As the nights draw in and temperatures drop, there’s nothing better than an evening at home with good pizza, drink and some top-quality entertainment.
Whether it’s a book, film, TV show or audio, there’s a lot worth staying in for.
Broadcaster and writer Dawn O’Porter reveals what’s keeping her glued to the sofa as part of the Radio Times Book Club, sponsored by Dr. Oetker Ristorante.
The book I’m staying in for is… Stations by Louise Kennedy
Out now, RRP £20, Bloomsbury Circus
This month’s Radio Times Book Club choice, sponsored by Dr. Oetker Ristorante, is Stations. It’s about a young lady called Róisín, and a boy called Red who she’s inexplicably drawn to. There’s a chemical attraction between them that isn’t definable – frustratingly for her. Róisín tries to work out if this is love, or friendship, or what this relationship means. The book is about youth and making mistakes, and how they can affect you for your whole life, but it’s also about finding your people. Stations is a beautiful story that you won’t be able to stop thinking about.
The TV show I’m staying in for is… Carrie
Available from 7 October on Prime Video
Even though I’m absolutely terrified of horror stuff, I love to challenge myself, so I will watch Carrie. When the nights start getting cosy and it gets dark early, spooky movies are quite fun to watch. Film-maker Mike Flanagan has strong horror credentials (The Haunting of Hill House), so you can guarantee this is going to be really good. It feels retro and nostalgic; I’m looking forward to seeing how they redo it. With a TV series, I hope to get to know the characters a lot more because you spend more time with them. And maybe it’s not quite as jumpy as a horror film…
The film I’m staying in for is… Oasis: Don’t Look Back in Anger
available from 9 October on Disney+
Don’t Look Back in Anger is the biggest talking point. We’ve all been in Oasis fever! I went to see them at Wembley. I’ve never seen so many people in one space; it felt like a football match. Unbelievable energy! And the idea that now we can watch them again on screen is magic. With Steven Knight directing, it should be excellent. I want to see what’s going on behind the scenes with those brothers, Liam and Noel Gallagher, now they’re back together. Their relationship has gripped us. My favourite Oasis song is Little by Little because my kids learnt all the lyrics. That’s the one I love singing in the car. When I went to see them live, everyone was singing and crying together to Don’t Look Back in Anger. The whole place was in tears. It was beautiful.
The audiobook I’m staying in for is… London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe
Out now, free with Audible subscription
I’ve just listened to this great audiobook. London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe was everywhere, and usually when a book is everywhere, it doesn’t really interest me, but when something is this popular, I feel like I must read it because otherwise I don’t know what everyone’s talking about. It took me a few minutes to get into it, but it was like listening to an amazing crime podcast and was actually really good.
It’s about a young man who gets caught up with the wrong crowd and dies, then it’s about trying to work out who killed him. His parents become a surprisingly lovable pair, and are the stars of the show by the end. It’s a true story, and as you read or listen to it, it’s an unravelling of a crime, but it’s also just trying to work out how these parents lost their son. It’s a good audiobook because it feels a little like the podcast Serial back in the day – that kind of vibe.
For all the latest RT Book Club news, interviews, Q&As with the authors, reviews of previous books and more, visit The Radio Times Book Club, sponsored by Dr. Oetker Ristorante.
