Front Row Julian Barnes's new book Changing My Mind, Victor Hugo's artwork, Emma Donoghue's novel The Paris Express
Renowned novelist Julian Barnes shares insights from his new collection, Changing My Mind, reflecting on how beliefs evolve over time. Bestselling author Emma Donoghue reveals the historical inspiration behind her novel The Paris Express, sparked by a surreal photograph of a 19th-century train disaster. Sculptor Antony Gormley discusses Victor Hugo's lesser-known artistic talents, focusing on his evocative drawings that reveal a rich interplay of politics and emotion, connecting them to Hugo's literary masterpieces.
42:25
Victor Hugo's Hidden Visual World
- Victor Hugo made some 4,000 pen-and-ink pictures using the same tools as his writing.
- His drawings range from tiny landscapes to fantastical architectural compositions that extend his literary imagination.
Small Marks, Vast Imaginations
- Antony Gormley found Hugo's drawings revelatory and intimate, showing a private imaginative side.
- Small, economical marks can evoke vast landscapes and emotional presence in viewers.
Embracing Accidents As Creative Seeds
- Hugo often embraced indeterminacy, inviting viewers to co-create meaning from stains and blots.
- That generosity lets accidental marks become starting points for shared imagination.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app 1 chevron_right 2 chevron_right 3 chevron_right 4 chevron_right 5 chevron_right 6 chevron_right 7 chevron_right 8 chevron_right 9 chevron_right 10 chevron_right 11 chevron_right 12 chevron_right 13 chevron_right 14 chevron_right 15 chevron_right 16 chevron_right 17 chevron_right 18 chevron_right 19 chevron_right 20 chevron_right 21 chevron_right 22 chevron_right 23 chevron_right 24 chevron_right 25 chevron_right 26 chevron_right 27 chevron_right 28 chevron_right 29 chevron_right
Intro
00:00 • 1min
Victor Hugo's Hidden Career as an Artist
01:20 • 3min
Who Knew Hugo Drew So Much?
04:29 • 55sec
Antony Gormley on Discovering Hugo's Drawings
05:23 • 2min
The Power of Indeterminacy in Hugo's Work
07:01 • 3min
Drawings Linked to Hugo's Novels
09:39 • 3min
Politics and Protest in Hugo's Pictures
12:10 • 2min
From Doodles to Finished Works
14:12 • 2min
Did Hugo Ever Rest?
16:02 • 26sec
Julian Barnes on Changing His Mind
16:28 • 58sec
What Does It Mean to Change One's Mind?
17:26 • 2min
Does Writing Require Changing Your Mind?
19:09 • 2min
How Working on Dictionaries Changed Language Views
20:42 • 1min
What Is This Physical Book?
22:11 • 41sec
Rethinking Georges Simenon
22:52 • 2min
Re‑reading E.M. Forster Changed My View
24:36 • 4min
Do You Reread Your Own Books?
28:38 • 42sec
Introducing Emma Donoghue's The Paris Express
29:20 • 2min
How Did The Paris Express Begin?
31:23 • 1min
Why Write a Disaster Novel?
32:36 • 60sec
Trains as Literary Devices and Timekeepers
33:36 • 1min
Did That Hachette Advertisement Exist?
34:45 • 1min
How Did You Populate the Train's Passengers?
35:48 • 1min
Why Some Real People Were Omitted
37:02 • 51sec
Real Activists and Social Types on Board
37:53 • 39sec
Any Misgivings About Using Real People?
38:32 • 1min
Train Technology and Authenticity
39:39 • 23sec
How Operational Pressures Caused the Accident
40:02 • 55sec
Outro
40:57 • 1min
#72864
Where Angels Fear To Tread
E. M. Forster
'Where Angels Fear to Tread' is a novel that explores the clash between English and Italian cultures through the story of Lilia Herriton.
After her husband's death, Lilia travels to Italy and impulsively marries a young Italian man, Gino Carella.
Her English family disapproves of the marriage and sends a delegation to Italy to take custody of her child.
The novel examines themes of cultural misunderstanding, social expectations, and the consequences of impulsive decisions.
Forster's narrative delves into the complexities of human relationships and the challenges of navigating different cultural values.
#2511
• Mentioned in 14 episodes
The Sense of an Ending
Julian Barnes
The novel is narrated by Tony Webster, a retired man who recounts his adolescent friendship with Adrian Finn and his early romantic relationships.
The story is divided into two parts: the first part describes Tony's teenage years and early adulthood, while the second part delves into his attempts to retrieve Adrian's diary, which forces him to reevaluate his memories and the truth about his past.
The book explores themes of memory, history, and the inaccuracies of personal narratives, highlighting how our perceptions of the past can be flawed and subject to revision over time.
#5374
• Mentioned in 7 episodes
A Room with a View
E. M. Forster
'A Room with a View' tells the story of Lucy Honeychurch, a young Englishwoman, as she experiences a transformative journey in Italy.
Set against the backdrop of Edwardian society, the novel explores themes of love, social class, and personal liberation.
Lucy finds herself torn between the restrictive conventions of her upbringing and her growing attraction to the unconventional George Emerson.
Forster's narrative contrasts the beauty and freedom of Italy with the stifling atmosphere of English society.
Through Lucy's experiences, the novel celebrates the importance of embracing passion and living authentically.
#2649
• Mentioned in 14 episodes
Flaubert's parrot
Julian Barnes
In 'Flaubert's Parrot', Julian Barnes crafts a unique narrative that follows Geoffrey Braithwaite, a retired English doctor, as he delves into the life of Gustave Flaubert.
The story revolves around Braithwaite's quest to identify the authentic stuffed parrot that inspired Flaubert's story 'Un Coeur Simple'.
The novel explores various aspects of Flaubert's life, Braithwaite's own reflections on his wife's death, and themes of subjectivism, the nature of biography, and the complexities of artistic creation.
The book is characterized by its non-traditional narrative structure, blending elements of biography, fiction, and personal memoir.
#13241
• Mentioned in 3 episodes
TOILERS OF THE SEA
Victor Hugo
Publié en 1866, 'Toilers of the Sea' est un roman de Victor Hugo qui se déroule sur l'île de Guernesey après les guerres napoléoniennes.
L'histoire suit Gilliatt, un pêcheur rejeté par sa communauté, qui tombe amoureux de Deruchette, la nièce d'un armateur local.
Lorsque le navire de ce dernier est détruit sur un récif, Gilliatt se lance dans une quête périlleuse pour récupérer la machine à vapeur, affrontant les éléments et un poulpe géant.
Le roman explore les impacts de la Révolution industrielle sur l'île et les luttes personnelles de Gilliatt.
#22115
• Mentioned in 2 episodes
The City Changes Its Face
An intense story of passion, jealousy and family from the trailblazing, award-winning Eimear McBride.
Eimear McBride
#11316
• Mentioned in 4 episodes
Changing My Mind
Julian Barnes
#18578
• Mentioned in 2 episodes
La Bête Humaine
Émile Zola
Dans "La Bête humaine", Émile Zola explore les profondeurs de la nature humaine à travers le personnage de Jacques Lantier, un cheminot rongé par des pulsions meurtrières.
Le roman dépeint un monde où la modernité du chemin de fer contraste avec les instincts primitifs qui sommeillent en l'homme.
Zola analyse les forces héréditaires et sociales qui influencent le comportement de ses personnages, les entraînant vers un destin tragique.
L'œuvre est une étude poignante de la violence, de la passion et de la fatalité, ancrée dans le réalisme cru et la description minutieuse du monde ouvrier.
#20809
• Mentioned in 2 episodes
The Wonder
Emma Donoghue
#5513
• Mentioned in 7 episodes
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Victor Hugo
#1398
• Mentioned in 23 episodes
Le Miserable
Slavery isn't over
Victor Hugo
In 19th-century France, Jean Valjean, imprisoned for stealing bread, seeks redemption after being freed.
Pursued relentlessly by Inspector Javert, he becomes a benefactor to Fantine, a struggling single mother, and vows to protect her daughter, Cosette.
As Valjean evades capture while improving the lives of others, the story explores themes of justice, mercy, and the resilience of the human spirit amidst poverty and social injustice.
Set against the backdrop of political unrest, the narrative culminates in the Paris Uprising of 1832, where the characters' fates intertwine.
'Les Misérables' is a sprawling epic that examines moral dilemmas and the fight for dignity.
#805
• Mentioned in 35 episodes
Madame Bovary
Gustave Flaubert
Published in 1857, 'Madame Bovary' is a seminal work of literary realism that tells the story of Emma Bovary, a beautiful and intelligent young woman who marries Charles Bovary, a dull and unambitious doctor.
Emma's life is marked by boredom, romantic fantasies, and a series of ill-fated love affairs with men like Rodolphe and Léon.
Her inability to distinguish between her romantic ideals and the harsh realities of her life leads to financial ruin, public scandal, and ultimately, her tragic demise.
The novel is renowned for its masterful writing, detailed psychological insights, and its critique of bourgeois provincial life.
#8781
• Mentioned in 5 episodes
Room
Emma Donoghue
Room is a novel by Emma Donoghue that tells the story of Jack, a five-year-old boy who has never known a world outside the 11-foot square room where he was born and raised.
The room is his entire universe, shared with his mother, whom he calls 'Ma'.
Unaware of the true nature of their confinement, Jack believes the world outside is fictional, as depicted on TV. His mother, abducted at 19 and held captive for seven years, has created a structured and loving environment for Jack despite the dire circumstances.
When Ma devises an escape plan, Jack's world is turned upside down as they face the challenges of the outside world and the complexities of their new freedom.
The novel explores themes of resilience, motherly love, and the process of adjusting to a new reality.
#4789
• Mentioned in 8 episodes
Notre-Dame de Paris
Victor Hugo
The novel, more commonly known as 'The Hunchback of Notre-Dame', is set in Paris during the reign of Louis XI in 1482.
It revolves around Quasimodo, the deaf and deformed bellringer of Notre-Dame Cathedral, and his unrequited love for Esmeralda, a beautiful gypsy dancer.
The story also involves the sinister Archdeacon Claude Frollo, who is obsessed with Esmeralda, and Captain Phoebus, who is the object of Esmeralda's affections.
The novel is a vivid portrayal of medieval Paris, its culture, and its architecture, with Hugo advocating for the preservation of Gothic heritage.
The story is marked by themes of love, lust, justice, and tragedy, and it is known for its detailed descriptions of Paris and its historical context.
Sculptor Antony Gormley and Professor of French literature, Catriona Seth discuss Victor Hugo's visual art with Tom Sutcliffe. Victor Hugo was a 19th century cultural colossus, known for monumental works such as The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Les Miserables as well as his poems, plays and political writings. It's not so well known that throughout his career Hugo drew with pen and ink - the same tools he wrote with - creating some 4,000 pictures. The Royal Academy has gathered together about 70 of these in its exhibition 'Astonishing Things: The Drawings of Victor Hugo'.
Julian Barnes, one of our greatest living novelists, talks about his latest nonfiction book Changing My Mind. A series of essays published today by Notting Hill Editions, it ponders moments in his life when he's reconsidered long-held views, from memories and politics to words and the writing of EM Forster.
Bestselling author Emma Donoghue is known for her novel Room. She talks about mixing in real life characters to her latest work of fiction The Paris Express, which was inspired by seeing a surreal photograph of a nineteenth century French railway disaster.
Presenter: Tom Sutcliffe Producer: Claire Bartleet