Books for Breakfast

13: The latest Ferrante; Mary O’Donnell; the poem that wouldn’t go away

October 08, 2020 Peter Sirr
Books for Breakfast
13: The latest Ferrante; Mary O’Donnell; the poem that wouldn’t go away
Show Notes Chapter Markers

Today we look at one of the most famous poems of the twentieth century as we consider Ian Sansom’s brilliantly entertaining book about the poem and the poet, September 1, 1939: W.H. Auden and the Afterlife of a Poem . We’ll also be looking at the latest novel by Elena Ferrante, The Lying Life of Adults. This week’s Toaster Challenge guest is Mary O’Donnell, whose poetry collection Massacre of the Birds has just been published by Salmon Books. 

The Toaster Challenge choice  is On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

Intro/outro music: Colm Mac Con Iomaire, ‘Thou Shalt Not Carry’ from The Hare’s Corner, 2008, with thanks to Colm for permission to use it.

Artwork by Freya Sirr

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Intro and Elena Ferrante
Toaster Challenge with Mary O'Donnell
W.H Auden