In Conversation with Fiona Sampson
Today I'm joined by the award winning poet and writer, Fiona Sampson to discuss Fiona’s recently published biography, In Search of Mary Shelley.*
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In Conversation with Fiona Sampson (In Search of Mary Shelley)
Fiona’s works have been published in over thirty languages, and she received an MBE for services to literature. As well as being a huge admirer of Fiona's beautiful poetry, I recently read In Search of Mary Shelley and found it an astonishing and compelling read.
2018 marks 200 years since the publication of Mary’s famous book, Frankenstein, and Fiona’s biography sheds light on how a young woman of only 19 came to write such an extraordinary novel.
In our conversation, Fiona discusses how Mary’s famous literary parents influenced her own desire to write, and how her unconventional relationship with the poet Percy Shelley shaped Mary’s life and writing.
Fiona Sampson. Photo credit: Ekaterina Voskresenskaya
In our conversation today, Fiona tells the story of how an evening spent swapping ghost stories with Byron kindled the idea for Frankenstein, and we also discuss the impact Mary's relationship with the poet Percy Shelley had on her life and writing.
Episode Links
In Search of Mary Shelley by Fiona Sampson.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.
Faber's Percy Bysshe Shelley.
In Search of Mary Shelley on BBC Radio 4's Book of the Week.
Some of Fiona's upcoming events: Oxford Literary Festival; Soho House; Words by the Water.
*Please note: affiliate links are used for Blackwells. If you order a book from Blackwells using one of my affiliate links, I may make a small commission from your purchase, at no additional cost to yourself. I like to support Blackwells by linking to their website, as I’m a big fan of their flagship Oxford bookshop, and they offer reasonable overseas shipping. You in turn support my work by shopping through my affiliate link. Thank you!