Dear Jonathan Swift... - The Essay

What this episode covers

'Dear Geoffrey Chaucer, Can I call you Geoff..?' In a series of imaginary correspondences, novelist Ian Sansom writes letters to five of literary history's most celebrated figures and interrogates them about their art.'Oh Agatha Christie, Please - do tell - what is the secret of your success?'As his correspondence unfolds, queries are raised, jealousies revealed, concerns aired. 'Dear Virginia Woolf, Please accept my apologies. For a long time I thought you represented everything that's wrong with literature...'How exactly does George Eliot do it? Why is it so difficult? And what's that Jonathan Swift just called him? Producer: Conor Garrett.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of The Essay?

This episode is 13 minutes long.

When was this The Essay episode published?

This episode was published on November 8, 2016.

What is this episode about?

'Dear Geoffrey Chaucer, Can I call you Geoff..?' In a series of imaginary correspondences, novelist Ian Sansom writes letters to five of literary history's most celebrated figures and interrogates them about their art.'Oh Agatha Christie, Please -...

Can I download this The Essay 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.