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Episode 3

Blake Ritson reads Katherine Rundell’s moving and revealing new biography of John Donne. Today, the loss of his brother Henry, and the loss of his faith.

Katherine Rundell’s biography of the poet and "alchemist" of words John Donne. Today, the loss of his brother Henry, and the loss of his faith…

This prize-winning new biography of John Donne reveals him as an β€œinfinity merchant”, a man whose preaching could make his congregation weep, a poet whose β€œbeauty deserved walk-on music”.

Rundell's engaging, witty and often thrilling book champions an impossible to categorise man: pirate, soldier, scholar, priest, inventor of new words and author of some of most intensely and intimately passionate poetry in English. Donne was a Catholic who lost - or left - his faith, from a family of martyrs, whose career led him to become Dean of Saint Paul’s Cathedral.

Read by Blake Ritson
Abridged by Richard Hamilton
Produced by Allegra McIlroy

14 minutes

Last on

Thu 23 Feb 2023 00:30

Broadcasts

  • Wed 22 Feb 2023 09:45
  • Thu 23 Feb 2023 00:30