Listen free for 30 days
Listen with offer
-
Airhead
- The Imperfect Art of Making News
- Narrated by: Emily Maitlis
- Length: 7 hrs and 57 mins
Failed to add items
Add to basket failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
99p for the first 3 months
Buy Now for £12.99
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Summary
Penguin presents the audiobook edition of Airhead, written and read by Emily Maitlis.
As anchor for the BBC's key political news programme, Newsnight, Emily Maitlis has interviewed some of the most powerful and controversial figures on the political scene. She plans each interview meticulously, knowing what she wants to ask and where she wants it to go, but as one of the most experienced journalists in her field she knows that no interview will ever go to plan. Anything can throw it - from the atmosphere in the room to her own feelings at the time to the mood of the subject. Often she leaves the interview with an entirely different perception of the interviewee, while sometimes it is all too sadly reconfirmed.
Airhead explores just these moments. All we normally see are the interviews, but what were the conversations that preceded them or the shouting matches that ended them? From her interviews with US Presidents Donald Trump and Bill Clinton and the last five British Prime Ministers, to Hollywood film directors and powerful internet and entertainment moguls like Sheryl Sandberg and Simon Cowell, Emily Maitlis explores how these powerful personalities came across. In the process she throws an illuminating torch on them, not just for what they represent but as individuals in their own right - with all their flaws and charms.
What listeners say about Airhead
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Nibbler
- 17-07-20
Completely compelling
Funny, very, very honest and completely compelling. I absolutely loved this behind the scenes look at TV news.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Paula
- 15-06-19
Entertaining and illuminating
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Lends itself very well to audible (not all books work as well aloud).
An illuminating trip through a wide variety of news stories and what it is really like to bring them to the screen, the considerations of which questions to ask (or not) and the implications of that. What goes right and also what goes wrong.
Very much enjoyed it.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Simon Zohhadi
- 02-07-19
Airhead: The Imperfect Art of Making News by Emily Maitlis
The chapter titled Double Deaf Disco was the highlight of ‘Airhead’ - and was very funny - the same way that one song at a live gig could be worth the price of entry on its own. Emily Maitlis is anything but an airhead, she is Newsnight’s female version of Jeremy Paxman; I hope that is not received as being sexist or patronising. Most of her chapters cover interviews with important people like Trump, Blair, Dalai Lama and Bill Clinton but they are not particularly interesting. For example, contrast her impressions of Donald Trump with that of Selina Scott; Selina went after Trump big time and set the scene for how most of us think about Trump and his treatment of women. I don’t want to insult both broadcasters at the same time but Emily Maitlis is usually a far better journalist, reporter, broadcaster and interviewer than Selina but on Trump positions were reversed. The point I’m making is that an interview or chapter should only be included if it stands-out; a few are more miss than hit. The description of Dalai Lama is mocking and dull, yes his English is broken and he laughs a lot, so what ! Emily’s opinions about fellow broadcasters are far more flattering than the makers and shakers mentioned above. Are the Morgan’s and Stewart’s of this world really as ground-breaking and important as she and they think ?! The chapter on Cuba is a useful insight into the restrictions of a police state. The chapter on stalking is horrific and very powerful - Emily and other victims of stalking have my full sympathy. Russell Brand is the one interviewee who is a match for one of television’s best interviewers and normally does the upstaging; Emily’s expertise on biscuits is another amusing inclusion and so they rightly suggest, a taste for penguin biscuits can be a sign of an addictive personality - I would call their encounter a draw. The strengths of this book is that it briefly covers or refers to significant recent events including Brexit (which she appears bored by - same old !) and the Grenfell Tower Fire which she and the public were rightly moved by. Readers will come away with an understanding of the hectic pace and demands of her fascinating job and despite the book’s shortcomings, what an intelligent, interesting and capable person Emily Maitlis is. I give the book 4 stars out of 5 but 4 of the 4 stars are for four chapters alone: Double Deaf Disco; Russell Brand and his penguin biscuits; the white woman who decided she was really black; and the powerful chapter on stalking.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Jo
- 26-07-20
fantastic
I loved this book so much, made all the better by it being narrated by Emily Maitliss herself. It was interesting, funny and gave lots of insight into how the news is made. Highly recommended.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 04-07-21
Enjoyable for a news junky
As a news junky and fan I found this book really enjoyable, interesting and in insightful. It's lovely to hear Emily telling her stories.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Linda Paterson
- 17-03-21
Sublime
I hope Emily writes another book. I miss her already. You should buy this now.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
- keith scoble
- 13-05-21
An excellent listen
A really honest and open read about the day to work of a top journalist.
I found it yo be an eye opener as what we here and see dies not reflect the true background of what really happens behind the scenes and the inner feelings of the journalist.
All together a truly remarkable book.
Many thanks to Matlis and her team.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Mavs801
- 10-02-20
Just brilliant!
absolutely loved this book. Really interesting and diverse stories and read so well by Emily. I felt really engaged and couldn’t get through it quick enough! I was devastated when it was over! Really loved it and recommend it to everyone!!!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Graham G Grant
- 08-02-20
Has she got news for you
This isn’t a full memoir, opting instead to explore the background to certain key interviews with, for example, Bill Clinton, Piers Morgan, Harvey Weinstein’s former PA Zelda Perkins, and a host of other names (Donald Trump among them). Throw in the Chippendales - oh, and the Dalai Lama - and there’s more than enough material here to hold your attention. It’s not as punchy or as entertaining as John Humphrys’ memoir, for my money, and at times feels a bit worthy, and perhaps a little virtue-signalling - but overall it’s candid, honest and well-told, with moments of humour. The most striking section details Maitlis’ stalking ordeal, spanning nearly three decades. She has updated her book with a chapter on the Prince Andrew interview - her most famous, by far - for the paperback edition, according to Amazon. But as of February 2020, Audible says there’s no concrete timetable for any addition to the e-book. That’s a shame, and hopefully it’ll be added in soon. This is definitely worth a listen for any Maitlis or Newsnight fan, or indeed anyone interested in TV news journalism.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- pumbaesque
- 18-05-20
Wonderful and enchanting
This is a wonderful book. I took one star off because the audible version is missing a chapter that is included in the paper book. I raced through this book and thoroughly enjoyed it
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!