Main content

Madeline Miller - The Song of Achilles

James Naughtie and a group of readers talk to Madeline Miller about The Song of Achilles which is a retelling of Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔr's Iliad. The novel won the Orange Prize for Fiction 2012.

James Naughtie and Madeline Miller discuss her debut novel The Song of Achilles which won the Orange Prize for Fiction 2012.

In The Song of Achilles, Madeline Miller presents a love story against the backdrop of the Trojan war - between Achilles, leading the Greek army, and his best friend Patroclus. Her imagined relationship between the two men explains the emotional support that Achilles gets from Patroclus, the strength of the bond between them and the depth of Achilles' grief at his friend's death.

Recorded with a group of invited readers.

October's Bookclub Choice : A Death in the Family by Karl Ove Knausgaard (2014)

Presenter : James Naughtie
Interviewed Guest : Madeline Miller
Producer : Dymphna Flynn.

Available now

28 minutes

Last on

Thu 6 Sep 2018 15:30

Broadcasts

  • Sun 2 Sep 2018 16:00
  • Thu 6 Sep 2018 15:30

How many of these 100 Novels have you read?

How many of these 100 Novels have you read?

After a passionate debate, our panel has come up with this surprising literary selection.

Bookclub at 20

Bookclub at 20

Sebastian Faulks, Naomi Alderman and more select favourite editions of the programme

Sample our books and authors Clip Collection

Interviews, previews and reviews

Short stories to keep

The fiction podcast featuring the best stories from the UK's finest writers

Books

Celebrating reading and the 100 novels that have shaped our world.

Podcast