Letters To Writers

Episodes

EpisodeTitleFirst
Broadcast
RepeatedComments
01Dear Geoffrey Chaucer20161107'Dear Geoffrey Chaucer, Can I call you Geoff..?'

In a series of imaginary correspondences, novelist Ian Sansom is writing letters to five of literary history's most celebrated figures and interrogating them about their art.

'Oh Agatha Christie, Please - do tell - what is the secret of your success?'

As his correspondence unfolds, queries are raised and jealousies revealed.

'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? And why does she keep ignoring Ian's letters?

Dear George Eliot, You are simply so far out of my league as a correspondent that it is embarrassing even to put pen to paper and to address you directly.

In his on-going epistolary quest, Ian attempts to find out everything you wanted to know about some of our best-loved writers but just were too afraid to ask.

Novelist Ian Sansom fires off a letter to Geoffrey Chaucer...

01Dear Geoffrey Chaucer2016110720180716 (R3)'Dear Geoffrey Chaucer, Can I call you Geoff..?'

In a series of imaginary correspondences, novelist Ian Sansom is writing letters to five of literary history's most celebrated figures and interrogating them about their art.

'Oh Agatha Christie, Please - do tell - what is the secret of your success?'

As his correspondence unfolds, queries are raised and jealousies revealed.

'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? And why does she keep ignoring Ian's letters?

Dear George Eliot, You are simply so far out of my league as a correspondent that it is embarrassing even to put pen to paper and to address you directly.

In his on-going epistolary quest, Ian attempts to find out everything you wanted to know about some of our best-loved writers but just were too afraid to ask.

Novelist Ian Sansom fires off a letter to Geoffrey Chaucer...

02Dear Jonathan Swift20161108'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?

Ian Sansom writes an imaginary letter to Jonathan Swift and interrogates him about his art

03Dear George Eliot20161109'Dear Geoffrey Chaucer, Can I call you Geoff..?'

In a series of imaginary correspondences, novelist Ian Sansom is writing letters to five of literary history's most celebrated figures and interrogating them about their art.

'Oh Agatha Christie, Please - do tell - what is the secret of your success?'

As his correspondence unfolds, queries are raised and jealousies revealed.

'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? And why does she keep ignoring Ian's letters?

Dear George Eliot, You are simply so far out of my league as a correspondent that it is embarrassing even to put pen to paper and to address you directly.

In his on-going epistolary quest, Ian attempts to find out everything you wanted to know about some of our best-loved writers but just were too afraid to ask.

Novelist Ian Sansom pens a missive to George Eliot...

03Dear George Eliot2016110920180718 (R3)'Dear Geoffrey Chaucer, Can I call you Geoff..?'

In a series of imaginary correspondences, novelist Ian Sansom is writing letters to five of literary history's most celebrated figures and interrogating them about their art.

'Oh Agatha Christie, Please - do tell - what is the secret of your success?'

As his correspondence unfolds, queries are raised and jealousies revealed.

'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? And why does she keep ignoring Ian's letters?

Dear George Eliot, You are simply so far out of my league as a correspondent that it is embarrassing even to put pen to paper and to address you directly.

In his on-going epistolary quest, Ian attempts to find out everything you wanted to know about some of our best-loved writers but just were too afraid to ask.

Novelist Ian Sansom pens a missive to George Eliot...

04Dear Virginia Woolf2016111020180719 (R3)'Dear Geoffrey Chaucer, Can I call you Geoff..?'

In a series of imaginary correspondences, novelist Ian Sansom is writing letters to five of literary history's most celebrated figures and interrogating them about their art.

'Oh Agatha Christie, Please - do tell - what is the secret of your success?'

As his correspondence unfolds, queries are raised and jealousies revealed.

'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? And why does she keep ignoring Ian's letters?

Dear George Eliot, You are simply so far out of my league as a correspondent that it is embarrassing even to put pen to paper and to address you directly.

In his on-going epistolary quest, Ian attempts to find out everything you wanted to know about some of our best-loved writers but just were too afraid to ask.

A letter of apology to Virginia Woolf from novelist Ian Sansom.

'Dear Geoffrey Chaucer, Can I call you Geoff..?'

In a series of imaginary correspondences, novelist Ian Sansom is writing letters to five of literary history's most celebrated figures and interrogating them about their art.

'Oh Agatha Christie, Please - do tell - what is the secret of your success?'

As his correspondence unfolds, queries are raised and jealousies revealed.

'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? And why does she keep ignoring Ian's letters?

Dear George Eliot, You are simply so far out of my league as a correspondent that it is embarrassing even to put pen to paper and to address you directly.

In his on-going epistolary quest, Ian attempts to find out everything you wanted to know about some of our best-loved writers but just were too afraid to ask.

A letter of apology to Virginia Woolf from novelist Ian Sansom.

05 LASTDear Agatha Christie20161111'Dear Geoffrey Chaucer, Can I call you Geoff..?'

In a series of imaginary correspondences, novelist Ian Sansom is writing letters to five of literary history's most celebrated figures and interrogating them about their art.

'Oh Agatha Christie, Please - do tell - what is the secret of your success?'

As his correspondence unfolds, queries are raised and jealousies revealed.

'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? And why does she keep ignoring Ian's letters?

Dear George Eliot, You are simply so far out of my league as a correspondent that it is embarrassing even to put pen to paper and to address you directly.

In his on-going epistolary quest, Ian attempts to find out everything you wanted to know about some of our best-loved writers but just were too afraid to ask.

Novelist Ian Sansom has a theory to put to the Queen of Crime.

05 LASTDear Agatha Christie2016111120180720 (R3)'Dear Geoffrey Chaucer, Can I call you Geoff..?'

In a series of imaginary correspondences, novelist Ian Sansom is writing letters to five of literary history's most celebrated figures and interrogating them about their art.

'Oh Agatha Christie, Please - do tell - what is the secret of your success?'

As his correspondence unfolds, queries are raised and jealousies revealed.

'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? And why does she keep ignoring Ian's letters?

Dear George Eliot, You are simply so far out of my league as a correspondent that it is embarrassing even to put pen to paper and to address you directly.

In his on-going epistolary quest, Ian attempts to find out everything you wanted to know about some of our best-loved writers but just were too afraid to ask.

Novelist Ian Sansom has a theory to put to the Queen of Crime.