Nicholas Royle on writing about his love for second hand books and bookshops (archive re-release) episode artwork

EPISODE · Jun 6, 2026 · 38 MIN

Nicholas Royle on writing about his love for second hand books and bookshops (archive re-release)

from Rippling Pages: Interviews with Writers · host ripplingpages

Let’s dust off the archives again and celebrate some of the guests we’ve had on the Rippling Pages This time, we’re going back to a conversation that was had in 2022 with the writer, editor, and all around bookish good guy, Nicholas Royle. I spoke to Nicholas about his wonderful book about book collecting, WHITE SPINES:THE CONFESSIONS OF A BOOK COLLECTOR Chances are, if you’ve a penchant for second-hand books, you’ll have been or known about one of the many bookshops Nicholas visited to find the Picador books that he coveted. We’re also celebrating Leeds Literature Festival. The book features Leeds bookshops, and Nicholas is in Leeds talking about the art of the short story with Alice Jolly and Naomi Booth.  Get your tickets below Tickets to me in conversation with Alice Hattrick.  https://www.leedslitfest.co.uk/events/alice-hattrick-fancy-work/ Get exclusive subscriber benefits from the Rippling Pages.  https://patreon.com/RipplingPagesPod?utm_medi Check out the Rippling Pages Bookshop and buy all the books featured on the Rippling Pages: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/ripplingpagespod Interested in hosting your own podcast? Follow this link and find out how: https://www.podbean.com/ripplingpages  Reference Points Writers and Books AJ Ashworth Andrea Ashworth The Lake John Foxx (Nightjar Press) M. John Harrison Anna Kavan - Ice (Picador: 1967) Alberto Manguel (editor) Black Water: The Anthology of Fantastic Literature (Picador: 1983) Livi Michael - The Lake (Nightjar Press) Alison Moore Nicholas Royle - First Novel (Vintage: 2013) Nicholas Royle - Counterparts (Penguin: 1995) Nicholas Royle - Ornithology (Confingo: 2017) Nicholas Royle - An English Guide to Bird Watching (Myriad Editions: 2017) Nicholas Royle - Uncanny (Manchester University Press: 2003) Per Wahlöö - The Lorry (Picador: 1972) Conrad Williams Artists Paul Delvaux Salvador Dali Chapters 3.00 - when did he first see the white spines? 7.00 - what was special about the books 9.00 - why write this book 12.15 - Writing a quest 14.45 - is it about confession or obsession  18.10 - giving second life to writers 19.35 - second hand bookshops  24.55 - tactile nature of books  26.09 - sharing names and uncanniness  28.15 - two Nicholas Royles 30.30 - dreams and realities of being a writer 34.45 - nightjar press

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Nicholas Royle on writing about his love for second hand books and bookshops (archive re-release)

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