What It Was Like to Edit The 'Wolf Hall' Books
The Book Review18 Apr 2025

What It Was Like to Edit The 'Wolf Hall' Books

Last summer, when The New York Times Book Review released its list of the 100 Best Books of the 21st Century, one of the authors with multiple titles on that list was Hilary Mantel, who died in 2022. Those novels were “Wolf Hall” and “Bring Up the Bodies,” the first two in a trilogy of novels about Thomas Cromwell, the all-purpose fixer and adviser to King Henry VIII.

Those books were also adapted into a 2015 television series starring Mark Rylance as Cromwell and Damien Lewis as King Henry. It’s now a decade later and the third book in Mantel’s series, “The Mirror and the Light,” has also been adapted for the small screen. Its finale airs on Sunday, April 27.

Joining host Gilbert Cruz on this week’s episode is Mantel’s former editor Nicholas Pearson. He describes what it was like to encounter those books for the first time, and to work with a great author on a groundbreaking masterpiece of historical fiction.

Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Avsnitt(585)

Inside The New York Times Book Review: ‘Skyfaring’

Inside The New York Times Book Review: ‘Skyfaring’

This week, Mark Vanhoenacker talks about “Skyfaring: A Journey With a Pilot”; Alexandra Alter has notes from the publishing world; Kristen Green discusses “Something Must Be Done About Prince Edward C...

3 Juli 201536min

Inside The New York Times Book Review: The Art Issue

Inside The New York Times Book Review: The Art Issue

This week, Holland Cotter discusses four new books and the contemporary art scene; Alexandra Alter has notes from the publishing world; Jonathon Keats talks about art theft and forgeries; questions fr...

26 Juni 201539min

Inside The New York Times Book Review: When I Grow Up

Inside The New York Times Book Review: When I Grow Up

This week, Heather Havrilesky and Meghan Daum discuss new books about bringing up children and redefining adulthood; Alexandra Alter has news from the publishing world; Vendela Vida talks about her ne...

19 Juni 201539min

Inside The New York Times Book Review: ‘Stalin’s Daughter’

Inside The New York Times Book Review: ‘Stalin’s Daughter’

This week, Rosemary Sullivan talks about “Stalin’s Daughter”; Alexandra Alter has news from the publishing world; Eugenia Cheng discusses “How to Bake Pi”; Judd Apatow on his reading habits; questions...

12 Juni 201543min

Inside The New York Times Book Review: “Reagan: The Life”

Inside The New York Times Book Review: “Reagan: The Life”

This week, Jeff Shesol discusses H. W. Brands’s new biography of Ronald Reagan; Alexandra Alter has notes from the publishing world; Charlotte DeCroes Jacobs talks about her new biography of Jonas Sal...

5 Juni 201536min

Inside The New York Times Book Review: Judy Blume’s ‘In the Unlikely Event’

Inside The New York Times Book Review: Judy Blume’s ‘In the Unlikely Event’

This week, Judy Blume talks about her new novel; Liesl Schillinger rounds up new travel books; Alexandra Alter has news from the publishing world; Vanessa Grigoriadis discusses Wednesday Martin’s memo...

29 Maj 201545min

Inside The New York Times Book Review: Shakespeare in Love

Inside The New York Times Book Review: Shakespeare in Love

This week, Alan Riding discusses two new books about Shakespeare’s women characters and his personal life; Parul Sehgal and John Williams have news from the literary world; Michelle Orange talks about...

22 Maj 201536min

Matthew Weiner On the End of ‘Mad Men’

Matthew Weiner On the End of ‘Mad Men’

In a special supplement from The Times’s culture desk, Mr. Weiner, the creator of “Mad Men,” discusses the coming conclusion of the series with Dave Itzkoff, a reporter for The Times. Subscribe today ...

15 Maj 201534min

Populärt inom Fritid

somna-med-henrik
uggla-ugglas-podcast
man-i-grupp
roda-vita-rosen
elbilsveckan
rss-max-tant-med-max-villman
rss-livsreglerna
travpodden
jordkommissionen
billgren-wood
svenska-fpl-podden
avsuttet-med-elsa-johanna
sexet
rss-horrujeje
rss-vara-klassiker
rss-algjagare-emellan
spokhistorier
rss-odla
rss-okrystat
tp-podden