About this episode
Simon Barnes discusses his passions for sport and the natural world, along with his literary contributions and musical preferences.
The writer Simon Barnes has two very public passions - sport and the natural world. He wrote about both for The Times for 30 years, covering seven Olympic Games and six World Cup finals, while also delivering columns on short-eared owls, mountain hares and “the organ-pipe contact call of lions." His books include reflections on the meaning and the soul of sport, and numerous titles about birds, including the best-selling How to Be a Bad Birdwatcher, in which he says: ‘Birdwatching is a state of being, not an activity. It is not a matter of organic trainspotting. It is about life and it is about living.’ This way of seeing also informs his most recent book How to Fly – which examines not only birds, but butterflies, bees, bats and the deep human fascination with flight. Simon's musical choices include Beethoven, Scarlatti, Monteverdi and Messiaen.
People in this episode
Guest: Simon Barnes
Topics covered
- sport
- nature
- birdwatching
- writing
- music
- passion
Keywords
- Simon Barnes
- sport
- natural world
- birdwatching
- music
- Olympic Games
- World Cup
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: The Times
Books & works: How to Fly, How to Be a Bad Birdwatcher
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