Episode 5
John Carey on how the perils of being outspoken in the national press sometimes led to unhappy fractures.
From Biggles to bee-keeping, John Carey threads together the chapters of his life in books - taking in politics, social history and the skirmishes of academia along the way.
Vignettes of pre-war Hammersmith and Barnes accompany affectionate accounts of Saturday jobs which he was expected to do to compensate the household for staying on at school.
The book is also partly a tribute to the grammar school system. He skewers the snobbishness of Oxford in the 50s but also gives us endearing portraits of the writers and scholars he met and was taught by - including Graves, Larkin and Heaney.
Later in his life, his politics and his sometimes controversial cultural criticism take centre stage, producing a commentator who is not afraid to move between genres and labels, always saying something refreshing and frequently unexpected.
Episode 5
The perils of being outspoken in the national press sometimes led to unhappy fractures.
Read by Nicholas Farrell
Abridged and directed by Jill Waters
A Waters Company production for 大象传媒 Radio 4.
Last on
More episodes
Previous
Next
You are at the last episode
Credits
| Role | Contributor |
|---|---|
| Reader | Nicholas Farrell |
| Director | Jill Waters |
| Abridger | Jill Waters |
| Author | John Carey |
Broadcasts
- Fri 4 Apr 2014 09:45大象传媒 Radio 4 FM
- Sat 5 Apr 2014 00:30大象传媒 Radio 4
Listen to more Audio Books
Including My Sister The Serial Killer, Queenie, The Flatshare and more.
Opening Lines
John Yorke unpacks the themes behind the stories in Radio 4's weekend afternoon dramas.
Sample our books and authors Clip Collection
Interviews, previews and reviews
Subscribe to the Short stories podcast
Featuring the best stories from the UK's finest writers
How many of these 100 Novels have you read?
After a passionate debate, our panel has come up with this surprising literary selection.
Finding Your Story
Ten remarkable novels about identity: Which one will help you discover yourself?
大象传媒 Arts: Books
Celebrating reading and the 100 novels that have shaped our world.