Edna O'Brien on The Little Red Chairs
Edna O'Brien talks to Mariella Frostrup about her novel The Little Red Chairs, and New York novelists talk about the appeal to writers of the city's recent past.
Irish novelist Edna O'Brien, now in her eighties, has just published The Little Red Chairs, an ambitious and disturbing novel which Philip Roth has decribed as 'her masterpiece'. It starts with the arrival of a war criminal in a small village on the west coast of Ireland, and moves to London and the Hague as it it considers the impact of his terrible crimes, and investigates the nature of evil. Edna O'Brien talks to Mariella about researching her novel, and why she believes fiction should tackle difficult and troubling themes.
Also on the programme - a sense of place: Frank Barrett who has undertaken a literary pilgrimage around Britain and poet Paul Farley, former writer in residence at Dove Cottage, discuss the appeal of writers' homes and visiting the real life settings of our great novels. And Garth Risk Hallberg and other New York novelists discuss why that city's recent past is such an attractive setting for them.
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Edna O'Brien
Duration: 09:46
Garth Risk Hallberg
Duration: 08:11
Frank Barrett and Paul Farley
Duration: 09:16
Credits
Role Contributor Presenter Mariella Frostrup Interviewed Guest Edna O'Brien Interviewed Guest Frank Barrett Interviewed Guest Paul Farley Interviewed Guest Garth Risk Hallberg Broadcasts
- Sun 15 Nov 2015 16:00成人快手 Radio 4
- Thu 19 Nov 2015 15:30成人快手 Radio 4