A Christmas Carol with Simon Callow – Christmas Special 2023

William Blake’s poetry and prose. We visit Sir Philip at home to discuss the poet who has ‘inspired and intoxicated’ him for the last sixty years. In Philip’s book-lined sitting room we discuss Blake’s most loved works: his Songs of Innocence and of Experience, The Marriage of Heaven and Hell and Auguries of Innocence. Pullman has written frequently about Blake and previously served as President of the William Blake Society. Blake’s Selected Poems (Penguin Classics edition)https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/33866/selected-poems-blake-by-william-blake-ed-professor-g-e-bentley-series-editor--christopher-ricks/9780140424461https://apple.co/48HX8yM Naxos Audiobooks edition of Blake’s poetry, read by Robert Glenister, Michael Maloney and Stephen Critchlowhttps://naxosaudiobooks.com/blake-william-selections/https://apple.co/3tRg676 Sir Philip Pullmanhttps://www.philip-pullman.com/ Daemon Voices by Philip Pullmanhttps://www.davidficklingbooks.com/shop/ItemDetails.php?pubID=190https://apple.co/4aVkHpC Audiobook edition of Daemon Voiceshttps://www.penguin.co.uk/books/309349/daemon-voices-by-pullman-philip/9780241372906https://apple.co/47NE6Gl The Blake Societyhttps://blakesociety.org/ Presenter – Henry Eliot: https://www.henryeliot.co.uk/Producer – Andrea Rangecroft: https://www.andrearangecroft.co.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

James Baldwin in Paris. On the rain-soaked boulevards, the novelist Caryl Phillips discusses Baldwin's exquisite same-sex love story, drinking in the Cafe de Flore and exploring Saint Germain des Prés. Phillips, who knew James Baldwin, wrote the introduction to the Penguin Modern Classics edition of Giovanni’s Room and an unfilmed screenplay of the novel for Merchant Ivory productions.2024 marks 100 years since Baldwin was born Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin (Penguin Modern Classics edition)https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/57368/giovannis-room-by-james-baldwin-introduction-by-caryl-phillips/9780141186351https://apple.co/3HnscrzPenguin Audio edition of Giovanni’s Room – available June 6th 2024https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/56260/giovannis-room-by-baldwin-james/9781802067224Calliope Author Readings – James Baldwinhttp://calliopeauthorreadings.com/james-baldwin/https://apple.co/4aTk0go Caryl Phillipshttps://www.carylphillips.com/ The European Tribe by Caryl Phillipshttps://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/130570/the-european-tribe-by-caryl-phillips/ Presenter – Henry Eliot: https://www.henryeliot.co.uk/Producer – Andrea Rangecroft: https://www.andrearangecroft.co.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

John Donne’s poetry and prose in London. The scholar and children’s author Katherine Rundell traces the life and paradoxical career of John Donne from the street where he was born, through the palaces and colleges where he worked to the cathedral where he preached and now lies buried. In 2022 Rundell won the Baillie-Gifford Prize for her biography of Donne, Super-Infinite.Donne's prose masterpiece Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions was published 400 years ago in January 1624. Donne’s Selected Poems (Penguin Classics edition)https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/33860/selected-poems-donne-by-john-donne-ed-professor-ilona-bell-series-editor--christopher-ricks/9780140424409https://apple.co/48S5406 Donne’s Selected Prose (Penguin Classics edition)https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/34100/selected-prose-by-donne-john/9780141396712https://apple.co/47NE1m1 Naxos audiobook edition of Donne’s poetry, read by Geoffrey Whitehead and Will Keenhttps://naxosaudiobooks.com/john-donne-selections/https://apple.co/3vHDpk8 Katherine Rundellhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katherine_Rundellhttps://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/author/katherine-rundell/ Super-Infinite by Katherine Rundell (Faber)https://www.faber.co.uk/product/9780571345922-super-infinite/https://apple.co/47DGDCx Audiobook edition of Super-Infinitehttps://www.faber.co.uk/product/9780571378258-super-infinite/https://apple.co/3TSyR4I Lincoln’s Innhttps://www.lincolnsinn.org.uk/ St Dunstan in the Westhttps://www.stdunstaninthewest.org/ St Paul’s Cathedralhttps://www.stpauls.co.uk/ Presenter – Henry Eliot: https://www.henryeliot.co.uk/Producer – Andrea Rangecroft: https://www.andrearangecroft.co.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shirley Jackson in North Bennington, Vermont. Award-winning biographer Ruth Franklin visits the small village of North Bennington, where Jackson lived for twenty years. We stand in the square where Jackson imagined 'The Lottery' and conjure the ghost of Merricat Blackwood as she collects her sinister groceries in Jackson’s last and greatest novel, We Have Always Lived in the Castle. We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson (Penguin Modern Classics edition)https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/133431/we-have-always-lived-in-the-castle-by-jackson-shirley/9780141191454Blackstone Publishing audiobook edition of We Have Always Lived in the Castle, read by Bernadette Dunnehttps://www.blackstonelibrary.com/we-have-always-lived-in-the-castle?sp=15364 The Lottery and Other Stories by Shirley Jackson (Penguin Modern Classics edition)https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/133428/the-lottery-and-other-stories-by-jackson-shirley/9780141191430Penguin Audio edition of The Lottery and Other Stories, read by Francine Brodyhttps://www.penguin.co.uk/books/133428/the-lottery-and-other-stories-by-jackson-shirley/9780141994871 Life Among the Savages by Shirley Jackson (Penguin Modern Classics edition)https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/312885/life-among-the-savages-by-jackson-shirley/9780241387801Penguin Audio edition of Life Among the Savages, read by Kate Handfordhttps://www.penguin.co.uk/books/312885/life-among-the-savages-by-jackson-shirley/9780141994901  Ruth Franklinhttps://ruthfranklin.substack.com/ Shirley Jackson: A Rather Haunted Life by Ruth Franklinhttps://wwnorton.com/books/Shirley-Jackson-A-Rather-Haunted-Life/ The Moonscones Micro-Bakeryhttp://www.moonscones.com/Powers Markethttps://powersmarket.com/ The John G McCullough Free Libraryhttps://mcculloughlibrary.org/ Presenter – Henry Eliot: https://www.henryeliot.co.uk/Producer – Andrea Rangecroft: https://www.andrearangecroft.co.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Angela Carter’s Fairy Tales of Charles Perrault. In Dame Marina Warner's magical home in North London, the historian and mythographer discusses Perrault's Tales of Mother Goose and their English translation by Angela Carter, as well as Carter’s own Bloody Chamber and Other Stories. Our wide-ranging conversation covers Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Bluebeard and Little Red Riding Hood, as well as many other fairy tales. The Fairy Tales of Charles Perrault by Angela Carter (Penguin Modern Classics edition)https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/57621/the-fairy-tales-of-charles-perrault-by-angela-carter-intro--jack-zipes/9780141189956 Dame Marina Warnerhttps://www.marinawarner.com/ Once Upon a Time by Marina Warnerhttps://global.oup.com/ukhe/product/once-upon-a-time-9780198779858https://apple.co/3TGDZJb From the Beast to the Blonde by Marina Warnerhttps://www.penguin.co.uk/books/358658/from-the-beast-to-the-blonde-by-marina-warner/9781409028635https://apple.co/48xHQfy The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories by Angela Carterhttps://www.penguin.co.uk/books/359636/the-bloody-chamber-and-other-stories-by-angela-carter/9780099588115https://apple.co/3H1huqG Audible edition of The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories, read by Richard Armitage and Emilia Foxhttps://www.audible.co.uk/pd/The-Bloody-Chamber-Audiobook/B07B5C8MMKhttps://apple.co/3tMYcSO Presenter – Henry Eliot: https://www.henryeliot.co.uk/Producer – Andrea Rangecroft: https://www.andrearangecroft.co.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Charles Dickens in London. For this festive Christmas Special, the actor and author Simon Callow joins Henry to summon the ghost of Ebeneezer Scrooge and follow him around the City of London, starting at Cornhill, taking in Leadenhall Market and meeting all three Spirits of Christmas. A Christmas Carol, Dickens’s best loved novel, was published on 19 December 1843, 180 years ago this year. Penguin Classics edition of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickenshttps://www.penguin.co.uk/books/34585/a-christmas-carol-and-other-christmas-writings-by-charles-dickens-intro-michael-slater/9780140439052https://apple.co/3Te9UQQ Penguin Audio edition of A Christmas Carol, read by Theo Ogundipehttps://www.penguin.co.uk/books/34585/a-christmas-carol-and-other-christmas-writings-by-dickens-charles/9780241455326https://apple.co/46OVnhC Simon Callowhttps://simoncallow.com/ Charles Dickens and the Great Theatre of the World by Simon Callowhttps://harpercollins.co.uk/products/charles-dickens-and-the-great-theatre-of-the-world-simon-callow Simon’s solo version of A Christmas Carol (BBC)https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0001kwg The Counting Househttps://www.the-counting-house.com/ The Royal Exchangehttps://www.theroyalexchange.co.uk/ The George and Vulturehttps://george-and-vulture.co.uk/ Presenter – Henry Eliot: https://www.henryeliot.co.uk/Producer – Andrea Rangecroft: https://www.andrearangecroft.co.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anthony Burgess in East Sussex. On the 30th anniversary of Burgess’s death, the science fiction author Jeff Noon and the biographer Andrew Biswell travel East Sussex with Henry, visiting the rented flat where Burgess began writing A Clockwork Orange, O my brothers, and the quiet village where he finished it, taking in a pub, a prison, ultra violence, nadsat, brainwashing and Beethoven.Penguin Classics ‘Restored Edition’ of A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess, edited by Andrew Biswellhttps://www.penguin.co.uk/books/182137/a-clockwork-orange-by-burgess-anthony/9780141197531https://apple.co/41d2sHC Penguin Audio edition of A Clockwork Orange, read by Tom Hollanderhttps://www.penguin.co.uk/books/384903/a-clockwork-orange-by-anthony-burgess/9781407058542https://apple.co/3Te9HNy Jeff Noonhttp://jeffnoon.weebly.com/ Vurt by Jeff Noon (30th anniversary edition)https://angryrobotbooks.com/books/vurt/ Andrew Biswellhttps://www.mmu.ac.uk/staff/profile/professor-andrew-biswell The International Anthony Burgess Foundationhttps://www.anthonyburgess.org/ The Real Life of Anthony Burgess by Andrew Biswellhttps://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/andrew-biswell/the-real-life-of-anthony-burgess/9780330481717 Christopher Hawtreehttp://www.christopherhawtree.com/ The Neptune Innhttps://theneptunelivemusicbar.co.uk/ Presenter – Henry Eliot: https://www.henryeliot.co.uk/Producer – Andrea Rangecroft: https://www.andrearangecroft.co.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Raymond Chandler in Santa Monica. As well as The Big Sleep and The Long Goodbye, we discuss Farewell, My Lovely, Chandler’s favourite of his own novels, as we walk the noir streets of ‘Bay City’ – or Santa Monica in Southern California – retracing Philip Marlowe's footsteps from City Hall to Santa Monica Pier, and chatting about Dick's hard-boiled and hilarious Chandler tribute, Sleeping Dog. Penguin Classics omnibus edition of The Big Sleep, Farewell, My Lovely and The Long Goodbye by Raymond Chandlerhttps://www.penguin.co.uk/books/57024/the-big-sleep-and-other-novels-by-raymond-chandler/9780141182612https://apple.co/3uH9E2J Penguin Audio edition of Farewell, My Lovely, read by Scott Brickhttps://www.penguin.co.uk/books/11358/farewell-my-lovely-by-chandler-raymond/9780241989418https://apple.co/3NatWrM Dick Lochtehttps://www.fantasticfiction.com/l/dick-lochte/ Penguin Crime Classics edition of Sleeping Dog by Dick Lochtehttps://www.penguin.co.uk/books/458455/sleeping-dog-by-lochte-dick/9780241656921https://apple.co/3sV2583 Penguin Audio edition of Sleeping Dog, read by Robert G. Slade and Daniela Vanascohttps://www.penguin.co.uk/books/458455/sleeping-dog-by-lochte-dick/9780241671726https://apple.co/47B39g9 Santa Monica City Hallhttps://www.santamonica.gov/places/city-facilities/santa-monica-city-hall The Georgianhttps://www.thegeorgian.com/ Santa Monica Pierhttps://www.santamonicapier.org/ Raymond Chandler Mystery Map of Los Angeleshttps://apps.lib.umich.edu/online-exhibits/exhibits/show/litmaps/item/4934?exhibit=130&page=1028 Presenter – Henry Eliot: https://www.henryeliot.co.uk/Producer – Andrea Rangecroft: https://www.andrearangecroft.co.uk/Producer – Megan Tan: https://www.megantan.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mary Shelley in Bath. Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin finished writing Frankenstein while lodging in Bath and attending lectures on electricity and galvanism. We visit the Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution and the recently opened Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein with the neuroscientist Anil Seth (author of Being You) and the poet and biographer Fiona Sampson (In Search of Mary Shelley), discussing Romantic literature, early nineteenth-century science and the mystery of consciousness. Penguin Classics edition of Frankenstein by Mary Shelleyhttps://www.penguin.co.uk/books/55587/frankenstein-by-mary-shelley-ed-maurice-hindle/9780141439471https://apple.co/47HB0DU Penguin audiobook edition of Frankenstein, read by Peter Noble and Colin Salmonhttps://www.penguin.co.uk/books/55587/frankenstein-by-shelley-mary/9780241422625https://apple.co/3us6tvv Anil Sethhttps://www.anilseth.com/ Being You by Anil Seth (Faber)https://www.faber.co.uk/product/9780571337729-being-you/https://apple.co/40QlhQQAudiobook: https://www.faber.co.uk/product/9780571360550-being-you/https://apple.co/46t21tQ Fiona Sampsonhttps://twitter.com/FionaRSampson In Search of Mary Shelley by Fiona Sampson (Profile)https://profilebooks.com/work/in-search-of-mary-shelley-the-girl-who-wrote-frankenstein/https://apple.co/49T6f0AAudiobook: https://www.wfhowes.co.uk/title-details/9781528851244https://apple.co/46t274G Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institutionhttps://www.brlsi.org/ Mary Shelley’s House of Frankensteinhttps://www.houseoffrankenstein.com/ St Mary’s Churchyardhttps://www.stmaryschurchyard.com/ Presenter – Henry Eliot: https://www.henryeliot.co.uk/Producer – Andrea Rangecroft: https://www.andrearangecroft.co.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jane Austen in Chawton. The novelist Monica Ali joins Henry to visit Jane Austen’s House in Chawton, Hampshire, where Austen wrote all of her novels – as well as nearby Chawton House, once owned by Austen’s brother Edward and now home to the Centre for the Study of Early Women’s Writing. Penguin Classics edition of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austenhttps://www.penguin.co.uk/books/55905/pride-and-prejudice-by-austen-jane/9780141439518https://apple.co/3MNDOaq Penguin Audio edition of Pride and Prejudice, read by Indira Varmahttps://www.penguin.co.uk/books/55905/pride-and-prejudice-by-austen-jane/9780241455265https://apple.co/3sFgFQY Monica Alihttps://www.monicaali.com/ Love Marriage by Monica Alihttps://www.virago.co.uk/titles/monica-ali/love-marriage/9780349015507/https://apple.co/3usPBVi Penguin audiobook edition of Love Marriage, read by Ayesha Dharkerhttps://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/monica-ali/love-marriage/9781405550291/https://apple.co/47dHaMc Jane Austen’s Househttps://janeaustens.house/ Chawton Househttps://chawtonhouse.org/ Presenter – Henry Eliot: https://www.henryeliot.co.uk/Producer – Andrea Rangecroft: https://www.andrearangecroft.co.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.