Writing about art, music and loneliness – books podcast | Books

In this week’s podcast we look at the literature of art and music. Olivia Laing leads us through The Lonely City, exploring how the alienation felt by some of New York’s most famous artists – from Edward Hopper to Andy Warhol – has helped to shape its aesthetic in often unexpected ways. Then we make a rare excursion into the world of music to meet some of the leading lights involved in a starry new book prize, and to hear how they feel about pitting Elvis Costello against Patti Smith and Jon Savage.

Reading list

The Lonely City by Olivia Laing (Canongate)

The 2016 Penderyn music prize shortlist

Detroit 67 by Stuart Cosgrove (Stuart Cosgrove)
Unfaithful Music and Disappearing Ink by Elvis Costello (Viking)
Electric Shock by Peter Doggett (Bodley Head)
1966 by Jon Savage (Faber)
M Train by Patti Smith (Bloomsbury)
Naked at The Albert Hall by Tracey Thorn (Virago)

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