BBC Radio Podcasts from Opening Lines
King Lear - Episode One
John Yorke takes a look at King Lear, Shakespeare’s most brutal tragedy.
Next Season
John Yorke looks at the theatre novel Next Season by Michael Blakemore.
Underfoot in Show Business
John Yorke looks at Underfoot in Show Business by US writer Helene Hanff.
Casino Royale
John Yorke looks at Casino Royale, the novel by Ian Fleming that introduced James Bond.
London Belongs to Me
Ian Sansom takes a look at Norman Collins’s novel London Belongs to Me.
Kramer Versus Kramer
John Yorke looks at Avery Corman’s 1977 bestselling novel Kramer Versus Kramer.
Brat Farrar
John Yorke investigates Josephine Tey’s classic story about an imposter, Brat Farrar.
Spring Awakening - Episode 2
John Yorke looks at Spring Awakening by German dramatist Frank Wedekind.
Spring Awakening - Episode 1
John Yorke looks at Spring Awakening by German dramatist Frank Wedekind.
That Hideous Strength - Episode 2
John Yorke looks at CS Lewis’s novel That Hideous Strength.
That Hideous Strength - Episode 1
John Yorke looks at CS Lewis’s novel That Hideous Strength.
The History of Mr Polly
Ian Sansom takes a look at The History of Mr Polly, the satirical novel by HG Wells.
The Plague
John Yorke on Albert Camus and his exploration of the absurd in The Plague.
Behind the Scenes at the Museum - Episode 2
John Yorke looks at Kate Atkinson’s debut novel, Behind the Scenes at the Museum.
Behind the Scenes at the Museum - Episode 1
John Yorke looks at Kate Atkinson’s debut novel, Behind the Scenes at the Museum.
Miss Happiness and Miss Flower
John Yorke takes a look at Rumer Godden’s children’s book Miss Happiness and Miss Flower.
Christmas Pudding
John Yorke on the aristocratic festive foibles of Nancy Mitford’s Christmas Pudding.
The Girl of the Sea of Cortez
John Yorke takes a look at Peter Benchley’s novel The Girl of the Sea of Cortez.
The Lay of the Land
John Yorke looks at The Lay of the Land by Richard Ford.
Berlin Alexanderplatz
John Yorke takes a look at Alfred Döblin’s Berlin Alexanderplatz.
Our Mutual Friend - Episode 2
John Yorke continues his exploration of Charles Dickens’ classic novel Our Mutual Friend.
Our Mutual Friend - Episode 1
John Yorke takes a look at Charles Dickens’s classic novel Our Mutual Friend.
Little Dorrit - Episode 2
John Yorke takes a look at Charles Dickens’ classic novel Little Dorrit.
Little Dorrit - Episode 1
John Yorke takes a look at Charles Dickens’ classic novel Little Dorrit.
Hard Times - Episode 2
John Yorke takes a look at Charles Dickens’ classic novel Hard Times.
Hard Times - Episode 1
John Yorke takes a look at Charles Dickens’ classic novel Hard Times.
Robinson Crusoe
John Yorke looks at Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe.
Clear Light of Day - Episode 2
John Yorke explores Anita Desai’s novel Clear Light of Day.
Clear Light of Day - Episode 1
John Yorke explores Anita Desai’s novel Clear Light of Day.
Death at La Fenice
John Yorke looks at Death at La Fenice, Donna Leon’s first Commissario Brunetti novel.
Frankenstein
John Yorke explores the themes and background to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.
A Vindication of the Rights of Woman
John Yorke takes a look at Mary Wollstonecraft’s A Vindication of the Rights of Woman.
Orwell vs Kafka: The Man Who Disappeared
John Yorke explores Franz Kafka's first novel, The Man Who Disappeared.
Orwell vs. Kafka: The Trial
John Yorke interrogates Franz Kafka's classic novel The Trial.
The Raiders - Episode 2
John Yorke explores The Raiders, a forgotten Scottish bestseller.
The Raiders - Episode 1
John Yorke explores The Raiders, a forgotten Scottish bestseller.
The Man Who Fell to Earth
John Yorke explores Walter Tevis’s 1963 novel The Man Who Fell to Earth.
My Mother Said I Never Should
John Yorke looks at Charlotte Keatley’s 1987 play My Mother Said I Never Should.
The Shell Seekers
John Yorke explores Rosamunde Pilcher’s 1987 global bestseller, The Shell Seekers.
The Sportswriter
John Yorke looks at The Sportswriter by Richard Ford.
Heart of Darkness
John Yorke explores Conrad’s controversial and deeply enigmatic novella Heart of Darkness.
& Other Stories: Daphne du Maurier - Episode 2
John Yorke explores two more of Daphne du Maurier’s short stories.
& Other Stories: Daphne du Maurier - Episode 1
John Yorke explores a ground-breaking short story – Don’t Look Now by Daphne du Maurier.
Cane
John Yorke looks at Jean Toomer’s Cane about African American life in 1920s America.
Siddhartha
John Yorke explores the book that embodies the soul of the counterculture – Siddhartha.
Tam O'Shanter
John Yorke explores Robert Burns’s only long form narrative poem, Tam O’Shanter.
Our Man in Havana - Episode 2
John Yorke looks into the dark comedy classic, Our Man in Havana.
Our Man in Havana - Episode 1
John Yorke looks at Graham Greene’s classic dark comedy, Our Man in Havana.
The Greatest Gift
John Yorke takes a look at Philip Van Doren Stern’s short story, The Greatest Gift.
Comet in Moominland
John Yorke takes a look at Tove Jansson's 1946 novel Comet in Moominland.
A Grain of Wheat
John Yorke looks at A Grain of Wheat, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o’s groundbreaking Kenyan novel.
Kiss of the Spider Woman
John Yorke explores the classic of modern Argentinian literature, Kiss of the Spiderwoman.
A Many-Splendoured Thing - Episode 2
John Yorke delves into Han Suyin’s fascinating love story A Many-Splendoured Thing.
A Many-Splendoured Thing - Episode 1
John Yorke delves into Han Suyin’s fascinating love story A Many-Splendoured Thing.
The Manxman
John Yorke looks at The Manxman by Sir Thomas Hall Caine.
The Betrothed - Episode 2
John Yorke explores the Italian 19th century classic novel The Betrothed.
The Betrothed - Episode 1
John Yorke explores the Italian 19th century classic novel The Betrothed.
She Who Was No More
John Yorke looks at 1952’s She Who Was No More by French duo Boileau-Narcejac.
The Mahabharata - Episode 2
John Yorke looks at the Hindu story that is one of the world’s greatest epics.
The Mahabharata - Episode 1
John Yorke looks at the Hindu story that is one of the world’s greatest epics.
Lark Rise to Candleford - Episode 2
John Yorke explores Flora Thompson’s much-loved book Lark Rise to Candleford.
Lark Rise to Candleford - Episode 1
John Yorke explores Flora Thompson’s much-loved book Lark Rise to Candleford.
If on a Winter's Night a Traveller
John Yorke takes a look at Italo Calvino's novel If On A Winter's Night A Traveller.
Democracy in America
John Yorke takes a look at Alexis de Tocqueville’s seminal work, Democracy in America.
The Three Musketeers - Episode 2
John Yorke unpicks the sometimes overlooked aspects of The Three Musketeers.
The Three Musketeers - Episode 1
John Yorke on the swashbuckler to end all swashbucklers - The Three Musketeers.
In Patagonia
John Yorke explores groundbreaking travel writing classic In Patagonia by Bruce Chatwin.
Venice
John Yorke explores the enduring appeal of Venice by Jan Morris.
Mother Courage and Her Children - Episode 2
John Yorke takes a look at Bertolt Brecht’s Mother Courage and her Children.
Mother Courage and Her Children - Episode 1
John Yorke takes a look at Bertolt Brecht’s Mother Courage and her Children.
Cloudstreet - Episode 2
John Yorke delves into Tim Winton’s beloved novel Cloudstreet, published in 1991.
Cloudstreet - Episode 1
John Yorke delves into Tim Winton’s beloved novel Cloudstreet, published in 1991.
One Moonlit Night
John Yorke takes a look at Caradog Prichard's ground-breaking novel, One Moonlit Night.
A Room With a View - Episode 2
John Yorke explores EM Forster’s 1908 novel A Room with a View.
A Room With a View - Episode 1
John Yorke explores EM Forster’s 1908 novel A Room with a View.
Anna Karenina - Episode 3
John Yorke explores the world of Leo Tolstoy’s great novel Anna Karenina.
Anna Karenina - Episode 2
John Yorke looks at the themes and structure of Tolstoy’s great novel Anna Karenina.
Anna Karenina - Episode 1
John Yorke looks at the themes at the heart of Leo Tolstoy’s classic novel Anna Karenina.
Twelfth Night - Episode 2
John Yorke takes a look at Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night and asks what makes it work.
Twelfth Night - Episode 1
John Yorke takes a look at Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night and asks what makes it work.
Borstal Boy
John Yorke looks at Borstal Boy by Brendan Behan.
Enduring Love
John Yorke takes a look at Ian McEwan’s 1997 complex thriller Enduring Love.
Kira Georgievna
John Yorke explores Victor Nekrasov’s 1961 novel Kira Georgievna.
Antic Hay
John Yorke takes a look at Aldous Huxley’s 1923 satirical novel, Antic Hay.
Confessions of a Justified Sinner
John Yorke considers Confessions of a Justified Sinner.
Porgy - Episode 2
John Yorke looks into the novel Porgy and the controversy around it.
Porgy - Episode 1
John Yorke looks into the novel Porgy and its creator Edwin DuBose Heyward.
Gaslight
John Yorke takes a look at Patrick Hamilton's 1938 play Gaslight.
Georges - Episode 2
John Yorke on Alexander Dumas and race in his forgotten classic; Georges.
Georges - Episode 1
John Yorke looks into a forgotten swashbuckler, Georges by Alexander Dumas.
The Bronze Horseman
John Yorke looks at Alexander Pushkin’s celebrated narrative poem, The Bronze Horseman.
Yentl the Yeshiva Boy
John Yorke looks at how Isaac Bashevis Singer's short story Yentl makes its mark.
Lady Chatterley's Lover - Episode 2
John Yorke takes a look at Lady Chatterley's Lover by D H Lawrence.
Lady Chatterley's Lover - Episode 1
John Yorke takes a look at Lady Chatterley's Lover by DH Lawrence.
Welcome to Opening Lines
Introducing John Yorke’s series on books, plays and stories, asking what makes them work.