Broad Street to Brideshead

In this episode, we’re joined by acclaimed novelist Amitav Ghosh for a wide-ranging conversation about storytelling in an age of crisis. Ghosh, who holds  two Lifetime Achievement awards and four honorary doctorates and has been named as one of the most important global thinkers of the last decade, reflects on his work as a writer: from anthropology to journalism, fiction to academic work. This thoughtful interview explores how stories can help us see the world—and our responsibilities within it—more clearly.

In this episode of Broad Street to Brideshead, we explore the life and legacy of Vera Brittain—writer, feminist, pacifist, and one of the most powerful literary witnesses of the First World War. Best known for Testament of Youth, Brittain transformed personal loss into a work that reshaped how war, memory, and women’s experience are written and understood. At the heart of this episode is a conversation with Mark Bostridge, author of Vera Brittain: A Life, who brings fresh insight into Brittain’s Oxford years, her literary friendships, and the moral seriousness that defined both her writing and her public stance. 

In this episode, we’re joined by Lord Hague, Chancellor of the University of Oxford, to explore a side of his work that is quieter than frontline politics, but no less compelling: his craft as a writer of biography. Known for bringing historical figures vividly to life, Lord Hague reflects on what draws him to biography as a genre. We discuss his creative process—from the first spark of curiosity to the discipline of writing. Together we explore how his experience in public life has shaped his sensitivity to character, motive, and historical narratives. 

Episode Three of Broad Street to Brideshead encounters the wit, satire, and University years of of Evelyn Waugh — novelist, convert, and chronicler of a vanishing world.We’re joined by acclaimed Waugh scholar and literary critic Dr Ann Pasternak Slater, formerly a Fellow and Tutor at St Anne's College, Oxford, who helps unravel the brilliance and contradictions of one of the 20th century’s sharpest pens. From acid social satire to aching nostalgia, from bohemian antics to Benedictine retreats, Waugh’s life was as complex and captivating as his prose.Together, we trace Waugh’s journey from undergraduate parodies of Hertford College life, to later visions both barbed and beatific.

Episode Two of Broad Street to Brideshead turns its gaze to the metaphysical and the mortal with a rich exploration of John Donne — poet, preacher, and paradox in human form.We’re joined by distinguished Donne scholar Professor Peter McCullough, whose work uncovers the devotional depths and dazzling complexities of one of England’s most enigmatic writers. From forbidden love to fiery sermons, from courtly scandal to spiritual introspection, Donne’s life was as turbulent as his verse.Together, we learn how Donne wrestled with faith, family, and fame, whilst redefining what English poetry could be.

Episode One of Broad Street to Brideshead kicks off with a deep dive into the life and legacy of Samuel Johnson — the brilliant, bold, and often beleaguered mind behind the first great English Dictionary.We’re joined by renowned linguist Professor Lynda Mugglestone, Professor of the History of English at Oxford’s Pembroke College, to explore Johnson’s rise from a struggling Oxford student to a towering figure of 18th-century London.From poverty and perseverance to prose and prestige, we trace Dr. Johnson’s remarkable journey from Broad Street to literary immortality.