Robin Ince - Weapons of Empathy

Using neuroscience and psychology, award-winning comedian Robin Ince explores how books can lead us into the minds of others and help us understand their world.

In Autumn 2021, Robin Ince's stadium tour with Professor Brian Cox was postponed due to the pandemic. Rather than do nothing, the comedian, author, broadcaster and populariser of scientific ideas - best known as the co-host of the Sony Gold Award winning BBC Radio 4 series The Infinite Monkey Cage, and the podcasts Book Shambles with Josie Long, An Uncanny Hour and Science Shambles with Dr Helen Czerski - decided he would instead go on a tour of over a hundred bookshops, from Wigtown to Penzance; from Swansea to Margate. Packed with anecdotes and tall tales, his new book Bibliomaniac - described by Eric Idle as "one of the most delightful books I have ever read ... always making me laugh" - follows Robin up and down the country in his quest to discover just why he can never have enough books.

His new show, Weapons of Empathy is a celebration of the places books can take us, of the ideas that can make wonder and widen the sky. Expect a chaos of words and ideas, love and delight. And also a very long reading list!

"I like books and if you’re reading this you almost certainly like books too. But Robin Ince really, really, really likes books, and this tome takes us on a whirlwind adventure around Britain’s bookshops and inside the head of a bibliomaniac who also happens to be a fine travel writer and generous raconteur." - Ian Rankin.