SheffReads: Poet Otis Mensah

In this episode we chat with Sheffield based documentary photographer and filmmaker, Gemma Thorpe. As well as chatting books, we also discuss local hero and Green Queen of Sheffield, Ethel Haythornthwaite, and how you can discover her story through a new augmented reality app, created by Gemma as part of the national Storytrails project.

 As part of the Lord Mayor’s Big Read, we’re interviewing some famous faces and other interesting local people about the books they love. In this episode, I chat with Tim Cooper, the author of the excellent book, The Story of Sheffield.  As well as discussing Tim’s recommended reads, we delve into Sheffield’s  past, present, and future.

In this series, we’re interviewing well-known Sheffielders about the books they love. In this episode, we chat with novelist, academic and literary events organiser Yvonne Battle-Felton. We chat about representation in fiction, how libraries can be welcoming places in a crisis, and Yvonne shares three of her favourite reads. The SheffReads podcast series is part of the Lord Mayor’s Big Read.

In this series, we’re interviewing well-known Sheffielders about the books they love.  In this episode, we chat with award winning author and illustrator, Lydia Monks. We hear about her journey to becoming an illustrator, learn about the process of creating a picture book, and Lydia shares three of her favourite reads.   The SheffReads podcast series is part of the Lord Mayor’s Big Read.

We chat to bestselling author and mediaeval historian Elizabeth Boyle about her recent bestselling book, Fierce Appetites. With dazzling accounts of ancient stories, she uses her historical learning to grapple with the raw and urgent questions that have bedevilled people in every age. Exploring grief, addiction, family breakdown, motherhood, love and sex, memory, class, education, travel (and staying put) with unflinching honesty, deep compassion, and occasional dark humour. Please note that this episode contains some adult topics and strong language.

We chat with Sheffield's former Poet Laureate, Otis Mensah. As part of The Lord Mayor's Big Read, listen to well-known Sheffield personalities chat about the books they love. Listen online and let us know about your favourite reads on social media, #SheffReads. Discover more about the Lord Mayor's Big Read at https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/libraries-archives/lord-mayors-big-read Learn more about Otis and his work at https://otismensah.com/ 

As part of The Lord Mayor's Big Read,  listen to well-known Sheffield personalities chat about the books they love. Listen online and let us know about your favourite reads on social media, #SheffReads. In this episode, we chat with Britain's first astronaut, Helen Sharman.

In this episode we're joined by Stefan and Tara Tobler from And Other stories.  And Other Stories is an award winning Sheffield based publisher of innovative contemporary writing from around the world, and they’re currently celebrating their 10th birthday.   We also hear from author and winner of the Northern Book Prize, Sammy Wright.  His book Fit has been described as a cutting and compassionate peek behind the scenes of a social media Cinderella story.  It really is a must read. Learn more about And Other Stories by visiting their website https://www.andotherstories.org/

During the last week of July, we were joined in Endcliffe Park, one of Sheffield’s many green spaces by a lovely group of Sheffielders as well as the award winning poet and novelist, Helen Mort. Helen led us on a walk through the woods, and beside the river, and along the way read pieces from her various published works.  We enjoyed it so much, we thought it would be nice to share the experience more widely, so Helen very kindly offered to record a condensed version of the walk for you to enjoy at home. If you want to learn more about Helen and her work, you can visit her website, all good bookshops, or of course your local library. https://www.helenmort.com/

Former Carnegie & Kate Greenaway judges Zoey Dixon (Lambeth Libraries) and Liz Chapman (Sheffield Libraries) chat about the best new LGBTQ+ books for children and young people. (Queer pirates may also feature.) To see the books talked about in this podcast, have a watch of the video version on our YouTube channel: