Tiny In All That Air

To mark Halloween, Lyn takes us on a walk around her local cemetery and reads Ghosts by Philip Larkin. Thank you to Joe Riley for inspiration - please listen to his excellent in situ poetry podcast Sketch Poetry https://open.spotify.com/show/4Ubm0zfLmjrOqVqMWulgf0 Spooky music- thank you to https://www.fesliyanstudios.com/royalty-free-music/download/ghost-stories/1291 Read the poem here: https://w...

Lyn and Chris discuss the recent writing workshop run by the Philip Larkin Society called Drafting a World: a Poetry Writing Workshop inspired by the poetry of Philip Larkin , with Nottingham based writer Jane Bluett at the Avenues in Hull on Saturday 11th October at ArtLink. Chris reads his  new Larkin poem from the workshop, Father of the Bride and we talk about the power of using Larkinalia and...

This year we celebrate Larkin’s birthday and the 70 year anniversary of the publication of The Less Deceived with a full reading of Larkin's second collection. We begin with an introduction to the collection with regular attendees of the podcast, our chair Graham Chesters and trustee Philip Pullen, and we reflect on some of the history of the publication of The Less Deceived. Thank you to all...

Our guest today is writer  Ralph Dartford who works for the National Literacy Trust and is the poetry editor of literary journal Northern Gravy.   Ralph kindly made the journey from Bradford to the Lockwood residence in Sheffield, and we settled down in my living room with mugs of tea and a plate of biscuits, surrounded by books and looked down upon by at least three pictures of Larkin.  Ralph als...

'It was not easy to find a poet in the United States in my reading,who wrote with the clarity and intelligence that Larkin possessed. I found him to be full of surprises..’ My guest today is writer David Biespiel who was born in Texas and who is now Poet in residence at Oregan state university. He has written for numerous publications and reviewed poetry for the Washington Post and the New Yor...

My guest today is Rishi Dastidar who is a poet and editor based in London. Rishi discusses his own particular view of Larkin’s portrayal of Englishness in both his letters and his poetry, Larkin’s contemporaries such as TS Eliot and Alan Bennett, and the vibrant role poetry plays in the UK’s cultural landscape.  Rishi Dastidar’s poetry has been published by the Financial Times, The Guardian and BB...

Reading Larkin’s poetry Eddie Dawes - The Trees (Aug 2022)    Graham Chesters- The First Thing (Aug 2021)  David Quantick - Days (Aug 22) Imtiaz Dharker - Broadcast (Aug 22) Martin Jennings - High Windows (Aug 24) Nominated by Graham Chesters Hans Rutten introducing and reading An April Sunday Brings the Snow in English and Dutch  (Aug 21) Richard Johnson- Sad Steps (Aug 21) Sally Button- To The S...

Our guest today is Kate Romano . Kate is the CEO of arts centre Stapleford Granary which recently dedicated a whole weekend to celebrating many different aspects of Philip Larkin’s life, photography, jazz and poetry. Gavin and I were lucky enough to be able to head down there and enjoy the events as well as running a PLS stall in the middle of it all, talking about all things Larkin to the good pe...

They might not meant to, but they do... Joe Riley, teacher and poet of no great renown, is a lifelong lover of Larkin. In this series he attempts to read some of Larkin's poems in suitable places with his trusty tape recorder. In this final episode of the summer, Joe heads out with his daughter and reads This Be The Verse. Please note this episode contains strong language. Music: Feeling Drows...

Today on the 9th August we celebrate Philip Larkin’s birthday and we read High Windows from start to end, in order to mark the 50th anniversary of Larkin’s final collection. Philip Pullen and Graham Chesters chat to Lyn about High Windows. Please note there is some strong language and challenging themes in the collection. Poems and readers: To the Sea- Lyn Lockwood Deputy Chair of the Philip Larki...

Cut grass lies frail... Joe Riley, teacher and poet of no great renown, is a lifelong lover of Larkin. In this series he attempts to read some of Larkin's poems in suitable places with his trusty tape recorder. In this episode, Joe ventures out on his school field to read and discuss Cut Grass from High Windows . Music: Sidney Bechet - Si tu vous ma mere (Lonesome) Produced by Lyn Lockwood, Ga...

Our guest today is Douglas Bell , Professor of English Language Education at the School of Education, University of Nottingham, Ningbo, China. Professor Douglas Bell first joined us in April to talk about the 2024 Conference in Hull and kindly stayed on the line to talk to me more widely about Philip Larkin in China. We talk about the reading and translation of Larkin in China, as well as the use...

'Once I am sure there's nothing going on I step inside, letting the door thud shut...' Joe Riley, teacher and poet of no great renown, is a lifelong lover of Larkin. In this series he attempts to read some of Larkin’s poems in suitable places with his trusty tape recorder. In this episode he explores Church Going from High Windows. Music: Feeling Drowsy by Henry Allen Jr and His Orches...

Betty Mackereth was Philip Larkin’s secretary at the library at the University of Hull. They were work colleagues and good friends, growing  closer and more intimate, as the years went on. Betty turns 100 on 27th June 2024. We begin with Betty herself in conversation with James Booth when James was beginning his research into his biography of Philip Larkin . James calls her, Larkin’s ‘ageing muse...

The trees are coming into leaf Like something almost being said Joe Riley, teacher and poet of no great renown, is a lifelong lover of Larkin. In this series he attempts to read some of Larkin’s poems in suitable places with his trusty tape recorder. In this episode he explores The Trees from High Windows Music: In A Mellow Tone by Count Basie Produced by Lyn Lockwood, Gavin Hogg and Joe Riley Ple...

The mower stalled, twice... Joe Riley, teacher and poet of no great renown, is a lifelong lover of Larkin. In this series he attempts to read some of Larkin’s poems in suitable places with his trusty tape recorder. In this episode he explores Larkin’s late poem The Mower. Music: Just a Mood (A Blue Mood) by the Teddy Wilson Quartet Produced by Lyn Lockwood, Gavin Hogg and Joe Riley Please email Ly...

Writer Ann Thwaite has a long involvement with the society and with Philip Larkin himself. Ann married Anthony Thwaite when they were both young Oxford graduates. Anthony Thwaite brought Larkin’s poems to the BCC and many publications in his work as an editor. Anthony was Larkin’s executor alongside Andrew Motion, and went on to edit Larkin’s letters and poems. Anthony was the founding President o...

This episode is all about the 2 PLS conference events that took place on 13-15th March 2024 at the University of Hull.  Professor Douglas Bell, now back home in the city of Ningbo in China, reflects on visiting Hull City centre and Cottingham for the first time in over 30 years, having graduated from the University of Hull in 1991. Rachael Galletly, PLS Trustee and merchandise officer talks about...

Today we are joined by our society President, Rosie Millard. Rosie came to Hull as an undergraduate while Larkin was still librarian at the university and she has maintained close links with Hull ever since. She was made Chair of Hull City of Culture 2017 and appointed OBE in the 2018 New Year Honours List for services in the arts to the city of Hull. Rosie is a writer, broadcaster and arts journa...

 Zachary Leader is Emeritus Professor of English Literature at the University of Roehampton. He grew up in California but has lived in Britain for over fifty years and has dual US/UK citizenship. He was educated at Northwestern University, Trinity College, Cambridge, and Harvard and is the biographer of Kingsley Amis and edited the Letters of Kingsley Amis. He is a fellow of the Royal Society of L...

The Philip Larkin Society always mark the 2nd of December which is the anniversary of Philip Larkin’s death in 1985. In 2022 we marked the date with the unveiling of a blue plaque in Coventry at Larkin’s birthplace and we held an evening event at Westminster Abbey with poetry readings at the site of his plaque in Poet’s Corner. It felt right to do something a little more informal and closer to hom...

In this episode we talk to Beverley based poet Chris Sewart in his second appearance on Tiny in All That Air , and Phil Pullen, trustee of the PLS, who regular listeners will be familiar with from a number of previous episodes. We talk about Chris's poetry and his upcoming performance as the 'warm up' for Roger McGough in Beverley next year (details below). We also discuss Phil's n...

This episode was researched and planned by PLS Trustees Julian Henry and Dr Chris Fletcher, Keeper of Special Collections at the Bodleian Library, Oxford. Philip Larkin was a librarian for 42 years. He had no formal training when he set off; he chose the career on the spur of the moment as a 21 year old after leaving university, like many students, without a career in mind. However, he came to be...

This talk was given to the Philip Larkin Society in 2010 by Emeritus Reader of American History at the University of Hull, John White. John White is the PLS jazz consultant and along with Trevor Tolley, compiled the wonderful ‘Larkin’s Jazz’ 4 disc CD released on Proper Records. This was part of the Larkin25 commemorative events. The talk is a warm and witty exploration of Larkin’s -sometimes extr...

Philip Larkin was just five years old when Hardy died in 1928, but this English poet and novelist was going to have a profound influence on Larkin’s writing. To discuss some of the connections between Larkin and Hardy, Lyn is joined by  Emeritus  Professor of English at the University of Hull Jane Thomas and composer Arthur Keegan. Thomas Hardy Novels: Jude the Obscure, Far From the Madding Crowd,...