What should I read next? Ask Penguin is the podcast where your quirkiest, trickiest, and most urgent book questions get answered. Hosted by Rhianna Dhillon, we bring bestselling authors and Penguin insiders to explore some of your favourite books and discover new ones that you are yet to read.

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Poem text and context: https://www.brainpickings.org/2021/05/28/emily-dickinson-grief/

POEM TEXT / CONTEXT

"The looking back on Grief" (Maria Popova reads Emily Dickinson)

Hope

Raindrops

Dinosauria, We (born like this) by Charles Bukowski (read by Tom O'Bedlam)

https://www.youtube.com/user/SpokenVerse

born like this
into this
as the chalk faces smile
as Mrs. Death laughs
as the elevators break
as political landscapes dissolve
as the supermarket bag boy holds a college degree
as the oily fish spit out their oily prey
as the sun is masked

we are
born like this
into this
into these carefully mad wars
into the sight of broken factory windows of emptiness
into bars where people no longer speak to each other
into fist fights that end as shootings and knifings

born into this
into hospitals which are so expensive that it's cheaper to die
into lawyers who charge so much it's cheaper to plead guilty
into a country where the jails are full and the madhouses closed
into a place where the masses elevate fools into rich heroes

born into this
walking and living through this
dying because of this
muted because of this
castrated
debauched
disinherited
because of this
fooled by this
used by this
pissed on by this
made crazy and sick by this
made violent
made inhuman
by this

the heart is blackened
the fingers reach for the throat
the gun
the knife
the bomb
the fingers reach toward an unresponsive god
the fingers reach for the bottle
the pill
the powder
we are born into this sorrowful deadliness
we are born into a government 60 years in debt
that soon will be unable to even pay the interest on that debt

and the banks will burn
money will be useless
there will be open and unpunished murder in the streets
it will be guns and roving mobs
land will be useless
food will become a diminishing return
nuclear power will be taken over by the many
explosions will continually shake the earth
radiated robot men will stalk each other
the rich and the chosen will watch from space platforms
Dante's Inferno will be made to look like a children's playground
the sun will not be seen and it will always be night
trees will die
all vegetation will die
radiated men will eat the flesh of radiated men
the sea will be poisoned
the lakes and rivers will vanish
rain will be the new gold
the rotting bodies of men and animals will stink in the dark wind
and the space platforms will be destroyed by attrition
and the petering out of supplies
the natural effect of general decay
and there will be the most beautiful silence never heard
born out of that.

Born Into This (Dinosauria, We by Charles Bukowski) (read by Tom O'Bedlam)

From the worldwide bestselling author of Eat Pray Love: the path to the vibrant, fulfilling life you&rsquo;ve dreamed of. &#160; Readers of all ages and walks of life have drawn inspiration and empowerment from Elizabeth Gilbert&rsquo;s books for years. Now this beloved author digs deep into her own generative process to share her wisdom and unique perspective about creativity. With profound empathy and radiant generosity, she offers potent insights into the mysterious nature of inspiration. She asks us to embrace our curiosity and let go of needless suffering. She shows us how to tackle what we most love, and how to face down what we most fear. She discusses the attitudes, approaches, and habits we need in order to live our most creative lives. Balancing between soulful spirituality and cheerful pragmatism, Gilbert encourages us to uncover the &ldquo;strange jewels&rdquo; that are hidden within each of us. Whether we are looking to write a book, make art, find new ways to address challenges in our work, &#160;embark on a dream long deferred, or simply infuse our everyday lives with more mindfulness and passion, Big Magic cracks open a world of wonder and joy. Available for purchase at: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1611764688?tag=randohouseinc7911-20">Amazon - Audiobook (CD format)</a><a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=VD9*lkiWNd8&subid=&offerid=239662.1&type=10&tmpid=8433&u1=PRHD39095A662--9781611764680&RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.barnesandnoble.com%252Fean%252F9781611764680">Barnes & Noble - Audiobook (CD format)</a><a href="http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-2665379-10876509?SID=PRHD39095A662--9781611764680&url=http://www.booksamillion.com/p/9781611764680">Books A Million - Audiobook (CD format)</a><a href="http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781611764680?aff=PenguinGroupUS">IndieBound - Audiobook (CD format)</a><a href="http://www.powells.com/biblio/9781611764680?utm_source=randomhouse&utm_campaign=randomhouse&utm_content=PRHD39095A662--9781611764680">Powell's - Audiobook (CD format)</a><a href="http://linksynergy.walmart.com/fs-bin/click?id=VD9*lkiWNd8&subid=&offerid=183959.1&type=10&tmpid=273&u1=PRHD39095A662--9781611764680&RD_PARM1=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.walmart.com%2Fsearch%2Fsearch-ng.do%3F&RD_PARM2=search_query%3D9781611764680%2526ic%3D16_0%2526Find%3DFind%2526search_constraint%3D3920">Walmart - Audiobook (CD format)</a><a href="http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZSearch.woa/wa/advancedSearch?term=Big+Magic&entity=audiobook&at=11l3IH&ct=PRHD39095A662--9780698410961">Apple - Audiobook (Downloadable format)</a><a href="https://play.google.com/store/search?q=9780698408319&c=books">Google Play Store</a><a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/link?id=VD9*lkiWNd8&offerid=258185.12829781935712206&type=2&u1=PRHD39095A662--9780698408319&murl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kobobooks.com%2Fsearch%2Fsearch.html%3Fq%3D9780698408319">Kobo</a><a href="http://www.qksrv.net/click-2665379-10273919?url=http://www.audible.com/search?advsearchKeywords=Big+Magic+Elizabeth+Gilbert&source_code=COMA0213WS031709&SID=PRHD39095A662--9780698410961">Audible - Audiobook (Downloadable format)</a><a href="http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-2665379-11117375?SID=PRHD39095A662--9780698410961&url=http://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/9780698410961">audiobooks.com - Audiobook (Downloadable format)</a><a href="http://www.downpour.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=9780698410961">downpour - Audiobook (Downloadable format)</a><a href="http://www.qksrv.net/click-2665379-10273919?SID=PRHD39095A662--9780698410961&url=http://www.emusic.com/listen/#/search/book/Big+Magic">eMusic - Audiobook (Downloadable format)</a>

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert, read by Elizabeth Gilbert

Kate Atkinson brings an antique silver hare, a Halifax Bomber and Beethoven’s 9th Symphony to the Penguin Studio to talk about her latest book ‘A God In Ruins’ with host Richard E Grant. The topics of conversation include the long-term effects of war on veterans, The Queen, how we age and the power of classical music to evoke an emotional response in us all.  

#PenguinPodcast

The Penguin Podcast: Richard E Grant with Kate Atkinson

Comedian Bridget Christie brings a yoghurt, a ‘votes for women' sash given to her by Emmeline Pankhurst’s great-granddaughter and a piece of gammon to the Penguin Studio to talk about her latest book ‘A Book For Her’. Host Richard E. Grant and Bridget discuss a wide range of topics including FGM, labiaplasty, how a yoghurt advert perpetuates rape myths and how a unsavoury incident in a book shop inspired the book. 
#PenguinPodcast


The Penguin Podcast: Richard E. Grant with Bridget Christie

Pat Barker brings a child’s gas mask, a jar of water from a wishing well and a notebook to the Penguin Studio to talk about her latest book Noonday. Host Richard E. Grant and Pat discuss witchcraft, the impact of WW2 as well as her personal journey to becoming an award winning novelist. Noonday is available as an audiobook featuring Juliet Stevenson and Anne Reid out now on iTunes. 

#PenguinPodcast

The Penguin Podcast: Richard E. Grant with Pat Barker

Meera Syal brings her copy of The Handmaid’s Tale, her Mother’s Indian passport and precious gold bangles given to her at her wedding to the Penguin Studio to talk about her latest book ’The House of Hidden Mothers’ with host Richard E Grant. Their discussion includes surrogacy, India’s fascination with babies and dowry payments as well as playing excerpts from the audiobook which is read by Meera and is available now.

#PenguinPodcast

The Penguin Podcast: Richard E. Grant with Meera Syal

Paula Hawkins brings a photo of her father, an Edward Hopper picture and a DVD of Rear Window to the Penguin Studio to talk about her bestselling book 'The Girl On The Train' with host Richard E Grant. Their discussion includes unreliable narrators, growing up in South Africa and the transition from business journalist to best selling author. Throughout the episode Richard plays excerpts from the audiobook, a multi cast production which is out now. 


The Penguin Podcast: Richard E. Grant with Paula Hawkins

Writer and philosopher Alain de Botton joins Richard E. Grant in the Penguin studio to talk about his latest novel, The Course of Love. Alain brings along a number of objects that shaped his book, including his copy of Virginia Woolf’s essay The Docks of London and a recording of Bach’s Mass in B Minor, as he explains why he decided to turn his attention to what happens after happily ever after. Crushes and sulks come under Alain’s philosophical microscope as he explains why love is more dangerous than a nuclear power station and advocates schools for relationships. #PenguinPodcast

The Penguin Podcast: Alain de Botton with Richard E. Grant

"The point of gathering stillness is not to enrich the sanctuary or the mountaintop, but to bring that reality into the motion, the commotion, of the world." Wanderer and writer Pico Iyer on outer stillness as an essential catalyst to a rich inner life.

Find more at onbeing.org/becoming-wise

The Inner World Is a Great, Undiscovered Terrain | Pico Iyer [Becoming Wise]

Poem text and context: https://www.brainpickings.org/2017/11/20/amanda-palmer-reads-happiness-by-jane-kenyon/

Reading by @amandapalmer.

POEM TEXT

Amanda Palmer reads "Happiness" by Jane Kenyon

Jason Silva - Who Are We?

Artists as versatile as The Eleven Effect are hard to find. The Eleven Effect is an Icelandic duo, formed in 2017. They can make soft or hard beats, but also feel comfortable with abstract soundscapes. Discover their mood in their debut album ""Neo Medieval Era"", a playlist of 18 heavily textured songs, inspired to the medieval times and the darkest video games soundtracks.

Apple Music
https://itunes.apple.com/album/neo-medieval-era-music-18-fantasy-game-music-electronic/1361644785

Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/album/1iBN0c49vQ2OQNPecAvPZv?si=GIXH4WUCQVaNWQ8eKRLWwg

Recorder Era - The Eleven Effect

“There is a place inside me that is far more powerful than the continuous mental noise,” says Eckhart Tolle. The spiritual teacher began to gain attention with his 1997 book, "The Power of Now." Millions of people around the world have found pragmatic tools in his vision that fundamentally complicates the notion, “I think, therefore I am.”

Becoming Wise — Season 2

Life Beyond the Mind | Eckhart Tolle [Becoming Wise]

I was working on a set of Brazilian samba pieces for a library, and I decided to do one that's sort of a mix of tango and samba, thus... The TANGAMBA!!

The Tangamba

Penguin Books publishes blockbusting, prize-winning, celebrated, controversial, heart-warming, thought-provoking and inspiring books by a range of authors from Ali Smith to Zadie Smith, Jeremy Clarkson to Jeremy Paxman and Jamie Oliver to Oliver Goldsmith.

The Penguin Podcast: Alain de Botton with Richard E. Grant

Penguin Books UK

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