White Sands

Episode

Title

First
Broadcast

Comments

Pilgrimage

20160627

Many people love the books of Geoff Dyer (and author William Boyd calls him 'a true original'); be they novels, ruminations or travel essays. White Sands is his latest travel book and today he writes about his new home in Los Angeles and makes a pilgrimage to visit the house of an intellectual hero. With characteristic wit and a keen eye for detail, he writes beautifully about place and always acknowledges that travel can be as much about disappointment as it is about elation and discovery. In White Sands he makes a series of pilgrimages like this one and then wonders why they don't quite live up to their reputation.

Read by Alex Jennings who recently played Alan Bennett in The Lady in the Van and Willy Wonka in the musical version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Abridged by Katrin Williams

Produced by Julian Wilkinson.

In Los Angeles, writer Geoff Dyer makes a pilgrimage to the house of an intellectual hero.

Space In Time And Time In Space

20160628

Many people love the books of Geoff Dyer ('a true original' William Boyd): be they novels, ruminations or travel essays. White Sands is his latest travel book and today he visits two iconic land art installations in America: The Spiral Jetty in Utah and The Lightning Field in New Mexico. With characteristic dry humour, and a keen eye for detail, he vividly recreates both experiences. His essays offer meditations on landscape, time and humanity, but Dyer never shirks from asking himself what exactly 'is the point of it all.

Read by Alex Jennings who recently played Alan Bennett in The Lady in the Van and Willy Wonka in the musical version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Abridged by Katrin Williams

Produced by Julian Wilkinson.

Geoff Dyer recreates his experiences of visiting two iconic US land art installations.

Northern Dark

20160629

Many love the books of Geoff Dyer who has been described by author William Boyd as a 'true original.' White Sands is his latest collection of travel essays. Today, he and his wife make a pilgrimage to see the Northern Lights in Norway and find the experience to be not quite as enlightening as they had hoped.

With characteristic wit and a keen eye for detail, he vividly recreates the experience of the 'Northern Dark' and a misguided attempt at dog mushing. His essays offer meditations on landscape, time and humanity, but acknowledge that travel is as much about disappointment as it is about elation.

Read by Alex Jennings who recently played Alan Bennett in The Lady in the Van and Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Abridged by Katrin Williams

Produced by Julian Wilkinson.

A visit to see the Northern Lights is not the enlightening experience Geoff had hoped for.

The Hitchhiker

20160630

White Sands is Geoff Dyer's vivid and entertaining new collection of travel essays. Today, he and his wife are driving to El Paso on Highway 54 when they stop to pick up a hitchhiker. All goes well and the hitchhiker proves to be good company until they pass a large road sign. With characteristic dry humour and a keen eye for detail, Dyer recounts the journey and never shirks from turning the spotlight on himself and questioning how far, as a fully fledged travel writer, he is prepared to step out of his comfort zone.

Read by Alex Jennings who recently played the part of Alan Bennett in The Lady in the Van and Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Writer Geoff Dyer describes how he stops to pick up a hitchhiker on the road to El Paso.

05 LAST

Beginning

20160701

Much loved author Geoff Dyer has been described as a 'true original' by William Boyd. White Sands is his latest travel book and is a collection of travel essays that go beyond the logistics of getting from A to B and offer mediations on landscape, time and humanity all relayed with characteristic wit and sharp observation. In this last episode Dyer is back in Los Angeles, but an episode in hospital provokes a more internal journey.

Read by Alex Jennings who has recently played Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Alan Bennett in The Lady in the Van.

Abridged by Katrin Williams

Produced by Julian Wilkinson.

Writer Geoff Dyer is back in Los Angeles and forced to confront his own mortality.

Episodes

Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Comments
01	Pilgrimage	20160627	Many people love the books of Geoff Dyer (and author William Boyd calls him 'a true original'); be they novels, ruminations or travel essays. White Sands is his latest travel book and today he writes about his new home in Los Angeles and makes a pilgrimage to visit the house of an intellectual hero. With characteristic wit and a keen eye for detail, he writes beautifully about place and always acknowledges that travel can be as much about disappointment as it is about elation and discovery. In White Sands he makes a series of pilgrimages like this one and then wonders why they don't quite live up to their reputation. Read by Alex Jennings who recently played Alan Bennett in The Lady in the Van and Willy Wonka in the musical version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Abridged by Katrin Williams Produced by Julian Wilkinson. In Los Angeles, writer Geoff Dyer makes a pilgrimage to the house of an intellectual hero.
02	Space In Time And Time In Space	20160628	Many people love the books of Geoff Dyer ('a true original' William Boyd): be they novels, ruminations or travel essays. White Sands is his latest travel book and today he visits two iconic land art installations in America: The Spiral Jetty in Utah and The Lightning Field in New Mexico. With characteristic dry humour, and a keen eye for detail, he vividly recreates both experiences. His essays offer meditations on landscape, time and humanity, but Dyer never shirks from asking himself what exactly 'is the point of it all. Read by Alex Jennings who recently played Alan Bennett in The Lady in the Van and Willy Wonka in the musical version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Abridged by Katrin Williams Produced by Julian Wilkinson. Geoff Dyer recreates his experiences of visiting two iconic US land art installations.
03	Northern Dark	20160629	Many love the books of Geoff Dyer who has been described by author William Boyd as a 'true original.' White Sands is his latest collection of travel essays. Today, he and his wife make a pilgrimage to see the Northern Lights in Norway and find the experience to be not quite as enlightening as they had hoped. With characteristic wit and a keen eye for detail, he vividly recreates the experience of the 'Northern Dark' and a misguided attempt at dog mushing. His essays offer meditations on landscape, time and humanity, but acknowledge that travel is as much about disappointment as it is about elation. Read by Alex Jennings who recently played Alan Bennett in The Lady in the Van and Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Abridged by Katrin Williams Produced by Julian Wilkinson. A visit to see the Northern Lights is not the enlightening experience Geoff had hoped for.
04	The Hitchhiker	20160630	White Sands is Geoff Dyer's vivid and entertaining new collection of travel essays. Today, he and his wife are driving to El Paso on Highway 54 when they stop to pick up a hitchhiker. All goes well and the hitchhiker proves to be good company until they pass a large road sign. With characteristic dry humour and a keen eye for detail, Dyer recounts the journey and never shirks from turning the spotlight on himself and questioning how far, as a fully fledged travel writer, he is prepared to step out of his comfort zone. Read by Alex Jennings who recently played the part of Alan Bennett in The Lady in the Van and Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Writer Geoff Dyer describes how he stops to pick up a hitchhiker on the road to El Paso.
05 LAST	Beginning	20160701	Much loved author Geoff Dyer has been described as a 'true original' by William Boyd. White Sands is his latest travel book and is a collection of travel essays that go beyond the logistics of getting from A to B and offer mediations on landscape, time and humanity all relayed with characteristic wit and sharp observation. In this last episode Dyer is back in Los Angeles, but an episode in hospital provokes a more internal journey. Read by Alex Jennings who has recently played Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Alan Bennett in The Lady in the Van. Abridged by Katrin Williams Produced by Julian Wilkinson. Writer Geoff Dyer is back in Los Angeles and forced to confront his own mortality.