Sybille Bedford's guest appearances

Sybille Bedford

Great Lives

Desert Island Discs: Archive 1996-2000

Books and Authors

Slightly Foxed

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Evelyn Waugh

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‘I wondered for a time who this brilliant “Mrs Bedford” could be,’ wrote Evelyn Waugh to Nancy Mitford on reading Sybille Bedford’s first novel, A Legacy.    The twentieth-century European writer Sybille Bedford could be many things: traveller, gourmand, oenophile, court reporter, Booker Prize-shortlisted novelist. In this month’s literary podcast the Slightly Foxed team discover the pleasures and landscapes of Bedford’s life, loves and writing with her biographer, Selina Hastings. The daughter of a German Baron, from childhood Bedford travelled endlessly, living in Germany, Italy, France, Portugal and Britain. Claiming to suffer from sloth and love of life, she deified her friend Aldous Huxley, had assets frozen by the Nazi regime, was funded by Martha Gellhorn and was known for her many lovers, all while experiencing the ‘tearing, crushing, defeating agony’ of writing. From a delicious account of a visit to Don Otavio in Mexico and vivid reportage of the Lady Chatterley’s Lover obscenity trial to the autobiographical novel Jigsaw, we see the world through Bedford’s observant eye and voracious appetite.    And we continue our travels with a trip to the Heath Robinson Museum in London, exploring the cartoonist’s imagination through electric egg poachers, Christmas cracker-pulling machines and other curious contraptions, before sharing reading recommendations for Italo Calvino’s short stories that follow the cycle of the seasons, and an enlightening experiment with fiction from Francis Spufford. (Episode duration: 43 minutes; 56 seconds)   Books Mentioned We may be able to get hold of second-hand copies of the out-of-print titles listed below. Please get in touch with Jess in the Slightly Foxed office for more information.    Sybille Bedford: An Appetite for Life, Selina Hastings  A Visit to Don Otavio, Sybille Bedford (12:00)  A Legacy, Sybille Bedford (17:41)  The Best We Can Do, Sybille Bedford is out of print (21:23)  The Trial of Lady Chatterley’s Lover, Sybille Bedford (21:33)  Jigsaw, Sybille Bedford (28:51)  Aldous Huxley: A Biography, Sybille Bedford is out of print (29:40)  Very Heath Robinson, Adam Hart-Davis (38:34)  Marcovaldo, Italo Calvino (39:10)  Light Perpetual, Francis Spufford (41:02)   Other available books by Sybille Bedford  A Favourite of the Gods A Compass Error Pleasures and Landscapes   Related Slightly Foxed Articles   Bruised, Shocked, but Elated, Selina Hastings on Sybille Bedford, A Visit to Don Otavio, Issue 69 (12:00)  A Bath with a View, Caroline Chapman on Sybille Bedford, A Legacy, Issue 38 (17:41)   Other Links  Listen to Selina Hastings on Episode 18 of the Slightly Foxed Podcast: The Ordeal of Evelyn Waugh (0:54)  Sybille Bedford on Desert Island Discs, recorded in 1998 (9.09)  Heath Robinson Museum (36:20)    Opening music: Preludio from Violin Partita No.3 in E Major by Bach    The Slightly Foxed Podcast is hosted by Philippa Lamb and produced by Podcastable

‘I wondered for a time who this brilliant “Mrs Bedford” could be,’ wrote Evelyn Waugh to Nancy Mitford on reading Sybille Bedford’s first novel, A Legacy. The twentieth-century European writer Sybille Bedford could be many things: traveller, gourmand, oenophile, court reporter, Booker Prize-shortlisted novelist. In this month’s literary podcast the Slightly Foxed team discover the pleasures and landscapes of Bedford’s life, loves and writing with her biographer, Selina Hastings. The daughter of a German Baron, from childhood Bedford travelled endlessly, living in Germany, Italy, France, Portugal and Britain. Claiming to suffer from sloth and love of life, she deified her friend Aldous Huxley, had assets frozen by the Nazi regime, was funded by Martha Gellhorn and was known for her many lovers, all while experiencing the ‘tearing, crushing, defeating agony’ of writing. From a delicious account of a visit to Don Otavio in Mexico and vivid reportage of the Lady Chatterley’s Lover obscenity trial to the autobiographical novel Jigsaw, we see the world through Bedford’s observant eye and voracious appetite. And we continue our travels with a trip to the Heath Robinson Museum in London, exploring the cartoonist’s imagination through electric egg poachers, Christmas cracker-pulling machines and other curious contraptions, before sharing reading recommendations for Italo Calvino’s short stories that follow the cycle of the seasons, and an enlightening experiment with fiction from Francis Spufford. (Episode duration: 43 minutes; 56 seconds)  Books Mentioned We may be able to get hold of second-hand copies of the out-of-print titles listed below. Please <a href="mailto:jess@foxedquarterly.com">get in touch</a> with Jess in the Slightly Foxed office for more information. <ul> <li> <a href="https://foxedquarterly.com/shop/selina-hastings-sybille-bedford-an-appetite-for-life/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sybille Bedford: An Appetite for Life</a>, Selina Hastings</li> <li> <a href="https://foxedquarterly.com/shop/sybille-bedford-a-visit-to-don-otavio/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">A Visit to Don Otavio</a>, Sybille Bedford (12:00)</li> <li> <a href="https://foxedquarterly.com/shop/sybille-bedford-a-legacy/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">A Legacy</a>, Sybille Bedford (17:41)</li> <li> The Best We Can Do, Sybille Bedford is out of print (21:23)</li> <li> <a href="https://foxedquarterly.com/shop/sybille-bedford-the-trial-of-lady-chatterleys-lover/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Trial of Lady Chatterley’s Lover</a>, Sybille Bedford (21:33)</li> <li> <a href="https://foxedquarterly.com/shop/jigsaw-sybille-bedford/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jigsaw</a>, Sybille Bedford (28:51)</li> <li> Aldous Huxley: A Biography, Sybille Bedford is out of print (29:40)</li> <li> <a href="https://foxedquarterly.com/shop/adam-hart-davis-very-heath-robinson/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Very Heath Robinson</a>, Adam Hart-Davis (38:34)</li> <li> <a href="https://foxedquarterly.com/shop/italo-calvino-marcovaldo-short-stories/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Marcovaldo</a>, Italo Calvino (39:10)</li> <li> <a href="https://foxedquarterly.com/shop/francis-spufford-light-perpetual/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Light Perpetual</a>, Francis Spufford (41:02)</li> </ul> Other available books by Sybille Bedford <ul> <li><a href="https://foxedquarterly.com/shop/sybille-bedford-a-favourite-of-the-gods/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">A Favourite of the Gods</a></li> <li><a href="https://foxedquarterly.com/shop/sybille-bedford-a-compass-error/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">A Compass Error</a></li> <li><a href="https://dauntbookspublishing.co.uk/book/pleasures-landscapes/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pleasures and Landscapes</a></li> </ul> Related Slightly Foxed Articles <ul> <li> <a href="https://foxedquarterly.com/selina-hastings-sybille-bedford-visit-to-don-otavio-literary-review/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bruised, Shocked, but Elated</a>, Selina Hastings on Sybille Bedford, A Visit to Don Otavio, Issue 69 (12:00)</li> <li> <a href="https://foxedquarterly.com/caroline-chapman-sybille-bedford-literary-review/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">A Bath with a View</a>, Caroline Chapman on Sybille Bedford, A Legacy, Issue 38 (17:41)</li> </ul> Other Links <ul> <li>Listen to Selina Hastings on Episode 18 of the Slightly Foxed Podcast: <a href="https://foxedquarterly.com/the-ordeal-of-evelyn-waugh-slightly-foxed-podcast-episode-18/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Ordeal of Evelyn Waugh</a> (0:54)</li> <li> <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p009433x" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sybille Bedford on Desert Island Discs</a>, recorded in 1998 (9.09)</li> <li> <a href="https://www.heathrobinsonmuseum.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Heath Robinson Museum</a> (36:20)</li> </ul> Opening music: Preludio from Violin Partita No.3 in E Major by Bach The Slightly Foxed Podcast is hosted by Philippa Lamb and produced by <a href="https://www.podcastable.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Podcastable</a>

34: Sybille Bedford’s Appetite for Life

Selina Hastings

The first biography of this much loved author, bonne vivante, European, and John Sandoe customer, mentored by Aldous Huxley. Hastings’ earlier biographical subjects include Somerset Maugham, Evelyn Waugh, Nancy Mitford and Rosamond Lehmann.   Edited by Magnus Rena   Music: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Horn Concerto No. 3 in E Flat major 

The <a href="https://johnsandoe.com/product/sybille-bedford-an-appetite-for-life/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">first biography</a> of this much loved author, bonne vivante, European, and John Sandoe customer, mentored by Aldous Huxley. Hastings’ earlier biographical subjects include Somerset Maugham, Evelyn Waugh, Nancy Mitford and Rosamond Lehmann. Edited by Magnus Rena Music: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Horn Concerto No. 3 in E Flat major

Selina Hastings: Sybille Bedford

Sara Wheeler first read Sybille Bedford in her early twenties, and discovered a dazzling writer. The book she read was called A Visit to Don Otavio. It's set in Mexico, a country Bedford wanted to visit because of its 'long nasty history in the past and as little present history as possible.' Born Sybille von Schoenebeck in 1911 in Germany, she lived in Italy, France, California and London, and her book Jigsaw was nominated for the Booker prize. But by her own admission she never sold many books.Sara Wheeler is the author of Terra Incognita - about her travels in Antarctica. Victoria Glendinning adds her thoughts and wit to the programme.There are archive contributions from Hilary Spurling, Sue McGregor and Sybille Bedford too.The presenter is Matthew Parris

Sara Wheeler first read Sybille Bedford in her early twenties, and discovered a dazzling writer. The book she read was called A Visit to Don Otavio. It's set in Mexico, a country Bedford wanted to visit because of its 'long nasty history in the past and as little present history as possible.' Born Sybille von Schoenebeck in 1911 in Germany, she lived in Italy, France, California and London, and her book Jigsaw was nominated for the Booker prize. But by her own admission she never sold many books. Sara Wheeler is the author of Terra Incognita - about her travels in Antarctica. Victoria Glendinning adds her thoughts and wit to the programme. There are archive contributions from Hilary Spurling, Sue McGregor and Sybille Bedford too. The presenter is Matthew Parris

Sybille Bedford, author of Jigsaw and A Legacy

Sue Lawley's castaway this week is the writer Sybille Bedford. Born the daughter of a German baron in 1911, her childhood brought her into contact with the great literary figures of her age - Aldous Huxley, Virginia Woolf and T S Eliot. She has received critical acclaim as a novelist, journalist and law reporter, covering the Lady Chatterley trial, the Auschwitz trial and the trial of Jack Ruby.[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: Slow Movement of 'Double' Violin Concerto in D Minor by Johann Sebastian BachBook: A La Recherche de Temps Perdu  by Marcel ProustLuxury: A French restaurant in full working order

Sue Lawley's castaway this week is the writer Sybille Bedford. Born the daughter of a German baron in 1911, her childhood brought her into contact with the great literary figures of her age - Aldous Huxley, Virginia Woolf and T S Eliot. She has received critical acclaim as a novelist, journalist and law reporter, covering the Lady Chatterley trial, the Auschwitz trial and the trial of Jack Ruby. [Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] Favourite track: Slow Movement of 'Double' Violin Concerto in D Minor by Johann Sebastian Bach Book: A La Recherche de Temps Perdu by Marcel Proust Luxury: A French restaurant in full working order