Ray Tatum on the Beeb
Here's a curious turn. Polar, a Ray Tatum novel, will be one of the books featured on the May 18th installment of BBC Two's Between the Covers. It's a show devoted entirely to books with four celebrity guests each week. Together the guests chew over one recently published title, and then each of them gets time to talk about a book or author they're especially fond of.I'm lucky enough to be one of Peter Davison's favorites. He's a fine and familiar actor for sure -- Doctor Who, All Creatures Great and Small, and I just happened to see him recently in an episode of Grantchester. While I don't have the pleasure of knowing the man, I'm grateful for his good opinion and will be interested to hear what he made of Ray Tatum across the pond and how in the world he'll size me up for his fellow guests.
I'm told this show is available on roku and so probably on one or two other streaming services as well. I'm pleased to know Ray's traveling even if I'm still stuck at home.
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Jodie
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May 07, 2022 05:52PM
Polar is one of my favorites of your novels. I'm glad that other people will be introduced to it.
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Thanks, Jodie. I thought it was an odd choice, but what do I know. I'll be interested to hear Peter Davison's take on it.
Hi T.R.,That's super news, congratulations! Thanks for letting us know about it. Gives me incentive to re-read Polar before then.
Ralph
The show is available on Roku but the 2021 season is the latest that can be seen. I will keep a close watch for when the new season is available.😀
Hi Ralph,The original choice was Short History, but S&S (in their wisdom) only publishes an American edition. No way no how in the UK. So Polar was the second choice, and I might have to re-read it too because I just remember the lunatic in the grocery store and the dead dog (spoiler alert).
Hi Mark,The new season starts May 11th, so maybe roku will pick that up. I'm glad to know that's an alternative. Thanks. I'll mention it in the blog post.
Wow! Congratulations!! Time to reread Polar - it's been quite awhile-
Hi Beth. Thanks. I'm not sure how it will hold up. It's been quite a while for me as well.
That's great to hear. I hope you can find the show.
I always watch this programme (I'm in the UK) and love any books set in the South. I made a note of Polar straight away as it sounds just my kind of thing, and look forward to reading it!
Hi Patricia,I wish we had such a program here in the US. Peter Davison was a great champion for me and Polar, a novel I wrote so long ago that I couldn't entirely remember what it was about. He did a superb job. I'm glad you were watching.
I have ordered it! That made me laugh - you could only vaguely recall what it was about... So much good writing has come from the US I find, and the Booker includes American writers so it's a bit odd that books aren't celebrated by at least having a tv review programme. We have a couple, plus reviews of titles, new and old, in the papers.
Books are on the up, bookshops sadly not... Best wishes, TR.
T.R. wrote: ...I might have to re-read it too ..."I decided to completely start over with Ray. So I re-read Cry Me a River, Blue Ridge (hey, I know the guy who formatted that for you!), Polar and Warwolf. Now I'm re-reading First In Flight. Came here to quote a laugh out loud line (one of so many): "We both favored Kenny with the brand of sad look Charles Darwin would have given him as well". Funny even without giving any context.
To me, Cry Me a River was a little bit of a hard row, but you and Ray both hit your stride in the sequels. I'm already rueful that there's only 1 more after this one.
Thank you for what you do.
Regards,
Ralph
Hi Ralph,You're a better man than I am if you can plow through all of those books. I think I have one more Ray Tatum novel in me. I can't help but think he rates a Viking send-off.
TR.. As an expatriate Tarheel , making my way as a tugboat captain on SFBay, I have enjoyed a resonance with your work for what seems like 3 decades or more. I just reread Joy to the Just and wanted to express my gratitude for your work. Warwolf is probably my favorite, although I recognized many of my family and acquaintances in Neely. Carry on. Jack
Thank you, Jack. It gives me great pleasure to know I have a sympathetic reader on a tugboat in California. I very much appreciate you finding me here. I'll keep writing them if you keep reading them.
Just re-read Cry Me a River (hard cover book from original release!) to assuage my need for a T.R. fix. A joy but hope there is a new book on the horizon.
Yes there is, provided you are a very long way from the horizon. I was never speedy and am just getting slower.Sorry, and thanks for reading.
No apologies necessary. Long horizon is (hopefully) no problem. Lots of palaver in around me to keep me occupied.
Keep writing!
Hi Tom, Bill Etling here, formerly of 1212 Strathmore Circle circa 1966. Just wanted to tell you how much I have enjoyed your books over the years. Also I always liked riding my bike on your concrete driveway, it was so smooth. Was Evelyn Marlin's Poteet an inspiration for Itty-Bit? Not often an author totally cracks me up, many thanks for that. All the best to you and yours.
Hi Bill,Good to hear from you. My sister and I just sold our parents' Strathmore Circle house in August. A lot of great memories from that street. Thanks for being a reader, and I'm pleased to know you enjoy the books.
Itty-Bit? Every yappy dog I've ever met all rolled into one.
