logo
episode-header-image
Apr 2023
45m 22s

Mary Renault's Worldbuilding

THE LONDON REVIEW OF BOOKS
About this episode

Miranda Carter joins Tom to talk about the life and historical fiction of Mary Renault, whose popular and ingenious retellings of stories from Ancient Greece have never been out of print. They discuss her eventful life, which took her from Edwardian East London to apartheid South Africa, and her meticulous classical reconstructions.

Find further reading on the episode page: lrb.me/maryrenaultpod

Subscribe to Close Readings Plus: lrb.me/closereadings



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Today
Lessons from the Peace Process
Adam is joined by Robert Malley to discuss the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, and the long history of the peace process, in which Malley has been involved on behalf of several US administrations. They also talk about his recent book about the conflict, Tomorrow Is Yesterday, ... Show More
1 h
Oct 8
Why should we listen to Amanda Knox?
It's nearly eighteen years since Amanda Knox was arrested on suspicion of murdering her housemate Meredith Kercher in Perugia, and more than ten since she was finally exonerated of the crime. She has just written her second book, Free, which, as Jessica Olin wrote recently in the ... Show More
44m 48s
Oct 1
On Politics: The Death of the Conservative Party?
In its nearly two hundred years of existence the Conservative Party has survived through a combination of protean adaptability and ruthlessness, not least in its willingness to change leaders. Yet under its present leader, Kemi Badenoch, the party often described (by itself, at l ... Show More
55m 22s
Recommended Episodes
Jan 2024
Ep 3: Breaking Through
By 1928, Eunice left the glamor of the Harlem Renaissance behind for the austere world of law school. She is dreaming of making a bigger impact on the world. As she separates herself from the legacy of her parents, and from the rest of her community, what will it cost Eunice to s ... Show More
47m 12s
Nov 2023
Marie Anne Adelaide Lenormand, The Empress’s Oracle
Lenormand was a fortune-teller in France in the 19th century. She was hugely influential, because despite her work being illegal, very important and powerful people consulted her for cartomancy readings. Research:  "Marie Anne Lenormand." Encyclopedia of World Biography Online, v ... Show More
39m 58s
Apr 2022
SMNTY Classics: Mary Seacole
Time for another Female Firsts! Yves joins us to share the story of Mary Seacole, author of what is considered the first autobiography by a Black woman in Britain in this classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
51m 59s
Sep 2023
Introducing: The Godmother
In the 1930s, Lucky Luciano, one of American history’s most notorious mobsters, was finally taken down by a rookie prosecutor, Eunice Carter. She was one of the first Black Women ever to become a prosecutor in America. She changed the course of  history, but she has largely been ... Show More
2m 56s
Feb 2024
Agatha Christie, l’étrange reine du crime (1/3)
Hercule Poirot et Miss Marple, les héros des romans d'Agatha Christie, sont célèbres dans le monde entier. Leur autrice, quant à elle, garde sa part de mystère. Experte dans l’art du suspense, elle déroule ses intrigues haletantes jusqu’aux dernières pages. Mais la vie de l’écriv ... Show More
31m 27s
Jan 2024
Introducing: The Godmother
In the 1930s, Lucky Luciano, one of American history’s most notorious mobsters, was finally taken down by a rookie prosecutor. Eunice Carter was one of the first Black Women ever to become a prosecutor in America. She operated from the heart of the Harlem Renaissance to navigate ... Show More
2m 56s
Sep 2021
Miriam Margolyes
You are the sum of everyone who’s come before you in your family, and it can be useful to learn about your ancestors in order to understand how much of their character is in you. Actress Miriam Margolyes has a passion for genealogy and family trees; in this chat with Fearne, she ... Show More
43m 11s
Dec 2022
Writing the self | Meg Rosoff
How do we know if a story is worth telling? Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimesIn this interview, award-winning writer and author of 'How I Live Now', Meg Rosoff, provides an insight into her writing philosophy. She discusses her or ... Show More
11m 9s
Jan 2024
Ep 1: Atlanta
In 1930s New York, infamous mob boss Lucky Luciano is standing trial. His story will inspire Hollywood retellings for decades to come. But beneath the mythology, there’s another story being overshadowed. That of the woman who masterminded his downfall: Eunice Carter. She was one ... Show More
43m 3s