The Verb

Brazil - Experiments in Living


Listen Later

This week Ian McMillan dives into the word 'Brazil' and 'Brazilian', discovering irony, fusion and confusion, and the astonishing ability of one of its most famous novelists, Clarice Lispector, to dilate time. He also translates a Brazilian poem into Yorkshire dialect to see what happens to the tone.

Toby Litt

The novelist Toby Litt has become fascinated by the novels of Clarice Lispector, and responds with his own fiction in this, her centenary year. Lispector was born in Ukraine but spent much of her childhood in Recife, also living as an adult in Europe and the USA, as well as Rio de Janeiro. Toby is intrigued by her ability to 'dilate time', something he was also praised for achieving in his most recent novel 'Patience' (Galley Beggar ).
https://tobylitt.wordpress.com/

Victor Esses

Victor Esses is a Brazilian theatre and performance maker and a live artist based in London. He is interested in participation, autobiographical material, storytelling and multimedia as ways to investigate belonging. He performs part of his show 'Where to Belong' and discusses the way he involves the audience in his show.
https://www.victoresses.com

Angélica Freitas

Angélica Freitas grew up in Pelotas in Brazil and her poetry collections include 'Rilke Shake' and 'Um útero é do tamanho de um punho' ('The Uterus Is the Size of a Fist'). The Verb finds out why she feels there is a symmetry for her between the two words 'Brazil and 'Woman' . Ian McMillan's shares with her a Yorkshire Dialect version of her poem ('I sleep with myself' ) which he's written specially for this show.

Natan Barreto

Natan Barreto was born in Salvador, Brazil, and is now based in London. He explains why Clarice Lispector is such an important writer not just nationally for Brazilians, but also internationally; he also explores her sensibility and the importance of language and Brazilian landscape to his writing. Natan is the author of six collections of poetry in Portuguese, including 'A Backyard and Other Corners'. He is about to publish his first novel.
http://www.natanbarreto.com/

A Brazilian bilingual book club can be accessed via this website:

http://londres.itamaraty.gov.br/en-us/book_club.xml

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The VerbBy BBC Radio 4

  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4

4.4

30 ratings


More shows like The Verb

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,699 Listeners

From Our Own Correspondent by BBC Radio 4

From Our Own Correspondent

374 Listeners

More or Less by BBC Radio 4

More or Less

882 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,056 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,537 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,798 Listeners

Arts & Ideas by BBC Radio 4

Arts & Ideas

299 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,762 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,033 Listeners

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4 by BBC Radio 4

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4

2,093 Listeners

Desert Island Discs by BBC Radio 4

Desert Island Discs

2,012 Listeners

Great Lives by BBC Radio 4

Great Lives

499 Listeners

The Food Programme by BBC Radio 4

The Food Programme

266 Listeners

Page 94: The Private Eye Podcast by Page 94: The Private Eye Podcast

Page 94: The Private Eye Podcast

410 Listeners

Backlisted by Backlisted

Backlisted

584 Listeners

London Review Bookshop Podcast by London Review Bookshop

London Review Bookshop Podcast

135 Listeners

Thinking Allowed by BBC Radio 4

Thinking Allowed

309 Listeners

Front Row by BBC Radio 4

Front Row

130 Listeners

Word of Mouth by BBC Radio 4

Word of Mouth

63 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,160 Listeners

The Missing Cryptoqueen by BBC Sounds

The Missing Cryptoqueen

1,004 Listeners

The Bomb by BBC World Service

The Bomb

1,003 Listeners

This Cultural Life by BBC Radio 4

This Cultural Life

119 Listeners