sv podcast – all at sea …

It’s February (we’re getting there, folks) and in this podcast Holly and Darren review the award-winning book Maurice and Maralyn by Sophie Elmhirst, the true-life story of a couple shipwrecked at sea. And, given, well, EVERYTHING, we just can’t ignore the Big Orange One. We discuss how we’re all getting on living in a world in which Donald J Trump is once again President of the United States of America. We are trying to find a tone and a pace that might help, and highlight a few small voices out there …

Speaking of small (but really quite loud) voices, apologies if you are at all diverted by Holly’s cat, Skye, making a special guest appearance in the podcast! She wasn’t even in the same room as Holly, nor even at the door, but in an entirely different part of the house, but … well, you’ll hear.

Links for this podcast

The Rest is Politics
The Ezra Klein Show: Don’t Believe Him
Help Wanted by Adelle Waldman
Mariann Budde’s sermon at the Washington National Cathedral
Milton Brasher-Cunningham
Our review of The Salt Path by Raynor Winn (Sept 2019)
The Nero Book Awards
2024 Category Winner Non Fiction: Maurice and Maralyn, An Extraordinary True Story of Shipwreck, Survival and Love by Sophie Elmhirst. An extraordinary true story of shipwreck, survival and love. Bored of 1970s suburban life, Maurice and Maralyn plan their escape: sell the house, build a boat, set sail for New Zealand. Then, halfway around the world, their beloved boat is struck by a whale and the pair are cast adrift. Alone on a tiny raft, their love is put to the test.

And, so, over to you, faithful listener – how are you getting on? Hope you are doing ok? Have you read Maurice and Maralyn, perchance?

If so, get in touch! You can leave a comment on this website or get in touch on Facebook.
You can also subscribe to our Substack email and chat with us there. Remember we are still open to any book or other recommendations for Lent.

This podcast was recorded on Thursday 6 February 2025. Available from Apple Podcasts, TuneIn Radio, and via your favourite podcast App.

Please consider rating the smallVOICE podcast (if you like us!) as it helps others to find us. Thanks.

Duration: 44’56 minutes. Theme music and stings by Nicolai Heidlas.

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Catriona Gorton says:

February 14, 2025 at 8:08 pm

Lovely to listen to your thoughts, thank you for sharing them.

Saying thank you on buses… normative in Northampton when I was growing up, and certainly normative in Manchester. Saying ‘bye’ to shop staff normal in Warrington/Manchester/Crewe and bewilders them in Glasgow😂.

A sign of hope (or is it just anachronism?) in Crewe is that people still put the spacers after their shopping in supermarkets (very rare in the shops so used in Glasgow)😂.

Will track down the book – curious how it might read to a lifelong singleton. (Missed reviews for the audiobook).

Not necessarily for Lent but Mariann Butte ‘How we learn to be brave’ is very readable.

Enjoyed Skye’s contributions… Sasha joined in with her!!

Look forward to what comes next.

Darren says:

February 17, 2025 at 3:10 pm

Thanks Catriona for both posts! Apologies as there was a delay approving comments (I thought you were pre-approved these days!), something weird going on with the website… can I blame Elon?

Glad to hear that kindness on buses is a thing. I don’t recall it when I was younger, and I do know that US visitors to Edinburgh are very confused by it. Maybe they’d rather tip the driver?

Do let us know how you get on with MAM, it’c certainly been well-reviewed so Holly and I could well be outliers.

1. Catriona says:
  
  March 2, 2025 at 7:49 am
  
  I just finished listening to the audio book of M&M. I found it a bit of a slog to be honest. The first section felt dull and flat (and enough to put you off eating fish for life!), the second section was richer, perhaps because it had more source material. Only the third section felt like it had much originality.
  
  If its intent was to retell – and update – a forgotten tale, I guess it succeeds. If it is to ask questions of meaning, for me it doesn’t succeed.
  
  The difference between this and things like ‘The Salt Path’ is marked… this is third party, and a different generation, so I think it’s inevitably flatter and more detached.
  
  Not one I will revisit or that I will ponder. Even so, thanks for sharing it.
  
  1. Panda says:
    
    March 5, 2025 at 4:09 pm
    
    Thanks for your follow up Catriona, and for trying the book! Sorry, again, that we’re slow to see your comment. Think you are spot on with your analysis of the book. One good thing: made us want to read The Salt Path again!

Catriona says:

February 15, 2025 at 11:36 pm

As always an interesting listen, especially the book review, thank you.

Almost everywhere I have lived people say ‘thank you’ when they get off buses… maybe there’s an invisible line somewhere around Watford where it stops?!

Look forward to listening again soon.

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