The Adventures of Miss Barbara Pym by Paula Byrne 

Original version

BBC Radio 4 FM

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

BBC Radio 4

Radio 4

Radio 4 (FM)

BBC Radio 4 LW

The Adventures of Miss Barbara Pym by Paula Byrne: Ep 2  - In Which Miss Pym Tours Germany

The Adventures of Miss Barbara Pym by Paula Byrne

Ep 2  - In Which Miss Pym Tours Germany

BBC Radio 4 - The Adventures of Miss Barbara Pym by Paula Byrne, Ep 2  - In Which Miss Pym Tours Germany

Paula Byrne's biography of the witty novelist takes us to 1930s Germany.

In Paula Byrne's shrewd new biography of one of the twentieth century's wittiest novelists, Barbara Pym's broken heart is mended in 1930s Germany. Hattie Morahan reads.

Paula Byrne's shrewdly observed and joyous new biography of one of the twentieth century's wittiest novelists. In today's episode, Barbara Pym indulges her love of German culture with visits to 1930s Germany where her broken heart is also mended.

Philip Larkin regarded her as the era's very own Jane Austen and yet today Barbara Pym is little known.  She lived through a period of social and political upheaval, and her novels charted the impact of these changes on women in the public and the domestic realm.  By the early 60s she had published six novels, and though she struggled for recognition from 1963 onwards, she continued to write and went on to make a triumphant comeback.  

Her diaries are prefaced 'The Adventures of Miss Pym' emulating Henry Fielding's 'Tom Jones', and in turn Paula Byrne has written her celebratory biography of this courageous and funny novelist in the style of a picaresque adventure.

Paula Byrne is the bestselling and acclaimed biographer and novelist. Her non-fiction includes 'The Real Jane Austen', 'The Genius of Jane Austen' and 'Mad World' the story of Evelyn Waugh and Brideshead.

Photo credit: The Barbara Pym Society

Abridged by Julian Wilkinson
Produced by Elizabeth Allard.

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

Audiobooks

Podcasts

Factual

A joyous and illuminating new biography of one of the 20th century's wittiest novelists.

Book of the Week. Hattie Morahan reads Paula Byrne's joyous and illuminating new biography of the novelist Philip Larkin regarded as the 20th century's very own Jane Austen.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

The Adventures of Miss Barbara Pym by Paula Byrne

Ep 2 - In Which Miss Pym Tours Germany

Genres

Series

BBC Radio 4 FM

About BBC Radio 4