Backlisted Rerun: All The Devils Are Here by David Seabrook
May 1, 2023
Rachel Cooke, journalist and critic known for cultural writing and sharp book reviews, champions David Seabrook's All the Devils Are Here. They wander through Kent's coastal decay, uncanny local histories and strange links between famous figures. Conversation also touches on obsessive searches for rare books and literary comparisons to Sinclair and Sebald.
01:05:45
Book That Feels Like A Nervous Breakdown
- All the Devils Are Here is a unique, feverish non‑fiction that fuses seaside decay, literary history and local scandal into a dreamlike essay form.
- Rachel Cooke and Andy Miller describe its obsessive layering and uncanny connections across Kent towns like Margate, Rochester and Deal.
Nine Year Search For The Book
- Rachel hunted for the book for nine years after seeing a review she couldn't trace, then found it when Tony Lacey mentioned reading All the Devils Are Here.
- She bought it immediately and felt it was a book seemingly written for her personal obsessions with Dickens and faded seaside towns.
Digressive Layering Creates Cumulative Unease
- The book resists coherent thesis; Seabrook stays on an item until fascination passes, then bolts to the next, creating cumulative intensity rather than linear argument.
- That risky digressive method yields eerie resonance rather than superficiality.
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Intro
00:00 • 5min
Guests Introduced and Book Announced
04:42 • 35sec
Puffins, Early Memories and Hosts' Anecdotes
05:18 • 3min
Reading Round: Jim Harrison and Dalva
07:54 • 6min
Reading Round: May Sinclair and Female Authors
13:46 • 5min
Iceland Recommendations and Travel Books
19:04 • 4min
Ad break
22:57 • 32sec
Why Choose All the Devils Are Here
23:30 • 3min
Rachel's Nine-Year Search for the Book
26:00 • 2min
What the Blurb Promises
28:30 • 3min
Andy Finds the Book in Whitstable
31:21 • 1min
Comparisons: Sinclair and Sebald
32:33 • 3min
Seabrook's Range: Fascists, Buchan and Audrey Hepburn
35:45 • 15sec
Ian Sinclair's Assessment of Seabrook
36:00 • 2min
Structure: Prelude and Three Parts
38:20 • 2min
Reading Experience and Feverish Pace
40:47 • 2min
Deal Section and Charles Hawtrey
43:12 • 7min
Richard Dadd and Dickens Connections
50:02 • 5min
Seabrook's Later Work and Tone
54:51 • 4min
Why the Book Haunts Readers
58:35 • 4min
Influence on Rachel's Writing
01:02:13 • 1min
Outro
01:03:20 • 1min
#
Life and Death of Harriet Frean
May Sinclair
May Sinclair's Life and Death of Harriet Frean (1919) follows the entire life of its eponymous heroine in a compact, unflinching narrative that blends realism with psychological depth.
Sinclair is credited with early experimentation in stream-of-consciousness, and this novel uses interior perspective to chart social constraints and personal disappointments.
The work is spare and often bleak, portraying the limited options and internal life of a woman in early 20th-century Britain.
Its introspective technique and emotional austerity mark it as an important though now less widely read modernist text.
The novel remains a striking example of feminist-inflected psychological fiction from the period.
#
Jack of Jumps
David Seabrook
David Seabrook's Jack of Jumps (published post All the Devils Are Here) is an extensive investigation into the unsolved Jack the Stripper murders of 1960s London.
Using police files, interviews and street-level research, Seabrook reconstructs the milieu of sex work, nightlife and criminality around the victims, offering vivid period detail.
The book combines gritty reportage with Seabrook's digressive, often lachrymose voice, but also drew criticism for misogynistic tones in its depiction of the victims.
It exemplifies Seabrook's fascination with marginal communities and unresolved crimes, while showcasing his immersive local research.
The work is both a true-crime study and a portrait of a changing London underbelly.
#
Breakfast in Brighton
Nigel Richardson
Nigel Richardson's Breakfast in Brighton offers a series of personal essays and observations that capture Brighton's eccentricities, seaside culture and local personalities.
With a blend of humour and affection, Richardson documents pubs, artists and the city's changing social landscape.
The book emphasizes character-driven scenes and the texture of everyday life rather than a single narrative arc.
Its episodic structure makes it an engaging read for those interested in contemporary British coastal towns.
Richardson's accessible prose and eye for idiosyncrasy give the book charm and immediacy.
#
Dog Days in Soho
Nigel Richardson
Nigel Richardson's Dog Days in Soho collects stories and portraits of the vibrant, sometimes seedy life of London's Soho, capturing the district's pubs, characters and changing face.
Richardson's writing blends reportage, memoir and colourful anecdote, presenting an affectionate but unsentimental view of urban life.
The book emphasizes atmosphere and personality over strict chronology, offering episodic glimpses into nightlife and marginal communities.
Readers who enjoy literary urban vignettes will find its immediacy and eye for detail appealing.
It sits comfortably alongside other works of place-based journalism and memoir.
#
The Blue Fox
Sjón
Sjón's The Blue Fox is a compact, atmospheric novella that fuses Icelandic folklore, myth and surrealism in a tale about a hunter whose actions unleash strange consequences.
The narrative shifts between perspectives and timeframes, producing a dreamlike sequence of events that interrogate identity, fate and the natural world.
Sjón's lyricism and inventive imagery create a haunting mood, while the novella's brevity intensifies its mythic resonance.
Often recommended as an introduction to contemporary Icelandic fiction, the book demonstrates Sjón's poetic sensibility applied to narrative prose.
Its blend of gothic and folkloric motifs gives it a timeless, uncanny appeal.
#
Names for the sea
Sarah Moss
Names for the Sea by Sarah Moss is a non-fiction account of the author's experience living in Iceland, blending travel writing, personal memoir and cultural observation.
Moss examines how language, landscape and isolation shape everyday life, detailing her family's adaptation to Icelandic society and climate.
The book mixes practical detail with literary reflection, addressing nature, folklore and community in a candid voice.
It offers readers an intimate portrait of modern Iceland beyond tourist clichés.
Moss's clear prose and thoughtful insights make it useful both for prospective visitors and those interested in place-based memoir.
#
Fish Can Sing
Halldór Laxness
Fish Can Sing (originally Brekkukotsannáll) by Halldór Laxness is a charming Icelandic novel that follows the life of an orphaned boy raised in a small coastal town, exploring themes of music, identity and belonging.
The narrative mixes warmth and melancholy as it traces his growth amid local characters and changing fortunes.
Laxness's gentle satirical eye and humane storytelling make the novel accessible while offering deeper reflections on culture and artistry.
Often recommended as an introduction to Laxness's work, it balances humor with poignancy and vivid evocations of Icelandic life.
The book remains a favorite for readers seeking lyrical, character-driven fiction from the Nordic tradition.
#8763
• Mentioned in 8 episodes
All the Devils Are Here
Joe Nocera
Bethany McLean
This book delves into the motivations and actions of various individuals and groups, from CEOs and politicians to lenders and home buyers, to explain the complex web of factors that led to the financial crisis.
It goes back several decades to weave the hidden history of the crisis, highlighting how it was not just about finance but also about human nature and the American mythology of homeownership.
#13205
• Mentioned in 5 episodes
The servant
James Hunter
The Servant by James C. Hunter is a thought-provoking exploration of leadership, personal growth, and the power of service.
The book follows John Daily, a successful but struggling executive, as he learns the true meaning of leadership through a series of profound experiences at a monastery.
It emphasizes the importance of relationships, love, service, and sacrifice in effective leadership.
#
Letters from Iceland
W.H. Auden
Louis MacNeice
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#43204
• Mentioned in 2 episodes
Dalva
Jim Harrison
Dalva, by Jim Harrison, is a novel that delves into the complexities of human relationships and the search for meaning in life.
The story unfolds against the backdrop of the American West, where the characters grapple with love, loss, and the challenges of living in a harsh environment.
Harrison's prose is known for its lyrical beauty and its ability to capture the essence of the natural world.
The novel explores themes of masculinity, mortality, and the enduring power of human connection.
Dalva is a character study that examines the inner lives of its characters and their struggles to find their place in the world.
The novel is a testament to the power of storytelling and its ability to illuminate the human experience.
#20620
• Mentioned in 3 episodes
Independent people
Halldór Laxness
Set in early twentieth-century Iceland, 'Independent People' follows the story of Bjartur of Summerhouses, a stubborn sheep farmer determined to live independently despite the harsh realities of rural life.
The novel explores themes of independence, economic struggle, and the clash between traditional ways and modern cooperative movements.
Through Bjartur's story, Laxness critiques societal illusions and the hardships faced by rural communities.
#8203
• Mentioned in 8 episodes
The year of reading dangerously
Andy Miller
#2827
• Mentioned in 22 episodes
The 39 Steps
John Buchan
John Buchan's "The 39 Steps" is a thrilling adventure novel that follows Richard Hannay, a Canadian who becomes entangled in a dangerous conspiracy.
Hannay's journey takes him on a suspenseful chase across Scotland, as he evades capture and uncovers a plot to undermine Britain.
The novel's fast-paced action, memorable characters, and suspenseful plot have made it a classic of the adventure genre.
Buchan's writing style masterfully blends realism with thrilling suspense, creating a captivating reading experience.
The novel's themes of patriotism, espionage, and the fight against evil have resonated with readers for generations.
#24094
• Mentioned in 3 episodes
Burial Rites
Hannah Kent
Set in 1820s Iceland, Burial Rites tells the story of Agnes Magnúsdóttir, a servant condemned to death for the murder of her former master.
Sent to await execution on a remote farm, Agnes is met with fear and hostility by the family forced to house her.
Over time, as she shares her story with the young assistant priest Tóti and the family, her humanity emerges, challenging their assumptions and revealing the complexities of justice, guilt, and redemption.
The novel blends historical fact with fiction, offering a poignant exploration of a woman's final months and the stark landscape that shapes her fate.
Rachel Cooke, Observer writer, New Statesman TV critic and author joined John, Andy and former host Mathew way back in 2016 to discuss All The Devils Are Here, the astounding travelogue through Kent and the depths of human behaviour from David Seabrook. Plus, the drinking habits of Carry On stars, and what to read in Iceland.
Timings (may differ if adverts are included)
07'44 - Dalva by Jim Harrison
12'48 - Life and Death of Harriet Frean by May Sinclair
22'10 - All the Devils Are Here by David Seabrook
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