The Written Word
A celebration of programmes and clips dedicated to the craft of writing
John Osborne—The Write Stuff, Series 17
James Walton tests his guests on their literary knowledge.
Release date:
![]()
Ade Adepitan and Dominic Holland—A Good Read
Paralympian Ade Adepitan and comedian Dominic Holland talk books with Harriett Gilbert.
Release date:
Newspeak—Word of Mouth
Chris Ledgard explores Orwell's dystopian vision of the future of language - Newspeak.
Release date:
Jessie Burton and Summer Reads—Open Book
Mariella Frostrup talks to Jessie Burton, author of the bestselling The Miniaturist.
Release date:
Rachel Johnson meets Michael Frayn—One to One
Rachel Johnson talks to author Michael Frayn about the struggles of writing fiction.
Release date:
Rachel Johnson meets AL Kennedy—One to One
Rachel Johnson talks to writer AL Kennedy about the struggles of writing fiction.
Release date:
Tales From the Digital Archive
Christine Finn explores how authors' archive is kept, now they write on screens not paper.
Release date:
How Dolly Got Rotherham Reading
Sarfraz Manzoor meets Dolly Parton to discover her 'Imagination Library'
Release date:
Literature—In Our Time, The Written World
How the written word, originally used for accountancy, gave rise to human literature.
Release date:
Women in Publishing—Woman's Hour
Author Kate Mosse presents a themed edition of Woman's Hour on publishing.
Release date:
Kaye Webb—Publishing Lives, Series 2
Robert McCrum explores the life of Kaye Webb, founder of the Puffin Club.
Release date:
![]()
Reading—In Our Time
The history of the politics, practice and process of reading.
Release date:
Does Happiness Write White?
Why do writers find happiness such a difficult emotion to capture on the page?
Release date:
Masculinity in Literature—In Our Time
Melvyn Bragg investigates the changing ideals of masculinity in 20th century literature.
Release date:
Norah Smallwood—Publishing Lives, Series 2
Robert McCrum on the life of Norah Smallwood, Britain's first woman publishing leader.
Release date:
![]()
Psychoanalysis and Literature—In Our Time
Melvyn Bragg assesses the role of Freudian analysis in understanding literature.
Release date:
The Novel—In Our Time
Melvyn Bragg and guests consider the development and the future of the novel.
Release date:
Writing and Political Oppression—In Our Time
Melvyn Bragg examines whether writers have a political role in modern society.
Release date:
Victor Gollancz—Publishing Lives, Series 2
Robert McCrum explores the life of Victor Gollancz, George Orwell's publisher.
Release date:
![]()
The Epic—In Our Time
The history of the epic, from Homer's Odyssey to Joyce’s Ulysses.
Release date:
Paul Hamlyn—Publishing Lives, Series 2
How Paul Hamlyn spearheaded the non-fiction revolution.
Release date:
![]()
Carmen Callil—Publishing Lives, Series 2
Robert McCrum explores the publishing life of Carmen Callil, founder of Virago Press.
Release date:
![]()
Literary Modernism—In Our Time
Melvyn Bragg examines the movement that embraced Joyce, DH Lawrence and Virginia Woolf.
Release date:
Pastoral Literature—In Our Time
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss pastoral literature from Virgil to Dylan Thomas.
Release date:
