People don't usually think about maths and literature as related subjects, but it turns out that there are plenty of connections between the two. In this podcast we talk to mathematician Sarah Hart about her brilliant book Once upon a time: The wondrous connections between mathematics and literature.

Sarah about the links between poetry and mathematical proof, the maths of Moby dick and the The luminaries, and why mathematical patterns can enhance your enjoyment of a book even when you're not aware of them. Sarah is Professor of Mathematics at Birkbeck, University of London, and the first woman Professor of Geometry at Gresham College.

To find out more about the problem of squaring the circle, which is mentioned in this podcast, see Mathematical mysteries: Transcendental meditation. To find out more about conic sections, see here.