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Little Birds writer Sophia Al-Maria, Simon Armitage, Summer reads, Tara Gbolade

Sophia Al-Maria on her screenplay for Sky Atlantic's drama Little Birds; poet Laureate Simon Armitage on poetry no longer being necessary for GCSEs; summer reads; Tara Gbolade.

Qatari-American artist, writer, and filmmaker Sophia Al-Maria discusses her screenplay for the latest big release from Sky Atlantic. Inspired by Ana茂s Nin鈥檚 collection of erotic stories, Little Birds is set in the famous 'international zone' of Tangier. New York heiress Lucy Savage (Juno Temple) is fresh off the transatlantic steamer and ready for love and marriage in exotic climes. But when her husband Hugo (Hugh Skinner) does not receive her in the way she expected, she spins off into a new surprising, diverse and sexually liberated world.

Poet Laureate Simon Armitage responds to today's decision by Ofqual, the exams regulator, that students taking English Literature GCSE next year will not be required to study any poetry. They will be assessed on a Shakespeare play, but have the option to cover a 19th century novel or a post-1914 work of British fiction or drama, or poetry.

This summer, many of us are holidaying at home so rather than recommending books to take on holiday, tonight we're recommending books about holidays or set in holiday locations. Clare Allfree, books editor at The Metro Newspaper, guides us through her selection of vacation-themed literature.

All this week on Front Row, creative individuals from the arts are choosing one Lockdown Discovery, a cultural find that gave them pleasure in the dark months being stuck at home. Today it鈥檚 the turn of the architect Tara Gbolade, whose lockdown was significantly improved by accidentally stumbling upon a book which captured her architectural imagination: Vernacular Architecture of West Africa: A World in Dwelling.

Presenter Tom Sutcliffe
Producer Simon Richardson

Available now

28 minutes

Little Birds

Little Birds
Yumna Marwan
Photo聽漏 Warp Films/
Dean Rogers

Little Birds
is currently streaming on Sky Atlantic
Main image:聽Juno Temple
Photo 漏 Warp Films/
Dean Rogers聽

Tara Gbolade

Tara Gbolade
Tara Gbolade

Her lockdown discovery is聽聽Vernacular Architecture of West Africa: A World in Dwelling

Summer Reads

Claire Allfree suggests:
Sweet Sorrow by David Nicholls
A Room with a View by EM Forster
Party Going by Henry Green
On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan
The Lady with the Little Dog by Anton Chekhov

Listener recommendations:
Beautiful Animals by Lawrence Osborne suggested by Marcus Field
The Past聽by Tessa Hadley suggested by Patrick Gale
The Rock Pool聽聽by Cyril Connolly suggested by David Collard
The Enchanted April聽聽by Elizabeth von Arnim suggested by Mark Ludmon, Cat Wallis and Amy Stewart
Castle Gripsholm by Kurt Tucholksy suggested by Jane Bloomfield
Holiday by Stanley Middleton suggested by David Belbin and John Sturgis
The Fortnight in September by RC Sherriff suggested by Mart, David Nicholls and Melanie Hewitt
Green Smoke聽聽by Rosemary Manning suggested by David Benedict
Room with a View by EM Forster suggested by Anne Longmuir and
Ceri Shields
The Doctor's Wife聽聽by Brian Moore suggested by Ann Kennedy Smith聽
The Greengage Summer by Rumer Godden suggested by Michael Eades
Tender is the Night by F Scott Fitzgerald suggested by Mike Collins
Illyrian Spring by Anne Bridge suggested by Dylan Roberts and
Jenny Linford
Paradise News by David Lodge suggested by Frank Webster
The Red House by Mark Haddon suggested by George Morley
Us by David Nicholls suggested by David Nicholls聽
Rough Music by Patrick Gale suggested by Thomas Kohut

Tom Sutcliffe suggests:
The Stars in the Bright Sky by Alan Warner
The Standing Pool by Adam Thorpe
The Narrow Land by Christine Dwyer Hickey
Midwinter Break by Bernard MacLaverty (also recommended by @intervalthinks)


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  • Tue 4 Aug 2020 19:15

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