This week, Mary Beard squares up to the gorefest of Gladiator II; and Alan Hollinghurst in conversation at the Cambridge Literary Festival.

'Gladiator II', various cinemas

'Our Evenings', by Alan Hollinghurst

Produced by Charlotte Pardy

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This week, Lauren Elkin on a Nobel Prize-winner's obsession with images; and Judith Flanders assesses bold claims about the origins of contemporary English.

'The Use of Photography', by Annie Ernaux and Marc Marie, translated by Alison L. Strayer

'La Langue Anglaise N'existe Pas: C’est du français mal prononcé', by Bernard Cerquiglini

Produced by Charlotte Pardy

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This week, Toby Lichtig talks to the new Booker Prize-winner Samantha Harvey about her voyage to the stars; and TLS contributors choose their books of the year.

‘Orbital’, by Samantha Harvey

Produced by Charlotte Pardy

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This week, Norma Clarke explores the world of 18th-century chameleon Mary Robinson; and Devoney Looser on a soccer player's passion for Virginia Woolf.

'Mary Robinson: Actress, mistress, writer, radical',  Chawton House, Chawton, Hampshire, until April 21, 2025 

'The Striker and the Clock: On Being in the Game', by Georgia Cloepfil

Produced by Charlotte Pardy

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This week, Mary Beard reports on the American election from her billet on Pennysylvania Avenue; plus Regina Rini opens a can of temporal worms in a quest to cure worry.

Produced by Charlotte Pardy

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In a special interview, Lucy Dallas meets artist William Kentridge to explore his new set of films.

'Self-Portrait as a Coffee-Pot', by William Kentridge, available on Mubi

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This week, Oonagh Devitt Tremblay is intrigued by the multiple voices in Sarah Moss's new memoir; and Lucy Dallas speaks to artist William Kentridge.

'My Good Bright Wolf', by Sarah Moss

'Self-Portrait as a Coffee-Pot', by William Kentridge, streaming on Mubi 

Produced by Charlotte Pardy

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This week, Yoojin Grace Wuertz celebrates this year’s Nobel Laureate in literature, South Korea’s Han Kang; and David Morley reads his new poem, and discusses the link between birds, music and poetry.

‘The Vegetarian’, ‘Human Acts’ and ‘Greek Lessons’, by Han Kang

‘Beethoven’s Yellowhammer’, by David Morley

Produced by Charlotte Pardy

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This week, Lisa Hilton on the truth behind life as a 'grand horizontale'; and Juliette Bretan explores why Virginia Woolf served up boeuf en daube in To the Lighthouse.

'Kingmaker: Pamela Churchill Harriman’s astonishing life of seduction, intrigue and power', by Sonia Purnell

'Europe in British Literature and Culture', edited by Petra Rau and William T Rossiter

Produced by Charlotte Pardy

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This week, Larry Wolff admires an opera propelled by drone warfare; and Edward Carey describes how a love of theatre inspired his new novel.

'Grounded', by Jeanine Tesori, libretto by George Brant, Metropolitan Opera, New York, until October 19

'Edith Holler', by Edward Carey

Produced by Charlotte Pardy

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