Margot Livesey

Margot Livesey and host dissect Thomas Hardy's novels, exploring his mistakes and poignant poetry. They discuss Hardy's personal life, focusing on his relationship with his wife Emma and how her death inspired his greatest works. The episode delves into character development, family history, and the supernatural in literature.

Novelist Margot Livesey discusses her book 'The Hidden Machinery: Essays on Writing' and its ability to offer new insights into familiar books and authors. They explore topics like writing fiction, creating compelling characters, aesthetics with Virginia Woolf, and the show versus tell debate. They also discuss the struggles of conveying characters in writing and the importance of trusted feedback. Additionally, they examine Shakespeare's approach to storytelling and reflect on the conversation.

Margot Livesey, Scottish-born novelist known for The Flight of Gemma Hardy and Mercury, reflects on formative reads. She talks about identifying with Jane Eyre, the narrative tricks and unreliability in The Good Soldier, and the emotional modernity of Giovanni’s Room. Short, lively conversations explore childhood reading, homage, structure, and how passion is rendered across these classics.