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Books and Authors

A Good Read: Kevin Maguire, Lucy Mangan

Books and Authors

BBC

Society & Culture, Books

4.2824 Ratings

🗓️ 24 July 2012

⏱️ 29 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Harriett Gilbert is joined by the journalist Kevin Maguire and the columnist Lucy Mangan to discuss their favourite books: 'Confessions of a Failed Southern Lady' by Florence King, 'The Clerkenwell Tales' by Peter Ackroyd and 'The Smoking Diaries' by Simon Gray.

Transcript

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0:00.0

Hi, it's Nicola Cochlin. Young people have been making history for years, but we don't often hear about them. My brand new series on BBC Sounds sets out to put this right. In history's youngest heroes, I'll be revealing the fascinating stories of 12 young people who've played a major role in history and who've helped shape our world. Like Audrey Hepburn, Nelson Mandela, Louis Braille and Lady Jane Grey.

0:24.7

History's youngest heroes with me, Nicola Cochlin. Listen on BBC Sounds.

0:30.8

Thanks for downloading a good read on the books and authors podcast. Find more information on our website at BBC.co.com.com.com.

0:40.3

Radio 4.

0:45.0

Hello, welcome to a good read, where I'm joined today by two journalists, Lucy Mangun and Kevin

0:50.9

McGuire.

0:52.2

Kevin's a columnist and associate editor on The Daily Mirror

0:55.2

and writes a weekly diary of Westminster Gossip for the New Statesman.

0:58.9

He co-authored the book Great Parliamentary Scandals

1:01.6

and on television he's been known to dress up to illuminate a political point,

1:06.2

appearing on BBC Ones this week, for instance, as among other things,

1:10.0

a milkman and a game show host.

1:12.7

Kevin's a frequent presenter of what the papers say on Radio 4, and for the past five years he's

1:17.8

belonged to an all-male book club that meets in London pubs. And Kevin, I gather that when somebody

1:23.1

suggests next month's book, the first question everybody asks is, how long is it?

1:27.8

It is, how long, quickly followed by how much?

1:32.1

And Lucy Mangon, do you belong to a book club?

1:34.6

I don't, I'm afraid. I think the idea of reading under that kind of duress is just very, very off-putting to me.

1:40.9

Well, Lucy was educated in Catford and Cambridge before becoming what she describes as a hopeless trainee solicitor in the city.

1:48.4

She qualified on a Tuesday and left on the Friday to try her hand at journalism.

1:53.4

Just before she turned 30, she got work experience at The Guardian and has been there ever since.

1:58.5

She's a features writer and columnist for the paper and a columnist for Stylist magazine.

...

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