Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die discussion

Colm Tóibín was on BBC Radio 3's Free Thinking show. He was discussing the poet Elizabeth Bishop

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05vh8sp

On Elizabeth Bishop by Colm Tóibín

Colm Tóibín was on BBC Radio 4's Start the Week programme on Monday, May 25

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05vwpw8

Description:

Start the Week is at the Hay Festival for a discussion about what has made homo sapiens so successful. The historian Yuval Noah Harari looks back a hundred thousand years ago when at least six human species inhabited the earth and explores why only one came to dominate. Science was a key breakthrough and Beth Shapiro pushes at the limits of knowledge with her book on how to clone a mammoth. The writer Colm Tóibín reveals how much he owes past writers in his introduction to the enigmatic American poet, Elizabeth Bishop, while Owen Sheers explores the themes of loss and redemption in his latest novel.

Colm Toibin featured on the BBC program Inheritance Tracks

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0106vf7

Description:

The writer inherits 'I Dreamt I Dwelt in Marbled Halls' sung by Joan Sutherland, and passes on Bob Dylan's 'I Threw It All Away'.

Have just bought Tóibín's book and look forward to reading it. Although I know some of Elizabeth Bishop's poems, I am not that familiar with her work, so it should be a useful introduction.

I wish I understood poetry better. I feel I should have more appreciation for poetry. But, it just doesn't do much for me.