The Book Case
Host: Charlie Gibson, Kate Gibson
Episode: Joanne Harris and the Literary Beauty of Chocolat
Date: September 18, 2025
Overview
In this episode, Charlie and Kate Gibson open "The Book Case" to the sensual, enchanting world of Joanne Harris’s new novel, Vianne—the prequel to her beloved Chocolat. They explore Harris’s rich literary legacy, delving into food as love language, the interplay of fantasy and motherhood, and the origins behind her captivating protagonist, Vianne Rocher. The episode features an engaging interview with Harris, discussion of evocative lines and themes, and a profile of Andover Bookstore, the oldest continuously operating independent bookstore in America.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Why Another Book in the Chocolat Series?
- Theme: Revisiting origins—with Vianne, Harris looks back to her protagonist’s beginnings as she herself ages and reflects.
- “You reach a certain age where actually it’s quite important to look at where you came from before you understand where you need to go next.” —Joanne Harris [08:22]
2. Standalone or Sequel? The Reading Order Question
- Vianne is written as both a prequel and a standalone.
- “It can be an entry point to that world. Or if you already know that world and you're keen to expand it, then you can do that using this book…” —Joanne Harris [09:06]
3. The Allure of Chocolate
- Chocolate is rich with symbolism: culinary, political, folkloric, and emotional.
- “Chocolate is more than just food... it drives the world economy, it is political, it has huge history and folklore. It's a spiritual substance. It's a mind-altering substance.” —Joanne Harris [09:25]
- Harris herself rarely eats it—a point that surprises Charlie and Kate, given her evocative descriptions.
4. Sensuality and Writing About Food
- Kate marvels at Harris’s ability to evoke all senses through food writing.
- “[Her prose] engages every part of you… you can almost smell the chocolate in the book.” —Kate Gibson [02:53]
5. Motherhood, Identity, and Belonging
- Harris explores the pull between inherited beliefs and forging new paths—the tension between freedom and rootedness.
- “Vianne has a loyalty problem… her mother taught her that this is how people like them get to live: freely, moving from place to place without putting down roots… but Vianne doesn't want this for her child.” —Joanne Harris [12:17]
- Vianne carries both her mother’s tarot cards (representing movement) and her recipes (representing home).
- “The tarot cards tell me to run, but the recipes that I’m cooking tell me I am home.” —explained by Charlie [13:32]
6. The “Man in Black”—Fear & Archetypes
- The persistent, ambiguous antagonist represents more than a single person: he is the embodiment of fear, authority, patriarchy.
- “The man in black is a more archetypal figure… the pursuer, he is the patriarchy… It is the fear of loss, the fear of losing the freedom they have.” —Joanne Harris [16:09]
7. Mysticism, Fantasy, and the Role of Folklore
- Harris draws distinctions between fantasy and mysticism, rooting her work in European folklore and myth as explorations of the subconscious.
- “Fantasy is more than just diversion… It is the secret language of the human subconscious. It is there to tease out the things that we are not able to discuss openly outside of the safe space of metaphor.” —Joanne Harris [17:00]
8. The Author’s Relationship to Character
- Surprises can happen even with characters you create—because people, real or fictional, remain unpredictable.
- “If we are to believe in these characters, then we have to believe on some level in their reality… A lot of things surprised me about Vianne.” —Joanne Harris [19:05]
9. Empathy and Character Flaws
- Vianne excels at seeing what others need, but struggles with self-awareness—a trait Harris explores as inherently human.
- “She is very empathic… but she is absolutely terrible at self scrutiny, looking at what she needs.” —Joanne Harris [23:46]
10. Audiobook Narration and Authorial Voice
- Harris enjoys narrating her own audiobooks for the authenticity and directness it brings to listeners.
- “If you get the author reading it… you get a direct line to how the author formulated that sentence, what rhythm it was supposed to have…” —Joanne Harris [22:11]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Food as Art:
“Food is an art. Food engages sight and sound and texture, not just scent and taste. And food is the most elementary expression of human connection. It is love without complications.” —Charlie Gibson [04:00] -
On the Magic of Cozy Literature:
“It felt like cuddling under a warm blanket and wanting to eat all the chocolates in the world.” —Kate Gibson [06:49] -
On Surprise in Writing:
“Do you find that your children surprise you from time to time? …Our characters surprise us because we can surprise ourselves.” —Joanne Harris [20:35] -
On Writing and Reading:
“Writing without reading is like cooking and not eating. These things are linked.” —Joanne Harris [30:42] -
On Grief:
“Grief is love with nowhere to go… Grief is the weight of memories.” —Charlie Gibson quoting Harris [33:39]
Timestamps for Important Segments
| Timestamp | Segment | |---------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:06 | Introduction of Vianne and series context | | 03:38 | Discussion of Harris’s sensuous food writing | | 07:59 | Start of interview with Joanne Harris | | 08:14 | Harris discusses returning to Vianne’s origins | | 09:04 | Standalone nature of Vianne | | 09:25 | Harris on the allure of chocolate | | 10:39 | Motherhood and identity in Vianne | | 12:17 | The rootlessness vs. belonging dilemma | | 13:32 | Tarot cards vs. recipes: symbolism | | 15:01 | The man in black: archetype and ambiguity | | 17:00 | Mysticism, fantasy, and folklore in Harris’s writing | | 19:05 | Harris on being surprised by her own characters | | 22:11 | On narrating her own audiobooks | | 23:46 | Empathy and Vianne’s flaw | | 25:15 | Will Vianne’s story continue? | | 28:24 | Rapid-fire questions (chocolate preferences, influences, advice) | | 32:13 | Harris on reading languages and learning from literature | | 33:31 | Charlie’s favorite lines on grief | | 34:57 | Andover Bookstore segment with John Hugo | | 39:12 | Creating a timeless, welcoming bookstore atmosphere | | 42:05 | Bookstore name brainstorming | | 44:59 | Joanne Harris sings (briefly) the “Song of the Wind” |
Bookstore Spotlight
Andover Bookstore (with owner John Hugo)
- Founded in 1809; oldest continuously operating independent bookstore in the U.S.
- Focus on creating an “old, homey, local” feel—motto: “Time is soft here.”
- Perseveres against online competition by offering community, atmosphere, and passion for books.
Rapid Fire Questions: Joanne Harris
- Favorite Chocolate:
“Any chocolate in an emergency is just great for me.” [28:31] - Snacking During Writing:
“I have a lot of tea. I don’t generally do a lot of snacks... I work with scents.” [28:43] - Most Influential Writer:
“I think it was Ray Bradbury… I just wanted to read everything he’d written after that.” [29:32] - Writing Advice:
“You need to love what you do… Writing without reading is like cooking and not eating.” [30:29] - Currently Reading:
“A book by Sunny Singh called Refuge—a collection of short stories about refugees.” [31:21]
Memorable Coda
Joanne Harris concludes with a brief rendition of the “Song of the Wind,” a Canadian folk song (V’là l’bon vent) that threads through the Chocolat novels as a maternal lullaby:
“L' Al Bonvant, La jolifant, L' al Bonvant, Mamie Matteo.” [44:59]
Tone & Style
The episode is warm, witty, and reflective—balancing cozy delight in literature and chocolate with probing discussions of identity, roots, motherhood, and the unconscious power of stories.
Suggested for Listeners Who...
- Love sensory, evocative novels and stories about food
- Are fans of Chocolat or seeking a standalone magical read
- Appreciate author interviews exploring craft, character, and inspiration
- Find comfort in the cozy, communal world of independent bookstores