Oneworld wins three-way auction for Catherine Carr's exploration of siblinghood

Oneworld has won a three-way auction for Relatively: A Book About Siblings by award-winning producer and presenter Catherine Carr.  

Editorial director Cecilia Stein bought UK and Commonwealth, e-book and audio rights at auction from Emma Bal at Madeleine Milburn. North American rights were acquired by Karen Rinaldi at Harper Collins in a six-figure deal. It will be published in spring 2026. 

"As well as exploring birth order, favouritism, trauma, solidarity, jealousy, estrangement and bereavement, Catherine Carr will consider the changing face of siblinghood in a culture of blended families and an ageing population," Oneworld said.  

"Building on the success of her podcast ‘Relatively’ where she interviewed the likes of Nick and Gill Hornby, the Van Tulleken brothers, Chris and Jenny Packham, and Caitlin and Caz Moran about their perspectives on their childhoods and each other, Relatively promises to be a thoughtful, entertaining and poignant assessment of a fundamental facet of a great many people’s lives."

After starting her career in radio at BBC Radio Cambridgeshire, Carr moved to BBC Radio 4, where she reported and produced for "You and Yours" and "Woman’s Hour". Since 2015 she has made many documentaries for BBC Radio 4 and BBC World Service, and won numerous global awards for her work on child trafficking in India, disability and for her series "Where Are You Going?", in which she talked to strangers around the world.  

In 2016 she created "Talking Politics", a podcast with the University of Cambridge, and recently created "About the Boys", a series for BBC Radio 4. "Relatively" was the fastest growing podcast in the UK on launch, and ran for four seasons from 2020 to 2023. 

Carr commented: "Relatively will be an ode to these fascinating but often neglected relationships. Since I started podcasting about siblings in 2020, I’ve been intrigued—and often very moved—to learn what makes the dynamic so unique, if not always straightforward. I hope the book will inspire others to think more about their own shared histories and what these reveal of our grown-up selves."

Stein said: "I can’t wait to publish this warm and original investigation of a subject little explored in non-fiction. Catherine is the perfect guide for readers to consider the myriad, unconventional and sometimes fractious forms these familial bonds can take and how they continue to shape us well into adulthood."

Bal believes that while "a lot has been written about the parent-child relationship, romantic relationships and, more recently, friendship, but for some reason we have overlooked the lifelong rapport we have with our brothers and sisters". She added: "I’m so excited that Catherine is inviting us to think more deeply about it."