Opening Lines Podcast
Producer and writer John Yorke has worked in television and radio for 30 years, and he shares his experience with Radio 4 listeners as he unpacks the themes and impact behind the books, plays and stories that are being dramatised in Radio 4's weekend afternoon dramas.
Episodes to download
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The Raiders - Episode 1
Sun 26 May 2024
John Yorke explores The Raiders, a forgotten Scottish bestseller.
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The Man Who Fell to Earth
Sun 12 May 2024
John Yorke explores Walter Tevis鈥檚 1963 novel The Man Who Fell to Earth.
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My Mother Said I Never Should
Sun 21 Apr 2024
John Yorke looks at Charlotte Keatley鈥檚 1987 play My Mother Said I Never Should.
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The Shell Seekers
Sun 14 Apr 2024
John Yorke explores Rosamunde Pilcher鈥檚 1987 global bestseller, The Shell Seekers.
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Heart of Darkness
Sun 17 Mar 2024
John Yorke explores Conrad鈥檚 controversial and deeply enigmatic novella Heart of Darkness.
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& Other Stories: Daphne du Maurier - Episode 2
Sun 10 Mar 2024
John Yorke explores two more of Daphne du Maurier鈥檚 short stories.
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& Other Stories: Daphne du Maurier - Episode 1
Sun 3 Mar 2024
John Yorke explores a ground-breaking short story 鈥� Don鈥檛 Look Now by Daphne du Maurier.
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Cane
Sat 24 Feb 2024
John Yorke looks at Jean Toomer鈥檚 Cane about African American life in 1920s America.
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Siddhartha
Sun 18 Feb 2024
John Yorke explores the book that embodies the soul of the counterculture 鈥� Siddhartha.
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Tam O'Shanter
Sat 27 Jan 2024
John Yorke explores Robert Burns鈥檚 only long form narrative poem, Tam O鈥橲hanter.
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Our Man in Havana - Episode 2
Sun 14 Jan 2024
John Yorke looks into the dark comedy classic, Our Man in Havana.
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Our Man in Havana - Episode 1
Sun 7 Jan 2024
John Yorke looks at Graham Greene鈥檚 classic dark comedy, Our Man in Havana.
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The Greatest Gift
Christmas Eve 2023
John Yorke takes a look at Philip Van Doren Stern鈥檚 short story, The Greatest Gift.
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Comet in Moominland
Sat 23 Dec 2023
John Yorke takes a look at Tove Jansson's 1946 novel Comet in Moominland.
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A Grain of Wheat
Sun 17 Dec 2023
John Yorke looks at A Grain of Wheat, Ng农g末 wa Thiong鈥檕鈥檚 groundbreaking Kenyan novel.
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Kiss of the Spider Woman
Sun 10 Dec 2023
John Yorke explores the classic of modern Argentinian literature, Kiss of the Spiderwoman.
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A Many-Splendoured Thing - Episode 2
Sun 3 Dec 2023
John Yorke delves into Han Suyin鈥檚 fascinating love story A Many-Splendoured Thing.
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A Many-Splendoured Thing - Episode 1
Sun 26 Nov 2023
John Yorke delves into Han Suyin鈥檚 fascinating love story A Many-Splendoured Thing.
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The Betrothed - Episode 2
Sun 12 Nov 2023
John Yorke explores the Italian 19th century classic novel The Betrothed.
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The Betrothed - Episode 1
Sun 5 Nov 2023
John Yorke explores the Italian 19th century classic novel The Betrothed.
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She Who Was No More
Sun 29 Oct 2023
John Yorke looks at 1952鈥檚 She Who Was No More by French duo Boileau-Narcejac.
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The Mahabharata - Episode 2
Sun 22 Oct 2023
John Yorke looks at the Hindu story that is one of the world鈥檚 greatest epics.
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The Mahabharata - Episode 1
Sun 15 Oct 2023
John Yorke looks at the Hindu story that is one of the world鈥檚 greatest epics.
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Lark Rise to Candleford - Episode 2
Sun 8 Oct 2023
John Yorke explores Flora Thompson鈥檚 much-loved book Lark Rise to Candleford.
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Lark Rise to Candleford - Episode 1
Sun 1 Oct 2023
John Yorke explores Flora Thompson鈥檚 much-loved book Lark Rise to Candleford.
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If on a Winter's Night a Traveller
Sun 24 Sep 2023
John Yorke takes a look at Italo Calvino's novel If On A Winter's Night A Traveller.
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Democracy in America
Sun 17 Sep 2023
John Yorke takes a look at Alexis de Tocqueville鈥檚 seminal work, Democracy in America.
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The Three Musketeers - Episode 2
Sun 10 Sep 2023
John Yorke unpicks the sometimes overlooked aspects of The Three Musketeers.
