The Ruffian New Podcast: Books of the Year with James Marriott
Dec 17, 2025
James Marriott, a journalist and critic at The Times, shares his insights on this year's reading landscape. He highlights the compelling influence of John Carey’s work and explores the depth of Karen Armstrong's convent memoir. The conversation shifts to gripping biographies, contrasting Stalin and Hitler, and reflects on novels that truly engage readers. They touch on the neuroscience of reading and recommend immersive reads that resonate with different eras. Expect thoughtful reflections perfect for last-minute gift ideas!
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Plainness Makes Tough Criticism Accessible
- John Carey combined insider Oxford authority with anti-elitist plainness in his criticism.
- His clarity made difficult writers like Donne accessible and compelling to broad readers.
Carey Opened Up John Donne
- James Marriott read Carey’s John Donne biography and found it a lucid guide to a knotty poet.
- The book helped him 'lever open' Donne poems he had half-liked but never fully understood.
A Memoir That Feels Like Fiction
- Through the Narrow Gate reads like a novel because Karen Armstrong narrates her convent life with relatable detail.
- The book dramatizes a collision between medieval monastic life and the emerging modern self in the 1960s.