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Episode 5

John Donne’s turn to the priesthood finally secures his fortunes in Katherine Rundell's brilliant new biography. Read by Blake Ritson.

Katherine Rundell’s biography of the poet and "alchemist" of words John Donne. Today, Donne’s turn to the priesthood finally secures his fortunes as he becomes chaplain to King James and later Dean of Saint Paul’s Cathedral in London.

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

Sat 25 Feb 2023 00:30

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Broadcasts

  • Fri 24 Feb 2023 09:45
  • Sat 25 Feb 2023 00:30