An impressive description of reading on @BBCInOurTime

This recent broadcast about Tess of the d'Urbervilles on In our time has a powerful description, from Melvyn Bragg of the impact of reading and connections with characters
novels aren't just fictional constructs they are the life of people we believe in...and out imagination goes out to them...

You can listen to the whole broadcast here (the quote is at the 35 minute mark). I would suggest listening to the whole talk for the full context of the quote.

I really enjoy In our time because of the diversity of ideas explored.  Have a look their archive for different ways of exploring the content.