Ashley Mullinger is a commercial fisherman. She used to work in an office but found it dull and stressful. She  decided to go on a half day fishing trip with a couple of her friends just to make a change. The friends sort of liked it but Ashley REALLY liked it and now does it as a full time job. She is so good at it she was awarded the title of 'Fisherman of the Year'. In this conversation she explains her passion for the life and her fears for the future of the whole commercial fishing industry.

There is an article in the Culture section of The Sunday Times about father and daughter Michael and Rebecca Frayn. Rebecca is a farmer and environmental activist and writer who lives in the north of Ibiza. Her new novel 'Lost in Ibiza' is coincidentally, about  a young environmental activist who travels to Ibiza to meet her biological father for the very first time. It's a story of family drama, but it is also the story of a paradise island under threat. A great holiday read!

Eric Bibb remembers his introduction into music via his dad Leon and the musical luminaries who visited the family home. Paul Robeson was his Godather, and a very young Bob Dylan gave him some sound advice. Now 72 Eric is still touring, playing, and writing songs. He is one of lifes gentlemen!

This novel is set in the 1960s with a backdrop of The Beatles and other music of the time. It tells the story of Daisy Shoemaker who is 15 in 1964. She was born into a fundamentalist Mormon community on the US - Canada border. In a ceremony called Placement she is given as a teenage wife to a much older man. She finds this intolerable and runs away. The church official who makes the decisions is known as Bishop and he assures his followers that he has a direct line to God. Amazingly they believe him. It's a gripping and enraging read. It's fiction but events like the book describes are still happening today. The fundamentalist cult is vey much alive and well. There is a Netflix documentary about the group .. Keep Sweet : Pray and Obey.

This brand new book examines the astonishing extent of American ownership in UK business. Whether you are interested in 'taking back control' or how much of our day to day financial transactions happen via the US, you will find this fascinating and possibly horrifying.

Sunken Lands is about a journey through flooded kingdoms and lost worlds. Gareth tells of places he has visited to see history and extrapolates forward to imagine the world we are leaving for future generations. There is anger, poetry, myth .... and David Bowie.

In the spring of 2024 clashes driven by different religious beliefs and identities seem frighteningly threatening. Robin Dunbar is Professor of Evolutionary Psychology at the University of Oxford. From his academic standpoint he charts the evolution of religion in all its many guises and forms. Does the professor's analysis explain the enduring but shrinking appeal of non logical beliefs?

Succession is one of the great TV events. Brian Cox, Jeremy Strong. Kieron Culkin and Sarah Snook are rightly lauded for their acting ability but don't forget Harriet Walter who portrays the mother of Shiv, Kendall and Roman, Lady Caroline Collingwood.  David Freeman talked to the actress Harriet Walter when her autobiography 'Other People's Shoes' was published in 2003.

The year 2024 is proving as troubled as it's immediate predecessors. Why is this? Is there any cause for optimism? Where do non rational beliefs and convictions fit in the conflicts? This conversation with the activist and thinker Tariq Ali was recorded soon after the outrage of 9/11. There is a plan for the future in what Tariq was saying but I wonder if he is as optimistic today. Will rational thought and reasoned discussion bring peaceful coexistence?

This conversation was recorded in 2000 when Robin Eggar's biography of Tom Jones was first published. At this time Tom's wife, Linda, was still alive and Tom himself was a mere 60 years old. It emerges from this interview that the man born Thomas Woodward was driven by two passions. What they are is revealed in this Author Archive episode.

Nina Simone was born on February 21st 1933' There has been news recently of a plan to buy Nina Simone's childhood home in Tryon North Carolina and make it into a museum celebrating the life and work of the girl who was born Eunice Waymon. I interviewed Nina  in December 1998 just before her last ever show at the Royal Albert Hall in London. She was talking to me for a programme on the radio station Jazz fm, which would promote the concert. Nina had a reputation for being a tricky interviewee but on the day she was delightful and during the conversation she was eager to give her views on sexism, racism and feminism. After the interview I  was asked to introduce Nina on stage at the Albert Hall. It was a memorable day.

Once again Meghan and Harry are juggling with their identities. They are clearly wanting to be royal having given up being 'royal'. If you decide to walk away from your royal identity just what are you left with? This book,'Traitor King', tells the story of an inglorious royal. It is a shocking example of what happens when inherited status is randomly given to a person who is clearly not up to the task. The book is the basis of the Channel 4 programme that shed light on the whole episode. As well as telling the historical story Andrew Lownie discusses the lessons that can be learned by the present Royal Family. Maybe food for thought for Andrew as well as Harry and Meghan. Andrew Lownie is currently working on a biography of Price Andrew. Because of the rules surrounding the royals he is finding it impossible to access some of the documents he requires to write a substantial comprehensive book.  I'm looking forward to talking to Andrew about it.

Lisa has written a new memoir 'Better Broken Than New' She has ploughed this furrow before  and I interviewed her when 'Memory Maps' was published. Lisa has lived life to the full. She is a very beguiling woman and many men have fallen for her charms and married her. On the day I interviewed her she was in the mood for remembering her life and loves in wonderful detail.

Jon Ronson was not so well known when this conversation was recorded in the early 2000s I was very taken with the subject of the book and the way Jon talked about it. Being a Jewish journalist getting involved with people money raising for Hamas seemed improbable. It's true of course, as was Jon's interest in the wilder fancies of David Icke. 'Them' is a terrific read.

This conversation was recorded when the very last Maeve Binchy novel was published in paperback. Maeve was always an entertaining interviewee - getting her to talk was never a problem! Unsurprisingly her books continue to sell.

As more Brexit checks and red tape come into action it is illuminating to remember how we get to be in this sorry situation.  Many of the leading players are only where they are because they are Brexiteers. Professor Grey has made it a personal mission to chronicle the drama and effects of Brexit. He writes a blog and now the latest edition of his book "Brexit Unfolded" is published bringing the story up to date. Does this mean that the Brexit story has reached a conclusion? Maybe not!!!

Historian Simon Sebag Montefiore explains the mythic status of  this eighteenth century Russian statesman, and military leader. In this conversation recorded in London in 2000 the historian Simon Sebag Montefiore tells David Freeman about practical politics in 18th century Russia and how Potemkin made his way in society with the help of the love of Catherine the Great. Their relationship has been told in films but the way Simon tells the story is probably more gripping and unbelievable. Simon told the story in full in his the books, Prince of Princes, and Catherine the Great and Potemkin, The Imperial Love Affair. Interesting to hear Simon say that Putin read this book and what he learned has informed his political views. This lead to the invasion of Ukraine  and a significant incident when Russian troops broke into the crypt of the cathedral in Kherson and removed the bones of Grigory Potemkin.  This is history to remember. Putin uses this history to justify his 'special military operation'.

Magnus Magnusson died in 2007. He was  77. I spoke to Magnus when his history of Scotland was first published in 2000. Our conversation covered thoughts on Scottish independence, the film Braveheart, Shakespeare and whatever happened to the Picts. There was so much more to Magnus than being the chair .....I've started so I'll finish ..... of Mastermind!

David Sedaris now fills arenas with enthusiastic fans but when David Freeman interviewed him in 2000 he was almost unknown. His book 'Me Talk Pretty One Day ' was just published

Her sister died of breast cancer and Justine just couldn't accept that her much loved sister had gone. This is conversation about grief and loss but it also about the lengths the bereaved will go to to re establish a link with the departed loved one. Despite being a journalist Justine tried everything and everybody. Mediums, spiritualists and people who really thought that there could be communication with the dead via a computer spell check. So what belief is Justine left with?