ON WRITING... With Salman Rushdie and Kazuo Ishiguro

ON WRITING... With Salman Rushdie and Kazuo Ishiguro

Author: Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment September 22, 2025 Duration: 24:18
Welcome to another special edition of How to Fail, where I revisit conversations from the How to Fail archives. Each week, we shine a light on a particular theme, hopefully offering inspiration, perspective and comfort through the words of past guests. This week’s theme is on writing - appropriately, because my new book ‘One of Us’ is out this week (25th September)! So it felt only fair that I re-shared a couple of my favourite authors who have guested on How to Fail in the past. First up, you’ll hear from Nobel Prize winning author Kazuo Ishiguro, whose episode originally aired in March 2021. He shares thoughtful reflections on creativity, memory and the way stories help us explore both truth and imagination. Then, we turn to Salman Rushdie, in an excerpt from our original conversation back in June 2024, where he discusses his extraordinary book ‘Knife’ and reflects on the role of stories in making sense of life’s most difficult moments. I hope these highlights remind you of the power of storytelling, not only as a means of escape but also as a way to process, connect and endure Listen to Salman Rushdie’s full episode of How to Fail here: https://link.chtbl.com/OE63hsrn Listen to Kazuo Ishiguro’s full episode of How to Fail here: https://link.chtbl.com/zu0kLq-0 🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS: ‘One of Us’ is out on 25th September: lnk.to/OneOfUsElizabethDay Salman Rushdie’s books: www.salmanrushdie.com Kazuo Ishiguro’s books: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/14137/kazuo-ishiguro/ Elizabeth’s Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/ Join the How To Fail community: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content 💌 LOVE THIS EPISODE? Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts Leave a 5⭐ review – it helps more people discover these stories 👋 Follow How To Fail & Elizabeth: Instagram: @howtofailpod @elizabday TikTok: @howtofailpod @elizabday Website: www.elizabethday.org Have a failure you’re trying to work through for Elizabeth to discuss? Click here to get in touch: howtofailpod.com How to Fail is an Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment Production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There's a quiet revolution happening in how we think about success, and How To Fail With Elizabeth Day is right at the heart of it. This isn't about schadenfreude or wallowing in misfortune. Instead, Elizabeth Day has created a space where the most interesting conversations begin with a simple, radical premise: our lowest moments are often our greatest teachers. Each episode, a guest-from celebrated artists and thinkers to everyday people with extraordinary stories-sits down to examine three significant failures from their own life. The magic lies in the excavation, as Elizabeth guides the discussion toward the unexpected wisdom and resilience that emerged from those setbacks. You'll hear the raw honesty in their voices, the laughter that comes with hindsight, and the profound clarity that failure can uniquely provide. This podcast, presented by Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment, digs into the messy, human stuff of life that connects us all, transforming shared vulnerability into a source of collective strength. It’s a reminder that the path to any meaningful achievement is rarely a straight line, but a series of instructive detours. The show actively invites listeners to reflect on their own stories, fostering a genuine community around the idea that we can all succeed better by understanding where we've previously stumbled. Tune in for conversations that are as comforting as they are challenging, and which might just change your perspective on what it means to live a well-lived life.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

How To Fail With Elizabeth Day
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