BBC 6 minute English-Do we read to show off
Transcript of the podcast
This is not a word-for-word transcript
Neil: Hello and welcome to 6 Minute English. I’m Neil
Alice: … and I’m Alice. Sorry, wait a minute Neil. I’m just finishing this book
Neil: OK
Alice: Last page… nearly there… ohh – fantastic book
Neil: Well I’m glad you enjoyed that. I’m glad you finished your book there Alice! We’re talking about books in today’s programme. What was it you were reading there
Alice: No, never mind Neil. It’s not your kind of book. You wouldn’t like it
Neil: How do you know
Alice: Well I just think you might read something a little more intellectual
Neil: Oh I see… Well, we are talking about the kinds of books people read, and what they say about them today
Alice: Yes. Perhaps you read the works of a famous writer – the classics – Charles Dickens, Shakespeare
Neil: People will think you are an intellectual. You can show off by reading these books – the classics
Alice: Or perhaps you read popular novels or romantic fiction – a light easy read
Neil: When you go on holiday – maybe to the beach – what kind of books do you read? And what do you read when you’re going to work
Alice: We’re going to hear part of a BBC interview with David Adshead from the Commuter Book Club. A commuter travels to work by bus, train or here in London, the Tube, a train that goes all over the city, mostly underground
Neil: And Alice as usual, we have a quiz question. Are you ready
Alice: Yes, absolutely
Neil: OK. It’s about classic book sales. So these days are people buying
a) more classic books
b) the same number of classic books
c) fewer classic books than they used to
Alice: Oh that’s an interesting one. Tricky to guess but I’m going to say c) fewer classic books
Neil: OK, well, let’s find out the answer at the end of the programme. But now here is David Adshead from the Commuter Club. What kind of book does he say people usually take with them to the beach
INSERT David Adshead, Commuter Book Club
People often think that, you know, traditionally you take a light easy read for the beach, and on the train, um, you maybe read something very different
Interviewer
… if only to show off
David Adshead
Exactly, to appear to others to be more intellectual. But actually, what we find in this is that it really comes down to the individual – what they like to read and actually we’ve seen this summer a lot of the book sales – summer reads is general lighter books, easier to get on with, to take away on holiday – but the big retailers have seen a shift actually – people moving sort of slightly higher brow, taking away more classic books. Sales in that way have increased
Neil: David Adshead from the Commuter Book Club there. He says that people usually – traditionally – take a light, easy read to the beach or on the train
Alice: Yes. He says these books are easier to get on with. David says that it really comes down to the individual – each person is different. But he says that there has been a shift – a change – in what people read
Neil: Yes, he says that the shops that sell books – that’s the retailers – say the books people are buying are more highbrow – the classics, as we were talking about
Alice: Absolutely. Highbrow books are read by intellectuals, or perhaps the people who read these books are just showing off
Neil: Yes, maybe they are. Well I wonder if these people have read any books by Fiona Harper. She writes romantic novels – that’s stories about love
Alice: Light reading – not highbrow. She was also at this interview about the Commuter Book Club
Neil: Now, do commuters read her romantic novels on the Tube
Alice: Well here is novelist Fiona Harper talking about how she writes her romantic novels. She wants people to not stop reading her stories once they start – she wants them to be hooked
INSERT Author Fiona Harper
I think what it comes down to most of the time is you just want to write a really good story, because if you write a good story then hopefully people are hooked, they’ll keep turning the pages and
Interviewer
And do you wonder whether they are reading them on holiday – I mean presumably they’re more likely to read your stuff on holiday than when they’re sitting on the Tube being looked at by lots of other people. I don’t know
Author Fiona Harper
Possibly, although with the advent of e-readers, you can read anything you like and no one knows – or on your phone – no one knows what you’re reading
Interviewer
And that’s an important point
Neil: That’s the author Fiona Harper talking about romantic novels. So do commuters read her books on the Tube
Alice: Well perhaps you don’t want others to see you reading that stuff. It can be a bit embarrassing. It shouldn’t be, but Fiona says you can also use an e-reader
Neil: An e-reader – that’s an electronic book. Instead of pages you read off a screen
Alice: Well if you use an e-reader or tablet, no one knows what you’re reading
Neil: So perhaps they are reading a romantic novel – no one knows. OK. Let’s take a moment to look at some of today’s words
Alice: Here they are
intellectual show off the classics romantic fiction light read heavy read retailers highbrow shift hooked advent e-reader
Neil: And before we go, the answer to today’s quiz question. I asked about classic books. Are people these days buying
a) more classic books
b) the same number of classic books
c) fewer classic books than they used to
Alice: Yes. And I said c) fewer classic books
Neil: Well I’m afraid to say Alice that you’re wrong
Alice: Oh no
Neil: I know. They’re reading more classic books
Alice: Oh excellent
Neil: Sales of these books are apparently increasing
Alice: Well that’s good to hear
Neil: And that’s the end of today’s 6 Minute English. Please do join us again soon
Alice: And keep reading books… in English. Highbrow classics or a light read – it doesn’t matter
Neil: It doesn’t matter at all
Both: Bye