Main content

John Banville and Children's Literature in Translation

John Banville joins Mariella Frostrup to talk about his writing life and his new novel The Blue Guitar, plus discussion on translated fiction for children from around the world.

John Banville joins Mariella Frostrup to talk about his writing life, about the search for perfection and the recurrence of themes in his art, not least in his new novel, The Blue Guitar.
Set in a re-imagined Ireland, it explores the frailty of the human heart through Oliver Orme, a painter who has abandoned his art.

And we discuss children's fiction from around the world with Adam Freudenheim, publisher of Dutch classic, Tonke Dragt's The Secrets of the Wild Woods and Joy Fowler of the Carnegie Medal. We get a top tip from an industry insider on a re-discovered collection of short stories and there's an update on the changing literary landscape in China, from a leading Chinese crime writer.

Available now

28 minutes

Last on

Thu 17 Sep 2015 15:30

Chapters

  • John Banville

    Duration: 11:13

  • A Manual for Cleaning Women

    Duration: 04:11

  • Children's Literature in Translation

    Duration: 08:41

  • Literary Postcard - China

    Duration: 03:24

Read the opening chapter of The Blue Guitar by John Banville

by John Banville

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Mariella Frostrup
Interviewed Guest John Banville
Interviewed Guest Adam Freudenheim

Broadcasts

  • Sun 13 Sep 2015 16:00
  • Thu 17 Sep 2015 15:30

This Week's Book List

Read along with us - a list of books discussed in each programme

Books and Authors Podcast

Books and Authors Podcast

Open Book for author interviews and A Good Read for recommended reads

Listen now to books on 91热爆 Sounds

Listen now to books on 91热爆 Sounds

Escape with books & stories