👉 https://link.amazon/B0aqKSm1Z The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett 👉 https://link.amazon/B0gUhlQrv The Palm House by Gwendoline Riley 👉 https://link.amazon/B0aaHd5kG London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe 👉 https://link.amazon/B05yqno0R Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe 👉 https://link.amazon/B0aSVsxyD A Parade of Horribles by Matt Dinniman 👉 https://link.amazon/B0bzP9UYm Daughters of the Bamboo Grove by Barbara Demick 👉 https://link.amazon/B02liHBM5 Whistler by Ann Patchett 👉 https://link.amazon/B0hSM2YrE The Dutch House by Ann Patchett 👉 https://link.amazon/B06kWomYD John of John by Douglas Stuart 👉 https://link.amazon/B01tbDnoE Transcription by Ben Lerner 👉 https://link.amazon/B00hzS8lk This is Where the Serpent Lives by Daniyal Mueenuddin 👉 https://link.amazon/B01gLxEoj I Want You to be Happy by Jem Calder 👉 https://link.amazon/B01oYdh9a Famesick by Lena Dunham 👉 https://link.amazon/B0fx92u7y Lovelight series by BK Borison 👉 https://link.amazon/B0fx92u7y This Kingdom will not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews 👉 https://link.amazon/B03KOKKRr American Hagwon by Min Jin Lee 👉 https://link.amazon/B0e2TAAvB The Pretender by Jo Harkin 👉 https://link.amazon/B0h8HMY57 Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann 👉 https://link.amazon/B0hjI6qCS Buckeye by Patrick Ryan 👉 https://link.amazon/B09Qtnh4G A Private Man by Stephanie Sy-Quia 👉 https://link.amazon/B03Ngrey9 When the Cranes Fly South by Lisa Rizden 👉 https://link.amazon/B02w4XMYM The Girls by Emma Cline 👉 https://link.amazon/B0gLIDWMI The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout 👉 https://link.amazon/B0hIvqyde Country People by Daniel Mason 👉 https://link.amazon/B0dzDqSiL Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff 👉 https://link.amazon/B0awQ3ksK Cathedrals by Claudia Piñeiro 👉 https://link.amazon/B05runErC Seek the Traitor's Sun by Veronica Roth 👉 https://link.amazon/B0a8VSPaN Fieldwork as a Sex Object by Meena Kandasamy 👉 https://link.amazon/B0gNbL3bc A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan 👉 https://link.amazon/B0j7Oazqf The Winged Game by Sophie Kim 👉 https://link.amazon/B0ifcOSpu Piranesi by Susanna Clarke 👉 https://link.amazon/B0dbl63If Life of Pi by Yann Martel 👉 https://link.amazon/B0dbZKMzL Munichs by David Peace 👉 https://link.amazon/B00VBaS89 The Correspondent by Virginia Evans 👉 https://link.amazon/B0cUEf1VN Doom Painting by AK Blakemore 👉 https://link.amazon/B0iF1Hulv We Go Way Back by Niamh Connolly 👉 https://link.amazon/B09lbWKXj 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Sophie & Chaya. 🎧 Subscribe on Substack for extended essays and exclusive bonus content. #BestBooksOfTheYear #BookRecommendations #BooksToRead #BestBooks2026 #MustReadBooks #BookTok #BookTube #BookClub #LiteraryFiction #ReadingList #BookLovers #ReadersOfInstagram #Bookstagram #TheBibliofilles #BookCommunity #NewBooks2026 #BookPodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
August 10 · 47 min
Inside Publishings AI Panic
We've spoken to authors, journalists, teachers, data privacy lawyers, and sources inside publishing who've asked to remain anonymous and we're bringing you the inside scoop on what's actually being discussed behind closed doors. In this episode of The Bibliofilles, Sophie and Chaya step away from book recommendations to tackle something bigger: what AI is actually doing to books, authors, and the publishing industry right now. From a warehouse guillotine slicing book spines for AI training data to a $1.5 billion court settlement, we unpack the legal, ethical, and deeply human stakes of the AI-and-books collision and why it's not going away any time soon. 📖 In this episode: - Inside Anthropic's book-scanning operation and the machines behind it - Bartz v. Anthropic: the piracy case and the $1.5 billion author payout - Why owning a book legally doesn't erase an author's IP rights - Authors accused of using AI with zero concrete proof and the reversal of the burden of proof - A former Anthropic security researcher on AI agents that rewrite their own shutdown code - OpenAI's AI agent that hacked Hugging Face undetected for a week - Why "leaving in mistakes" might become the only proof a book is human-written - Fahrenheit 451, Hans Zimmer, and what we lose when creativity gets automated Whether you're searching for the Anthropic AI lawsuit, AI and copyright law, the future of publishing, or how AI is changing books in 2026, this episode has something for every reader who cares where their stories come from. 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Sophie & Chaya. #TheBibliofilles #AIandBooks #Anthropic #AIvsCreativity #CopyrightLaw #PublishingIndustry #BookPodcast #BookTok #BookTube #WritersOfYouTube #AIethics #BookCommunity #Bookstagram #FutureOfPublishing #ArtificialIntelligence Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
August 3 · 42 min
Your Summer Reading List Needs This
In this episode of The Bibliofilles, Sophie and Chaya challenge the idea of the traditional summer read and explore whether the best books for summer are really the ones topping every bestseller list. From literary fiction, Greek mythology retellings, and dystopian classics to romance, thrillers, BookTok favourites, and underrated novels, we share the books we genuinely believe deserve a place on your summer reading list—whether you're relaxing on the beach, by the pool, or curled up at home. We also dive into the surprising research behind the "summer slide," why children should keep reading during the school holidays, and share some of our favourite books for young readers. 📖 In this episode: - The biggest summer reading trends of 2026 - Why there is no such thing as the perfect "summer read" - The most underrated books everyone should read - Literary fiction worth taking on holiday - Greek mythology retellings we love - Romance, thrillers and hidden gems beyond BookTok - Why summer reading is so important for children - Our personal Summer TBR (To Be Read) lists Whether you're searching for summer book recommendations, beach reads, literary fiction, BookTok books, classic novels, or the best books to read in 2026, this episode has something for every reader. 👇 All books mentioned are linked below 👇 The Children of Men 👉 https://link.amazon/B0hMNVNqN Call Me By Your Name 👉 https://link.amazon/B0bNzpLtk My Sister, The Serial Killer 👉 https://link.amazon/B07rO0md0 The Neapolitan Novels 👉 https://link.amazon/B0hgHiCPP You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty 👉 https://link.amazon/B09apRAuW Alias Grace 👉 https://link.amazon/B06zIB6ei The Remains of the Day 👉 https://link.amazon/B0bBJ2Gm3 Ariadne 👉 https://link.amazon/B0bg48WnC Welcome to Glorious Tuga 👉 https://link.amazon/B03t1yEaQ 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Sophie & Chaya. 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Sophie & Chaya. #BookPodcast #BookRecommendations #SummerReads #SummerReading #BooksToRead #BestBooks2026 #MustReadBooks #BeachReads #BookTok #BookTube #BookClub #LiteraryFiction #ReadingRecommendations #BookLovers #ReadersOfInstagram #GreekMythology #ClassicBooks #DystopianBooks #RomanceBooks #ThrillerBooks #Books2026 #TheBibliofilles #BookCommunity #ReadingList #Bookstagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
July 27 · 44 min
Claire Daverley: Why Her Second Novel Nearly Broke Her
Do you have a Bren? 💔📖 This month's Bibliofilles Book Club pick is Claire Daverley's hugely anticipated second novel, People in Love the follow-up to the word-of-mouth phenomenon Talking at Night. Chaya and Sophie sit down with Claire to talk about writing a love triangle with no villain, why the ending had to be both "inevitable and surprising," and the pressure of following up a debut that outgrew every expectation. They get into grief and secondary grief, writing a mother's mental illness with real tenderness, the narrative device readers are going to want to fight Claire over, and the difference between longing for a person and longing for a version of your own life. Plus, before the interview, they revisit their older book club pick, Octavia Butler's Parable of the Sower, and why a novel written in the '90s and set in 2024–2027 feels less like dystopian fiction and more like a documentary. 👇 All books mentioned are linked below 👇 People in Love by Claire Daverley 👉 https://amzn.to/4hsXNeI Talking at Night by Claire Daverley 👉 https://amzn.to/45jhtuk Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler 👉 https://amzn.to/3RueHPx The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood 👉 https://amzn.to/4wSMLE3 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Chaya & Sophie. #books #booktok #booktube #bookreview #contemporaryfiction #bookclub #clairedaverley #peopleinlove #talkingatnight #authorinterview #bookrecommendations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
July 20 · 59 min
What The Movie Didn't Tell You... | The Odyssey
Why has The Odyssey survived for over 3,000 years? ⚔️📚 This week, Chaya and Sophie dive into Homer's The Odyssey to explore why it's considered one of the greatest stories ever told. From the hero's journey and Greek mythology to translation debates, feminism, trauma, hospitality, and the enduring question of what makes someone a hero, they unpack the epic that shaped Western literature. They debate one of literature's most divisive protagonists, explore the women at the heart of the story - including Penelope, Athena, Circe and Calypso - and discuss why The Odyssey continues to inspire readers, writers and filmmakers thousands of years after it was first written. 👇 All books mentioned are linked below 👇 The Odyssey by Homer (Emily Wilson Translation) 👉 https://amzn.to/3RFScav Circe by Madeline Miller 👉 https://amzn.to/4vFSCf3 The Voyage Home by Pat Barker 👉 https://amzn.to/4wQWdYM The Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler 👉 https://amzn.to/4waEDPu Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie 👉 https://amzn.to/4vznuOg The Iliad by Homer 👉 https://amzn.to/44CXNRV The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood 👉 https://amzn.to/44z1QyK 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Chaya & Sophie. #books #booktok #booktube #bookreview #classicliterature #greekmythology #theodyssey #homer #booklover #bookrecommendations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
July 13 · 44 min
What Really Happens Inside Cults?
What's the difference between a community and a cult? According to researchers and survivors not as much as you'd think. In this episode of The Bibliofilles, we're going deep on one of the most fascinating, disturbing and frankly addictive topics out there: cults. We cover the psychology of why ordinary, intelligent people join them, the language that keeps them in, and why the world we live in now has made all of us more vulnerable than ever. We discuss: •⁠ ⁠Hannah Murray's (Skins, Game of Thrones) memoir The Make Believe — and how a Reiki healer in LA sent her down a rabbit hole she nearly didn't come back from •⁠ ⁠Ruby Frankie, Eight Passengers and the cult of influencer culture and how it ended with her in prison •⁠ ⁠Cultish by Amanda Montell — how the language of cults is already inside your Instagram feed, your fitness studio and your political news feed •⁠ ⁠The BITE model — the framework built to explain exactly how cults control behaviour, information, thought and emotion •⁠ ⁠Cult fiction: The Girls (Emma Cline), The Heart Goes Last (Margaret Atwood), Station 11, Arcadia and more •⁠ ⁠One of our hosts' own family connection to EST — the therapy cult John Denver helped make famous The uncomfortable argument at the centre of all of this? It's already happened to you. 🎧 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts 📚 Join our Substack for exclusive bonus content ⭐ Like, comment, subscribe it genuinely makes a difference #Cults #TrueCrime #BookTok #Psychology #HannahMurray #CultPodcast #BookRecommendations #AuthorInterview #Memoir Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
July 6 · 37 min
Jodie Harsh: The Story I Couldn't Keep Inside
She's been sober for 16 years. Before that, she was deep in London's club scene, doing d*ugs with celebrities, DJing alongside Alexander McQueen, and watching people around her not make it out alive. In this episode, DJ, producer and author Jodie joins us to talk about her debut memoir "You Had to Be There: An Odyssey Through Noughties London, One Night at a Time" and she does not hold back. We talk about: •⁠ ⁠Sneaking into the London Astoria at 15 with a fake ID and finding her "tribe" •⁠ ⁠Falling into a*diction on the dance floor and getting sober at 25 •⁠ ⁠Losing friends to a*diction, including Amy Winehouse a year after she got clean •⁠ ⁠Structuring her entire memoir around the clubs that raised her Astoria, Turnmills, Fabric, Pasha •⁠ ⁠Why she refused to read any other memoirs while writing her own •⁠ ⁠Getting "discovered" by a literary agent she didn't even know she had Plus a rapid-fire book recommendations round covering Elena Ferrante, Donna Tartt, Barbara Kingsolver and Sarah Waters. This is glamour, grief, queerness, addiction and recovery no filter, no spin. 📚 Subscribe to our Substack for the bonus tier from this episode she's spilling things we can't put on YouTube Jodies Book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/You-Had-Be-There-Noughties-ebook/dp/B0F6TM7XST/ref 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Chaya & Sophie. #BookClub #BookTok #BookRecommendations #Memoir #Addiction #Sobriety #LondonNightlife #BookTok #PodcastClips #AuthorInterview #RecoveryJourney Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
June 29 · 44 min
Why Are We All Obsessed With Unhinged Women
We sat down with the incredible Imani Thompson to talk about her debut novel Honey and wow, did it deliver! 🍯📚 We talked about how she crafted Yrsa as a loveable, relatable, yet terrifying protagonist (think Villanelle from Killing Eve), why she leaned so heavily into humour to explore such dark themes, and how she wove critical race theory and Afropessimism naturally into a propulsive, page-turning plot. We also get into the real world inspirations behind the book from incel culture and the manosphere to Audre Lorde's landmark essays on anger and the influence of Jamaica Kincaid's writing. Imani also opens up about her experience working at Daunt Books while editing the manuscript, her late night writing process, and gives us a very exciting first look at her second novel, set in Dorset and inspired by the Bibby Stockholm asylum seeker barge. Before the interview, Sophie and Chaya also sit down to discuss this month's classic pairing Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys and why its themes of race, colonialism, and female identity connect so powerfully with Honey. In this episode we chat about: 📖 What inspired Honey & the creative process behind it 😤 Female rage, the manosphere & incel culture in fiction 🎓 Cambridge as a setting & intersectionality in literature 🌊 Why we paired it with Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys ✍️ Imani's late night writing habits & what's coming next 🗓️ Next Month's Book Club Picks: - People in Love by Claire Daverley - Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler 📌 If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe and leave us a review it really helps! 🎧 Find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & YouTube 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Chaya & Sophie. #BookClub #ImaniThompson #Honey #FemaleRage #BookTok #BookRecommendations #CampusNovel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
June 22 · 41 min
Looksmaxxing | Has Wellness Gone Too Far?
When does wellness become a problem? This week on The Bibliofilles, we're diving into one of the most urgent cultural conversations of the moment looks maxing and optimisation culture and exploring it through the lens of literature. From viral influencers using extreme methods to "engineer" attractiveness, to the Fitbit-ification of reading via Goodreads targets, we unpack how the obsession with maximising every aspect of life is quietly making us miserable and why fiction saw it all coming. 👇 All books mentioned are linked below 👇 Rouge by Mona Awad 👉 https://amzn.to/4uBKo73 The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde 👉 https://amzn.to/44gkf2Z The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison 👉 https://amzn.to/4fOQddP Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro 👉 https://amzn.to/4ozSWdn Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood 👉 https://amzn.to/4ovIFPe Bridget Jones' Diary by Helen Fielding 👉 https://amzn.to/4oAQ9At Female Chauvinist Pigs by Ariel Levy 👉 https://amzn.to/4uOMOiV We also discuss the backlash to Steven Bartlett optimisation obsession, the incel-to-mainstream pipeline of looks culture, and why reading itself has been infected by optimisation thinking. Perfect for: fans of feminist literary criticism, cultural commentary, book recommendations, and anyone who's ever felt exhausted by the pressure to self-optimise. 🎧 Subscribe on Substack for extended essays and exclusive bonus content including our viral extra with Maggie O'Farrell! 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Chaya & Sophie. Sponsored by London Notropics ⁠https://londonnootropics.com⁠ #looksmaxing #looksmaxxing #beautystandards #malegaze #botox #glowup #manosphere #podcast #trending #bookish #books #filler #lipfiller Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
June 15 · 1 hr 18 min
Sarah A Parker: I Risked Everything
Chaya sits down with the author of the moment New York Times, Sunday Times, Australian and New Zealand bestseller Sarah A. Parker for the most emotional, raw and revelatory interview The Bibliofilles has ever recorded. We're diving into When the Moon Hatched and the newly released sequel The Ballad of Falling Dragons in a completely spoiler-free deep dive that will leave you absolutely wrecked (in the best way). In this episode, Sarah opens up about: - The real man who inspired Kahn yes, he exists, and yes, he gave up his entire career for her - Why she built her entire world behind closed eyelids before writing a single word - The devastating personal grief that gave birth to the dragon moon concept - Her powerful stance on female rage, suppressed identity, and protecting your creative bubble - Why she refuses to look at Goodreads and why you probably shouldn't either Super fans join live with burning questions, including: - What is Kaydence actually an allegory for? - Does Elwyn share Raven's complicated relationship with rain? - Will we ever get side character books set in this world? - How many books are left and is book three already written? This is not just a fantasy podcast episode. This is a masterclass in storytelling, trauma, creativity, and what it means to write a legacy. 👇 All books mentioned are linked below 👇 When the Moon Hatched by Sarah A. Parker 👉 https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0008710333/ The Ballad of Falling Dragons by Sarah A. Parker 👉https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ballad-Falling-Dragons-romantasy-bestselling-ebook/dp/B0DB3GT6YL #moonfall #romantasy #fantasybooks #booktok #bookpodcast #podcastrecommendations #newpodcastepisode #podcastersofinstagram #bookrecommendations #currentlyreading #bookobsessed #bookishcommunity #bookboyfriend #books #reading #bookworm #newrelease Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
June 8 · 28 min
The Truth About the Off Campus Obsession
Off Campus has become one of the biggest TV sensations of 2026, taking over streaming charts, BookTok and social media feeds around the world. In this episode we discuss the hit adaptation of Elle Kennedy's bestselling romance series and why audiences have become completely obsessed with Garrett, Hannah, Dean and the Briar University crew. We explore the show's addictive storytelling, its portrayal of consent and healthy relationships, the representation of sexual assault and trauma, and why so many viewers are calling it a cultural turning point for romance on screen. Key topics: • Off Campus review and reaction • Consent and healthy masculinity • Sexual assault representation in television • Romance books vs romance adaptations • The rise of New Adult fiction • Elle Kennedy's publishing journey • BookTok and the romance boom • Why Off Campus has become a global phenomenon • Our favourite characters and storylines Articles discussed: https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2026/05/11984138/off-campus-sexual-assault https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clypz87rqy1o https://www.pedestrian.tv/entertainment/off-campus-sexual-assault-rom-com/ https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/may/29/off-campus-tv-show-series-prime-video-global-hit #OffCampus #ElleKennedy #BookTok #RomanceBooks #PrimeVideo #BookPodcast #TheBibliophiles #NewAdultRomance Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
June 5 · 29 min
How Do You Follow a Global Phenomenon Like Hamnet? | Maggie O'Farrell
Maggie O'Farrell joins The Bibliofilles to discuss her extraordinary new novel, Land. In this wide-ranging conversation, Maggie explores the Irish history, mythology and landscape that inspired the book, the lasting legacy of the Great Hunger, and why the land itself becomes a living character in her fiction. We also discuss historical research, writing authentic historical novels, family, memory, grief, parenthood, and the stories of ordinary people caught inside major historical events. Maggie shares insights into her bestselling novels Hamnet and The Marriage Portrait, reveals how Irish myths shaped her storytelling, and explains the fascinating real-world history behind Ireland's sacred wells and folklore. We also go behind the scenes of adapting Hamnet for the screen, writing a screenplay, collaborating with filmmakers, and experiencing the journey from novel to Oscar-winning adaptation. Topics covered: Land by Maggie O'Farrell Historical fiction writing The Irish Great Hunger Irish mythology and folklore Hamnet adaptation The Marriage Portrait Researching historical novels Family, memory and trauma Writing process and creativity Novel writing vs screenwriting If you enjoy conversations about books, literature, writing, historical fiction and storytelling, subscribe to The Bibliofilles for more author interviews and literary discussions. 👇 All books mentioned are linked below 👇 Land by Maggie O'Farrell 👉 https://amzn.to/4x5CeGF Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver 👉 https://amzn.to/4vo2hHj Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell 👉 https://amzn.to/4vlCuj2 The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell 👉 https://amzn.to/4x2nF6N 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Chaya & Sophie. Sponsored by London Nootropics https://londonnootropics.com #MaggieOFarrell #Land #Hamnet #TheMarriagePortrait #DemonCopperhead #BarbaraKingsolver #HistoricalFiction #LiteraryFiction #BookPodcast #AuthorInterview #BookTube #BookTok #ReadingCommunity #BooksBooksBooks #FictionBooks #IrishHistory #IrishLiterature #WritersLife #BookLovers #TheBibliofilles Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
June 5 · 43 min
We Read The Most Unhinged Reviews Of Our Favourite Books
When was the last time you read a book… without checking the reviews first? In this episode, we read the funniest, harshest, and most unhinged one-star reviews including brutal takedowns of classic books we love. It’s hilarious… until it isn’t. Because beneath the chaos, there’s a bigger question: Are we still thinking for ourselves or letting the internet decide what we like? 👇 All books mentioned are linked below 👇 Pride and Prejudice 👉 https://amzn.to/4eKSxSn The Great Gatsby 👉 https://amzn.to/4eILoSE Frankenstein 👉 https://amzn.to/4efizx6 Crime and Punishment 👉 https://amzn.to/4n1AbyS Wuthering Heights 👉 https://amzn.to/3R79kVS The Divine Comedy 👉 https://amzn.to/3OGUPaJ 1984 👉 https://amzn.to/48vrC9j Everything’s Fine 👉 https://amzn.to/4cB4Orf A Prayer for Owen Meany 👉 https://amzn.to/4vTHJrc Never Let Me Go 👉 https://amzn.to/48Y62dK Wolf Hall 👉 https://amzn.to/4ud7UaL The Bell Jar 👉 https://amzn.to/3OM9KAs A Little Life 👉 https://amzn.to/4mZm3Gf A Discovery of Witches 👉 https://amzn.to/4wbQFsm Empire of Pain 👉 https://amzn.to/4mTBOyx Still Life 👉 https://amzn.to/4tNDJXV The Song of Achilles 👉 https://amzn.to/4cTfMr0 Penance 👉 https://amzn.to/4ueNNZF 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Chaya & Sophie. Sponsored by London Nootropics https://londonnootropics.com Discount code for 20% off Biblio Discount Code For Bubble BIBLIO15: https://bubble.onelink.me/nnib/signup?deep_link_sub2=BIBLIO15.T&Cs £15 off first childcare booking. Not valid in conjunction with other promo codes or account credit. Valid until 01.11.26. #books #booktok #booktube #bookreview #booklover #bookstagram #bookish #bookrecommendations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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