大象传媒

The poet and translator George Szirtes examines the status of Winnie the Pooh in his native Hungary as part of our series looking at 鈥楩oreign Books in Foreign Lands鈥�. He tells Ian that the version by Frigyes Karinthy is considered by many Hungarians to be better than A.A.Milne鈥檚 and also reads a poem which draws on imagery from Winnie the Pooh. George Szirtes latest collection of poetry is 鈥楤ad Machine鈥� (Bloodaxe)

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The latest commission in our 鈥榠nstruction manuals鈥� series comes from the sound poet Holly Pester. Using a 1920鈥檚 lawnmower manual as her starting point, Holly鈥檚 poem 鈥楾he Old Lawnmower Club鈥�, investigates the boundaries between beast and machine. Holly鈥檚 work includes the installation 鈥樷�楾emperament, Temperature鈥�, which is available to listen to in a telephone box at Burlington House in London until 14th November.

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The novelist Michel Faber鈥檚 previous books include 鈥楿nder the Skin鈥� (Cannongate) and 鈥楾he Crimson Petal and the White鈥�, which have both been adapted for film and television. In his latest novel, 鈥楾he Book of Strange New Things鈥�, Michel has invented an unpronounceable language. Michel discusses the difficulties of both verbal and written communication, and the importance of the body when trying to connect.

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Michael Faber

A new series, only available on our podcast

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鈥榊ou need to be sad to write鈥�, 鈥榊ou can鈥檛 wait for inspiration鈥�, 鈥榃rite what you know鈥�,听 鈥榊ou need to find 鈥測our voice鈥� as a writer 鈥� - 听each week听 Ian and a Verb guest interrogate the so-called rules of creative writing, in a brand new series available as a bonus at the end of The Verb podcast.听 The creative writing myths must explode within five minutes otherwise the producer鈥檚 alarm clock goes off.听

Myth One:

Ian and George Szirtes ask whether you need to be sad to write well.

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