Radio Secrets
posted by Neil Gaiman
In the winter of 1983, I was alone in my parents' house. Even they weren't there. I was 22 going on 23, and writing things nobody wanted to buy, or even read, and feeling very lonely indeed. I was about to move up to a bedroom in Edgware at the start of 1984.
The nearest thing I had to company was BBC Radio 4. (I remember listening to an audio sequel to Cold Comfort Farm. Also that it was the only time I have ever managed to actually follow The Archers for long enough to know who was actually who and what they all wanted.) I would sit in my parents' empty dining room with the radio on while I wrote short stories nobody would ever read and nobody would ever buy.
But the radio helped. The radio really helped.
It's nice, and odd, to feel that I'm now part of the thing that kept me going then.
My short story "Chivalry" will be broadcast at 4:00pm to 4:30pm on the 25th of December. It's about an old woman who buys the Holy Grail in a charity shop.
There's a generation gap vast as an ocean between people who are excited that Glenda Jackson is both our narrator and Mrs Whitaker, and those who have no idea who Glenda Jackson is and why she matters (wasn't she a British politician once?) but are very excited about Kit Harington.
And as if that wasn't enough...
Playing in the Dark will be broadcast on Radio 3 on the 23rd of December from 7:30pm until 10 pm. That's me and some guests reading things aloud, and also the BBC Symphony Orchestra (and some of the guests) making music.
Here's a video of me introducing our final reader, who read a chunk of GOOD OMENS...
(If the video below doesn't work for you, as I hear it's region-locked, you can watch it on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bbcpress/status/1198926119388565504?s=20)
Playing in the Dark will also, in edited form, be going out really early on the morning of the 25th, on BBC Radio 4 from 6 am - 7 am.
If you are somewhere in the world where you cannot turn on the radio and hear Radio 3 or 4, you can still livestream it, and once it has been broadcast it will be up for a month. ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD YOU CAN ACCESS THE INTERNET, YOU CAN LISTEN TO THEM. FOR FREE.
This is a true thing.
Labels: Chivalry, Radio four, Radio 3, radio
In the winter of 1983, I was alone in my parents' house. Even they weren't there. I was 22 going on 23, and writing things nobody wanted to buy, or even read, and feeling very lonely indeed. I was about to move up to a bedroom in Edgware at the start of 1984.
The nearest thing I had to company was BBC Radio 4. (I remember listening to an audio sequel to Cold Comfort Farm. Also that it was the only time I have ever managed to actually follow The Archers for long enough to know who was actually who and what they all wanted.) I would sit in my parents' empty dining room with the radio on while I wrote short stories nobody would ever read and nobody would ever buy.
But the radio helped. The radio really helped.
It's nice, and odd, to feel that I'm now part of the thing that kept me going then.
My short story "Chivalry" will be broadcast at 4:00pm to 4:30pm on the 25th of December. It's about an old woman who buys the Holy Grail in a charity shop.
There's a generation gap vast as an ocean between people who are excited that Glenda Jackson is both our narrator and Mrs Whitaker, and those who have no idea who Glenda Jackson is and why she matters (wasn't she a British politician once?) but are very excited about Kit Harington.
And as if that wasn't enough...
Playing in the Dark will be broadcast on Radio 3 on the 23rd of December from 7:30pm until 10 pm. That's me and some guests reading things aloud, and also the BBC Symphony Orchestra (and some of the guests) making music.
Here's a video of me introducing our final reader, who read a chunk of GOOD OMENS...
(If the video below doesn't work for you, as I hear it's region-locked, you can watch it on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bbcpress/status/1198926119388565504?s=20)
Playing in the Dark will also, in edited form, be going out really early on the morning of the 25th, on BBC Radio 4 from 6 am - 7 am.
If you are somewhere in the world where you cannot turn on the radio and hear Radio 3 or 4, you can still livestream it, and once it has been broadcast it will be up for a month. ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD YOU CAN ACCESS THE INTERNET, YOU CAN LISTEN TO THEM. FOR FREE.
This is a true thing.
Labels: Chivalry, Radio four, Radio 3, radio
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What a lovely holiday gift this will be. This is my favorite short story. I had the privilege of hearing Mr. Neil read it out loud when I attended a speaking engagement at the Weinberg in Frederick, MD. I also had the thrilling experience of meeting him that night before the show. When he started to read this story I cried. Not because the story is sad. But because I know what a lucky moment that was for me. It was an experience I reflect back on again and again because it was such serendipity. Thank you Neil, for continuing to share your gifts with us all.
Thank you so much, specially because it`s free & us in Dystopian Countries (a.k.a Iran) might listen as well!** we can`t buy/sell anything on international markets/websites/amazon...thanks to the sanction! ~~ **
One of my favourites - a beautiful tale that was my first introduction to Sir Gawain, subconsciously leading to my Medieval studies at university! Look forward to Radio Gaiman every Christmas
I read Cold Comfort Farm back in the ‘80s and just loved it. And then, in the ‘90s, I showed the video of the movie to my boyfriend (now husband) and he found it hilarious. So Cold Comfort Farm has legs in my house.And Glenda Jackson in Chivalry, a story that I adore? Be still my beating heart! And yes, I’m a old person who remembers her magnificent acting.
سیما wrote: "Thank you so much, specially because it`s free & us in Dystopian Countries (a.k.a Iran) might listen as well!** we can`t buy/sell anything on international markets/websites/amazon...thanks to the ..."
Can we help you? If we send you amazon gift cards, can you get the things you want? Or write me what things you'd like and I can send them to you? I can't imagine being cut off from the discussion and access to ideas because of my government, it must be maddening. Please let me know if we can help you get around this. You can email me, my mail is shinemercy and it's at the usual Gmail location with the com ending.
Having recently read Smoke and Mirrors, I absolutely love Chivalry! And also, once again, thank you for sharing Mr Gaiman. Quite a strangely comforting thing to realise that even a master of the craft once struggled with his writing ... It helps to inspire me to meet my personal challenge of finishing my first draft by the end of this year.
Looking forward to that show, one a day, every day for the week I was off, was a godsend and helped me in more ways than I think i even recognized at the time: the world had the potential to be magical.
Thank you so much.