Best Philip Pullmans Podcasts (2024)

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12. Philip Pullman 49:44

6M ago49:44

49:44

Kirsty Young talks to the author Philip Pullman about what he’s learned from his life so far. Pullman is the acclaimed novelist behind global bestsellers like His Dark Materials. He recounts the story of his own childhood, how he still contemplates the mystery of his father’s death, and why he owes his literary success to hard work. If you could ha…

1
11. Mel B 50:29

6M ago50:29

50:29

Kirsty Young talks to the pop star Melanie Brown about what she’s learned from her life so far. Mel B is the girl from Leeds who became a global superstar with the Spice Girls. Glamour, fortune, drugs, violence, redemption and healing, her life has an air of make believe - except, of course, she has actually lived it. If you could have a conversati…

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10. Alastair Campbell 56:51

6M ago56:51

56:51

Kirsty Young talks to the former spin doctor Alastair Campbell about what he’s learned from his life so far. From the bagpipes to New Labour, geopolitics to Burnley FC, Alastair Campbell is passionate about his interests and deeply tribal in his allegiances. But does he ever allow these passions to cloud his judgement? Having been a key figure in T…

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9. Sir Grayson Perry 52:34

7M ago52:34

52:34

Kirsty Young talks to the artist Sir Grayson Perry about what he’s learned from his life so far. Once cross-dressing punk rebel, now ennobled member of the British establishment, Grayson Perry’s extraordinary life has given him plenty of material to inspire his art. He reflects on how his traumatic childhood resulted in him retreating into a rich f…

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8. Melinda French Gates 50:08

7M ago50:08

50:08

Kirsty Young talks to philanthropist Melinda French Gates about what she’s learned from her life so far. A computer scientist by training, she dated her boss and became one half of one of the world’s most famous power couples. But as she travelled a road paved with gold, French Gates describes the tough lessons she learned along the way, the danger…

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7. Peter Capaldi 54:05

7M ago54:05

54:05

Kirsty Young talks to the actor Peter Capaldi about what he’s learned from his life so far. Celebrated for iconic TV roles as Doctor Who and as Malcolm Tucker in The Thick Of It, Capaldi’s 40-year career also includes an Oscar in 1995 for work behind the camera. He reflects on his journey from a Glasgow tenement block, how he owes his career to a l…

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Welcome back 2:02

8M ago2:02

2:02

Kirsty Young is back with a new set of intriguing guests.By BBC Radio 4

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William Blake's poetry with Philip Pullman 56:16

8M ago56:16

56:16

William Blake’s poetry and prose. We visit Sir Philip at home to discuss the poet who has ‘inspired and intoxicated’ him for the last sixty years. In Philip’s book-lined sitting room we discuss Blake’s most loved works: his Songs of Innocence and of Experience, The Marriage of Heaven and Hell and Auguries of Innocence. Pullman has written frequentl…

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Giovanni’s Room with Caryl Phillips 1:11:09

8M ago1:11:09

1:11:09

James Baldwin in Paris. On the rain-soaked boulevards, the novelist Caryl Phillips discusses Baldwin's exquisite same-sex love story, drinking in the Cafe de Flore and exploring Saint Germain des Prés. Phillips, who knew James Baldwin, wrote the introduction to the Penguin Modern Classics edition of Giovanni’s Room and an unfilmed screenplay of the…

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John Donne's poetry with Katherine Rundell 1:19:35

8M ago1:19:35

1:19:35

John Donne’s poetry and prose in London. The scholar and children’s author Katherine Rundell traces the life and paradoxical career of John Donne from the street where he was born, through the palaces and colleges where he worked to the cathedral where he preached and now lies buried. In 2022 Rundell won the Baillie-Gifford Prize for her biography …

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We Have Always Lived in the Castle with Ruth Franklin 1:15:38

8M ago1:15:38

1:15:38

Shirley Jackson in North Bennington, Vermont. Award-winning biographer Ruth Franklin visits the small village of North Bennington, where Jackson lived for twenty years. We stand in the square where Jackson imagined 'The Lottery' and conjure the ghost of Merricat Blackwood as she collects her sinister groceries in Jackson’s last and greatest novel, …

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Angela Carter's Fairy Tales with Marina Warner 1:12:48

9M ago1:12:48

1:12:48

Angela Carter’s Fairy Tales of Charles Perrault. In Dame Marina Warner's magical home in North London, the historian and mythographer discusses Perrault's Tales of Mother Goose and their English translation by Angela Carter, as well as Carter’s own Bloody Chamber and Other Stories. Our wide-ranging conversation covers Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, B…

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A Christmas Carol with Simon Callow – Christmas Special 2023 1:12:43

9M ago1:12:43

1:12:43

Charles Dickens in London. For this festive Christmas Special, the actor and author Simon Callow joins Henry to summon the ghost of Ebeneezer Scrooge and follow him around the City of London, starting at Cornhill, taking in Leadenhall Market and meeting all three Spirits of Christmas. A Christmas Carol, Dickens’s best loved novel, was published on …

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A Clockwork Orange with Jeff Noon and Andrew Biswell 1:17:20

10M ago1:17:20

1:17:20

Anthony Burgess in East Sussex. On the 30th anniversary of Burgess’s death, the science fiction author Jeff Noon and the biographer Andrew Biswell travel East Sussex with Henry, visiting the rented flat where Burgess began writing A Clockwork Orange, O my brothers, and the quiet village where he finished it, taking in a pub, a prison, ultra violenc…

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J.R.R. Tolkien: The Making of a Philologist 49:28

10M ago49:28

49:28

A talk by Professor Simon Horobin on Tolkien's long-standing career and interest in philology as part of the Tolkien 50th Commemoration seminar series. A talk by Professor Simon Horobin on Tolkien's long-standing career and interest in philology. Part of the series to mark the 50th anniversary of Tolkien's death organised and hosted by Exeter Colle…

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Tolkien and Beowulf 49:37

10M ago49:37

49:37

A talk by Dr Laura Varnam on Tolkien's long engagement with the Old English poem 'Beowulf' as part of the Tolkien 50th Commemoration seminar series. A talk by Dr Laura Varnam, University College, Oxford, on Tolkien's long engagement with the Old English poem 'Beowulf'. Part of the series to mark the 50th anniversary of Tolkien's death organised and…

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A Heroic History of the Elves: Tolkien’s “lost” Mythology of England? 54:50

10M ago54:50

54:50

A talk by PhD candidate Grace Khuri, University of Oxford, on Tolkien's Elvish history and English 'mythology', as part of the Tolkien 50th Commemoration seminar series. A talk by PhD candidate Grace Khuri, University of Oxford, on Tolkien's Elvish history and English 'mythology'.. Part of the series to mark the 50th anniversary of Tolkien's death …

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Tolkien and the Classics 50:59

10M ago50:59

50:59

A talk by Professor Giuseppe Pezzini on the influences of Classical Literature on Tolkien. [Audio only] A talk by Professor Giuseppe Pezzini, Faculty of Classics, Oxford, on the influences of Classical Literature on Tolkien.. Part of the series to mark the 50th anniversary of Tolkien's death organised and hosted by Exeter College and the Faculty of…

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Peak Middle-earth: Why Mount Doom is not the climax of 'The Lord of the Rings' 43:20

10M ago43:20

43:20

Audio only recording by Dr Michael Ward, Faculty of Theology, University of Oxford, as part of the Tolkien 50th Commemoration seminar series. [Audio only] Consideration of the climax to 'The Lord of the Rings' and in particular events at the Field of Cormallen. Part of the series to mark the 50th anniversary of Tolkien's death organised and hosted …

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How to write 'The Lord of the Rings' 58:41

10M ago58:41

58:41

A lecture by Dr S Lee as part of the Tolkien 50th Commemoration seminar series. A look at how Tolkien wrote 'The Lord of the Rings' and what lessons can be learnt from this. Part of the series to mark the 50th anniversary of Tolkien's death organised and hosted by Exeter College and the Faculty of English.…

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Farewell, My Lovely with Dick Lochte 1:04:14

10M ago1:04:14

1:04:14

Raymond Chandler in Santa Monica. As well as The Big Sleep and The Long Goodbye, we discuss Farewell, My Lovely, Chandler’s favourite of his own novels, as we walk the noir streets of ‘Bay City’ – or Santa Monica in Southern California – retracing Philip Marlowe's footsteps from City Hall to Santa Monica Pier, and chatting about Dick's hard-boiled …

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Frankenstein with Anil Seth and Fiona Sampson 1:14:09

10M ago1:14:09

1:14:09

Mary Shelley in Bath. Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin finished writing Frankenstein while lodging in Bath and attending lectures on electricity and galvanism. We visit the Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution and the recently opened Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein with the neuroscientist Anil Seth (author of Being You) and the poet and bi…

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Pride and Prejudice with Monica Ali 1:15:04

10M ago1:15:04

1:15:04

Jane Austen in Chawton. The novelist Monica Ali joins Henry to visit Jane Austen’s House in Chawton, Hampshire, where Austen wrote all of her novels – as well as nearby Chawton House, once owned by Austen’s brother Edward and now home to the Centre for the Study of Early Women’s Writing. Penguin Classics edition of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Auste…

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6. Jada Pinkett Smith 43:54

10M ago43:54

43:54

Kirsty Young talks to actor and producer Jada Pinkett Smith about the lessons she has learned from her life so far. Jada explains the impact of her parents’ drug addiction and her early experiences of Baltimore street life on her mental health and subsequent relationships. She reflects on her marriage to actor Will Smith and why she has chosen to g…

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The Haunting of Hill House with Ruth Franklin – Halloween Special 2023 45:54

11M ago45:54

45:54

Shirley Jackson in Bennington, Vermont. For this spooky Halloween special, award-winning biographer Ruth Franklin joins Henry to haunt the eery corridors of the derelict Everett Mansion, the house that may well have inspired the greatest ghost story ever written, The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson. Penguin Modern Classics edition of The …

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5. Steve Coogan 28:31

11M ago28:31

28:31

Kirsty Young talks to comedian and actor Steve Coogan about what he's learned from his life so far. He describes his evolution from impressionist and stand-up comedian to award-winning actor, and reflects on how fame offered him a hedonistic lifestyle that quickly caught the attention of the tabloid press. What advice would he give his younger self…

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Season 4 Trailer 1:45

11M ago1:45

1:45

On the Road with Penguin Classics is the literary podcast that takes a stroll around the world's favourite books. In each episode, author Henry Eliot travels to a different location to discuss a great work of literature with a different guest. In series four, Henry's guests include Monica Ali, Katherine Rundell, Simon Callow, Marina Warner, Caryl P…

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4. Naomi Klein 28:36

11M ago28:36

28:36

In Young Again Kirsty Young asks her guests what advice they would give to their younger selves. In this episode Naomi Klein shares the origins of her political activism. Having shot to fame aged 29 with the anti-globalisation bestseller No Logo, Naomi Klein has gone on to publish several books about politics, climate, capitalism and the disorienti…

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3. Jamie Oliver 28:51

12M ago28:51

28:51

In Young Again, Kirsty Young asks her guests what advice they would give to their younger selves and in this episode Jamie Oliver shares with Kirsty the ups and downs of his career. Despite having always struggled with the written word he’s published 25 cookbooks and is one of the UK’s best-selling authors. His original dream was to run a country p…

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2. Daniel Kaluuya 28:28

12M ago28:28

28:28

Kirsty Young talks to the movie star Daniel Kaluuya, about what he’s learned from his life so far. He grew up in Camden, North London and first found success as an actor and also writer of the teen drama Skins. An acclaimed career in Hollywood has followed, with an Academy Award in 2021 for his role in Judas and the Black Messiah. His first feature…

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1. Linda Evangelista 28:17

12M ago28:17

28:17

Kirsty Young talks to legendary supermodel Linda Evangelista about what she’s learned from her life so far. After a career spanning 40 years, in early September 2023 she released a retrospective book with photographer Steven Meisel. As one of the first international supermodels, she reflects on listening to your parents, the infamous “$10,000 a day…

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Welcome to Young Again 2:10

1y ago2:10

2:10

Kirsty Young takes her guests back to meet their younger selves and asks the question: if you knew then, what you know now... what would you tell yourself?By BBC Radio 4

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Dust041: His Dark Materials S3E07-08 Part 2

1+ y ago

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Matt and Holly have a good cry as they review His Dark Materials S3E08 “The Botanic Garden”, as well as going through your feedback one last time. This is our final podcast but we want to sincerely extend our thanks to you listeners for your ears and for sharing your thoughts.The podcast's social media atoms are still floating about so stay in touc…

1
Dust040: His Dark Materials S3E07-08 Part 1

1+ y ago

—

Matt and Holly take a deep breath and review His Dark Materials S3E07 “The Clouded Mountain”, as well as giving three word descriptions for both that episode AND the Series Finale. They also do the drawing for the contest winners! Our part two, focusing on the finale, will be out around 24 hours after the release of this episode. The podcast will b…

1
Dust039: His Dark Materials S3E07-08 Music

1+ y ago

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Matt takes one final look at Lorne Balfe’s score for His Dark Materials, examining S3E07 “The Clouded Mountain” and S3E08 “The Botanical Garden”. The podcasts will end after our next show, but we’ll still be around to talk. Tweet @thedustpodcast, Hive or Mastodon MattsAudioBlog, use the contact form at mattsaudioblog.com or comment on the Double P …

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Dust038: His Dark Materials S3E05 and S3E06

2y ago

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Holly’s Holiday Hiatus (a triple H) leaves Matt to discuss His Dark Materials S3E05 “No Way Out” and S3E06 “The Abyss” all by himself! How did he do? Tweet @thedustpodcast, hive or mastodon MattsAudioBlog, send emails to mattsaudioblog@gmail.com, comment at mattsaudioblog.com or at the Double P Media YouTube youtube.com/c/doublepmedia! Submit feedb…

1
Dust037: His Dark Materials S3E05-06 Music Analysis

2y ago

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Matt explores a lot of the music from His Dark Materials S3E05 and S3E06! We want your feedback! So much so that we’re giving away 2 HDM Funko pops in the Series Finale Podcast! Send your thoughts or 3 word descriptions regarding any Season 3 episodes to us by Noon Pacific Time on Wednesday December 28,2022 and you are entered! Tweet @thedustpodcas…

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Dust036: His Dark Materials S3E03-04 Extra Music Analysis

2y ago

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Matt further discusses the music in S3E03 ““The Intention Craft” and S3E04 “Lyra and her Death”. We want you to win our listener contest! Enter by submitting your feedback to the podcast! Tweet @thedustpodcast, email mattsaudioblog@gmail.com, Hive or Mastodon MattsAudioblog, comment on the web site mattsaudioblog.com, or comment on the YouTube vide…

1
Dust035: His Dark Materials S3E03 and S3E04

2y ago

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Matt and Holly talk about His Dark Materials S3E03 ““The Intention Craft” and S3E02 “Lyra and her Death”, give ratings and three words descriptions, play the highschool debate team game with their “What’s Worst” segment, and a special guest stops by to host “Would You Show Up For It?” - Matt covers new themes and new twists with old favorites in th…

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Dust034: His Dark Materials S3E01 and S3E02

2y ago

—

Matt and Holly talk about His Dark Materials S3E01 “The Enchanted Sleeper” and S3E02 “The Break”, give ratings and three words descriptions and play the highschool debate team game with their “What’s Worst” segment! Matt covers new themes and old favorites in the musical analysis segment. We want your feedback on the story! Tweet @thedustpodcast, e…

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Dust033: His Dark Materials Series 3 Music from Lorne Balfe

2y ago

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Matt breaks down five compositions by series composer Lorne Balfe (@LorneBalfe on socials and https://lornebalfe.com/) for His Dark Materials Series 3. We will be releasing podcasts covering two Series 3 episodes each week on Thursdays so get your feedback into us as soon as you see the episodes. Tweet @thedustpodcast (while twitter skill exists), …

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Eliot's Book of Bookish Lists – Christmas Special 2022 21:47

2y ago21:47

21:47

In this bonus episode, Henry introduces Eliot's Book of Bookish Lists, the perfect stocking-filler for book-lovers. Who had birds called Death, Wigs and Spinach? How do you spell the noise of a door slamming? Whose working title was The Chronic Argonauts? In this eclectic gallimaufry, Henry showcases some of his favourite literary lists: we witness…

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The Pilgrim’s Progress with Rachel Joyce 1:07:58

2y ago1:07:58

1:07:58

John Bunyan in Bedfordshire. The novelist Rachel Joyce joins Henry as they follow in the footsteps of Bunyan’s pilgrim Christian, as he walks from Bedford, or the City of Destruction, to London, the Celestial City. Along the way they visit the Slough of Despond (Elstow), the Palace Beautiful (Houghton House) and Vanity Fair (Ampthill). They start a…

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Season of Migration to the North with Leila Aboulela 1:12:26

2y ago1:12:26

1:12:26

Tayeb Salih in London. The novelist Leila Aboulela meets Henry in London to discuss Tayeb Salih’s Season of Migration to the North, which was voted the most important Arab novel of the 20th century by the Arab Literary Academy in Damascus. The novel is set in both a small village in northern Sudan and various locations in London, the city that Taye…

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The Book of Disquiet with Richard Zenith 1:08:44

2y ago1:08:44

1:08:44

Fernando Pessoa in Lisbon. The translator and biographer Richard Zenith meets Henry in Lisbon to sift the fragments of Fernando Pessoa’s extraordinary ‘non-book’, The Book of Disquiet. They visit the cafes where Pessoa liked to drink, they meet Clara Riso, director of the Casa Fernando Pessoa, and they walk from the hills of Lisbon to the edge of t…

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Dust032: His Dark Materials Spoiler Free S3 Trailer Talk

2y ago

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Matt breaks down (more like just describes) the S3 trailer from NYCC and HBO Max in a very spoiler free fashion! Tweet to @thedustpodcast and send emails to mattsaudioblog@gmail.com mp3By The Dust Podcast

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Maurice with Diarmuid Hester 1:10:27

2y ago1:10:27

1:10:27

E. M. Forster in Cambridge. The cultural historian Diarmuid Hester joins Henry to explore the streets and colleges of Cambridge before escaping to the greenwood to discuss Maurice by E. M. Forster, his novel of same-sex love that remained unpublished throughout his lifetime. Diarmuid and Henry visit King’s College, where Forster lived both as an un…

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The Hearing Trumpet with Joanna Moorhead 1:14:13

2y ago1:14:13

1:14:13

Leonora Carrington in the Ardèche. The journalist and biographer Joanna Moorhead joins Henry in the south of France to discuss her cousin, the surrealist artist and writer Leonora Carrington. They trace Carrington’s life story to Saint-Martin-d’Ardèche, where she lived with the artist Max Ernst, and discuss her spectacular feminist, eco-apocalypse …

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Confessions of an English Opium Eater with Will Self 1:15:41

2y ago1:15:41

1:15:41

Thomas de Quincey & William S. Burroughs in Soho. The novelist Will Self joins Henry in London to explore the opium dreams and heroin nightmares of Thomas de Quincey’s Confessions of an English Opium Eater and William S. Burrough’s Junky. They walk from Oxford Street to Covent Garden, and along the way they also discuss The Diary of a Drug Fiend by…

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Season 3 Trailer 1:49

2y ago1:49

1:49

On the Road with Penguin Classics is the literary podcast that takes a stroll around the world's favourite books. In each episode, author Henry Eliot travels to a different literary location to explore a brilliant book in the company of remarkable readers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

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