Podcast
The 15 Minute Book Club
Hosted by Alex Churchill, Matt Bone · EN
We don't always have an hour or so to spare. In this new, short-form podcast, Alex and Matt interview an author, gameshow style, and they have fifteen minutes on the clock to convince you to buy their new book. With a minute to go, the alarm sounds and your hosts will throw out the meanest, saddest comment they think the internet will come up with about the book and the author gets a chance to respond.
Patreon members get extra time: 15 more minutes in which you get to see behind the scenes and find out how the book was written. You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/cw/15MinuteBookClub
Watch the video version: https://www.youtube.com/@15MinuteBook_Club
Buy the book (UK) https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClub
Buy the book (US) https://bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClub
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
13episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
The Fifth Crusade with Thomas Smith
1w ago00:21:19Tap to summarizeThe Fifth Crusade was unlike any other. It was the first to invade Egypt, a story filled with adventure and intrigue, yet it often gets overshadowed by its predecessors. Dr. Thomas Smith joins us to tell the untold tale of this epic campaign, where the Crusaders faced more than just battles; they encountered a land filled with ancient history and the remnants of powerful empires.Patreon members get extra time: 15 more minutes, in which you get to see behind the scenes and find out how the book was written. You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/cw/15MinuteBookClubBuy The Fifth Crusade: A History of the Epic Campaign to Conquer Egypt by Thomas Smith at our Bookshop.org shop. Support authors, indie bookshops and us!UK Link: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16621/9780300283952US Link: https://bookshop.org/a/118682/9780300283952Visit our Bookshop with books from all of our guests via the links below:(UK) https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClub(US) https://bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClubPatreon members get extra time: 15 more minutes, in which you get to see behind the scenes and find out how the book was written. You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/cw/15MinuteBookClubWatch the video version: https://www.youtube.com/@15MinuteBook_ClubBuy [INSERT BOOK TITLE] at our Bookshop.org shop. Support authors, indie bookshops and us!UK Link: US Link: Visit our Bookshop with books from all of our guests via the links below:(UK) https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClub(US) https://bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClub Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Transcribe →Athens and Sparta with Adrian Goldsworthy
3w ago00:21:00Tap to summarizeThis week on the 15-Minute Book Club, Adrian Goldsworthy joins us to delve into the rivalry between Athens and Sparta in the 5th century BC and their continued influence on us today. Plus, we ask just how much of ancient history is just made up.Patreon members get extra time: 15 more minutes, in which you get to see behind the scenes and find out how the book was written. You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/cw/15MinuteBookClubBuy Athens and Sparta: The Rivalry that Shaped Ancient Greece at our Bookshop.org shop. Support authors, indie bookshops and us!UK Link: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16621/9781800245426US Link: https://bookshop.org/a/118682/9781541619982Visit our Bookshop with books from all of our guests via the links below:(UK) https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClub(US) https://bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClubYou can find all of Adrian's books below, including the fab Ferox series!UK Link: https://uk.bookshop.org/beta-search?keywords=adrian+goldsworthy US Link: https://bookshop.org/beta-search?keywords=Adrian+GoldsworthyPatreon members get extra time: 15 more minutes, in which you get to see behind the scenes and find out how the book was written. You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/cw/15MinuteBookClubWatch the video version: https://www.youtube.com/@15MinuteBook_ClubBuy [INSERT BOOK TITLE] at our Bookshop.org shop. Support authors, indie bookshops and us!UK Link: US Link: Visit our Bookshop with books from all of our guests via the links below:(UK) https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClub(US) https://bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClub Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Transcribe →The Ship's Cat with Alex Howard
4w ago00:21:27Tap to summarizeThere is no room to swing a cat this week as we are wall to wall cats! Author Alex Howard joins us to tell us about Archie the streetwise cat's odyssey in his new book, The Ship's Cat, and he has just 15 minutes to convince you to buy it.Patreon members get extra time: 15 more minutes, in which you get to see behind the scenes and find out how the book was written. You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/cw/15MinuteBookClubPreorder The Ship's Cat by Alex Howard at our Bookshop.org shop. Support authors, indie bookshops and us!UK Link: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16621/9781785307706Visit our Bookshop with books from all of our guests via the links below:(UK) https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClub(US) https://bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClubPatreon members get extra time: 15 more minutes, in which you get to see behind the scenes and find out how the book was written. You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/cw/15MinuteBookClubWatch the video version: https://www.youtube.com/@15MinuteBook_ClubBuy [INSERT BOOK TITLE] at our Bookshop.org shop. Support authors, indie bookshops and us!UK Link: US Link: Visit our Bookshop with books from all of our guests via the links below:(UK) https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClub(US) https://bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClub Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Transcribe →The Visionaries with James Holland
Apr 2200:20:51Tap to summarizeJames Holland joins us to convince you to buy his upcoming book, The Visionaries: The Making of the Post World War II Order in the West in just 15 minutes! James' new book looks at the politics and economics of WW2 in a change of gear from his usual campaign focus. Let us know if he convinced you in the comments! Patreon members get extra time: 15 more minutes, in which you get to see behind the scenes and find out how the book was written. You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/cw/15MinuteBookClubBuy The Visionaries: The Making of the Post World War II Order in the West by James Holland at our Bookshop.org shop. Support authors, indie bookshops and us!UK Link (7 May): https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16621/9780857509710US Link (26 May): https://bookshop.org/a/118682/9780802168078Visit our Bookshop with books from all of our guests via the links below:(UK) https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClub(US) https://bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClubPatreon members get extra time: 15 more minutes, in which you get to see behind the scenes and find out how the book was written. You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/cw/15MinuteBookClubWatch the video version: https://www.youtube.com/@15MinuteBook_ClubBuy [INSERT BOOK TITLE] at our Bookshop.org shop. Support authors, indie bookshops and us!UK Link: US Link: Visit our Bookshop with books from all of our guests via the links below:(UK) https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClub(US) https://bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClub Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Transcribe →Sanctioned: The Inside Story of the Sale of Chelsea FC with Nick Purewal
Apr 100:19:47Tap to summarizeThe sale of Chelsea FC in 2022 saw politics play a vital role in the sale of football. Nick Purewal, the then AP correspondent assigned to Chelsea had a ringside seat to the remarkable £2 billion pound sale. Nick joins us to discuss interviewing everyone from Roman Abramovich down with Chelsea fan Alex and Matt, who couldn't care less...Patreon members get extra time: 15 more minutes, in which you get to see behind the scenes and find out how the book was written. You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/cw/15MinuteBookClubBuy Sanctioned: The Inside Story of the Sale of Chelsea FC at our Bookshop.org shop. Support authors, indie bookshops and us! UK Link: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16621/9781785909894There is no US Bookshop link, so here is the link for that other bookstore place we don't really like, but hey, what can you do... https://a.co/d/06OJiXPKVisit our Bookshop with books from all of our guests via the links below: (UK) https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClub (US) https://bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClubPatreon members get extra time: 15 more minutes, in which you get to see behind the scenes and find out how the book was written. You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/cw/15MinuteBookClubWatch the video version: https://www.youtube.com/@15MinuteBook_ClubBuy [INSERT BOOK TITLE] at our Bookshop.org shop. Support authors, indie bookshops and us!UK Link: US Link: Visit our Bookshop with books from all of our guests via the links below:(UK) https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClub(US) https://bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClub Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Transcribe →Remembering Len Deighton - Bomber
Mar 1800:20:21Tap to summarizeOn the 17th March 2026, author Len Deighton passed away at the age of 97. To remember this wonderful author, Boney is in the hot seat as he tries to convince Alex that Bomber is a must read from the extensive cateloge of Deighton's books.Patreon members get extra time: 15 more minutes, in which you get to see behind the scenes and find out how the book was written. You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/cw/15MinuteBookClubBuy Len Deighton's Bomber at our Bookshop.org shop. Support authors, indie bookshops and us!UK Link: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16621/9780241493700US Link: https://bookshop.org/a/118682/9780802161611Visit our Bookshop with books from all of our guests via the links below:(UK) https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClub(US) https://bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClubPatreon members get extra time: 15 more minutes, in which you get to see behind the scenes and find out how the book was written. You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/cw/15MinuteBookClubWatch the video version: https://www.youtube.com/@15MinuteBook_ClubBuy [INSERT BOOK TITLE] at our Bookshop.org shop. Support authors, indie bookshops and us!UK Link: US Link: Visit our Bookshop with books from all of our guests via the links below:(UK) https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClub(US) https://bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClub Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Transcribe →Eden Undone with Abbott Kahler
Mar 1100:19:35Tap to summarizeAt the beginning of the Great Depression, three groups of Germans moved to Floreana Island in the Galápagos to create their own utopia. Over the coming years, paradise crumbled into sex, acrimony, and eventually murder. Author Abbott Kahler joins Alex and Boney to ask what the hell happened and to convince you to buy Abbott's book, in just 15 minutes.Patreon members get extra time: 15 more minutes, in which you get to see behind the scenes and find out how the book was written. You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/cw/15MinuteBookClubBuy Eden Undone: A True Story of Sex, Murder and Utopia at the Dawn of World War II by Abbott Kahler at our Bookshop.org shop. Support authors, indie bookshops and us!UK Link - https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16621/9780008729721US Link - https://bookshop.org/a/118682/9780451498663Visit our Bookshop with books from all of our guests via the links below:(UK) https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClub(US) https://bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClubPatreon members get extra time: 15 more minutes, in which you get to see behind the scenes and find out how the book was written. You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/cw/15MinuteBookClubWatch the video version: https://www.youtube.com/@15MinuteBook_ClubBuy [INSERT BOOK TITLE] at our Bookshop.org shop. Support authors, indie bookshops and us!UK Link: US Link: Visit our Bookshop with books from all of our guests via the links below:(UK) https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClub(US) https://bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClub Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Transcribe →The Age of Alchemy with Kit Chapman
Mar 400:18:54Tap to summarizeOur old buddy Kit Chapman joins us to tell us all about his new book, which looks at the global quest to achieve immortality, cure all disease and transmute lead into gold as he reveals the illuminating stories of how the alchemists first broke new ground and shaped the scientific method.Patreon members get extra time: 15 more minutes, in which you get to see behind the scenes and find out how the book was written. You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/cw/15MinuteBookClubPre-order The Age of Alchemy: The Secret History of Chemistry from Ancient Magic to Modern Science by Kit Chapman at our Bookshop.org shop. Support authors, indie bookshops and us!UK Link - Out on 30 Apr 2026: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16621/9781805221159US Link - Out on 20 OCT 2026: https://bookshop.org/a/118682/9781778404177Visit our Bookshop with books from all of our guests via the links below:(UK) https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClub(US) https://bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClubPatreon members get extra time: 15 more minutes, in which you get to see behind the scenes and find out how the book was written. You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/cw/15MinuteBookClubWatch the video version: https://www.youtube.com/@15MinuteBook_ClubBuy [INSERT BOOK TITLE] at our Bookshop.org shop. Support authors, indie bookshops and us!UK Link: US Link: Visit our Bookshop with books from all of our guests via the links below:(UK) https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClub(US) https://bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClub Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Transcribe →The Death of Trotsky with Josh Ireland
Feb 2500:19:12Tap to summarizeIn August 1940, a man walked into Leon Trotsky's study in Mexico City and drove an ice pick into his skull. While the death of Trotsky is well known, the paths taken to that fateful day in Mexico City are not, and Josh Ireland had an incredible story tell, but can he convince you to buy his book in just 15 minutes?Patreon members get extra time: 15 more minutes, in which you get to see behind the scenes and find out how the book was written. You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/cw/15MinuteBookClubBuy The Death of Trotsky by Josh Ireland at our Bookshop.org shop. Support authors, indie bookshops and us!UK Link: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16621/9781399827294US Link: https://bookshop.org/a/118682/9780593187104Visit our Bookshop with books from all of our guests via the links below:(UK) https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClub(US) https://bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClub0:00 Welcome to the 15 Minute Book Club1:27 Introducing Our Guest: Josh Ireland2:20 The Life of Leon Trotsky6:02 Trotsky's Rivalry with Stalin12:09 The Plot to Kill Trotsky13:53 The Assassin: Ramon Mercader16:37 The Relevance of Trotsky TodayPatreon members get extra time: 15 more minutes, in which you get to see behind the scenes and find out how the book was written. You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/cw/15MinuteBookClubWatch the video version: https://www.youtube.com/@15MinuteBook_ClubBuy [INSERT BOOK TITLE] at our Bookshop.org shop. Support authors, indie bookshops and us!UK Link: US Link: Visit our Bookshop with books from all of our guests via the links below:(UK) https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClub(US) https://bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClub Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Transcribe →House of Diggs with Marion Orr
Feb 400:17:45Tap to summarizeCongressman Charles C. Diggs Jr. led a political career spanning from1951 to 1980. He was the only federal official to attend the trial of Emmett Till's killers, worked behind the scenes with Martin Luther King Jr., and founded the Congressional Black Caucus. Brown University's Prof. Marion Orr, author of a new biography of Diggs, House of Diggs, has just 15 minutes to convince you to learn more and buy his book.Patreon members get extra time: 15 more minutes, in which you get to see behind the scenes and find out how the book was written. You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/cw/15MinuteBookClubBuy House of Diggs: The Rise and Fall of America's Most Consequential Black Congressman, Charles C. Diggs, Jr at the links below:UK Link: https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/House-of-Diggs-by-Marion-Orr/9781469689326US Link: https://uncpress.org/9781469689326/house-of-diggs/Visit our Bookshop with books from all of our guests via the links below:(UK) https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClub(US) https://bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClubPatreon members get extra time: 15 more minutes, in which you get to see behind the scenes and find out how the book was written. You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/cw/15MinuteBookClubWatch the video version: https://www.youtube.com/@15MinuteBook_ClubBuy [INSERT BOOK TITLE] at our Bookshop.org shop. Support authors, indie bookshops and us!UK Link: US Link: Visit our Bookshop with books from all of our guests via the links below:(UK) https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClub(US) https://bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClub Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Transcribe →