Andy and John are joined in her record-equalling third appearance on the Backlisted podcast by Sarah Churchwell, Professor of American Literature and Chair of Public Understanding of the Humanities at the School of Advanced Study in the University of London. The book she has chosen is Gayl Jones' 1975 masterpiece, Corregidora, a novel acquired by a commissioning editor at Random House called Toni Morrison. Before that, Andy enjoys a coming-of-age novel set in 1940s Soho - Rain on the Pavements by Roland Camberton, while John follows the meanderings of Edward Thomas's In Pursuit of Spring, his classic account of a bicycle ride taken from London to Somerset in 1913 (another classic from our friends at Little Toller Books).

Other books mentioned:

• Roland Camberton - Rain on the Pavements

• Edward Thomas - In Pursuit of Spring

• Gayl Jones - Eva's Man; The Healing; Mosquito

• Sarah Churchwell - Behold, America

• Edward Thomas - The Collected Poems

• Toni Morrison - Beloved; Jazz

Other links:

• London Books on Twitter

• Alan Bennett at the BBC (including A Day Out)

• Edward Thomas on Twitter

• Essays on Gayl Jones work

• Claudia Tate interviews Gayl Jones in 1978

• Chronicle of a Tragedy Foretold - the New York Times on the death of Bob Higgins

• Billie Holiday - 'Deep Song' (1948)

• Nina Simone - 'Fine & Mellow' (1958)

Thanks to Spoke for sponsoring this episode - Spoke cut trousers in more sizes and custom finish for a flawless fit – delivered in two working days. For £20 off your first purchase, use the code BACKLISTED20 at checkout (valid to early June 2018).