Virginia Woolf describes the mysterious demands and duplicity of words.

Malcolm Muggeridge quizzes Somerset Maugham on his top ten novels.

The importance of creating strong characters in fiction.

The writer ponders the success of 'Lucky Jim' and his latest novels.

John Lehmann explores the 'brave new world' of Aldous Huxley.

Monitor | PG Wodehouse BROADCAST 1958 7 MINUTES

The creator of Jeeves and Wooster talks about his writing life.

Monitor | EM Forster BROADCAST 1958 7 MINUTES

EM Forster, in Cambridge, reflects on his life and work.

Monitor | TH White in Alderney BROADCAST 1959 21 MINUTES

Arthurian legend and English traditions explored.

Monitor | William Golding BROADCAST 1959 17 MINUTES

The author of 'Lord of the Flies' discusses his work and influences.

Monitor | Christopher Isherwood BROADCAST 1959 11 MINUTES

'I'm a person who rather thrives on being a foreigner.'

Tonight | John Wyndham BROADCAST 1960 7 MINUTES

John Wyndham discusses the nature of evil in his novels.

Modern Novelists | Iris Murdoch BROADCAST 1965 25 MINUTES

Debating the artistic conflict between freedom and form.

Intimations | Lawrence Durrell BROADCAST 1965 30 MINUTES

Strong opinions from the author of 'The Alexandria Quartet'.

Intimations | Robert Graves BROADCAST 1965 30 MINUTES

The author of 'I, Claudius' converses with Malcolm Muggeridge.

Intimations | John le Carre BROADCAST 1966 27 MINUTES

The false and lonely world of the writer.

One Pair of Eyes | Margaret Drabble BROADCAST 1968 44 MINUTES

A portrait of the artist as a young woman.

Release | JRR Tolkien BROADCAST 1968 27 MINUTES

The views of the author and Oxford's students on Tolkien's Middle-earth epics.

Summer Season | Daphne du Maurier BROADCAST 1971 49 MINUTES

A rare interview with Daphne du Maurier.

Scope | Muriel Spark BROADCAST 1971 30 MINUTES

Muriel Spark talks to W Gordon Smith at her elegant home in Rome.

Bookcase | Jean Rhys BROADCAST 1973 7 MINUTES

Truth and sadness in fiction.

Tonight | Rebecca West BROADCAST 1976 19 MINUTES

The novelist, journalist, literary critic and feminist talks about her life and loves.

Lively Arts | John Fowles BROADCAST 1977 55 MINUTES

Melvyn Bragg talks to John Fowles at his home in Lyme Regis.

The Lively Arts | Len Deighton BROADCAST 1977 45 MINUTES

Melvyn Bragg meets the author of 'The Ipcress File'.

The Book Programme | Ian McEwan BROADCAST 1979 29 MINUTES

Moving on from short stories to novels.

Doris Lessing BROADCAST 1980 30 MINUTES

Doris Lessing describes a life spent in unwilling judgement of civilisation's flaws.

Motives | Beryl Bainbridge BROADCAST 1983 39 MINUTES

Can Dr Anthony Clare cure Beryl Bainbridge's case of writer's block?

In Conversation | Keith Waterhouse BROADCAST 1985 30 MINUTES

Paul Allen speaks to the creator of 'Billy Liar'.

Late Show: Face to Face | Anthony Burgess BROADCAST 1989 30 MINUTES

The emotional forces driving the work of Anthony Burgess.

Third Ear | Angela Carter BROADCAST 1991 25 MINUTES

Refusing to write about the bourgeoisie and their cleaning ladies.

Late Show: Face to Face | VS Naipaul BROADCAST 1994 40 MINUTES

The perception and scrutiny that drive a great writer.

Woman's Hour | Hilary Mantel BROADCAST 1995 10 MINUTES

'The novelist of her generation who will last.'

Late Show: Face to Face | John Berger BROADCAST 1995 40 MINUTES

The Booker Prize-winner and art critic discusses his work.

Newsnight | Margaret Atwood BROADCAST 2000 10 MINUTES

The Booker Prize-winning novelist discusses her work.

Book Club | Penelope Lively BROADCAST 2001 28 MINUTES

The author of 'Moon Tiger' discusses her work.

The Brian Morton Show | Sebastian Faulks BROADCAST 2001 45 MINUTES

A wide-ranging interview with the author of 'Birdsong'.

Book Club | Salman Rushdie BROADCAST 2003 28 MINUTES

James Naughtie speaks to Salman Rushdie about 'Midnight's Children'.

Cover Stories | Yann Martel BROADCAST 2003 15 MINUTES

Yann Martel speaks about his award-winning book 'Life of Pi'.

Open Book | Pat Barker BROADCAST 2003 27 MINUTES

The author of 'The Regeneration Trilogy' talks about her books.

Toni Morrison Talks to Kirsty Wark BROADCAST 2003 59 MINUTES

A wide-ranging interview with the Nobel Prize-winning author of 'Beloved'.

The Culture Show | Kazuo Ishiguro BROADCAST 2005 7 MINUTES

Andrew Marr interviews Kazuo Ishiguro.

Book Club | Hanif Kureishi BROADCAST 2005 27 MINUTES

The novelist discusses 'The Buddha of Suburbia'.

Stark Talk | Marian Keyes BROADCAST 2006 26 MINUTES

The 'chick-lit' writer talks frankly about her life and career.

Front Row | Monica Ali BROADCAST 2006 8 MINUTES

The author of 'Brick Lane' on sudden success and the myth of the difficult second novel.

The Culture Show | David Mitchell BROADCAST 2007 7 MINUTES

Zina Saro-Wiwa interviews writer David Mitchell.

Night Waves | Zoe Heller BROADCAST 2008 10 MINUTES

The author of 'Notes on a Scandal' discusses what fiction is all about.

Night Waves | Zadie Smith BROADCAST 2009 22 MINUTES

Philip Dodd speaks to Zadie Smith, author of 'White Teeth'.

Mark Lawson Talks to | Alan Bennett BROADCAST 2009 59 MINUTES

The writer looks back over his life and prolific career.