You are about to listen to a BBC podcast and I'd like to tell you a bit about what goes into making one.

I'm Sadata Sese, an assistant commissioner of podcasts for BBC Sounds.

I pull a lot of levers to support a diverse range of podcasts on all sorts of subjects,

relationships, identity, comedy, even one that mixes poetry, music and inner city life.

So one day I'll be helping host develop their ideas, the next fact-checking, a feature,

and the next looking at how a podcast connects with its audience, and maybe that's you.

So if you like this podcast, check out some others on BBC Sounds.

Hello, among today's books, the very first novel by the late and badly missed Hillary Mantel.

With me here to chat about that and to introduce other good read suggestions,

our first, the broadcaster John Wilson,

presenter for more than 20 years of Radio 4's arts program front row

and now presenting this cultural life,

where his interviewees have included Paul McCartney, Kenneth Branagh and Nicole Kidman.

Among much else, John also hosts the music series Master Taps.

With him is the comedian Chloe Petz,

whose debut show Transient sold out at this year's Edinburgh Fringe

and goes on national tour next year, starting in January with a run at the Soho Theatre.

On TV, Chloe's appeared on such programmes as Richard Osmond's House of Games and Jonathan Ross's Comedy Club.

John Wilson, would you start us off? What's your choice of a good read?

Well, I know this is a programme about recommendations, and you want people to talk about books

that they love very dearly, and often that's books that have been read a long time ago and

then possibly re-read, and I went to the shelf and headed straight to the Cormac McCarthy's

...