Bedtime Stories for the End of the World

Latest Episodes:

Episode Nine: In The Beginning Jul 27, 2021

Show notes

The final episode of our current series explores myths of creation, with poets Anthony Anaxagorou and Chloe Elliott joining our host Eleanor Penny. Chloe gives her interpretation of the ancient Chinese story of Pan Gu, the first living creature, who was trapped inside an egg with the forces of Yin and Yang. Meanwhile Anthony reimagines Cypriot myths about the creation of Cyprus’ Pentadaktylos, or five-fingered, mountain.

If you’ve enjoyed the series, you can buy the book Bedtime Stories from the End of the World which is available from all good bookshops, or by following the link on our website at endoftheworldpodcast.com

Find out more, listen to all our poems and catch up with all of our previous episodes at: endoftheworldpodcast.com

Episode Eight: Hunger Moon Jul 20, 2021

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This week we have an unusual episode of Bedtime Stories as two poets each provide different reimaginings of the same traditional story. Poets Nina Mingya Powles and Maggie Wang join our host Eleanor Penny to each present their versions of the story of Chang’e, the Chinese goddess of the Moon. They explore the story itself, and discuss the connection between loneliness and womanhood, represented in Chang’e’s exile on the Moon.

Find out more, listen to all our poems and catch up with all of our previous episodes at: endoftheworldpodcast.com

Episode Seven: Sleepless Jul 13, 2021

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Joining Eleanor Penny this week are poets Antosh Wojcik and Alice Frecknall. They have chosen to reimagine stories from the Victorian and Edwardian era, which themselves drew on traditional tropes. Antosh reads and discusses his take on AH Wratislaw’s The Spirit of a Buried Man; while Alice draws inspiration from JM Barrie’s Peter Pan, to explore aging and memory.

Find out more, listen to all our poems and catch up with all of our previous episodes at: endoftheworldpodcast.com

Episode Six: Not Some Small Villain Jul 06, 2021

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This episode welcomes Vanessa Kisuule and Jack Bigglestone who have each revived a millennia-old monster. Jack lands the mythical figure of the Basilisk in contemporary life, whilst Vanessa retells the Ugandan myth of the first man Kintu, and the mysterious death-like figure of his brother-in-law Warumbe. They join our host Eleanor Penny to share their reinterpretations and discuss their approaches.

Find out more, listen to all our poems and catch up with all of our previous episodes at: endoftheworldpodcast.com

Episode Five: To Take Back Untamed Ground Jun 29, 2021

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This week, poets Mona Arshi and Amara Amaryah join Eleanor Penny to discuss their reinterpretations of traditional stories. Mona imagines the experience of one of Scheherazade’s unfortunate predecessors, a young woman sent to marry the Emperor and meet her death in the Arabian Nights. Amara meanwhile explores the historical figure Queen Nanny of the Maroons, an eighteenth century Jamaican leader who led a guerilla war against the slave-owning, colonial British rule; allegedly involving supernatural powers.

Find out more, listen to all our poems and catch up with all of our previous episodes at: endoftheworldpodcast.com

Episode Four: Blossomed from Fierceness Jun 22, 2021

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Joining Eleanor Penny this week are poets Momtaza Mehri and Jamie Hale who each explore a number of traditional characters. Jamie has chosen to reimagine figures and moments from Aruthurian myths; whilst Momtaza looks at the figures of Gog and Magog, versions of whom appear in ancient British legend as well in Biblical and Quranic texts. Momtaza and Jamie join host Eleanor Penny to read and discuss their retellings.

Find out more, listen to all our poems and catch up with all of our previous episodes at: endoftheworldpodcast.com

Episode Three: Every Small Catastrophe Jun 15, 2021

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Today’s episode features poets R. A. Villanueva and Fathima Zahra. They each retell a traditional story of a powerful female figure, imagining Penelope before her wedding to Odysseus, and recounting the tale of Keralan resistance figure, Nangeli. Joining host Eleanor Penny, they read their poems and discuss how they explore the silences and erasures around how we remember women in story and history.

Find out more, listen to all our poems and catch up with all of our previous episodes at: endoftheworldpodcast.com

Episode Two: Dark Water Jun 08, 2021

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This week’s guests joining Eleanor Penny are poets Luke Palmer and Joe Dunthorne. Luke reimagines the traditional Grimm’s fairytale of Hansel and Gretel, whilst Joe explores the trope of water-monsters, who appear in traditional stories across the world under many names such as: kelpie, Loch Ness monster, selkie, siyakoy, ceffyl dwr and vodnik.

Find out more, listen to all our poems and catch up with all of our previous episodes at: endoftheworldpodcast.com
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Episode One: Beyond Old, and into Myth Jun 01, 2021

Show notes

The Bedtime Stories for the End of the World podcast is back for another series, asking leading poets to reimagine traditional stores for our apocalyptic age.

Joining Eleanor Penny this week are poets Fiona Benson and Remi Graves. They each retell the story of a mythical figure: the old woman Babushka from Eastern Europe, and Mami Wata, a gender fluid spirit from African mythology.

Over the coming 9 episodes, we have 18 writers sharing brand new work, and discussing the stories they want to preserve for future generations.

Find out more, listen to all our poems and catch up with all of our previous episodes at: endoftheworldpodcast.com

Ink Tales: Bedtime Stories Book Preview Oct 22, 2020

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**NEW ILLUSTRATED BOOK - RELEASED 19 NOVEMBER**

We bring you exciting news that Bedtime Stories for the End of the World has partnered with Studio Press and illustrator Inkquisitive to create a wonderful illustrated book featuring stories from Malika Booker, Kayo Chingonyi, Inua Ellams, Will Harris, Helen Mort and Joelle Taylor.

We speak to the writers and give a sneak preview of their stories ahead of the book's release on 29 October.

To buy a copy, visit bit.ly/InkTales

Find out more about the podcast and catch up with all of our previous episodes at: endoftheworldpodcast.com