Adam Thorpe's Ulverton: A Literary Masterpiece Explored on Backlisted

Discussing Adam Thorpe's Debut Novel, Ulverton

• 🎙️ Recorded live at the End of the Road festival, this special episode of Backlisted features author and critic Tom Cox discussing Adam Thorpe's 1992 novel, Ulverton.
• 🎧 Despite some recording "gremlins," the episode aims for a "rock and roll" feel, likened to a "bootleg series."
• 👖 A humorous anecdote highlights Tom Cox's stylish, flared trousers, leading into a sponsor mention for Spoke-London.com.

Ian Hunter's Diary of a Rock'n'Roll Star

• 📖 Andy Miller shares his enthusiasm for the reissued Diary of a Rock'n'Roll Star by Ian Hunter, singer of Mott the Hoople.
• 🌟 The book, described as potentially the best rock book ever, captures the band's 1972 US tour, blending amazing gigs with mundane hang-ups in airports and hotel rooms.
• 🎤 A poignant excerpt from Hunter's diary reveals the demanding, often unglamorous reality of life in the rock business.
• 🎧 Tom Cox mentions listening to Keith Richards's autobiography on audiobook, finding it surprisingly enjoyable and insightful.

Sally Rooney's Normal People

• 📚 John Mitchinson praises Sally Rooney's second novel, Normal People, as an amazing book that is precisely written about a young couple's relationship.
• 🌍 The novel is noted for its contemporary feel, touching upon Ireland's financial crisis and its impact on young people.
• ✍️ The prose is described as delicate and honest, avoiding showiness and drawing readers into the characters' lives.
• 🗣️ The discussion touches on the term "middlebrow" and its often gendered application to female writers.

The Unique Structure and Themes of Ulverton

• 🌳 Ulverton is presented as a novel where the landscape and village are the true protagonists, spanning from 1650 to 1988.
• 🕰️ Each of the 12 chapters is narrated by a different person, hopping forward 30 years each time, creating a unique, non-traditional narrative structure.
• 📜 The book draws heavily on folklore, local histories, and found documents, akin to tuning into broadcasts from the past.
• 🎭 The novel is lauded for its literary innovation, influencing a generation of writers and being compared to modernist works and nature writing.

Voices from Ulverton's Past

• 🗣️ A reading from the 1712 chapter "Improvements" showcases a farmer discussing husbandry, his wife's mental breakdown, and an affair, blending mundane details with dark undertones.
• 🌾 Another excerpt from the 1887 chapter "Stitches" features a plowman's stream-of-consciousness narrative, rich with dialect and observations on rural life, likened to Molly Bloom's soliloquy.
• ⛪ A humorous sermon from Reverend Crispen Brazier in the 1689 chapter "Friends" attempts to explain a scandalous encounter during a snowstorm, highlighting the novel's comic and unsentimental nature.

Ulverton's Enduring Impact and Themes

• 💔 The novel explores themes of injustice, poverty, and desperation, particularly through letters from a mother to her son facing execution for stealing a hat.
• 🏘️ The final chapter, a film script, critiques property development and the loss of village traditions, reflecting contemporary anger and a sense of displacement.
• 🌟 Ulverton is celebrated as a masterpiece for its ability to move, amuse, and provoke thought, offering a profound exploration of English history and landscape.
• 🏆 Praised by authors like Hillary Mantel and Candia McWilliam, it's considered a touchstone book for nature writing and a unique contribution to English fiction.