Pale Fire is a novel by Vladimir Nabokov, published in 1962. It consists of a long poem titled 'Pale Fire' by the fictional poet John Shade, along with a foreword, lengthy commentary, and index written by Shade's neighbor and academic colleague, Charles Kinbote. The poem is a masterpiece in heroic couplets, while Kinbote's commentary reveals his own delusional narrative, believing himself to be the exiled king of Zembla. The novel is a brilliant parody of literary scholarship, an experimental synthesis of Nabokov’s talents for both poetry and prose, and is often cited as an example of metafiction and hypertext fiction. It includes profound meditations on death, the afterlife, and the anguish of Kinbote’s madness, as well as the tragic story of Shade’s daughter[2][4][5].
William Boyd is the author of eighteen novels, five short story collections and numerous screenplays. His first published novel, A Good Man in Africa, was inspired by his childhood in West Africa. He is well known for writing ‘whole life’ novels including Any Human Heart which he adapted as a BAFTA-winning television series.
He was born in Accra in Ghana where his Scottish father worked as a doctor, specialising in tropical medicine. In 1964 the family moved to Ibadan, Nigeria where he witnessed the Nigerian Civil War – the Biafran War – which had a profound effect on him both personally and professionally.
He read English Literature and Philosophy at the University of Glasgow and became a lecturer in English at St Hilda’s College, Oxford. During this period he wrote novels and short stories on the side until his breakthrough novel, A Good Man in Africa, was published in 1981.
In 2005 he was appointed CBE for services to literature.
William lives in London with his wife Susan and over 10,000 books.
DISC ONE: Sunday - Mandy Patinkin (George), Sunday in the Park with George Original Broadway Cast Ensemble and Orchestra
DISC TWO: Sorry Sorry - Femi Kuti
DISC THREE: Away Down the River - Alison Krauss
DISC FOUR: Que reste-t-il de nos amours - Charles Trenet
DISC FIVE: Daniel - Elton John
DISC SIX: Britten: Violin Concerto, Op. 15: 1. Moderato con moto. Performed by Janine Jansen (violin) London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Paavo Järvi
DISC SEVEN: Brahms: Horn Trio In E Flat, Op. 40 - 1. Andante - Poco più animato. Performed by György Sebök (piano) Arthur Grumiaux (violin), Francis Orval (horn)
DISC EIGHT: Al Otro Lado del Río - Jorge Drexler
BOOK CHOICE: Pale Fire by Vladimir Nabokov
LUXURY ITEM: A piano
CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Daniel - Elton John
Presenter Lauren Laverne
Producer Paula McGinley
Desert Island Discs 