The Author Archive Podcast

Anna Kent, Pat Barker

In this edition David Freeman talks to author Anna Kent about her new novel House of Whispers and in an archive recording Pat Barker talks about her disturbing  2001 novel Border Crossing.

Both novels have dark themes at their core

 

 

Kelley Swain,Oliver Sacks

In this episode Kelley Swain tells David Freeman about her new Oxford based novel Ophelia Swam and following that  a vintage interview with Oliver Sacks. In this conversation recorded 20 years ago Oliver talks to David about his wartime childhood remembered in his memoir Uncle Tungsten.

 

Siba Shakib, ‘Afghanistan Where God Only Comes to Weep‘.

David Freeman in conversation with Iranian German film maker Siba Shakib when her best selling book 'Afghanistan, Where God Only Comes to Weep ' was first published in 2002.

So much of what Saba Shakib says is still very relevant and casts a light on the current situation.

 

Christina Lamb, Peter Ackroyd, Liza Pickard and Mark Bowden on Pablo Escobar.

The conversations in this episode were recorded in the Langham Hotel in West London 20 years ago.

Mark Bowden recounts the life of the mega rich drug dealer Pablo Escobar in his book 'Killing Pablo'.

Mark Bowden's  book is a type of biography and following  that Peter Ackroyd tells David Freeman about his fascinating biography of London.

A different dimension of London's history is told by Liza Pickard in her book 'Dr. Johnson's London'.

Finally the award winning journalist Christina Lamb tells the remarkable story of a rich eccentric who a hundred years ago built a replica of an English country house in the middle of Africa. 'The Africa House' is a an astonishing true story that would make an amazing film.

 

 

Philippa Gregory on the Boleyns, John Le Carre, Jilly Cooper and Maggie Gee.

In The Author Archive Podcast 2 John Le Carre talks about writing politics , and Mallory Blackman explains the political thinking behind Noughts and Crosses.

Maggie Gee gives the background to her novel The White Family that endeavours to explain prejudice and on the frothy side Jilly Cooper gives more background to how life might be in the English counties.

The episode concludes with two views of the Court of King Henry VIII, Philippa Gregory discusses her book about 'The Other Boleyn Girl' and Alison Weir explains how the king was totally surrounded by the people of the court all the time!