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BBC Radio 4 is a radio channel that started transmitting on the 30th September 1967. It replaced BBC Home Service.

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Open Book

Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media

Programme looking at new fiction and non-fiction books

Programme looking at new fiction and non-fiction books, talking to authors and publishers and unearthing lost classics

BBC Radio 4 LW

Mariella Frostrup

Scott Turow

Andrea Kidd

Open Book: Scott Turow; Paul Bailey and Manda Scot on gay literature; Charlie Hill

17/11/2013

Scott Turow; Paul Bailey and Manda Scot on gay literature; Charlie Hill

BBC Radio 4 - Open Book, Scott Turow; Paul Bailey and Manda Scot on gay literature; Charlie Hill

Scott Turow talks to Mariella Frostrup about his new novel Identical.

Scott Turow talks to Mariella Frostrup about his new thriller Identical; Paul Bailey and Manda Scott on gay literature; Charlie Hill on fiction that's bad for your health.

Scott Turow talks about his latest novel Identical, a dark thriller set amongst America's warring political families, which he's based around the Greek myth of the twins Castor and Pollox. Turow's identical twin boys are Paul and Cass Gianis - one of whom pleaded guilty to murder and served 25 years in prison, but were they both implicit?

November sees the re-issue of The Charioteers by Mary Renault, marking the 60th anniversary of the first publication of the book. It has been described by many as a landmark work in gay literature, coming out when it did in 1953 at a time when male homosexuality was still banned in the UK. To discuss this ground-breaking novel and others which highlighted the lives and issues surrounding same sex relationships, Mariella is joined by Manda Scott, Chair of the Historical Writers' Association and the author of the Boudicca and Rome series and the writer Paul Bailey, who as a young man was part of that underground world that Mary Renault was addressing.

Charlie Hill discusses mediocre literature and a book so badly written that reading it could damage your health. It's the plot of his new novel, aptly called 'Books' which charts the war waged by Richard , a booze soaked, dog eared Brummie bookshop owner, against Gary, the bestselling author of 'male-confessional-lad-lit', whose book is so mediocre that it proves fatal to its readership.

Producer: Andrea Kidd.

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

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Scott Turow; Paul Bailey and Manda Scot on gay literature; Charlie Hill

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