Backlisted

Riddley Waker by Russel Hoban - Rerun


Listen Later

Classic literary sci-fi novel set in a post-apocalyptic Kent – this is a rerun of 2019 episode recorded live at the Port Eliot Festival. 


Riddley Walker is widely considered to be a post-war masterpiece. Anthony Burgess included it in his list of the 99 best novels published in the English language since 1939 saying ‘this is what literature is meant to be.’ Harold Bloom included it in his book The Western Canon, an examination of the work of 26 writers central to the development of Western literature. Hugh Kenner called it a book ‘where at first sight all the words are wrong, and at a second sight not a sentence is to be missed.’


To discuss it we were joined by the novelist Max Porter and the writer and critic Una McCormack. 


Max is the author of four novels. His work has been translated into thirty languages. He has appeared on episodes of Backlisted dedicated to Joyce Cary and Tarjei Vesaas. 


Una is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling science fiction writer who has written more than twenty novels based on TV shows such as Star Trek and Doctor Who. She has appeared on ten Backlisted episodes as well as this one, those dedicated to Georgette Heyer, Anita Brookner, William Golding, Tolkien, Terrance Dicks, Noel Streatfield, Winifred Holtby, Octavia Butler and our Sci-Fi special.


* To purchase any of the books mentioned in this episode please visit our bookshop at uk.bookshop.org/shop/backlisted where all profits help to sustain this podcast and UK independent bookshops.

* For information about everything mentioned in this episode visit www.backlisted.fm

*If you'd like to support the show and join in with the book chat, listen without adverts, receive the show early and with extra bonus fortnightly episodes, become a Patreon at www.patreon.com/backlisted

*You can sign up to our free monthly newsletter here 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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

BacklistedBy Backlisted

  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7

4.7

540 ratings


More shows like Backlisted

View all
The Penguin Podcast by Penguin Books UK

The Penguin Podcast

145 Listeners

Arts & Ideas by BBC Radio 4

Arts & Ideas

295 Listeners

World Book Club by BBC World Service

World Book Club

362 Listeners

Books and Authors by BBC Radio 4

Books and Authors

385 Listeners

The LRB Podcast by The London Review of Books

The LRB Podcast

283 Listeners

Bookclub by BBC Radio 4

Bookclub

229 Listeners

London Review Bookshop Podcast by London Review Bookshop

London Review Bookshop Podcast

116 Listeners

The TLS Podcast by The TLS

The TLS Podcast

184 Listeners

The Shakespeare and Company Interview by Shakespeare and Company

The Shakespeare and Company Interview

85 Listeners

The History of Literature by Jacke Wilson / The Podglomerate

The History of Literature

1,090 Listeners

The Book Club by The Spectator

The Book Club

8 Listeners

The Book Club Review by The Book Club Review

The Book Club Review

123 Listeners

The Waterstones Podcast by Waterstones

The Waterstones Podcast

39 Listeners

Shedunnit by Caroline Crampton

Shedunnit

695 Listeners

Close Readings by London Review of Books

Close Readings

54 Listeners