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Robert Harris, Clarice Lispector, and The Masterpieces That Never Were

Mariella Frostrup talks to bestselling thriller writer Robert Harris about his novel Lustrum, set in the Ancient Rome of Cicero and Julius Caesar.

Mariella Frostrup talks to the thriller writer Robert Harris, whose latest book, Lustrum, set in Ancient Rome, is the second volume of a trilogy about the lawyer, politican and orator Cicero. Harris explains how modern and ancient politics collide, and why this novel about ancient intrigue is dedicated to Lord Mandelson.

The Brazilian writer Clarice Lispector is the subject of a recent biography; as one of her novels is published in a new translation, Mariella is joined by the biographer Benjamin Moser to discuss why she is revered as one of the greatest writers in the Portugese language.

And the masterpieces that never were; the author of a new history of literary hoaxes, Melissa Katsoulis, and the writer Kevin Jackson swap favourite tales of writers who pulled the wool over their readers' eyes.

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30 minutes

Chapters

  • ROBERT HARRIS

    Mariella Frostrup talks to the thriller writer Robert Harris, whose latest book, Lustrum is the second volume of a trilogy about the lawyer, politican and orator Cicero.

    Duration: 09:10

Broadcasts

  • Sun 11 Oct 2009 16:00
  • Thu 15 Oct 2009 16:00

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