The House In France

Episode

First
Broadcast

Comments

20110627

Abridged by Jane Marshall.

The House In France is the childhood memoir of Gully Wells, now the Features Editor at Conde Nast Traveller magazine. Gully was the long time girlfriend of Martin Amis, the dedicatee of his first novel and features as the character Lily in his latest work, The Pregnant Widow.

Gully's mother, Dee Wells was the outspoken and often furiously rude American journalist who became a regular on satirical television chat shows in the 1960s. Gully observes the life of her mother, a self confessed adventuress, and her stepfather, the philosopher Freddie Ayer, with affection and humour as they swing their way through the London of the 1960s.

Read by Rosalind Ayres

Produced by Jane Marshall.

Gully Wells remembers life in swinging 60s London with her mother Dee Wells.

20110628

Written by Gully Wells.

Abridged by Jane Marshall. Hopelessly mismatched with her first husband Gully's mother, Dee Wells, returns not to America but to London, and starts a career in journalism, commenting on London life. The sixties are dawning and this famously outspoken adventuress soon makes many contacts and conquests. Then she falls in love with the celebrated Professor of Philosophy A.J. Ayer.

Read by Rosalind Ayres.

Produced by Jane Marshall

A Jane Marshall production for BBC Radio 4.

Gully Wells recalls how her mother fell in love with the celebrated Professor AJ Ayer.

20110629

Written by Gully Wells.

Abridged by Jane Marshall. Gully Wells is delighted when her mother finds herself with enough money left over from her divorce to buy a tumbledown house at the wrong end of the Cote d'Azur. It's the 1960s, and for a young girl from London even the wrong end is impossibly glamorous, though she appreciates that she is stuck with a terminally unfashionable family.

Read by Rosalind Ayres

Produced by Jane Marshall

A Jane Marshall production for BBC Radio 4.

Gully's mother has enough money left over from her divorce to buy a house.

20110630

Written by Gully Wells.

Abridged by Jane Marshall. Back from another summer in France, the 'Ayer Wells den of sin' is just the place to be in the London of the 1960s. Freddie has become a regular on the 'Brain's Trust', and is busy supporting his political causes and Dee is in demand for her outspoken views on London life, whilst Gully observes the fun of their radical chic lifestyle.

Read by Rosalind Ayres

Produced by Jane Marshall

A Jane Marshall production for BBC Radio 4.

Back from France, the 'Ayer Wells den of sin' is just the place to be in 60s London.

05 LAST

20110701

Written by Gully Wells.

Abridged by Jane Marshall. It is 1969, the Summer of Love, and Gully is 19 and keen to shed her studious image before going up to Oxford. Then after another summer in France, with the strains of Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin in her head, she meets up with an old friend, Martin Amis, and falls hopelessly in love.

Read by Rosalind Ayres

Produced by Jane Marshall

A Jane Marshall production for BBC Radio 4.

It is 1969, and Gully is 19 and keen to shed her studious image before going up to Oxford.

Episodes

Episode	First Broadcast	Comments
01	20110627	Abridged by Jane Marshall. The House In France is the childhood memoir of Gully Wells, now the Features Editor at Conde Nast Traveller magazine. Gully was the long time girlfriend of Martin Amis, the dedicatee of his first novel and features as the character Lily in his latest work, The Pregnant Widow. Gully's mother, Dee Wells was the outspoken and often furiously rude American journalist who became a regular on satirical television chat shows in the 1960s. Gully observes the life of her mother, a self confessed adventuress, and her stepfather, the philosopher Freddie Ayer, with affection and humour as they swing their way through the London of the 1960s. Read by Rosalind Ayres Produced by Jane Marshall. Gully Wells remembers life in swinging 60s London with her mother Dee Wells.
02	20110628	Written by Gully Wells. Abridged by Jane Marshall. Hopelessly mismatched with her first husband Gully's mother, Dee Wells, returns not to America but to London, and starts a career in journalism, commenting on London life. The sixties are dawning and this famously outspoken adventuress soon makes many contacts and conquests. Then she falls in love with the celebrated Professor of Philosophy A.J. Ayer. Read by Rosalind Ayres. Produced by Jane Marshall A Jane Marshall production for BBC Radio 4. Gully Wells recalls how her mother fell in love with the celebrated Professor AJ Ayer.
03	20110629	Written by Gully Wells. Abridged by Jane Marshall. Gully Wells is delighted when her mother finds herself with enough money left over from her divorce to buy a tumbledown house at the wrong end of the Cote d'Azur. It's the 1960s, and for a young girl from London even the wrong end is impossibly glamorous, though she appreciates that she is stuck with a terminally unfashionable family. Read by Rosalind Ayres Produced by Jane Marshall A Jane Marshall production for BBC Radio 4. Gully's mother has enough money left over from her divorce to buy a house.
04	20110630	Written by Gully Wells. Abridged by Jane Marshall. Back from another summer in France, the 'Ayer Wells den of sin' is just the place to be in the London of the 1960s. Freddie has become a regular on the 'Brain's Trust', and is busy supporting his political causes and Dee is in demand for her outspoken views on London life, whilst Gully observes the fun of their radical chic lifestyle. Read by Rosalind Ayres Produced by Jane Marshall A Jane Marshall production for BBC Radio 4. Back from France, the 'Ayer Wells den of sin' is just the place to be in 60s London.
05 LAST	20110701	Written by Gully Wells. Abridged by Jane Marshall. It is 1969, the Summer of Love, and Gully is 19 and keen to shed her studious image before going up to Oxford. Then after another summer in France, with the strains of Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin in her head, she meets up with an old friend, Martin Amis, and falls hopelessly in love. Read by Rosalind Ayres Produced by Jane Marshall A Jane Marshall production for BBC Radio 4. It is 1969, and Gully is 19 and keen to shed her studious image before going up to Oxford.