Ben Okri - Take Four Books

What this episode covers

Booker-prize winning writer and poet Ben Okri talks to Take Four Books, presented by James Crawford, about his new novella - Madame Sosostris & the Festival for the Broken-Hearted - and its three key influences. Ben's new book takes us to a forested chateau in the South of France for a special, one-night-only event – a fevered fancy dress ball attended by anyone, and everyone, who has been wounded by love. His three literary influences for this episode are: The Waste Land by T. S. Eliot from 1922 ; Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare from 1600; and The Outsider by Albert Camus from 1942. Our rule-breaking bonus book, was Alain-Fournier’s Les Grand Meaulnes, known as The Lost Estate in English and originally published in 1913.The supporting contributor for this episode was the Oxford academic and writer Emma Smith. Producer: Dominic Howell Editor: Gillian Wheelan This was a BBC Audio Scotland production.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Take Four Books?

This episode is 28 minutes long.

When was this Take Four Books episode published?

This episode was published on May 11, 2025.

What is this episode about?

Booker-prize winning writer and poet Ben Okri talks to Take Four Books, presented by James Crawford, about his new novella - Madame Sosostris & the Festival for the Broken-Hearted - and its three key influences. Ben's new book takes us to a forested...

Can I download this Take Four Books episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.