Books On The Go

Anna and Geoff react to the 2026 Booker Prize Shortlist.
 
Our book of the week is THE THINGS WE NEVER SAY by Elizabeth Strout. The latest novel by the best-selling, Pulitzer Prize winning author centres on Artie Dam, a history teacher who has a full life but is upended by feelings of isolation and a secret that is revealed. This has been shortlisted for the 2026 Booker Prize.
 
Is this a political book?
Will there be a spin-off novel about Flossie?
Where do we rank it in the Booker shortlist?
 
Coming up: THE RENOVATION by Kenan Ohran
 
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Email: Booksonthegopodcast@gmail.com
Instagram: @abailliekaras 
Substack: Books On The Go
Credits
Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz

Anna and Geoff discuss the Singapore government paying people to read books, and the 2026 National Book Awards longlist for fiction.
 
Our book of the week is SWITZY by Emma Cline. Switzy is Cline's latest novel after her best-sellers The Girls and The Guest. David, a retired executive suffering from Alzheimers, is travelling to Zurich to end his life.  We follow David's point of view as he visits his daughter and an old school friend, while pretending he is fine. Switzy is a national best-seller, a Most Anticipated Book of Fall and has been longlisted for the 2026 Booker Prize. 
 
Read-alikes:
WHAT ARE YOU GOING THROUGH by Sigrid Nunez
MAYFLIES by Andrew O'Hagan
Podcast:
Better Off Dead
 
We also give our (wrong) predictions for the Booker Prize shortlist!
 
Coming up: THE THINGS WE NEVER SAY by Elizabeth Strout and THE RENOVATION by Kenan Orhan.
 
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Email: Booksonthegopodcast@gmail.com
Instagram: @abailliekaras 
Substack: Books On The Go
Credits
Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz

Anna and Geoff discuss the challenges facing our local bookstores: rising taxes in the UK and a cyber-hacking event affecting a major distributor in Australia.  We also take a look at the current front-runners for the Booker Prize.
 
Our book of the week is debut novel ALL THEM DOGS by Djamel White. A gritty neo-noir story about Tony Ward who returns to Dublin and starts working for an enforcer in a local gang, it has been long listed for the 2026 Booker Prize.
 
We talk about:
What makes a good underworld crime thriller and what are some of the pitfalls for literary authors venturing into this area.

Why this is not a gangland Heated Rivalry.

When a book leaves you wanting more. 

 
Coming up:  TELL ME EVERYTHING by Elizabeth Strout
 
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Email: Booksonthegopodcast@gmail.com
Instagram: @abailliekaras 
Substack: Books On The Go
Credits
Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz

Anna and Geoff discuss THE PALM HOUSE by Gwendoline Riley.  Set in London, it centres on friends Laura and Putnam, both journalists facing a changing work landscape. It is longlisted for the 2026 Booker Prize.
 
We enjoyed this book, especially the spare writing. It got us talking:
How important is plot?

Is this a comic novel?

Geoff's alternative title for the book.

We also pick our next reads from the Booker Prize Longlist.
 
Other books mentioned:
 
The Labyrinth by Amanda Lohrey
Capture by Amanda Lohrey
The Gate at The Stairs by Lorrie Moore
Birds of America by Lorrie Moore
Foster by Claire Keegan
The Friend by Sigrid Nunez
 
Coming up: All Them Dogs by Djamel White
Follow us!
Email: Booksonthegopodcast@gmail.com
Instagram: @abailliekaras 
Substack: Books On The Go
Credits
Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz

A special episode: Anna and Geoff are joined by Kate Slotover of the Book Club Review Podcast, on location in London.  We discuss our top holiday reading recommendations.
 
Our picks:
 
FAMESICK by Lena Dunham
THE PALACE PAPERS by Tina Brown
ENOUGH SAID by Alan Bennett  
SLOUGH HOUSE by Mick Herron
WAITING ON A FRIEND by Natalie Adler
LEAVING THE ATOCHA STATION by Ben Lerner
PARADISO by Michele Masneri translated by Richard Village
RECEIPTS FROM THE BOOKSHOP by Katie Clapham
THE LINE OF BEAUTY by Alan Hollinghurst
 
 
Also discussed:
TRANSCRIPTION by Ben Lerner
VILLA COCO by Andrew Sean Greer
THE SILVER BOOK by Olivia Laing
SUNSTRUCK by William Hunter
THE PAPER PALACE by Miranda Cowley Heller
EUROTRASH by Christian Kracht translated by Daniel Bowles
EARTH 7 by Deb Olin Unferth
 
Pressing questions: 
What makes a good holiday read?

How many ghosts are too many?

Is running a bookshop the dream job?

Follow us!
Email: Booksonthegopodcast@gmail.com
Instagram: @abailliekaras (Anna) / @bookclubreviewpodcast (Kate)
Substack: Books On The Go
Credits
Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz