As I’ve been recommending this to EVERYONE, I felt it would probably save time to share it here also.
Last year for LeedsBookClub, we read A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes and it was incredible! In fact it was the highest scoring book that we discussing last year (by the skin of it’s teeth. A Thousand Ships scored 9.4 and Shuggie Bain scored 9.3 – very solid recommendations there!).
So when I discovered from my mum that the author had also written a non-fiction book (Pandora’s Jar), I was over the moon. Then I found out that Ms Haynes had also been a comedian for many years and that her two interests had finally come together in a podcast taking a humourous look at the Classics. And I was SOLD!
Having binge listened to this last week, I am working my way through them more slowly this week. And passing the link onto anyone I can think of. Including your own good selves 😀
It’s informative, it’s funny, the guests are great and there are frequent references to I Claudius, Xena and Buffy. What more could you want in a highbrow radio production!
Get listening below or find the podcast on BBC Sounds.
- Clytemnestra Series 7
- The worst wife in Greek myth. Or was she? With Professor Edith Hall.
- Jocasta Series 7
- The wife of Oedipus. And mother. A still spellbindingly shocking story. With Edith Hall.
- Pandora Series 7
- A mythological equivalent to Eve with a bit of Sleeping Beauty thrown in. With Edith Hall
- Medusa Series 7
- The real story of the famous snake-haired mythological woman?
- Penelope Series 6
- Natalie Haynes tells of Penelope, the clever woman behind The Odyssey.
- Eurydice Series 6
- Natalie Haynes tells Eurydice’s story from a new perspective. With Llewelyn Morgan.
- Penthesilea, Amazon Warrior Queen Series 6
- Natalie Haynes tells the story of Penthesilea, Amazon warrior Queen.
- Helen of Troy Series 6
- Natalie Haynes tells stories of the most beautiful woman in the world, Helen of Troy.
- Homer: The Iliad Series 5
- Natalie Haynes stands up for Homer’s Iliad.
- SuetoniusSeries 5
- Natalie stands up for Roman biographer Suetonius, with Llewelyn Morgan and Anita Anand.
- Roman British Women: Claudia Severa. Series 5
- Natalie Haynes on Claudia Severa, with guests Llewelyn Morgan and Paul Roberts.
- Aristotle Series 5
- Natalie Haynes stands up for Aristotle, with Dr Adam Rutherford and Professor Edith Hall.
- Livy Series 4
- Natalie Haynes stands up in the name of Roman historian Livy. With Al Murray.
- Euripides Series 4
- Natalie Haynes stands up for Greek playwright Euripides, whose Medea still shocks.
- Horace Series 4
- Natalie Haynes stands up for Roman poet Horace. With guests Llewelyn Morgan and Ben Okri.
- Phryne Series 4
- Natalie Haynes stands up for Phryne, the Greek courtesan famed for her wit and beauty.
- Juvenal Series 3
- Natalie Haynes stands up for Roman satirist Juvenal. With guest Armando Iannucci.
- Lucian Series 3
- Natalie Haynes stands up for the little-known but super-influential Greek writer Lucian.
- Cicero Series 3
- Natalie Haynes stands up for the Roman orator, Cicero.
- Sappho Series 3
- Natalie Haynes stands up for the Greek poet Sappho.
- Agrippina Series 2
- Natalie Haynes stands up for Agrippina the Younger, who bossed it in first century Rome.
- Plato Series 2
- Natalie Haynes stands up for one of the greatest all-time thinkers, Plato.
- Ovid Series 2
- Join Natalie Haynes for comedy and Classics, as she stands up for Roman poet Ovid.
- Aristophanes Series 2
- Join Natalie Haynes as she stands up for the Greek playwright Aristophanes.
- Aspasia Series 1
- A fresh look at the ancient world. How to be a notorious woman in ancient Greece.
- Virgil Series 1
- Virgil gives tips on bee-keeping and creates Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
- Sophocles Series 1
- A fresh look at the ancient world: Sophocles invents the TV detective.
- Petronius Series 1
- A fresh look at the ancient world. Satire, sex and sausages.
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