The Five-foot Shelf

First
Broadcast

Repeated

Comments

20180816

20181104 (R4)
20181110 (R4)

According to Charles W. Eliot - President of Harvard and cousin of T.S. - everything required for a complete, liberal education could fit on a shelf of books just five feet in length. In 1909 the first volume of the Harvard Classics was published - and grew to become a 51-volume anthology of great works, including essays, poems and political treatises.

But what if people today, from all walks of life, were asked to recommend books to be included on a five-foot shelf? Which books do they think might be required for a complete home education?

Ian Sansom has set a course for Wigtown - Scotland's National Booktown - to find out.

Local craftsman Steve has been busy creating just the shelf for the job - exactly five foot long - and fashioned from elm wood and whiskey barrels recycled from a local distillery. Ian will be playing shopkeeper at the Open Book in Wigtown - a B&B meets bookshop which allows visitors to indulge their fantasy of running their own bookstore. With Ian parked behind the counter, all that's needed is for visitors to drop by and try to persuade him of the books they think deserve a rightful place on The Five-Foot Shelf. But of course not everything will make it on and, as custodian of the shelf, Ian can be ruthless. Well, kind of...

No academics. No critics. No nonsense. The Five-Foot Shelf is a guide for readers by readers about the books which matter to them.

Producer: Conor Garrett

Ian Sansom asks people to choose the books they think should be included on his 5ft shelf.

20201229

20210103 (R4)

In 2018, Ian asked a Wigtown craftsman to make a book shelf, fashioned from elm wood and recycled whiskey barrels. Ian was inspired by Charles W. Eliot - President of Harvard and cousin of T.S. - who said that everything required for a complete, liberal education could fit on a shelf of books just five feet in length.

Then he took it to a local bookshop, where visitors dropped in to nominate their book of choice for his brand new shelf.

Buoyed by the success of this first outing, Ian had planned take the shelf on the road, but unfortunately Covid-19 and restrictions on our movements for safety reasons put paid to that plan.

Then, a new idea was born for a virtual shelf of sorts. What have people been reading in 2020 to help them through what has been a very tough year for so many? What books have brought solace and comfort to their lives along with humour, hope and perhaps a chance to learn? While movements have been severely restricted, books have offered a chance to escape, explore and journey far beyond the confines of our homes.

We've reached out to four local independent bookshops right across the UK; Leakey's in Inverness, City Books in Hove, Little Acorns in Derry city and Seaways Books in Fishguard. We asked them to put us in touch with their readers to ask a simple question - what book would they choose for Ian's Five Foot shelf?

Produced by Conor McKay

Music composed by The Bookshop Band

Ian Sansom asks readers to nominate books that have helped them through 2020.

Episodes

First Broadcast	Repeated	Comments
20180816	20181104 (R4) 20181110 (R4)	According to Charles W. Eliot - President of Harvard and cousin of T.S. - everything required for a complete, liberal education could fit on a shelf of books just five feet in length. In 1909 the first volume of the Harvard Classics was published - and grew to become a 51-volume anthology of great works, including essays, poems and political treatises. But what if people today, from all walks of life, were asked to recommend books to be included on a five-foot shelf? Which books do they think might be required for a complete home education? Ian Sansom has set a course for Wigtown - Scotland's National Booktown - to find out. Local craftsman Steve has been busy creating just the shelf for the job - exactly five foot long - and fashioned from elm wood and whiskey barrels recycled from a local distillery. Ian will be playing shopkeeper at the Open Book in Wigtown - a B&B meets bookshop which allows visitors to indulge their fantasy of running their own bookstore. With Ian parked behind the counter, all that's needed is for visitors to drop by and try to persuade him of the books they think deserve a rightful place on The Five-Foot Shelf. But of course not everything will make it on and, as custodian of the shelf, Ian can be ruthless. Well, kind of... No academics. No critics. No nonsense. The Five-Foot Shelf is a guide for readers by readers about the books which matter to them. Producer: Conor Garrett Ian Sansom asks people to choose the books they think should be included on his 5ft shelf.
20201229	20210103 (R4)	In 2018, Ian asked a Wigtown craftsman to make a book shelf, fashioned from elm wood and recycled whiskey barrels. Ian was inspired by Charles W. Eliot - President of Harvard and cousin of T.S. - who said that everything required for a complete, liberal education could fit on a shelf of books just five feet in length. Then he took it to a local bookshop, where visitors dropped in to nominate their book of choice for his brand new shelf. Buoyed by the success of this first outing, Ian had planned take the shelf on the road, but unfortunately Covid-19 and restrictions on our movements for safety reasons put paid to that plan. Then, a new idea was born for a virtual shelf of sorts. What have people been reading in 2020 to help them through what has been a very tough year for so many? What books have brought solace and comfort to their lives along with humour, hope and perhaps a chance to learn? While movements have been severely restricted, books have offered a chance to escape, explore and journey far beyond the confines of our homes. We've reached out to four local independent bookshops right across the UK; Leakey's in Inverness, City Books in Hove, Little Acorns in Derry city and Seaways Books in Fishguard. We asked them to put us in touch with their readers to ask a simple question - what book would they choose for Ian's Five Foot shelf? Produced by Conor McKay Music composed by The Bookshop Band Ian Sansom asks readers to nominate books that have helped them through 2020.