From Best Friends to Book Podcasters: The Story Behind The Binge Reading Bookclub

When your best friend is a critically acclaimed author who can blaze through 100 books a year, and you, despite your best intentions, struggle to finish more than two, there’s only one logical solution: start a podcast together.

That’s exactly what Hugo Powell (CHA, 2008) did. As a seasoned podcast producer, Hugo had the skills and the title. And when he pitched the idea to his old friend, writer Nick Binge (CHA, 2008), it took about five seconds for Nick to say yes.

The result? The Binge Reading Bookclub—a monthly podcast where two lifelong friends discuss a book Nick selects. It’s sharp, smart, and often hilarious. It’s also a genuine push to get people (including Hugo) reading more. The banter is natural, but the structure is deliberate. Hugo was adamant that the show not feel like just two guys rambling. He wanted something listeners could follow, connect with, and get curious about.

And it works.

A Producer With a Story

Hugo didn’t plan to become a podcast producer. After graduating from SOAS, he started out in the humanitarian world, working with various NGOs in Geneva and overseas. He even spent a year living in Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

During the early days of the pandemic, he launched a podcast with his mother, Jan Powell, a storyteller and media producer with deep roots in humanitarian media. Their first show, Staying In with Jan Powell, featured global conversations about life under lockdown. It took off. Since then, they’ve built a production company and collaborated on major projects, including podcasts for the ICRC and EPFL.

Working with family came naturally to Hugo. So teaming up with Nick, who’s practically family, was an easy next step.

A Friendship Forged in Monty Python and Punk Rock

Hugo and Nick go way back. They met in 4th grade at La Châtaigneraie in 1999, when Nick’s dad became Secondary Principal. They quickly bonded over a love of Monty Python and an endless stream of creative projects. They even formed a punk band with the very punk name Quasar the Laser Man.

In their final year, Nick wrote and directed a play for his IB theatre higher personal project, with Hugo starring in the lead role.

After graduating, both headed to the UK for university and kept in touch over the years. Nick followed his family tradition into teaching, working at international schools before settling down in Edinburgh with his family.

That’s when the writing dream kicked in.

Nick Binge, Author (and Book Picker)

Nick always wanted to write, but didn’t expect to break into the competitive world of publishing. Then came Professor Everywhere, which won the Proverse Prize for Literature in 2020. His follow-up, Ascension, turned him into a bestselling author. Even Stephen King took notice, tweeting: “You’ve gotta read Ascension by Nicholas Binge… Five Star Horror.”

Nick now writes full-time but still teaches creative writing at a university in Edinburgh, because, as he says, he genuinely loves teaching.

On the podcast, Nick selects books from all genres—not just bestsellers. The first episode tackled We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker, a moody thriller with a strong emotional core.

Hugo does the prep: reading the book, crafting questions, and building out the episode structure. He mixes humour with real curiosity, often asking questions listeners wish they could ask themselves. (“Do you hear a voice in your head when you read or is it more like watching a movie?”)

Fair warning: the episodes will spoil the books.

Their Favourite Reads—Serious and Guilty Pleasure

We asked Hugo and Nick to name two favourite books each: one they’d proudly bring up in a serious literary discussion, and one they just love, no shame.

Nick

• Serious: House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski — “Completely bonkers, but it changed the way I saw literature.”
• Popular: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams — “Has to be. Just brilliant.”

Hugo

• Serious: Pedro Páramo by Juan Rulfo — a novel he studied back at La Châtaigneraie and keeps coming back to.
• Popular: Planetfall by Emma Newman — a sci-fi novel discussed in Episode 3 of the podcast. “I adored it.”

The Takeaway

The Binge Reading Bookclub isn’t just a podcast about books. It’s about friendship, curiosity, and carving out time for the things that matter—even when life gets busy. It’s proof that great conversations can spark great habits.

And if you’ve been telling yourself you should read more? This might be your way in.

Listen to The Binge Reading Bookclub where you usually listen to your podcasts (Amazon, Spotify, Apple). More information on the podcast here and follow them on social Bluesky.