The Verb

The underground world of sewers

Saturday 1 July 2006 22:00-22:40 (Radio 3)

Sukhdev Sandhu takes us on another of his literary nocturnal journeys - deep into the underground world of sewers.

Duration:

40 minutes

Programme Details

This week on The Verb, Ian McMillan is joined by Belgian writer Amelie Nothomb, whose novels sell by the hundred thousand across Europe, and who is the subject of Amelie Day in France, where ardent fans dress like her and speak in dialogue from her novels. Despite penning fifteen works so far, only a handful of Nothomb's books have made it into English translation, the latest of which is her memoir The Life of Hunger. On The Verb, Nothomb discusses the thin line between fiction and memoir in all of her writing, and explains how she deals with the weight of expectation brought about by her cult status in France.

Also on the programme, there's a look at the rich poetic landscape of Portugal as The Verb continues its poetry guide to the countries playing against England in the World Cup. There's another beguiling instalment of cultural detective Sukhdev Sandhu's Night Haunts series and also some arresting performance from monologist, Sophie Woolley. Plus, writer John Mullan explains why a recent survey on the most commonly used nouns today gives us cause for celebration about our linguistic heritage.

That's The Verb, with Ian McMillan at the slightly later time of 22.00 here on BBC Radio 3.

Additional Information:
- The Life Of Hunger by Amelie Nothomb is published by Faber & Faber
- For more on Sukhdev Sandhu's Night Haunts series visit www.nighthaunts.org.uk
- Sophie Woolley will be performing When to Run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival from 4-28 August 2006, and will then be touring England across Autumn/Winter 2006. For more on Sophie go to www.sophiewoolley.com

Producer: Aasiya Lodhi

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