Best Iszi Lawrence Podcasts (2025)

1
TLS11E05 Curating Dinosaurs II Curate Harder 59:01

5d ago59:01

59:01

Curating Dinosaurs II Curate Harder! On this episode we welcome Jordan Mallon, a long-time collaborator of Dave’s and, against the odds, a long-time listener of Terrible Lizards. While we talk about Jordan’s research and career in this pod, and his work on dinosaur sizes and ecology, this one also serves as something of a sequel to our previous epi…

1
Ned Ludd mythical leader of the Luddites 27:43

5d ago27:43

27:43

We don't even know if Ned Ludd was real, but perhaps that was the point. "You could say he was everyone and no one - and that's what made him so terrifying for the authorities." Leader of the Luddites, who often signed letters and proclamations Ned Ludd, he is shown in one engraving wearing mismatched shoes and a blue polka dot dress, suggesting a …

1
Richey Edwards of The Manic Street Preachers 27:40

12d ago27:40

27:40

Richey was, beautiful says Cummins, a natural icon and a gift to photograph. He also believes his writing has been overshadowed by the fact of his disappearance in 1995. "I think nobody has looked beyond that for quite a long time.” Manic Street Preachers biographer, Simon Price, also knew Richey Edwards and says he was "the most intelligent rock s…

1
Benny Hill 27:28

19d ago27:28

27:28

Biography show in which the guest picks someone they admire. Benny Hill is a thorny choice but playwright Jonathan Maitland is determined that - despite accusations of sexism and racism later in his career - Britain's most successful comedian deserves a second look. Benny was fired by Thames TV in 1989. "The show was past its sell-by date," was the…

1
Maggi Hambling picks muse and lover Henrietta Moraes 27:35

26d ago27:35

27:35

“Henrietta's eyes looked into one's soul at the same time exposing her own. She posed for me most Mondays for the last seven months until two days before she died.” In a raw and very funny opener to the new series of Great Lives, painter and sculptor Maggi Hambling chooses someone she knew extremely well - her lover Henrietta Moraes. Born in India,…

1
TLS11E04 Curating Dinosaurs 59:07

1M ago59:07

59:07

We have talked about all manner of fundamentals of research on fossils over the years here on Terrible Lizards, including finding and excavating fossils, writing and publishing papers, reconstructing animals from fragments and more. But we’ve somehow really glossed over the role of museums that store and protect fossils and make them available for …

1
Harriet Harman on Maria Callas 27:57

1M ago27:57

27:57

The legendary opera star Maria Callas was lauded for her magnetic stage presence and extraordinary vocal range. Born in New York in 1923 to Greek immigrant parents, she moved with her mother and sister to Greece aged 13. In 1939 she attended the Athens Conservatoire where she embarked on a rigorous vocal training in the Italian "bel canto" traditio…

1
Kate Raworth on Donella Meadows 27:56

2M ago27:56

27:56

Born in Illinois in 1941, Dana Meadows studied Chemistry and Molecular Biology, before turning her back on a post doc position at Harvard, to pursue environmentalism. She joined her husband Dennis Meadows as part of the team working on Professor Jay Forester's World3 computer model of the world economy at MIT and wrote the report on the results of …

1
Douglas Stuart and Sian Eleri 27:52

2M ago27:52

27:52

Douglas Stuart author of Booker Prize winning novel Shuggie Bain chooses his favourite book - Train Dreams by Denis Johnson - a short novel encapsulating the history of America in the early 20th century through the life of a lonely man in the forests of the Pacific Northwest.He's joined by Radio 1 and The Voice Wales presenter Sian Eleri whose choi…

1
TLS11E03 T. rex slugfest! 54:57

2M ago54:57

54:57

This time out we are joined by palaeontologist Andre Rowe to talk about his research into the skulls of giant carnivorous dinosaurs and what this means for their biology. This turns into a debate with Dave about how evidence can be interpreted in different ways and trying to piece together the often limited data we have to work out what these anima…

1
Lucy Speed and Sarah Mills 27:50

2M ago27:50

27:50

EVERYONE BRAVE IS FORGIVEN by Chris Cleave, chosen by Lucy SpeedTHE HUMAN FACTOR by Graham Greene, chosen by Harriett Gilbert253 by Geoff Ryman, chosen by Sarah Mills Former Eastenders and present-day Archers actor Lucy Speed and comedian Sarah Mills talk about books set in wartime London, a 1990s underground train, and Graham Greene's MI6. Lucy's …

1
Nina Sosanya and Joelle Taylor 27:41

3M ago27:41

27:41

Actor Nina Sosanya and prize winning poet and writer Joelle Taylor talk favourite books with Harriett. Nina chooses Sally Jones and the False Rose by Jakob Wegelius, a children's novel with a mute gorilla engineer as its protagonist. The book appeals to Nina's love of engineering, and the city of Glasgow! Joelle nominates Booker Prize winning The S…

1
Oliver Burkeman and Sara Collins 27:51

3M ago27:51

27:51

MOON TIGER by Penelope Lively, chosen by Sara CollinsNUMBER GO UP: INSIDE CRYPTO'S WILD RISE AND STAGGERING FALL by Zeke Faux, chosen by Oliver BurkemanLORD JIM AT HOME by Dinah Brooke, chosen by Harriett Gilbert "I'm writing a history of the world" - so begins the choice of novelist and broadcaster Sara Collins: Penelope Lively's Booker Prize-winn…

1
Mark Billingham chooses George Harrison 27:00

3M ago27:00

27:00

George Harrison was a musician, singer and songwriter who became one of the most famous people in the world as one quarter of the Beatles. That alone would merit a place in the Great Lives pantheon, but his work in the decades after the band broke up indicates a man of diverse and arguably underestimated talents. Erupting onto the pop music scene i…

1
Inua Ellams and Ted Hodgkinson 27:51

3M ago27:51

27:51

WHEN WE CEASE TO UNDERSTAND THE WORLD by Benjamin Labatut (translated by Adrian Nathan West), chosen by Ted Hodgkinson ENTER GHOST by Isabella Hammad, chosen by Inua EllamsGHOSTING: A DOUBLE LIFE by Jennie Erdal, chosen by Harriett Gilbert As Head of Literature and Spoken Word-programming at the Southbank Centre in London, writers and writing are a…

1
Jake Arnott on John Gay 27:42

3M ago27:42

27:42

John Gay, eighteenth-century satirist and author of The Beggar's Opera, is nominated by the writer Jake Arnott - whose novels, including The Long Firm and He Kills Coppers, are also set in London's criminal underworld. Editor of Private Eye, Ian Hislop, is the presenter, and Dr Rebecca Bullard of the University of Oxford is on hand to help uncover …

1
TLS11E02 Dinos and Dragons 1:06:31

3M ago1:06:31

1:06:31

This month’s episode is a sort of follow-up to that from the start of the year, looking at some of the more problematic areas of dinosaurs and palaeontology when it comes to online discussions. There is an online fandom of dinosaurs that treats them like monsters or superheroes, and can fixate on what is and isn’t the biggest / strongest / fastest …

1
Ellen E Jones nominates Florynce Kennedy 27:59

3M ago27:59

27:59

One dubbed "the biggest, loudest and indisputably the rudest mouth on the battleground", Florynce Kennedy was a force to be reckoned with. She was a lawyer, a vocal figure in the American civil rights and feminist movements of the 1960s and '70s, and a champion of numerous other causes besides; from legalising abortion to campaigning for sex-worker…

1
Julia Bradbury and Ramita Navai 28:03

3M ago28:03

28:03

How to Stop Time by Matt Haig, chosen by Julia BradburyA Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry, chosen by Ramita NavaiAn Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim, chosen by presenter Harriett Gilbert TV presenter, author and walking enthusiast Julia Bradbury recommends a fiction book by Matt Haig, How to Stop Time, which brings to life the idea of living f…

1
A N Wilson selects Johann Wolfgang von Goethe 27:47

3M ago27:47

27:47

"I've chosen him because I think he was possibly the most interesting human being who has ever lived". A N Wilson Born in the middle of the 18th century in Frankfurt, Goethe went on to become the pre-eminent figure in German literature. As well as writing plays and poetry (including Faust) he was a statesman, a scientist, an artist and a critic. Qu…

1
Joe Dunthorne and Iszi Lawrence 28:08

3M ago28:08

28:08

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Süskind, translated by John E. Woods, chosen by Iszi LawrenceTwo Serious Ladies by Jane Bowles, chosen by Joe DunthorneOh William! by Elizabeth Strout, chosen by presenter Harriett Gilbert Historical fiction author and broadcaster Iszi Lawrence adores the sensational novel Perfume, and has done since she …

1
Nicci Gerrard and Sean French 27:58

4M ago27:58

27:58

Books featured: True Grit by Charles PortisSorrow and Bliss by Meg MasonMoominland Midwinter by Tove Jansson Nicci Gerrard and Sean French write collectively as Nicci French. They not only write together, they're also a married couple and they love to read. Sean chooses True Grit by Charles Portis, better known for the film versions with John Wayne…

1
Jessica Fostekew on Boudica 27:44

4M ago27:44

27:44

"The Queen Boadicea, standing loftily charioted, Brandishing in her hand a dart and rolling glances lioness-like, Yell'd and shriek'd between her daughters in her fierce volubility": so wrote Alfred, Lord Tennyson in the 19th Century, celebrating the story of an ancient English warrior queen who sparked a brutal and bloody rebellion against Roman r…

1
Reginald D Hunter selects Eugene V Debs 27:41

4M ago27:41

27:41

Eugene Victor Debs, born 1855 in Indiana USA, was a railway worker, a trade unionist and a five time candidate for the presidency. He was imprisoned during the First World War for sedition. He'd urged resistance to the draft; President Woodrow Wilson called him a traitor to the nation, but Debs still ran for the presidency in 1920. His sentence was…

1
TLS11E01 Say My Name 52:38

4M ago52:38

52:38

Series 11, eh? We don’t think we, or anyone else reading this, expected that. Nor did we expect issues with Dave’s microphone (apologies)… Still, here we are and with more dinosaur goodness coming. We say ‘coming’ because this episode is far less about dinosaurs and pterosaurs than usual, but more about the mechanisms of science. In this case it’s …

1
Pen Hadow nominates Sir Peter Scott 27:48

4M ago27:48

27:48

"Make the boy interested in natural history," wrote Captain Scott from his tent in the Antarctic. He was talking about his son, three year old Peter Scott, whom he never saw again and who went on to found the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust and campaign against the hunting of whales. The son also designed the panda logo for the Wold Wide Fund for Nature…

1
Lauren Cuthbertson on Margot Fonteyn 28:06

4M ago28:06

28:06

Margot Fonteyn was an icon: a ballerina who helped build and indeed embodied the traditional image of a dancer, just as the artform was finding its feet on the British cultural scene. From humble beginnings she became an international star, enjoying a dazzling career with the Royal Ballet, a glamorous social life as a diplomat’s wife, and an electr…

1
Dr Hannah Critchlow picks Professor Colin Blakemore 27:59

5M ago27:59

27:59

Professor Colin Blakemore was a famous communicator of science, the youngest ever Reith lecturer on the BBC. He was also targeted by members of the animal rights movement, which sent bombs and letters lined with razor blades to his home address. Born in 1944 and brought up in Coventry, Colin Blakemore was committed to brain research and the connect…

1
Doug Allan on Captain Jacques Cousteau 28:07

5M ago28:07

28:07

Captain Jacques-Yves Cousteau was an oceanographer, filmmaker and explorer who made the seas a subject of fascination for millions. During his time in the French Navy, Cousteau co-invented the Aqua-Lung: the first self-contained kit that allowed a diver to breathe underwater. This and his fascination with capturing images of the subaquatic world pa…

1
TLS10E12 End of Year Megasode! 53:02

5M ago53:02

53:02

Thanks to Kyle, Tom, Ashley, Aurous, Wayne, Paleo Pete, Tyler, Will, Israel, Charles, James and Edward Support us on patreon.com/terriblelizards and be rewarded with extra content! We are planning on going live on isztube at 16:00 GMT on Friday 26th December. (Time may change)By Dr David Hone and Iszi Lawrence

1
Bonus Episode: PPZZ at the Ri! 11:44

6M ago11:44

11:44

Here's one last surprise from us in 2024 - here's the recording of our set at An Evening of Unnecessary Detail at The Royal Institution! Recorded in October 2024, this set sees us taking a journey around the 7 continents through interconnecting species of plants and animals! We talk pooing bats, birds with STIs and plants that can detect bombs!We l…

1
Professor Ben Garrod and Lucy Jones 27:49

6M ago27:49

27:49

A PRIMATE'S MEMOIR (Love, Death and Baboons) by Robert Sapolsky, chosen by Professor Ben GarrodSOLDIER SAILOR by Claire Kilroy, chosen by Harriett GilbertTHE ABUNDANCE by Annie Dillard, chosen by Lucy Jones Evolutionary biologist Ben Garrod (Professor at the University of East Anglia) chooses a book which he's read and gifted countless times, a boo…

1
27. Pileated Woodpecker with Elle Kaye 55:20

6M ago55:20

55:20

For the final episode of Season 1 of Planty Planty Zoo Zoo, Steph and Connor are joined by the AMAZING Elle Kaye for a long, winding discussion of the ups and downs of being a taxidermist on the internet, honouring life through art and, of course, woodpeckers🐦‍⬛ We loved having such a raw, honest chat with Elle and are so grateful to her for coming…

1
TLS10E11 Skiphosoura - the pterosaur of the gaps 56:21

6M ago56:21

56:21

Skiphosoura – the pterosaur of the gaps So last week Dave had a new paper out and this time it’s a new pterosaur, named Skiphosoura bavarica (the sword tail of Bavaria) and it is both really interesting and really important for pterosaur research. It tells us a lot about the key transition of pterosaurs from the early forms through to the derived p…

1
Sir Ian Blatchford and Charles Fernyhough 27:52

6M ago27:52

27:52

TOKYO EXPRESS by Seichō Matsumoto, translated by Jesse Kirkwood, chosen by Sir Ian BlatchfordTHE LETTERS OF ABELARD AND HELOISE, translated by Betty Radice, chosen by Charles FernyhoughSOLDIERS OF SALAMIS by Javier Cercas, translated by Anne McLean, chosen by Harriett Gilbert Director of the Science Museum group and president of the Royal Literary …

1
Naomi Alderman and Abi Dare 27:37

7M ago27:37

27:37

A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS by Khaled Hosseini, chosen by Abi DareTHE FIRE NEXT TIME by James Baldwin, chosen by Harriett GilbertDEAR COMMITTEE MEMBERS by Julie Schumacher, chosen by Naomi Alderman The Power author Naomi Alderman, and Nigerian writer Abi Dare discuss favourite books. Naomi chooses Dear Committee Members by Julie Schumacher, a series o…

1
26. Secretary Bird with Tash from Hatchling Makes 53:06

7M ago53:06

53:06

This episode, we're joined by Tash from Hatchling Makes to chat all things small business, and how art can be used to fly the flag for underappreciated and obscure endangered animals! We also chat about the absolutely gorgeous secretary bird, the latest resident of Planty Planty Zoo Zoo! Also in this episode, a run-through of our trip to Battersea …

1
Jenny Kleeman and Sam Knight 27:41

7M ago27:41

27:41

EDUCATED by Tara Westover, chosen by Jenny KleemanTHE WREN, THE WREN by Anne Enright, chosen by Harriett GilbertGIVING UP THE GHOST by Hilary Mantel, chosen by Sam Knight Journalist and broadcaster Jenny Kleeman (of Radio 4's The Gift and author of The Price of Life) chooses Tara Westover's memoir Educated, which caused a sensation when it was firs…

1
Nihal Arthanayake and Elif Shafak 27:35

7M ago27:35

27:35

Nihal has chosen Amma, the debut novel by Sri Lankan writer Saraid de Silva, which he compares to meeting someone on a train and having a long, intense conversation. Elif Shafak's choice, however, You're Embarrassing Yourself by Desiree Akhavan, he describes as more like a hilarious night in a pub. Harriett has gone for The Second Murderer by Denis…

1
25. Planty Planty Interview-View #14: Axel & Ario Drioli 30:06

7M ago30:06

30:06

🌿🐵 Meet Axel & Ario Drioli - the brothers behind Sounding Wild!🐵🌿 The latest episode of ⁠Planty Planty Zoo Zoo⁠, recorded at Global Birdfair, sees Connor chat to special guests Axel and Ario who talk about their amazing VR community outreach project, Sounding Wild which takes recordings of birds and birdsong across the countries making up migratory…

1
TLS10E10 Uncovering Dinosaur Behaviour 46:54

7M ago46:54

46:54

Dave has a new book out next week and it’s the culmination of several years work. Longtime listeners will know the major themes already from the episode title – a lot of stuff in the literature on dinosaur behaviour is badly framed, overstated, contradictory or contains major over extrapolations. Happily, you can listen to all of this again as Dave…

1
Tim Spector and Tatty Macleod 27:53

7M ago27:53

27:53

THE COUNTRY OF OTHERS by Leïla Slimani, chosen by Tatty MacleodTHE MAN WHO ATE EVERYTHING by Jeffrey Steingarten, chosen by Tim SpectorORBITAL by Samantha Harvey, chosen by Harriett Gilbert Comedian Tatty Macleod chooses a novel by French-Moroccan writer Leïla Slimani, the first volume of a new trilogy telling the saga of a French-Moroccan family b…

1
Fee Mak and Ali Woods 27:54

7M ago27:54

27:54

REASONS TO STAY ALIVE by Matt Haig, chosen by Ali WoodsELENA KNOWS by Claudia Piñeiro, chosen by Fee MakTHE DETAILS by Ia Genberg, chosen by Harriett Gilbert Comedian Ali Woods chooses a memoir by Matt Haig based on his experiences of living with depression and anxiety disorder. Moving, funny and incredibly honest, Reasons to Stay Alive is a book w…

1
Amy Liptrot and Karl Ove Knausgaard 27:51

8M ago27:51

27:51

The Norwegian author of the hugely successful My Struggle books Karl Ove Knausgaard chooses The Names by Don de Lillo. It's set in Athens in the early 1980s with the main character being a risk analyst whose estranged wife is working there as an archeologist. It's a richly themed novel that feels very contemporary as well as prophetic. Amy Liptrot'…

1
Irvine Welsh and Andrew O'Hagan 27:51

8M ago27:51

27:51

A new series begins at the Edinburgh International Book Festival with guests Irvine Welsh and Andrew O'Hagan. Irvine Welsh is best known as the author of Trainspotting. Andrew O'Hagan's Mayflies was recently made into a BBC TV series. The programme was recorded in front of an audience at the Dynamic Earth Centre. Irvine Welsh chooses a lesser known…

1
24. Planty Planty Interview-View #13: Charlie Bingham 26:55

8M ago26:55

26:55

🌿🐵 Meet Charlie Bingham - author and podcaster!🐵🌿 Step into the latest episode of ⁠Planty Planty Zoo Zoo⁠, recorded at Global Birdfair, where we welcome special guest Charlie Bingham to chat bonobos. 🐵 Meet the Bonobo:Charlie guides us through the fascinating social structures and behaviors of the bonobo, known for its peaceful and cooperative comm…

1
TLS10E09 Mike Benton 58:04

8M ago58:04

58:04

Last month we mentioned that legendary palaeontologist Mike Benton had announced his retirement, but with a few quick emails, Dave was able to grab him for this month’s episode. So, join Dave and Iszi as we have celebration of Mike’s career and take him through his early interest in palaeontology, how he got his PhD, the death of Al Romer, rhynchos…

1
Ekow Eshun on the first openly gay footballer, Justin Fashanu 27:47

8M ago27:47

27:47

In 1981 Brian Clough paid £1 million pounds to bring Justin Fashanu to Nottingham Forest. It was the climax of a meteoric career, but within months the goals had dried up, he'd been going to gay nightclubs, and Fashanu had also become become a born again Christian. Four decades later Justin Fashanu remains top flight English football's only openly …

1
Anneka Rice picks the largely forgotten Jane Morris, muse to Rossetti and wife of William Morris 27:46

9M ago27:46

27:46

The biography show where famous guests picks someone they admire or love. Jane Morris was the wife of William Morris and muse of Gabriel Dante Rossetti. Anneka Rice believes her contribution to 19th-Century art and culture has been largely overlooked. "I'm not a big fan of needle point," she says, "but we cannot ignore what she brings to art histor…

1
The surgeon Henry Marsh picks 'the saviour of mothers' Dr Semmelweis 27:44

9M ago27:44

27:44

The biography show where famous guests pick someone from history they admire or they love. Our only rule is they must be dead. Today neurosurgeon Dr Henry Marsh chooses “the saviour of mothers” Dr Ignaz Semmelweis The Hungarian doctor discovered the link between childbirth and puerperal fever in 19th century Vienna but he was ridiculed, ignored and…

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Iszi Lawrence Podcasts

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