The Author Archive Podcast

Charlie Taverner - Street Food

This book, published by Oxford University Press, is a look at street food selling, hawking, in London from Tudor times through to the first world war.

What emerges is a story of a trade spanning hundreds of years that was essential for keeping the ever growing population of the city supplied with nutritious affordable food.

Who were these people? Where did they source their stock? What were their lives like?

It's a fascinating and sometimes surprising story.

 

John Campbell - biography of Margaret Thatcher

Although this book was first published around 20 years ago John Campbell's weighty biography of Margaret Thatcher still sells well.

This conversation was recorded when the book was first released but there are details that are revealed in the interview that are quite surprising. 

In the light of the Liz Truss rise and fall, her identification with the Thatcher image is fascinating. The Truss way of doing things took the aggressive Thatcher demeanour and the wardrobe but the central core of Thatcher's charisma totally escaped her. Being self assured and bossy, it turns out, is not enough.

Jonathan Aitken - owning up to wrong doing and paying the price by spending time in jail

We are used to politicians , particularly Tory politicians, being untruthful.

Twenty five years ago Jonathan Aitken was a high profile journalist and Tory politician who found himself in very hot water

He was pursued mercilessly by sections of the British press when they gathered evidence to show that he had encouraged one of his daughters to lie in court to get him out of a tight legal corner into which his own lies had lead him.

He was found guilty and sentenced to a jail term

As a sideshow to his public fall from grace he ran up a huge legal bill which he could not pay. Bankruptcy was inevitable.

Many were sceptical when he 'found God' in jail. He confounded his critics however by sticking with religion and becoming ordained as a vicar.

There was a book published in 2003 called 'Pride and Perjury'. Jonathan Aitken talked to David Freeman about it, and his life,  soon after publication.

 

Vicky Spratt - Tenants : The People on the Frontline of Britain’s Housing Emergency

Vicky Spratt is a British journalist specialising in the issue of housing.

For her book 'Tenants' Vicky spoke to people trapped in a world where homelessness is a constant threat. The stories are heartbreaking and shocking. It is unbelievable that this is happening in the UK in 2022. The book is a loud and strident wake up call to politicians. A change is required. Now.

This is a shocking story that is back in the headlines because of the stories of mould in houses that can be lethal.

Michael Dobbs - the author of the House of Cards talks about real politicians and another fictional invention.

Michael Dobbs was a very successful politician in his youth. He was labelled as the Tories baby faced hit man.

But then he turned to fiction but still writing about politics .... House of Cards was his invention.

After the loathsome amoral Francis Urquhart he came up with Thomas Goodfellowe MP.

Around 20 years ago Michael met David Freeman and they started their conversation musing on how party discipline was achieved in Westminster.  Around that time he had said of the Tory government 

'We have a flat pack Cabinet that threatens to collapse every time you turn the telly on'

Maybe nothing changes!

Richard Houghton - Gonna See All My Friends : A Peoples History of Fairport Convention

Richard Houghton has collected memories of music fans who have revelled in the folk/rock music of Fairport Convention.

The band was formed in London in 1967 so there his a huge fund of stories to draw on.

Legendary musicians have come and gone but Fairport Convention rolls on!

 

Mark Steel - Reasons to be Cheerful

David Freeman met Mark Steel when his memoir 'Reasons to be Cheerful : from Punk to New Labour through the Eyes of a Dedicated Troublemaker' was first published. There was a Labour government back then!

T.L. Mogford -The Plant Hunter

This novel imagines the horticultural world of the 1860s.

The hero of the story is a  young man who seeks his fortune by travelling east to find new plants that will sell for huge prices in London.

 

 

 

Robert Lacey - Royal: the life and reign of Queen Elizabeth II recorded at the time of the Golden Jubilee

Robert Lacey is known as a historian of the Royal Family, so much so that he is a consultant to Netflix for their hit series The Crown.

At the time of the Golden Jubilee he write a biography of the Queen which was published as 'Royal' in the UK and 'Monarch' in the US.

The book gives a history of the Queen's reign and the story of the wider family. Prince Philip is celebrated as is  Prince Charles. The role of Princess Diana is examined as are Camilla and Princes William and Harry.

The partial withdrawal of Prince Harry is predicted ... and this was written 20 years ago.

Interesting background to the new Netflix season.

 

 

 

Martyn Ware - Electronically Yours : the autobiography of the man behind the Human League and Heaven 17

Martyn Ware tells David Freeman about his life growing up in Sheffield , almost making it as a manager in the Co Op but became a pop star with a passion for synthesisers and other electronic instruments instead.

He talks about his enthusiasm for Brian Eno and Roxy Music, and how his insight into the capabilities of electronics took him to be the successful producer of numerous records including tracks by Tina Turner and Mavis Staples.