Book Club - A Town Like Alice
Off Air with Jane & Fi
The Times
4.6 • 1.1K Ratings
🗓️ 3 April 2026
⏱️ 34 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
We've made it to our eleventh book club edition! We've been inundated with emails for this one, so thank you so much for your engagement. There have been mixed thoughts about Nevil Shute's proper yarn, 'A Town Like Alice'... Plus, the fab Laura Hackett, deputy literary editor and fiction editor across both The Sunday Times and The Times, joins to share her thoughts and bring a touch of class (and a slightly questionable accent...).
Thank you so much for your engagement and interaction. We hope you'll join us for the next one.
Get your suggestions in at: janeandfi@times.radio
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Podcast Producer: Eve Salusbury
Executive Producer: Rosie Cutler
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | So we're in a different studio today. |
| 0:10.0 | Can I have some. |
| 0:12.0 | Yes, we're in this sports studio, which is just, the air conditioning is pumping in testosterone |
| 0:20.0 | and a slight kind of aftershave scent |
| 0:22.9 | and jane and i've just disinfected our welcome guest is laura hackett would you like to |
| 0:28.1 | disinfect as well you know since you're both doing it i suppose you might as well yeah oh yes no no i think |
| 0:34.2 | you should eve uh make selfailable to the hand sanitizer. |
| 0:38.0 | I've put too much on, isn't it? |
| 0:39.4 | I'm really dripping. |
| 0:40.1 | I'm feeling quite tipsy. |
| 0:42.2 | I mean, you better remind us of your title, Laura, because this is not an environment you're used to, is it? |
| 0:47.6 | So, I am the deputy literary editor and fiction editor of the Times and Sunday Times. |
| 0:54.0 | Is that a promotion? |
| 0:55.6 | Well, it's an elongation of the name. |
| 0:58.1 | Okay, good. |
| 0:58.8 | Why did somebody feel the need to put in and fiction? |
| 1:02.3 | I guess it's maybe an indication that I tend to do more fiction than nonfiction with |
| 1:07.5 | reviewing and commissioning. |
| 1:09.2 | And is there a non-fiction equivalent of you? |
| 1:11.7 | No, I mean, I guess there's Robbie, but because he's, it's all a bit boring, is that? |
| 1:16.9 | No, well, let's not give him any more attention. You wouldn't want that, would he? |
| 1:21.5 | We are gathered here today to discuss for the Off-Air Book Club podcast, A Town Like Alice by Neville Shoot. |
... |
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