The Waterstones Podcast

Winner of the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-fiction 2026, Edmund Richardson came in to speak with us about his quest to better understand one of the most elusive figures from ancient history: Alexander the Great. From his childhood obsession with Homer to a military campaign that would touch three continents and create the largest empire Europe had ever known, we spoke about the driving forces behind his epic journey into the East, the words that help us to understand him and the legacy left after his death at just 32.

Kyle MacLachlan is an actor with such range that everyone seems to know him from a different piece of work. From his debut in Dune, to iconic roles in Blue Velvet, Twin Peaks, Sex and the City and Desperate Housewives, he's always seemed to be brave enough to take anything on. Even Showgirls. But as we discovered from our conversation with him, it's never been quite that simple. Join us as we discuss creative collaboration, conquering fear and why David Lynch will always be a part of him.

The only thing better than talking to Judi Dench about her career in acting is to talk to her a SECOND time! We were delighted to be invited back to her home for a conversation alongside Brendan O'Hea about her work on stage, TV and film, and some incredible insight into her childhood, upbringing and family life, as captured in her memoir, Is It Too Late to Make a Run for It?

Taking inspiration from the life of Gustave Flaubert, the new novel from Elif Shafak flips expectations by giving voice to the women who shaped him. In an inspiring conversation about creativity in times of crisis and conflict, we spoke with her about her views on the nature of time, marrying Eastern and Western literature and whether she has found an answer to the question that prompted this new book.

Louise Kennedy has followed her Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize-nominated Trespasses with another brilliant novel, Stations, which follows the trajectories of two teenage friends as they leave '80s Ireland for London. We sat down with her to talk about her own journey, why escape is so difficult and creating characters for readers to take to their hearts.