The New Common Reader
Matthew Sweet examines the place of reading in a digital age. Do we still believe that there is such a thing as a common reader?
Matthew Sweet will be following in the distinguished footsteps of Samuel Johnson and Virginia Woolf. He's leading an elite party of literary explorers - Linda Grant, Aminatta Forna, Naomi Alderman and Tim Stanley on an expedition to find "the common reader" -- a being stalked by Woolf in the 20th Century and by Johnson in the 18th. Both believed that the common reader "uncorrupted with literary prejudices" was the final arbiter of "poetical honours" so it's a quest that's clearly still relevant today. The question is what does a common reader look like in our digital age? What are they reading? Where? And how? Pack your e-reader and your thesaurus of course and tune in to Night Waves and join the hunt.
Last on
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Sculptor Anthony Caro in conversation with Matthew Sweet, April 2010
Following the announcement of Anthony Caro's death, hear his talk with Matthew Sweet 2010
Credits
Role | Contributor |
---|---|
Presenter | Matthew Sweet |
Interviewed Guest | Linda Grant |
Interviewed Guest | Aminatta Forna |
Interviewed Guest | Naomi Alderman |
Interviewed Guest | Tim Stanley |
Producer | Zahid Warley |
Broadcasts
- Mon 22 Apr 2013 22:00大象传媒 Radio 3
- Thu 24 Oct 2013 22:00大象传媒 Radio 3