大象传媒

Anthony Burgess is one of the best-known English literary figures of the latter half of the twentieth century. A polymath of the highest order, he was a novelist, composer, translator, screenwriter, travel writer, teacher, linguist, phoneticist, essayist, short-story writer, critic and poet.

Five writers, some of whom knew him in person, reflect on their favourite Burgess incarnation, exploring this extraordinary 20th-century man of letters from different angles. Everything Burgess wrote contributed to his main oeuvre, his musical composition as important to him as his novels that were shaped heavily by his critical analysis of other's fiction which was informed by his poetry and so on. Burgess at 100 offers personal as well as critical insight into why and how he is a literary figure of such importance.

Part of Radio 3's Burgess Centenary programming, marking 100 years since the birth of Manchester-born novelist and playwright Anthony Burgess.

Burgess and language - Kevin Jackson

Kevin Jackson is a writer, broadcaster and film-maker. He wrote and narrated the 大象传媒 documentary "The Burgess Variations" and directed "Burgess at 70". More recently, he edited Burgess's "Revolutionary Sonnets" for Carcanet Press. His other publications include a history of the year 1922, "Constellation of Genius"; a collection of essays, "Carnal"; and an English version of the Crimean Sonnets of Adam Mickiewicz. His latest film, "A Quincunx for Sir Thomas Browne" is now on show at the Royal College of Physicians, London.

Anthony Burgess is a key figure in 20th-century world literature. His dystopian satire A Clockwork Orange is still a global best seller, and was adapted into a highly controversial film by Stanley Kubrick in 1971. Burgess produced numerous other novels, including the Enderby quartet, and Earthly Powers, regarded by many as his greatest novel. He wrote librettos and screenplays, including for the 1977 TV mini-series Jesus of Nazareth. He worked as a literary critic for several publications, including The Observer and The Guardian, and wrote studies of classic writers, notably James Joyce. A versatile linguist, Burgess lectured in phonetics, and translated Cyrano de Bergerac and the opera Carmen, among others. Burgess also composed over 250 musical works.

Producer, Polly Thomas
Production Coordinator, Sarah Kenny
Executive Producer, Eloise Whitmore

With thanks to Andrew Biswell and the International Anthony Burgess Foundation

A Naked Production for 大象传媒 Radio 3.