Runciman partners with the London Review of Books for new podcast

“Talking Politics” host David Runciman’s new podcast, “Past Present Future”, will launch on 27th April in partnership with the London Review of Books and will “explore where ideas come from, what they mean and why they matter".

Episodes will be released weekly with guests including John Lanchester, Katherine Rundell, Zadie Smith, Tara Westover and Lea Ypi. It will ask questions such as: who wrote the greatest political novel you’ve never heard of? How does Dallas explain the energy crisis? What was life really like under communism? In the first episode Runciman will be joined by novelist Ian McEwan as the pair discuss Italo Calvino’s The Watcher.

Runciman, a professor of politics at the University of Cambridge and contributing editor to the London Review of Books, said: “I’m excited to go deeper into the history of the ideas that lay behind ’Talking Politics’ – but to go beyond politics as well, into science and technology, culture and fiction. The great pleasure of doing these podcasts is talking to the most interesting people about what they’re most interested in.”

Reneé Doegar, publisher at the London Review of Books, added: “’Talking Politics’ set a new standard for political podcasts, and also for the dynamic possibilities of LRB partnerships, so we’re delighted our longstanding relationship with David is continuing through this unmissable new podcast, as well as his brilliant pieces for the paper.”