Perhaps the greatest boxing novel ever written, Leonard Gardner's Fat City was first published in 1969; it was shortlisted for the National Book Award; Joan Didion and Denis Johnson are amongst those who have sung its praises. The book was made into a film in 1972 starring Stacy Keach and Jeff Bridges, directed by John Huston from a screenplay by Gardner himself. In this episode Andy, John and Nicky explore both the novel and the film and the ways in which Gardner shows the reader the whole of a society through the prism of sport. We also hear from the author as to why he has never published another novel. Plus in this episode John reignites his love of D.H. Lawrence with Frances Wilson's acclaimed new biography Burning Man, while Andy shares an extract from Leonora Carrington's magical novel The Hearing Trumpet, read by actress Siân Phillips.

Books mentioned:

Leonard Gardner - Fat City
Leonora Carrington - The Hearing Trumpet; The Hearing Trumpet (audiobook)
Frances Wilson - Burning Man: The Ascent of D.H. Lawrence
Andy Miller - Tilting at Windmills: How I Tried to Stop Worrying & Love Sport
David Keenan - Monument Maker
Geoff Dyer - Out of Sheer Rage: In Search of D.H. Lawrence
Denis Johnson - Angels
A.J. Liebling - The Sweet Science: Boxing & Boxing - A Ringside View
Peter Guralnick - Last Train to Memphis; Careless Love
Jonathan Rendall - This Bloody Mary is the Last Thing I Own
Dashiell Hammett - The Maltese Falcon
Herman Melville - Moby Dick
Rudyard Kipling - The Man Who Would Be King
James Joyce - Dubliners