The Body with Sinéad Gleeson and Sarah Perry

A new series about how books might help us navigate everyday life, presented by writer and broadcaster Damian Barr.

Each episode takes a life experience - such as grief - and talks to writers about they handle it through their own reading, writing and lived experience. We explore the fiction, non-fiction, memoir and poetry that might help us better understand our own stories.

In today's episode we explore books that help us understand our relationship with our bodies, especially in this moment - as many of us are faced with transitioning back into public space after a year lived on screens and physically separated from one another. And in a time when many are dealing with anxieties around sickness or are living with its effects.

Damian's guests are Sarah Perry (The Essex Serpent; Melmoth; Essex Girls) and Sinéad Gleeson (Constellations: Reflections from Life). They discuss books by Maggie Nelson, Lucy Grealy, Sean Hewitt, Audre Lorde, Adrienne Rich, Anne Carson and Edwin Morgan.

Produced by Mair Bosworth for BBC Audio in Bristol

(Damian Barr Portrait by Andrew Hasson)