Backlisted

Slang lexicographer extraordinaire Jonathon Green joins John and Andy in this episode to discuss Absolute Beginners, the classic novel of London teenage life set around Soho and Notting Hill. Timings: (may differ due to adverts) 13'25 - Beast by Paul Kingsnorth 19'06 - Absolute Beginners by Colin Macinnes * To purchase any of the books mentioned in this episode please visit our bookshop at uk.book...

In a special edition recorded at Port Eliot Festival, the Backlisted team welcome comedy writer Jesse Armstrong (Peep Show, Fresh Meat, The Thick Of It, Four Lions)to discuss F. Scott Fitzgerald's posthumously published collection of essays 'The Crack-Up'. Timings: (may differ due to adverts) 2'38 - The Crack Up by F Scott Fitzgerald * To purchase any of the books mentioned in this episode please...

Author and poet Saleena Godden joins John Mitchinson, Andy Miller and Mathew Clayton to discuss Hubert Selby Jr's legendary transgressive novel of dead end life in working class 50's Brooklyn. WARNING: contains obligatory reference the The Fall. Timings: (may differ due to adverts) 4'02 - Spire by William Golding 6'51 - Golden Hill by Francis Spufford 17'57 - Last Exit to Brooklyn by Hubert Selby...

Richard King, author of 'How Soon Is Now' and 'Original Rockers', visits Backlisted to talk about Maiden Voyage, an extraordinarily vivid memoir by Denton Welch of his early life in England and China. Timings: (may differ due to adverts) 8'08 - Tristomania - Jay Griffiths 16'25 Moonstone: The Boy Who Never Was by Sjon 24'02 Maiden Voyage by Denton Welch * To purchase any of the books mentioned in...

Writer and journalist Alex Clark joins John Mitchinson and Andy Miller in a stormy (and then hammery) podcast to discuss 'Letters from a Fainthearted Feminist', a collection of very funny columns by Jill Tweedie, originally published in The Guardian. Timings: (may differ due to adverts) 8'56 - The Glass Pearls by Emeric Pressburger 15'23 - A Life Discarded by Alexander Masters 26'14 Letters From a...

Author Lloyd Shepherd joins the Backlisted crew in their small but functional vessel to discuss what some regard as the first ever spy novel 'The Riddle of the Sands' and the extraordinary life of its author Erskine Childers. You can read more about Lloyd's plans to recreate the books journey at The Riddle of the Sands Adventure Club page here: https://unbound.co.uk/books/riddle-of-the-sands Timin...

Writer, academic and contributing editor of Bookanista Lucy Scholes joins Andy, John and Mathew on the pod to talk 'The Vet's Daughter', the extraordinary novel of an extraordinary girl in late Victorian South London. Also, how some books just shouldn't be turned into musicals, and the best name for a dog ever. Timings: (may differ due to adverts) 6'19 - First Signs by Barry Hinds 13'40 - The Nort...

Jason Hazeley and Joel Morris, the creators of the Grown Up Ladybird series of picture books, join Andy Miller and Mathew Clayton to discuss Bert Fegg's Nasty Book for Boys and Girls by Michael Palin and Terry Jones. Timings: (may differ due to adverts) 7'37 - Bert Fegg's Nasty Book for Boys & Girls by Terry Jones and Michael Palin * To purchase any of the books mentioned in this episode please vi...

Journalist, broadcaster and former editrice of The Erotic Review Rowan Pelling joins John, Andy and Mathew on the show to explain her love of Nigel Balchin's novel of the London Blitz, Darkness Falls From The Air. Timings: (may differ due to adverts) 4'00 - Diary of a Provincial Lady by E.M. Delafield 8'47 - The Stone Book Quartet by Alan Garner 16'55 Darkness Falls from the Air by Nigel Balchin *...

Rachel Cooke, Observer writer, New Statesman TV critic and author joins John, Andy & Mathew to discuss 'All the Devils Are Here', the astounding travelogue through Kent and the depths of human behaviour from David Seabrook. Plus, the drinking habits of Carry On stars, and what to read in Iceland. Timings: (may differ due to adverts) 3'36 - Dalva by Jim Harrison 8'46 - Life and Death of Harriett Fr...

Raymond Chandler's 'The High Window', his third book featuring world weary detective Philip Marlowe, is introduced to Backlisted by Mojo magazine's Andrew Male. Plus the joys of walking in the rain in England, remembering Anita Brookner, and JG Ballard's unintentional mind games... Timings: (may differ due to adverts) 4'38 - Rain by Melissa Harrison 13'58 - Latecomers by Anita Brookner 21'53 - The...

Kill Your Friends author John Niven joins John, Andy & Mathew in the pod to discuss The information by Martin Amis, on the way answering the question 'if this book were a Britpop album, which Britpop album would it be?' This may or may not become a regular feature. There's also talk on how writers write, and the epoch defining moment when Andy met a punk rock legend. Timings: (may differ due to ad...

Sylvia Townsend Warner's debut novel 'Lolly Willowes' is the main book under discussion in this episode. It's nominated by journalist, author & playwright Samantha Ellis, and she discusses witchcraft, spinsters and the Chilterns with John, Andy and Mathew. Also touched on: epic poetry on Dartmoor in the rain, and J.B. Priestley's influence on David Bowie. Timings: 3'41 Snowy Tower by Martin Shaw 1...

Author and playwright Alice Jolly joins the Backlisted crew to discuss The Great Fire by Australian author Shirley Hazzard. Also, AA Gill and Spike Milligan have been Read This Week, and why it might be too late to start listening to jazz in your 50's. Timings: 3'04 - Puckoon by Spike Milligan 10'49 - Poor Me: A life by AA Gill 17:53 - The Great Fire by Shirley Hazzard * To purchase any of the boo...

In episode 6 of the Backlisted Podcast we're joined by Sarah Churchwell, professorial fellow in American literature and chair of public understanding of the humanities at the School of Advanced Study, the University of London (phew) to discuss 'Passing' by Nella Larsen. Also, John and Andy discuss the book they've both been reading this week, Breakdown by John Bratby. Timings: (may differ due to a...

Emmy award winning writer and broadcaster David Quantick (Veep, The Thick of It, TV Burp) joins John and Andy in the Unbound offices to discuss his favourite novel, Christie Malry's Own Double-Entry by B.S. Johnson. Plus how to pronounce Velasquez, Silbury Hill, the death of the possessive apostrophe in retail, and Mathew Clayton's tenuous link. Timings: (may differ due to adverts) 4'23 - On Silbe...

John, Andy and Mathew Clayton discuss Nancy Mitford's novel 'The Blessing' with Nancy's biographer Laura Thompson. Plus, what it feels like to finish 'Finnegans Wake', 'bloke's books', and the rudest word in the Gloucestershire dialect. Timings: (may differ due to adverts) 2'34 - Finnigans Wake by James Joyce 5'06 - Third Girl by Agatha Christie 10'37 - Zero Zero Zero by Roberto Saviano 16'12 - Th...

Andy Miller and John Mitchinson, a/k/a/ Leavis & Butthead, return with another episode of the podcast which gives new life to old books. In this episode they're joined by Jonathan Coe, author of The Rotter's Club and Oh! What A Carve Up amongst others, to discuss the life and work of David Nobbs, best known as the creator of Reginald Perrin. Timings: (may differ due to adverts) 2'12 - Finnegans Wa...

John Mitchinson and Andy Miller are joined by author Linda Grant and Unbound's Mathew Clayton to discuss 'Good Morning, Midnight' by 'Wide Sargasso Sea' author Jean Rhys. Plus perfume, the previously unheard of genre of Scandinavian magic realism, and a mistake in the best selling science book of all time. Timings: (may differ due to adverts) 1'49 - A Winter Book by Tove Jansson 9'46 - A Brief His...

In the first episode of a new podcast about books, John Mitchinson and Andy Miller are joined by novelist Lissa Evans and Unbound's Mathew Clayton discuss JL Carr's 'A Month in the Country'. Timings: (may differ due to adverts) 1'58 - Life and Fate by Vasily Grossman 19'03 - A Cotswold Village by J Arthur Gibbs 29'30 - A Month in the Country by J L Carr * To purchase any of the books mentioned in...