'Infinite Hedgehogs' and TEN FREE BOOKS!
celebrating the broadcast of a special Infinite Monkey Cage!
To celebrate the broadcast of the most important addition to the Infinite Monkey Cage on BBC Radio 4 this Thursday, my publishers at Graffeg have offered ten copies of The Hedgehog Book to the first people to answer a very simple question (you need to read to the end!) And they are also going to donate £1 for every Hedgehog Book ordered through their website to the British Hedgehog Preservation Society when you use the code BHPS24!
As soon as I met the comedian, author, poet and generally excessively talented Robin Ince - when I got invited to take part in the Nine Lessons and Carols for Curious People - I have been ‘badgering’ him to have a hedgehog edition of the Monkey Cage.
If you have not listened (and please - do track it down) The Infinite Monkey Cage is one of my favourite radio programmes - mixing serious science with silliness. Professor Brian Cox is on hand to add the former - along with a couple of experts - Robin, well he does what he does best, acting the clown while actually knowing far more than he lets on … they are also joined by a comedian to mix it up all the better!
Why was I so keen to get hedgehogs on the radio? Because it gives me another opportunity to push for action to be taken on their behalf. And I am a bit of a showoff! There is a really strange loop - where I push to have a chance to get onto a stage … and then in the run up to it question seriously what on earth I was thinking about as the terror mounts … up to the point where I think I will not be able to do it … and then do it and love it and start to push for another chance!
I suggested my ideal panel for the Infinite Hedgehog Cage - my colleague Dr Sophie Lund Rasmussen to bring some robust science - and the gorgeous, magnificent, brilliant, and witty Pam Ayres for light relief! It took some doing, but we did it … there was a date we could all do and we did it and it was so much fun!
The podcast linked to above is 42 minutes long - we recorded well over an hour … the broadcast is less than 30 minutes … so much material has ended up on the cutting room floor … and it will be fascinating to find out what has made it to the final edit!
If you have not had enough of my nonsense - I will be appearing on stage in London - at Kings Place - on 13th December for my next contribution to the Nine Lessons …
Some tickets still available and there is MUCH MORE than just me (I am getting 7 minutes this time!) Other guests include Josie Long, Erica McAlister, Joanna Neary, all curated by the inimitable Robin Ince.
And as we are getting closer to that time of year - if you are thinking of buying books as presents this Christmas then please consider going to your local bookshop … and grabbing some of mine!!!! And if you were wondering what to get me … how about an online review on Amazon? It really does help.
Oh, and the question - to win yourself one of ten copies of The Hedgehog Book …
‘What metaphorical hedgehog do I bring with me to the talks I give to the Women’s Institute?’
(Answer in the monkey cage podcast!)
Got message to send my address for free book but can't get substack app. Advice anyone please?
No no it’s Trojan!!!!! D’oh !!!!