Welcome back to the home of the oxymoron. Evil genius. He asked the newspaper to print his obituary early so he'd enjoy it. That's like hiding at your own funeral. Yeah, it's a big, great gig. I'm Russell Kane. Join me to weigh in on whether the biggest players in history are more evil or genius. Becoming that rich, I'd say that is some level of genius. It also helps

that it's a long time ago, right? It's like the podcast version of telling your kids the ice cream

van plays music when it's out of ice cream. Listen to evil genius on BBC Sounds.

What did Philip Larkin like?

Kierkegaard, Virginia Woolf, Sydney Beshe, Catherine Mansfield, D.H. Lawrence, Mrs. Thatcher.

But the list of what he didn't like seems written in a bolder typeface.

Beowulf was apes bum fodder.

The fairy queen was the dullest thing out. Here he is on modernism.

This is my essential criticism of modernism, whether perpetrated by Parker, that's Charlie Parker, Pound or Picasso.

It helps us neither to enjoy nor endure. It will divert as long as we are prepared to be mystified or outraged,

but maintains its hold only by being more mystifying or more outrageous.

It has no lasting power.

Well, what about the lasting power of Larkin's own poetry?

His collection, The Wits and Weddings, is half a century old this year.

But if his poetry offers an alternative to modernism, its position on modernity, on modern life,

may be harder to tease out. Did Larkin believe that modern life was rubbish? What does he really think about those wits and brides and the world they occupy?

Well, here to examine Larkin's Britain,

are two poets who know that territory well.

Kate Clanshy and Larkin's friend

and first biographer, Andrew Motion.

Thank you. Andrew Motion. So the Whitson wedding celebrates it golden anniversary this year.

What's your relationship with it, Kate?

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