Lockdown Listening

Sometimes listening is just easier than reading, isn’t it? And you can listen and do other things. Listen and iron, listen and empty the dishwasher, listen and lie on the sofa staring out of the window…

According to a recently interviewed bookseller, Agatha Christie is going great guns at the moment. And why not? Has there ever been a better time to immerse ourselves in a narrative which bowls along nicely and in which all wrong-doers meet the appropriate end?

If you’ve been reading Scandi-noir or gritty American crime, you might have forgotten (or misremembered) just how compelling the Golden Age writers remain. Not just cosy nostalgia, these books reflect the grimmest period of our history. Many of the most popular writers were shaped by the war to end all wars, which didn’t. Just as they were reaching the height of their powers and readership, another war changed the world.

I’m enjoying two podcasts which provoke and comfort in equal measure.

All about Agatha is by two young Americans. It is chatty and searching. They have a complex ranking system and don’t let the Dame off the hook when she displeases. They enjoy and include the tv and film dramatisations, but these always take second place to the writing. Give this a listen for publishing history, close textual reading and good humour. https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/all-about-agatha

Caroline Crampton is a writer (her book about the Thames, The Way to the Sea is fabulous.) She’s also a great fan of Golden Age fiction and her podcast, Shedunnit, as a trove of information, inspiration and visiting speakers. Great use of music too, I highly recommend this for an escape which leaves you feeling better infomed, and hungry to read. https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/shedunnit