Polly Barton, Yoko Ogawa, and plays – welcome to episode 128!
In the first half of today’s ‘Tea or Books?’ episode, Rachel and I revisit a topic from years ago – plays! Specifically, do we think that plays should be read on the page, as well as seen on the stage. In the second half, we compare two books with a Japanese theme: Polly Barton’s Fifty Sounds, a non-fiction about moving to Japan and learning the language, and Yoko Ogawa’s novel The Housekeeper and the Professor, translated by Stephen Snyder.
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The books and authors we mention in this episode are:
A Body Made of Glass by Caroline Crampton
The Dept of Speculation by Jenny Offill
Weather by Jenny Offill
Conventional Wisdoms by Jocelyn Brooke
The Hiding Place by Trezza Azzopardi
One Good Turn by Dorothy Whipple
Someone at a Distance by Dorothy Whipple
They Were Sisters by Dorothy Whipple
They Knew Mr Knight by Dorothy Whipple
The Road to Wigan Pier by George Orwell
J.B. Priestley
Tennesse Williams
The Dover Road by A.A. Milne
The Second Mrs Tanqueray by Arthur Wing Pinero
Private Lives by Noel Coward
Hay Fever by Noel Coward
Still Life by Noel Coward
Dear Octopus by Dodie Smith
Caryl Churchill
Lungs by Duncan Macmillan
People, Places and Things by Duncan Macmillan
Infinite Life by Annie Baker
Paula Vogel
White Noise by Suzan-Lori Parks
Posh by Laura Wade
The Watsons by Laura Wade
Jane Austen
Miss Elizabeth Bennet by A.A. Milne
Mr Pim Passes By by A.A. Milne
A View From the Bridge by Arthur Miller
A Bookshop of One’s Own by Jane Cholmeley
A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf
I used to read a lot more plays in my younger years but haven’t so recently. But your discussion reminds me I have a collection of Mishima’s plays to read! As for Barton vs Ogawa, I enjoyed the Barton very much indeed, but struggled a lot with The Professor – the latter really didn’t work for me…
Thanks for another stimulating episode!
I don’t read or watch plays very much but you both do make a good case that perhaps I should.
I really enjoyed the discussion regarding the ‘book off’. It was interesting hearing how a mathematical vs non mathematical thinker reacted to The Housekeeper and the Professor. I loved the book and the maths was an added enjoyment factor (like Simon, I have a bit of a maths background and currently home-school in maths (my son has dyscalculia like Rachel – so teaching him is an interesting experience!!). I have not yet managed to get a copy of Fifty Sounds but now I am going to renew my efforts to source one.
I listened to A Body made of Glass and found it absolutely fascinating and have just started Dept of Speculation thanks to your novella a day in May mammoth reading efforts Simon – thank you for that inspiration.
I think it must be a first – I have already read the books for the next episode – both fairly recently, but I shall look forward to your discussion nevertheless.
I have read several pays and enjoyed them, favourites being The Matchmaker by Thornton Wilder (the basis for ‘Hello Dolly’) and Arms and the Man by George Bernard Shaw, which was also filmed as ‘The Chocolate Soldier’. Both light comedies!