The Bibliofilles

About The Bibliofilles

The Bibliofilles began, as all great modern love stories do, on Facebook during Lockdown. Sophie asked for a recommendation. Chaya prescribed The Song of Achilles. A DM became a dialogue; a dialogue became @thebibiliofilles; and now, finally, a podcast. Chaya is a barrister, Sophie a former editor. We read across all genres and trends, from classics and non fiction, to contemporary fiction, romantasy and everything in between. The Bibliofilles: The Podcast is life through books, where we get to ruminate beyond the reviews and reels, with thematic episodes, academic deep dives, classics, cult favourites and viral sensations. There will be a book club built for those of us who never quite fit the mould. (with a twist, naturally).

Publisher

Hosted by Sophie and Chaya

Category

arts · education · leisure

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

14 Feb 2026

Latest episode

5 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

36 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   5 Oct 2026

   The Truth About East of Eden

   Is Netflix’s East of Eden getting Cathy Ames completely wrong? Sophie and Chaya discuss John Steinbeck’s East of Eden, the new Netflix series starring Florence Pugh, and the huge controversy surrounding its interpretation of Cathy Ames. Is Netflix’s East of Eden faithful to the book? Why has Cathy Ames been rewritten as a more sympathetic character? And what does Steinbeck actually say about good, evil, free will and the power of choice? In this episode of The Bibliofilles, we compare the East of Eden book and Netflix series, exploring the biggest changes to Cathy, the Trask brothers, the Hamilton family and the central themes of Steinbeck’s classic novel. We also discuss “Timshel”, the biblical story of Cain and Abel, Steinbeck’s letters and the real-life inspirations behind East of Eden. 📚 We discuss: • East of Eden by John Steinbeck • The Netflix East of Eden adaptation • Florence Pugh as Cathy Ames • Cathy Ames: evil or misunderstood? • East of Eden book vs TV series • The meaning of Timshel • Cain and Abel and the themes of good vs evil • Free will and the power of choice • The Trask and Hamilton families • Steinbeck’s inspiration and personal life • The biggest differences between the book and Netflix adaptation If you’re watching East of Eden on Netflix, reading John Steinbeck’s novel, or looking for an East of Eden book vs series comparison, this episode dives into everything you need to know. What do you think about Netflix’s version of Cathy Ames? Does the adaptation change the meaning of Steinbeck’s original story? 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Sophie & Chaya. #TheBibliofilles #BookPodcast #EastOfEden #JohnSteinbeck #EastOfEdenNetflix #FlorencePugh #Netflix #BookTube #BookReview #TheBibliofilles Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2. 

   28 Sept 2026

   Undercover With The Far Right

   What happens when you go undercover inside the far right and discover how easily dangerous ideas can become normalised? In this episode of The Bibliofilles, Sophie and Chaya dive into Harry Shukman’s The Year of the Rat, a gripping work of investigative nonfiction that follows Shukman as he spends more than a year undercover inside far-right groups using a hidden camera and the alias “Chris.” From secret pub meetings and Holocaust denial to loneliness, online radicalisation and the communities that draw people into extremist movements, Sophie and Chaya explore what Shukman discovered while moving between nine different groups. The conversation also takes a deeper look at some of the book’s most unsettling themes, including eugenics, IVF, falling birth rates, embryo screening, Silicon Valley funding and the ways dangerous ideas can be presented as completely ordinary. They discuss the morality of undercover journalism, the psychological tension of gaining the trust of people whose beliefs you fundamentally oppose, and Shukman’s own conflict over whether he was helping the very groups he was investigating. The episode also explores the book’s criticisms, including arguments that Shukman’s definition of the far right is too broad, before comparing The Year of the Rat with Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray and its themes of identity, disguise and living a double life. 📚 Books Mentioned The Year of the Rat by Harry Shukman👉 https://link.amazon/B0iHxjhnC The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde👉 https://link.amazon/B0ff8BFt1 Pachinko by Min Jin Lee👉 https://link.amazon/B0jd1dgu5 Free Food for Millionaires by Min Jin Lee👉 https://link.amazon/B009dtWNa The Odyssey by Homer👉 https://link.amazon/B009dtWNa What do you think draws people towards extremist communities? And can dangerous ideas become normal simply because they are presented in a convincing or familiar way? 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations, literary debates, book recommendations and deep dives with Chaya & Sophie. If you love books, reading, literature, nonfiction, investigative journalism, classic novels, contemporary fiction and literary discussions, make sure you're subscribed to The Bibliofilles. #TheBibliofilles #BookPodcast #TheYearOfTheRat #HarryShukman #Books #BookTok #BookTube #Literature #Reading #BookRecommendations #Nonfiction #LiteraryPodcast #OscarWilde #DorianGray Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

3. 

   21 Sept 2026

   You Won’t Believe These Are Real Books

   Is fiction getting weirder? This week on Bibliofilles, Chaya and Sophie dive into the wonderfully strange world of weird books, exploring some of the most bizarre, surreal and completely unexpected stories they’ve come across. From women falling in love with bears, planes and even a front door, to characters transforming into insects, dogs and other creatures, there are some books where the premise alone makes you stop and think: how did someone even come up with this? Chaya and Sophie unpack what makes these stories so strange, why authors are drawn to the bizarre, and whether there’s something about weird fiction that makes certain books impossible to forget. Expect bizarre plots, unconventional romances, surreal storytelling and plenty of books that are almost impossible to explain to someone who hasn’t read them. What’s the weirdest book you’ve ever read? 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more bookish conversations with Sophie & Chaya. #Bibliofilles #BookPodcast #BookRecommendations #WeirdBooks #StrangeBooks #FictionBooks #BookClub #BookTok #BookTube #LiteraryFiction Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.3 / 5

12 ratings

Contact The Bibliofilles

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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