The Verb - 30/01/2009

Ian McMillan presents the weekly programme about language. Including: Speech Debelle Rapper and singer Speech Debelle performs her unique brand of music live in the studio. Her voice is warm, youthful and light but you’d be mistaken to think her lyrics were equally so. She speaks with Ian about the personal inspiration for her songs and her love for rhyme. Speech Debelle’s Website - http://www.speechdebelle.com/ Speech Debelle’s Myspace page - http://www.myspace.com/speechdebellemusic Peter Porter Ian interviews Peter Porter who arrived in the UK from Australia fifty years ago and considers himself part of the present-day poetical worlds of both nations. In his 80th year Porter has just published his 18th collection of poetry entitled ‘Better Than God’. He delights us with readings from the book. Alaskan writers On the 50th anniversary of Alaska becoming the 49th state of America, Ian speaks with Alaskan-based writers, Rich Chiappone, author of ‘Water of an Undetermined Depth’ and Ronald Spatz, editor of the Alaska Quarterly Review about the literature of those wild and remote lands. We also hear a reading of Rich Chiappone’s comic short story ‘Ladies’ Hockey’. Alaska Quarterly http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/aqr/