91Èȱ¬

Philippa Gregory
One of Britain’s most successful historical novelists, Philippa Gregory, talks to Muriel Gray about her new novel, The Other Queen. Based on the life of Mary Queen of Scots, Muriel finds out why Mary is so studied, and where Philippa will be looking next for inspiration.

Love Letters
Inspired by a scene in the film Sex In The City, Pan McMillan has released a book of love letters written by historical figures. Muriel is joined by writer Frances Wilson to discuss whether other people’s letters are worth reading, and to ask whether a great man automatically writes great love letters.

Max Blecher
Max Blecher was a Romanian novelist who contracted tuberculosis of the spine, and spent the last ten years of his life in sanitoria before dying in 1938 at the age of 29. His book Scarred Hearts concerns a Romanian student of chemistry in Paris, who also contracts tuberculosis of the spine) and spends a year in a sanatorium, his body wrapped in a plaster body cast. Paul Bailey talks to Muriel to explain why this ‘lost masterpiece’ deserves further attention.

Graphic Novels
Do you know the fastest growing sector in publishing? Perhaps surprisingly, it is the sector of graphic novels. Danny Fingeroth, author of The Rough Guide to Graphic Novels, and Naomi Alderman, author and graphic novel fan, talk about their favourites.