February 6, 2019 - 10:06am by Steve

As a freelance journalist, writer, editor and presenter, I have enjoyed many years meeting and interviewing fascinating people, and visiting wonderful locations worldwide.

I regularly conduct on-stage interviews with authors and personalities at festivals and events, and for more than 10 years co-hosted a monthly on air book club with Lesley Dolphin at BBC Radio Suffolk.

Details of my events, book reviews and recommendations can be found on my website moreaboutbooks.com and all the latest information is available in my weekly e-newsletter which you can receive by signing up here or read recent issues here.

Or follow me on Twitter @catherinelarner

In the press

Magazine cover pagesAs a journalist I contribute lifestyle features and profiles for regional and national newspapers and magazines. Earlier in my career, I was the launch editor of what became the leading business journal for the fitness industry in Europe, and I regularly contributed articles about the market for a US publication.

published articles

On the radio

For more than 10 years I co-hosted an on-air book club on BBC Radio Suffolk with Lesley Dolphin. Listen to past discussions here.

In addition, my print articles and author interviews often feature as podcasts. You can listen to an interview with former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams for Premier Radio here.

view archive on moreaboutbooks.com

At events

Hosting book launches and talks for festivals and events throughout Suffolk, I regularly interview authors on stage with audiences from 30 to 300. I have been in conversation with Esther Freud, Salley Vickers, Victoria Hislop, Rev Richard Coles, Elly Griffiths and Patrick Gale (pictured).

view event listings on moreaboutbooks.com

Recent articles

Could you work with your son?
in 'Woman's Weekly', September 2026
Three women share the joys and challenges of having their offspring as a colleague.
'I want to live for today'
in 'Woman ', September 2026
Caroline Quentin on not being nostalgic, selling up and her new book.
Our dream jobs
in 'Woman's Weekly', September 2026
Three women tell us about the delicious work they do for a living.
Reimagining Rebecca
in 'Suffolk', September 2026
Ahead of her new novel 'The Housekeeper', inspired by Daphne du Maurier's 'Rebecca', Rose Tremain reflects on a life in writing rooted in Norfolk and returning to Mandeley.
Inside Lowestoft's new creative hub
in 'Suffolk', September 2026
Once an empty shell on Lowestoft's high street, Messums East is bringing the Post Office back to life - this time with art, community and creativity.
Ashley Hickson-Lovence - Man on a Literary Misson
in 'Suffolk', September 2026
We chat to the East Anglian author, performer and book festival patron on grief, ambition and why books are for everyone - ahead of his appearance at Ipswich Book Festival.

More about books

Catherine LarnerFor my book reviews, event information and blog, please visit moreaboutbooks.com

 

 

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In for a surprise?

Recently I read 'All in a Don's Day' by the acclaimed classicist, and this year's chair of the Booker Prize judges, Mary Beard.

She referred to W. Somerset Maugham as saying: the best way to treat the 'Book of the Moment' is not to read it for three or four years - it's amazing how many 'must reads' turn out to be 'don't bothers'.

I can't actually find that quote, but hope that the Longlist of novels presented in this year's Booker Prize will all stand the test of time. Our discussion in our Booker Book Group Challenge on Monday evening led to a number of the books being given short shrift. 

You can take a look at my report of our discussion here.

The Booker judges' Shortlist will be revealed on Tuesday 22 September at 7pm and you can attend the event at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in the Southbank Centre. The judges will be there to say something about how they came to their decisions – chair Mary Beard and fellow panellists Raymond Antrobus, Jarvis Cocker, Rebecca Liu and Patricia Lockwood will be in conversation with Booker Prize Foundation chief executive Gaby Wood. The event is also being livestreamed on the Southbank Centre’s website.

Will there be any surprises this year? 

When Anita Brookner won the Booker Prize in 1984 with 'Hotel du Lac', it was considered ‘an unexpected choice’ with criticism in the press and supposedly 'widespread disappointment’ among booksellers. The chair of the judges then, Richard Cobb, had said they wanted to choose books in their list that would ‘appeal to the general public’. 'Hotel du Lac' has continued to sell well in the subsequent 40 years since it was first recognised. We will be finding out more about Anita Brookner's life, career and books in the visit by her biographer Hermione Lee in November (tickets now on sale - scroll down for details).

Which of the 2026 Booker Prize titles will have the widest appeal, I wonder. 

Thank you for reading.