Reading view

Nevertheless, They Persisted

This week, Adam Mars-Jones on the "fractal brocade" of his semi-infinite novel series; and Amber Massie-Blomfield revisits Susan Sontag's production of Waiting for Godot in Sarajevo, thirty years on.


'Caret', by Adam Mars-Jones


Produced by Charlotte Pardy


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The Pursuit Of The Interesting

In the last of our summer round-ups, Gwendoline Riley stalks the streets of London in the company of Michael Bracewell; and Ruth Scurron a final work by the indomitable Janet Malcolm.


Produced by Charlotte Pardy


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Femmes Fatales

In this week's round-up, we talk to Mary C Flannery about the continuing attraction of the irrepressible Wife of Bath; and mystery writer Nicola Upson on the unconventional life and unforgettable work of Josephine Tey.


Produced by Charlotte Pardy


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Natural Passions

In the second of our summer round-ups, we revisit Richard Smyth discussing the life and the work of the naturalist Ronald Blythe; and Lucasta Miller on an extraordinary collection of commonplace books.


Produced by Charlotte Pardy


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School's Out For Summer

In the first of our seasonal round-ups, we look back at Stephen Marche on the agonies of the writing life; and Nat Segnit dives into Adam Gopnik's survey of mastery.


'On writing and failure: Or, the peculiar perseverance required to

endure the life of a writer', by Stephen Marche

'The real work: On the mystery of mastery', by Adam Gopnik


Produced by Charlotte Pardy


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Running And Dancing Through Our Stories

This week, Kate Hext on women who have run or climbed their way through the world, despite efforts to stop them; and Alice Robb thinks about how - and why - we tell stories through dance.


'In Her Nature: How Women Break Boundaries in the Great Outdoors', by Rachel Hewitt


Produced by Charlotte Pardy


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Riders On The Storm

This week, cycling commentator par excellence Ned Boulting on the Tour de France of a century ago; and Peter Parker delves into the many faces of the self-styled 'Master' playwright, Noel Coward.


'1923: The Mystery of Lot 212 and a Tour de France Obsession', by Ned Boulting

'Masquerade: The Lives of Noel Coward', by Oliver Soden 


Produced by Charlotte Pardy


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Take A Walk On The Wild Side

This week, AE Stallings, the new Oxford professor of poetry, on the lives of poets; and Ann Kennedy Smith considers the different faces of Cornwall.



'Sleeping on islands: A life in poetry', by Andrew Motion

'The American poet laureate: A history of US poetry and the state', by Amy Paeth

'The granite kingdom: A Cornish journey', by Tim Hannigan

'Treasures of Cornwall: A literary anthology', edited by Luke Thompson 


Produced by Charlotte Pardy


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Long Hot Summer

In this week's bumper podcast, George Berridge assesses the legacy of Cormac McCarthy; Toby Lichtig on this summer's ideal reads; and an interview with American novelist Brandon Taylor.


'The Late Americans', by Brandon Taylor



Produced by Charlotte Pardy


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Sauce Bolognese

This week, an exhibition of the Italian Renaissance painter Lavinia Fontana's work thrills Norma Clarke; and Kieran Setiya on Sarah Bakewell's bravura survey of the history of humanism.


'Lavinia Fontana: Trailblazer, rule breaker', at the National Gallery of Ireland until August 27, with accompanying book by Aoife Brady, Babette Bohn and Jonquil O'Reilly

'Humanly Possible: Seven hundred years of humanist freethinking, enquiry and hope' by Sarah Bakewell


Produced by Charlotte Pardy


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Hay Festival Special

This week, Lucy and Alex head to Hay, and find guest stars Eleanor Catton and Sarah Raven.


Produced by Charlotte Pardy


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Inheritance Taxes

This week, Norma Clarke unpicks the complicated business of family legacy in Polly Toynbee’s memoir; and Nicholas Clee immerses himself in Paul Murray’s multi-generational saga of Irish small-town life.



'An Uneasy Inheritance: My Family and Other Radicals’ by Polly Toynbee

’The Bee Sting’ by Paul Murray


Produced by Charlotte Pardy


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O Tempora! O Mores!

This week, TLS contributors on what art and literature mean in a time of crisis; and we take a trip to the melancholy, beautiful, faded English seaside.


‘The Seaside: England’s Love Affair’, by Madeleine Bunting


Produced by Charlotte Pardy


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Life In The Slow Lane

This week, Kate Simpson introduces us to the precarious and vital world of the gastropods; and James McConnachie plunges into the teeming waters of the St George’s Channel.


‘A World in a Shell: Snail Stories for a Time of Extinctions’ by Thom van Dooren

’The Turning Tide: A Biography of the Irish Sea’ by Jon Gower


Produced by Charlotte Pardy


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