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Amy Tan

"All the sex scenes are NOT what I practice" Amy Tan keeps her writing out of her bedroom

Amy Tan on the tricky business of putting sex in her novels for the first time and zombie director George A Romero says the undead ain't what they used to be. White Teeth writer Zadie Smith explains why she likes messing around with the form of the novel and singer Gary Barlow says that life after Take That made him so fat that people didn't recognise him. South African jazz legend Hugh Masakela gets his trumpet out and plays live in the studio with an old friend, why Eastern Cape singer Simphiwe Dana dislikes the term 'world music' and a quick lesson in verse composition from poet Paul Muldoon.

Photo of Amy Tan (c) Will Ragozzino/Getty Images, Simphiwe Dana (c) Norbert Millauer/AFP/Getty, Zadie Smith (c) Tiziana Fabi/AFP/Getty

50 minutes

Last on

Sun 17 Nov 2013 22:06GMT

Music and featured items

  • Chapters

    • Amy Tan

      The author discusses her latest novel, The Valley of Amazement.

      Duration: 07:48

    • Paul Muldoon

      The poet answers the question: how does one write a poem?

      Duration: 03:47

    • Hugh Masekela

      South African jazz legend with pianist Larry Willis

      Duration: 08:25

    • Tim Key's Easy USSR

      Rhonagh O'Donnell's download choice for this week

      Duration: 02:58

    • George A Romero

      The writer director talks about inventing the undead zombie

      Duration: 07:33

    • Simphimwe Dana

      The singer discusses her music

      Duration: 04:57

    • Showbiz News

      Lizo Mzimba with the latest entertainment news

      Duration: 02:40

    • Zadie Smith

      The author discusses her new story The Embassy of Cambodia which is only 69 pages long

      Duration: 03:59

    • Gary Barlow

      The singer discusses why it has taken him 14 years to produce a new solo record

      Duration: 07:19

  • Here is the music we played in the programme this week

    • Miriam Makeba

      Abangoma

      Performer: Hugh Masekela. Performer: Larry Willis.
  • Take That

    Relight My Fire (feat. Lulu)

    • RCA Records Label.
  • Goblin

    Dawn of the Dead (Soundtrack)

    • Dagored.
  • Hugh Masekela

    Grazing in the Grass

    • Verve.
  • Simphiwe Dana

    Iliwa Lami

    • Classical.
  • Massive Attack

    Joy Luck Club

    • Virgin UK.
  • The Blackbyrds

    Do It Fluid

    • Decca (UMO).
  • 贵耻苍办蝉迟枚谤耻苍驳

    Like a Poet (feat. Enik)

    • !K7.
  • Hugh Masekela

    The Rainmaker

    • Jive.
  • Vyacheslav Mescherin

    Siberian Melody

    • Sony Classics.
  • Vyacheslav Mescherin

    Music Box

    • Sony Classics.
  • Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds

    We Call Upon The Author

    • Mute Records.
  • Kim Wilde

    Cambodia

    • Pathe Marconi.
  • Take That

    It Only Takes A Minute

    • R.C.A..
  • Steely Dan

    Everyone's Gone To The Movies

  • Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros

    Willesden To Cricklewood

    • Mercury Records Ltd..
  • Take That

    The Circus (Instrumental)

    • Polydor.
  • Gary Barlow

    Let Me Go

    • Polydor Ltd..
  • Simphiwe Dana

    Ndim iQhawe, Pt. Two

    • Gallo Record Company.

Broadcast

  • Sun 17 Nov 2013 22:06GMT