Carmen Callil on Elizabeth Jenkins' The Tortoise and the Hare | Backlisted Podcast

Remembering Carmen Callil and Virago Press

• 🎙️ This episode is a rerun in memory of the legendary publisher and writer Carmen Callil, founder of Virago Press.
• 🇦🇺 Callil, described as 'part-Lebanese, part-Irish and wholly Australian', settled in London in 1964 and revolutionized publishing with Virago, particularly its Modern Classics series.
• 🏆 Her significant contributions were recognized with a DBE and the Benson Medal, and she authored the acclaimed book 'Bad Faith: A History of Family & Fatherland'.

The Experimental Novel: The Unfortunates

• 📚 The podcast begins by discussing The Unfortunates by B.S. Johnson, a novel famously published in 1969 as 27 randomly ordered sections.
• 🗣️ Carmen Callil served as the publicist for the original publication, recalling the challenges and the team's commitment to innovation.
• 🔊 A new audio adaptation for Amazon Alexa, created by Nikki Burch, is highlighted for its ability to randomize the sections, staying true to Johnson's experimental concept and offering 1.3 trillion possible combinations.
• 🎭 The adaptation, starring Martin Freeman, was well-received by Johnson's family, who noted its faithfulness to his spirit and work.

The Tortoise and the Hare: A Deep Dive

• 📖 The main focus is The Tortoise and the Hare by Elizabeth Jenkins, first published in 1954 and reissued by Virago Modern Classics in 1983.
• 💡 Carmen Callil discovered the novel through her friend Rosamund Lehmann, who recommended it for its exploration of women's struggles with dependence on men and their position within the English social class system.
• 🧐 The novel is praised for its subtle love story, its nuanced character development, and its resistance to melodrama, even when dealing with intense emotional situations.
• 🔍 Jenkins, a prolific author known for biographies and fiction, is noted for her sharp observations, precise descriptions, and an underlying interest in crime and human intention.

Themes of Class, Fury, and Revenge

• 🧐 The novel's exploration of class and its impact on relationships is a key discussion point, with Jenkins' own experiences of criticism for focusing on a specific social stratum being shared.
• 💔 Callil reveals the novel is based on a true story of Jenkins' unrequited love for a gynecologist, Sir Erdley Holland, and her response to his marriage to another woman, which she considered an act of revenge.
• 🎭 The story of Jenkins sending a damaged gift back to Holland after he had mistreated her is recounted as a powerful example of literary retribution.

Literary Context and Enduring Appeal

• ✍️ The discussion touches upon the literary landscape of the time, comparing Jenkins' style to Jane Austen and noting her contemporaries like Elizabeth Taylor and Angela Carter.
• 🧐 Callil reflects on how her perception of the novel deepened over time, finding it braver and more profound than she initially realized.
• ✨ The novel is recommended for its exquisite craftsmanship, its ability to evoke powerful emotions without sentimentality, and its surprising yet inevitable ending, offering a deeply satisfying reading experience.
• 💖 It's celebrated for its insightful portrayal of love, loss, and the complexities of human motivation, making it a timeless piece of literature.