AfterWords

In February 1910, the future Virginia Woolf played the most famous practical joke in British military history. Blackening her face and masquerading as an Abyssinian prince, the young writer and her friends conned their way onto HMS Dreadnought, the Empire’s most powerful battleship. 'The Girl Prince' is a tantalisingly fresh take on the iconic writer and her deeply problematic stunt, as well as her ideas on race and empire. In this episode, listen to award-winning author and scholar Danell Jones and Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies in the Faculty of Arts at McGill University Tabitha Sparks discuss what happened aboard the ship, Woolf’s involvement in the hoax, the immediate aftermath and how the narrative surrounding the ‘practical joke’ has changed over the years. To buy the book and for more information, visit hurstpublishers.com

Born in Kolkata shortly before Indian independence, Mihir Bose still feels enormous gratitude towards Mr Crombie of the UK’s Home Office, who confirmed his permanent resident’s rights in 1975. In this episode, join Mihir, the BBC’s first sports editor and first non-white editor, and Sarah Sands, author and Deputy Chair of the British Council, in conversation about his book ‘Thank You Mr Crombie’. You'll hear Mihir take us back to life in 1960s Britain, a time when Indian food was shunned, not adored. Landladies wouldn’t rent him a room and he suffered several assaults, fearing for his life. Reflecting on migration, race and British society, he looks at how far the country has come and how its sometimes deeply shameful past must still be addressed. To buy the book and for more information, visit hurstpublishers.com

In an increasingly dystopian world, 'Negotiating with the Devil' by Pierre Hazan takes readers inside the world of armed conflict mediation, offering insight into the political and ethical ‘red lines’ that shape talks with armed interlocutors, be they states or insurgents. In this episode, listen to Pierre and Victor Mallet in conversation about the high-stakes process of conflict mediation, the role of a peace negotiator, Pierre’s own thoughts about what makes a good mediator, and the grey areas as well as the shifting political imperatives impacting conflict mediation today. To buy the book and for more information, visit hurstpublishers.com

'The Great Indian Food Trip' is an entertaining, erudite adventure of eating, drinking and travelling. This is how Swedish novelist, rock musician and author Zac O’Yeah has come to understand the Indian subcontinent, his home of thirty years. In this episode, listen to Zac in conversation with writer and journalist Samanth Subramanian about the book, Zac’s love of food, his most memorable meals during his travels across India, and unique insight into the country’s delicacies, their origins and locales. To buy the book and for more information, visit hurstpublishers.com

We are in a new age of terror, with self-radicalising, hard-to-categorise individuals planning violence. Since the Westminster Bridge attack in 2017, more than 40 terror attacks have been foiled by the security services. 'Plotters' by journalist Lizzie Dearden is an eye-opening account of the British terror attacks you’ve never heard of—because the perpetrators were caught in time. In this episode, listen to Lizzie in conversation with fellow journalist and writer Tam Hussein to discuss the changing face of modern terrorism, the common factors that led to the would-be attackers being stopped and what each one caught tells us about British society. To buy the book and for more information, visit hurstpublishers.com

As floods and fires rage across the planet, more people are embracing nonviolent action to achieve political change. Can it work? In ‘Sorry for the Inconvenience But This Is an Emergency’ doctor and aid worker Lynne Jones offers a compelling, ground-level account of the last five years of UK protests, exploring how and why ordinary citizens have adopted extraordinary methods to confront the climate and nature crises. In this episode, listen to Lynne in conversation with Fiona Godlee, doctor, and former Editor-in-Chief of the British Medical Journal, about Lynne’s experiences, from Greenham Common Women’s Peace Camp to her involvement in movements like Extinction Rebellion today. They will also discuss the most effective kinds of protest, and what compels people to break the law in the name of justice. For more, visit hurstpublishers.com

From Brazilian favelas and campgrounds in Nigeria to megachurches in Ukraine and South Korea, Pentecostal Christianity is taking over the world. ‘Beyond Belief’ by writer and journalist Elle Hardy exposes the Pentecostal agenda and its sway over politics and society around the world. In this episode listen to Elle in conversation with journalist and author Katherine Stewart about how Pentecostalism evolved into a multi-million megachurch industry, why it’s attracting so many people, and what the movement’s explosion means for the world. For more visit hurstpublishers.com

You cannot understand the historic events of 2022 without understanding Volodymyr Zelensky. But the Zelensky effect is less about the man himself than about the civic nation he embodies: what makes Zelensky most extraordinary in war is his very ordinariness as a Ukrainian. ‘The Zelensky Effect’ by Olga Onuch and Henry E. Hale tells the story of Ukraine through the journey of the man who has come to symbolise his country. In this episode, listen to Henry in conversation with Shaun Walker, the Guardian’s Central and Eastern Europe correspondent and writer, as they discuss how its now-iconic president reflects the hopes and frustrations of Ukraine’s first ‘independence generation’. For more visit hurstpublishers.com

Please note that this episode contains graphic depictions of violence, racism, and sexual assault, which listeners may find disturbing. Rohingya men, women and children have been fleeing their homes for forty years and are now almost entirely in exile. ‘I Feel No Peace’ by Guardian journalist Kaamil Ahmed is the first book-length exploration of Rohingya lives abroad, drawing on hundreds of hours of interviews and long-standing relationships within the diaspora. In this episode, listen to Kaamil in conversation with his fellow Guardian journalist and writer Amelia Gentleman about the complex and heart-breaking lives of the individuals who shared their stories with Kaamil, the lesser-known experiences of the Rohingya before the 2017 atrocities, and the complicity of the UN, international NGOs and the Bangladeshi state in the refugees’ plight. This episode was recorded in March 2023. For more visit hurstpublishers.com

Has any war in history gone according to plan? Monarchs, dictators and elected leaders alike have a dismal record on military decision-making, from over-ambitious goals to disregarding intelligence, terrain, or enemy capabilities. ‘How to Fight a War’ by former army officer and author Mike Martin is a crisp indispensable guide to understanding modern warfare. In this episode, listen to Mike in conversation with The Times’ Diplomatic Editor and foreign affairs columnist Roger Boyes about the fundamentals of warfare, from infantry to information, and from strategy to tactics, in order to better understand today’s wars, and be more prepared for the coming decades of conflict. For more visit hurstpublishers.com

Maharajah Ranjit Singh’s Sikh Empire stretched throughout north-western India into Afghanistan and Tibet. But how did one royal family come to achieve such pre-eminence over this entire region? Historian Priya Atwal’s dazzling book ‘Royals and Rebels: The Rise and Fall of the Sikh Empire’ blasts through centuries of Orientalist and misogynist history to shed new light on the forgotten royals who aided the spectacular rise and eventual demise of this long-lost kingdom. In this episode listen to Priya in conversation with historian, screenwriter and author Alex von Tunzelmann as they explore how this kingdom came into being, how it operated, but also how and why it fell after just fifty years of existence. For more visit hurstpublishers.com

Over Britain’s first century of mass democracy, politics has lurched from crisis to crisis. A Times Book of the Year, ‘The Death of Consensus’ by writer and documentary-maker Phil Tinline brings to life those times, past and present, when the consensus—or the great compromise holding democracy together—has come apart, and the political class has been forced to make a choice of nightmares. In this episode, listen to Phil in conversation with historian Dominic Sandbrook about whether consensus has ever existed in British politics, how politics is transformed through fear, and the way in which apparent catastrophes can clear the path to a new era. For more visit hurstpublishers.com

AfterWords returns on 20th October 2023. In this series, listen to lively discussions between Hurst authors, journalists and leading experts as they interrogate the stories behind thought-provoking books. You’ll hear about how Pentecostal Christianity is taking over the world; the rise and fall of the Sikh empire; a hundred years of British political nightmares; whether any war in history has gone to plan; a vivid, powerful account of the Rohingya in exile; and how ordinary Ukrainians saved their nation. For more visit hurstpublishers.com

From Notre-Dame cathedral to the Houses of Parliament, the buildings Europeans have come to love may not be so European after all. A Spectator ‘Book of the Year’, Stealing from the Saracens by Diana Darke is the fascinating tale of cultural exchange, shedding new light on some of Europe’s greatest landmarks. In today’s episode Diana and Quilt.Ai’s Angad Singh Chowdhry will be discussing the ‘borrowing’ of Islamic architecture, Europe’s reluctance to associate with the Muslim world, and the importance of acknowledging cultural debt. For more visit hurstpublishers.com

We live in an era of big brands. Companies that wield incredible power and influence around the world. But as we all know, with great power comes great responsibility… Can companies do more than generate profits in the poorest and most fragile parts of the world? Should they move beyond simply ‘doing no harm’? In her book 'Corporate Peace', Mary Martin shows how big business is increasingly important in building a safer world. In this episode, Mary will be in conversation with Quilt.Ai’s Angad Singh Chowdhry about how businesses can use their influence for the common good, the potential dangers of their involvement in peacebuilding, and whether corporate peace is possible. For more visit hurstpublishers.com

China’s millennials feel stuck. They are caught between the country’s authoritarian politics, hypermodern technology, and economic boom. In her raw and revealing memoir, Under Red Skies, Karoline Kan turns to the three generations of women in her family to understand the ever-changing China she grew up in. In this episode, listen to Karoline in conversation with Quilt.Ai’s Angad Singh Chowdhry about life in China beyond the headlines: the remarkable story of Karoline’s family, her own experiences as a Chinese millennial and whether understanding the country’s youth holds the key to understanding China as it is today.

Artificial Intelligence is going to war … but what happens to the ‘art of war’ as machines enter the battlefield? ‘I, Warbot’ by Kenneth Payne is an engrossing look at the new frontier in AI, and how it will change conflict forever. In this episode, listen to Kenneth in conversation with Angad Singh Chowdhry, co-founder of Quilt.AI, about how Artificial Intelligence and war have been shaped by one another, and explore what the battlefields of the near future might look like when they are dominated by emotionless machines programmed to kill. For more visit hurstpublishers.com

When it comes to climate change, we’re not all in it together. From New Orleans to Bangladesh, women—especially poor women of colour— are suffering most from a crisis they have done nothing to cause. ‘How Women Can Save The Planet’ by Anne Karpf is a smart, bold and inclusive call to arms: we can fix the climate emergency by fighting for gender equality. In this episode, listen to Anne Karpf in conversation with Angad Singh Chowdhry, co-founder of Quilt.AI, about how our gendered perceptions of nature influence our understanding of the climate crisis and our actions to mitigate it. For more visit hurstpublishers.com

‘The People on the Beach’ by Rosie Whitehouse is a vivid history tracing the Holocaust survivors who risked everything for a new life in Palestine. Listen to Rosie in conversation with Angad Singh Chowdhry, co-founder of Quilt.AI, about who the people on the beach were, how they fled Europe—and why—and the way in which the Holocaust is remembered today. For more visit hurstpublishers.com

Season 3 is hosted by Dr Angad Singh Chowdhry, anthropologist, entrepreneur, and the co-founder of Quilt.AI, a tech company that uses data and artificial intelligence to understand people better. In each episode, Angad will be in conversation with one of our authors as they explore human behaviour. Learn about the Holocaust survivors who risked everything for a new life in Palestine with Rosie Whitehouse, trace Europe’s cultural debt to the Muslim world with Diana Darke, and join Kenneth Payne as he explores how artificial intelligence is going to war and the human responsibility that comes with it. Hear Anne Karpf explain how women can save the planet and why they shouldn’t have to, discover the role of big business in building a safer world with Mary Martin, and find out about the life and times of a Chinese millennial from Karoline Kan. For more visit hurstpublishers.com

Kim Jong Un and the Bomb by Ankit Panda is the extraordinary story of how a small, poor country became a nuclear power—and why we will have to live with it. Listen to Ankit in conversation with Tom Plant, director of proliferation and nuclear policy at RUSI, about the history of nuclear weapons in North Korea, why the programme is so important to Kim Jong Un, and what a nuclear armed North Korea means for the world.

The Great Decoupling by Nigel Inkster explores the growing technological rivalry between China and the United States. Listen to Nigel in conversation with Kerry Brown, specialist in Chinese international relations, history and politics, about the contest between the two countries and how the outcome will shape twenty-first century geopolitics. For more visit hurstpublishers.com

African Europeans by Olivette Otele is a dazzling history revealing old and diverse links between the two continents. In this episode, listen to Olivette and historian and broadcaster Kate Williams discuss a landmark account of a crucial thread in Europe’s complex history. For more visit hurstpublishers.com

The Son King by Madawi Al-Rasheed is a blistering new book revealing the ruthless repression in MBS’ Saudi Arabia. In this episode, listen to Madawi in conversation with writer and historian Justin Marozzi about the dangerous contradictions at the heart of the Saudi regime.

The Northumbrians by Dan Jackson is the bestselling book exploring North East England and its people. In this episode, listen to Dan in conversation with historian Tom Holland about the real story behind the region and what makes it so distinctive. A Sunday Times History Book of the Year (2019) & A New Statesman Book of the Year (2019). For more visit hurstpublishers.com

Everybody Knows is a searching and unflinching exposé of corruption in America by L.A. Times Book Prize winner Sarah Chayes. In this episode, listen to Sarah in conversation with author and Guardian foreign correspondent Luke Harding about the impacts of America’s rigged system and how it can be challenged. For more visit hurstpublishers.com

AfterWords returns on 27th January 2021. In this series, listen to Hurst authors and leading experts discuss the stories behind six recent, highly acclaimed books that are starting conversations everywhere. Investigate corruption in America with Sarah Chayes, discover North-East England and its people with Dan Jackson, and learn how North Korea became a nuclear power and why we’ll have to live with it from Ankit Panda. Hear the untold story of African Europeans by Olivette Otele, explore the growing rivalry between America and China with Nigel Inkster and find out about reform and repression in MBS’ Saudi Arabia from Madawi Al-Rasheed.

The Accidental Guerrilla by David Kilcullen was a Washington Post bestseller which transformed the theory and practice of counterinsurgency--and changed the way we think about war. Interviewed by The Economist’s Defence Editor Shashank Joshi, in this episode David shares his ground-breaking insights into the War on Terror. Order David's book today at: https://www.hurstpublishers.com/book/accidental-guerrilla/

The death of UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld remains one of the biggest mysteries of the twentieth century. Journalist and author Michela Wrong talks to author Susan Williams about ‘Who Killed Hammarskjöld?’, Susan’s thrilling book which investigated this suspicious death and sparked an ongoing UN investigation. Order Susan's book today at: https://www.hurstpublishers.com/book/who-killed-hammarskjold-2/

Anne McElvoy, senior editor at The Economist, interviews David Goodhart about his bestselling and highly influential book The Road to Somewhere. Examining the political and moral fault-lines that divide Brexit Britain, David’s framework of ‘Anywheres’ and ‘Somewheres’ has become a fixture in public debate about Brexit and the rise of populism. Order David's book today at: https://www.hurstpublishers.com/book/the-road-to-somewhere/

Anthropologist Alpa Shah’s gripping book Nightmarch was shortlisted for the 2019 Orwell Prize for Political Writing. In this episode, author and journalist Sonia Faleiro talks to Alpa about her time living amongst India’s communist guerrillas, and the undercover journey she took with them in 2010. Order Alpa's book at: https://www.hurstpublishers.com/book/nightmarch/

The Rwanda Crisis by Gérard Prunier is the definitive and most comprehensive account of the conditions leading up to the Rwandan genocide and the events that followed. In this episode author and New York Times journalist Jeffrey Gettleman interviews Gérard about his heavily documented account of the horrors of 1994, and the complicity of France and other Western colonialists. Order Gérard's book at: https://www.hurstpublishers.com/book/the-rwanda-crisis-1959-1994/

Shashi Tharoor’s book Inglorious Empire was a Sunday Times bestseller. It sparked a vital conversation about British views on empire, challenging predominant narratives. In this episode, author and Financial Times columnist Nilanjana Roy talks to Shashi Tharoor about this landmark book and how British imperialism devastated India. Order Shashi's book now at: https://www.hurstpublishers.com/book/inglorious-empire/

Six defining books. Six defining conversations. AfterWords explores the stories behind groundbreaking books. In the first series, hear leading journalists in conversation with authors whose books have instigated debates, advanced knowledge and changed society. Discover how the British empire impacted India with Shashi Tharoor, investigate a UN Secretary General's mysterious death with Susan Williams, and learn about India's Maoist guerrillas with Alpa Shah. Examine Brexit Britain with David Goodhart and the Rwandan genocide with Gérard Prunier, and gain insight on counterinsurgency from expert David Kilcullen. For more on Hurst, visit https://www.hurstpublishers.com/