Southbank Centre’s Book Podcast: Anna Burns - Milkman
Anna Burns speaks to Ted Hodgkinson about her 2018 Man Booker Prize-winning novel, Milkman
Over the course of the discussion, Burns explains to our Head of Literature and Spoken Word how the book began in her mind, the moments at which her writing process makes her feel ‘angel shivers’, and how winning the Prize feels.
We also hear an excerpt from Milkman, read live by the author at Southbank Centre, just 48 hours before the novel won the prestigious Man Booker Prize, and an accompanying discussion with Damian Barr about why it is Burns’ characters don’t have names.
‘The book itself, it’s not traditional realism, written in a traditional realist style, but then life’s not always traditional realism either and I think the language fits in with that, that it’s not a recognisable realistic world’
Anna Burns on Milkman
Listen to more from this series
Southbank Centre's Book Podcast: Backstage at Man Booker 50
Ted Hodgkinson talks with Golden Man Booker judges Robert McCrum and Kamila Shamsie, and we hear from past winners Alan Hollinghurst and Marlon James.
Southbank Centre’s Book Podcast: Matt Haig and Jordan Stephens on mental health and creativity
Author Matt Haig and musician Jordan Stephens discuss mental health and creativity in this podcast hosted by Ted Hodgkinson.
Southbank Centre’s Book Podcast: Roxane Gay and women on the page
Listen to excerpts from Roxane Gay’s conversation with Liv Little, and hear from Amaal Said and Destiny Adeyemi of Octavia Poetry Collective.
Southbank Centre's Book Podcast: literature and the refugee crisis
Ted Hodgkinson talks with poet Nick Makola about fleeing Uganda, and Khaled Hosseini explains how the refugee crisis inspired his novel Sea Prayer.
Artist on artist: Raymond Antrobus on the irreplaceable Benjamin Zephaniah
The multi-award-winning poet shares his personal lifelong connection with the hugely popular figure once dubbed ‘the people’s laureate’.
Roger McGough: ‘poetry was never something I set out to do, it just happened’
The much treasured poet discusses music, muses and the impact of The Mersey Sound in this in-depth interview.
Artist on artist: Leïla Slimani on the ‘influential’ Pedro Almodóvar
The internationally bestselling author shares her fandom for the film director she loves so much she ‘would worship even just a sock of his’.