Bonus #10 Helen Zaltzman

The Podgoblin’s Hat

For this Christmas-adjascent bonus, we're welcoming Helen Zaltzman, a podcaster and thinker about words.

Helen came to the Moomins as a young child while she was devouring the entire contents of her local library and volunteered to re-read Moominland Midwinter for us. We talk about how lovely the writing is, the art of translation, and what a relief it is when you revisit a beloved childhood story and find that it's still good. So many good quotes are pulled up and lovingly read aloud. The praises of Too-Ticky are lavishly sung.

We also asked Helen to read the Fir Tree, which was new to her. We're still delighted with how much of a stone cold classic this story is. Helen notices the particular pagan and pre-Christian notes, and we're all appalled at Moominpappa's cavalier attitude to his neighbour's trees.

Helen recommends Field Recordings by Eleanor McDowall and Twice upon a Time, with Janet Ellis. Helen's own very good podcast is The Allusionist. We particuarly recommend the Christmas episodes, if you want to think about how weird Christmas is!