Russell Kane Hosts Waugh: What Is He Good For? On BBC Radio 4

To mark the 60th anniversary of British writer Evelyn Waugh’s death, Russell Kane delves into seven of his most important works.

While Waugh has been unfashionable for some time, Kane believes it’s high time to turn back to him. He says he was way ahead of his time and, in his books, he reveals ourselves to ourselves and uncovers clues for how we should live our lives today.

Over seven episodes, Waugh tells us everything we need to know about the cluttered corridors of English culture – its class system, media, cult of masculinity, colonial hang-ups: everything it’s made of, good and bad. Not only does Waugh show our society for what it is, but he demonstrates how it can be hacked – infiltrated by savvy interlopers like himself. And Russell sees a kindred spirit.

Waugh may be a divisive figure, with the public reputation of a pantomime villain. Some say Waugh’s vitriolic streak, cultural insensitivity and idolisation of the upper classes should condemn him to the male, pale and stale literary past – but Russell believes he is prescient, not reactionary, that he was ahead of his time. Waugh holds the least flattering of mirrors up to us – and actually, it’s not Waugh but what we see that we don’t like.

The series starts on Monday 2nd March at 1:45 pm on BBC Radio 4, with seven episodes broadcast daily from Monday to Friday.

Listen on BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds here.