Welcome to our first Backlisted special of 2023. These specials are designed to fill the gap until the show proper returns in April. They differ from the usual Backlisted format in that they feature just one guest choosing a number of books in an area they know and care about.

Today we’re joined by the award-winning novelist and screenwriter Frank Cottrell-Boyce, an official friend of Backlisted, who returns for the first time since his appearance on the Christmas 2021 episode on The Railway Children by Edith Nesbit, one of our most popular shows. The discussion covers examines what inspired Frank’s love of reading when he was growing up, and includes favourite books by T.H. White, Ursula K. Le Guin, Joan Aiken, Tim Hunkin and Richmal Crompton.

Books mentioned:
The Once & Future King - TH White
A Wizard of Earthsea (and/or The Tombs of Atuan)- Ursula Le Guin
Joan Aiken’s Armitage Stories (aka The Serial Garden)
The Rudiments of Wisdom - Tim Hunkin
Just William - Richmal Crompton
King of the Copper Mountains - Paul Biegal

Other links:

Ursula K. Le Guin on The Wizard of Earthsea
The Once and Future King - BBC Radio 4 2014 (Adapted by Brian Sibley)