Bookclub
Led by James Naughtie, a group of readers talk to acclaimed authors about their best-known novels.
Episodes
Kirstin Innes
The award-winning Scottish writer, Kirstin Innes, speaks to Bookclub, presented by James Naughtie, about her second novel, Scabby Queen. The book, published in 2020, explores the life of one-hit wonder and political activist, Clio Campbell, who is found dead three days before her fifty-first birthday.Producer: Dominic Howell
Editor: Gillian Wheelan
This was a BBC Audio Scotland production.
Nicola Barker
Described as a book of startling originality, the writer Nicola Barker speaks to Bookclub, presented by James Naughtie, about her 838-page epic novel, Darkmans, which was published in 2007 and shortlisted for the Booker Prize that same year. Set in the town of Ashford, Kent, the novel centres around a father and son relationship - Daniel and Kane Beede - and a jester from the court of Edward IV ma
Dorothy Koomson
Led by presenter James Naughtie, the writer Dorothy Koomson takes questions from a Bookclub audience about her 2010 novel The Ice Cream Girls. The novel follows the characters of Poppy Carlisle and Serena Gorringe who are tried for the murder of predatory schoolteacher, Marcus Hansley. Poppy is jailed, while Serena is allowed to walk free, and, among other things, the novel examines how the teenag
Alan Cumming on Alasdair Gray's Lanark
Led by James Naughtie, this special episode of Bookclub celebrates the late Alasdair Gray's 1981 masterpiece, Lanark, at the Pitlochry Winter Words Festival, with the actor Alan Cumming, who is the voice of the new audiobook recently released by Canongate. Described by the author as 'a life in four books', Lanark follows the interwoven lives of Lanark and Duncan Thaw through the disintegrating cit
Sarah Bernstein
The Canadian writer Sarah Bernstein speaks to a Bookclub audience about her Booker-shortlisted 2023 novel, Study For Obedience. Published by Granta, the story follows an unnamed protagonist who is moved to a remote northern country to be a housekeeper for her brother, but as soon as she arrives a series of unfortunate events occur. The novel won the Giller prize in 2023.Producer: Dominic Howell
Ed
Rónán Hession
Presented by James Naughtie, the Irish writer Rónán Hession takes questions from a Bookclub audience on his debut novel, Leonard and Hungry Paul. The book was shortlisted for the British Book Awards Debut Book of the Year 2020 and selected as one of the 50 Great Irish Novels of the 21st Century.The story follows two single, board-game-loving men in their 30s, still living at home, as they navigate
Emma Thompson: Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility
The award-winning actress Emma Thompson takes questions on Sense and Sensibility in this special episode of Bookclub to mark the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen's birth. Sense and Sensibility was Jane Austen's first novel published in 1811 when she was thirty-five years old. The book follows the Dashwood sisters as they navigate their way through love and the threat of its loss. Marianne Dashwood
Hallie Rubenhold
Presented by James Naughtie, the writer and historian Hallie Rubenhold takes questions from a Bookclub audience on her prize-winning book The Five: The Untold Lives Of The Women Killed by Jack The Ripper. The book shines a light on Polly Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Kate Eddowes and Mary Jane Kelly who were all murdered in Whitechapel, London, in 1888. The Five won the Ballie-Gifford
John Niven
Led by presenter, James Naughtie, the writer John Niven speaks to Radio 4's Bookclub programme about his 2008 novel, Kill Your Friends, which is a darkly comic satire of the UK music industry, as told through the perspective of the sadistic, Steven Stelfox, an A&R executive (Artists and Repertoire) for a London record label. The year is 1997, the height of the Britpop era, and Stelfox has his
Paula Hawkins
Presented by James Naughtie, Radio 4's Bookclub, speaks to the writer Paula Hawkins about her debut thriller The Girl On The Train. The book was published by Doubleday in 2015 to great acclaim and has sold millions of copies. Told in the first-person the novel's protagonist is Rachel Watson, a 33-year-old divorcee with addiction issues. The book was made into film in 2016 directed by Tate Taylor a
Kit de Waal
Presented by James Naughtie, BBC Radio 4's Bookclub, speaks to the award-winning writer Kit de Waal about her heart-rending debut novel, My Name Is Leon. Published in 2016 by Penguin it's the story of two brothers separated after one is adopted. The book, now taught on the curriculum in English schools, takes us back to 1980s Birmingham, and while brothers Leon and Jake share the same mother, Caro
Tom Holland
Presented by James Naughtie, Bookclub speaks to the award-winning writer, historian, and podcaster, Tom Holland, about his book Rubicon, which looks at the triumph and tragedy of the Roman Republic. Originally published in 2003, the book won the PEN Hessell-Tiltman prize for non-fiction, and it unravels the myths and realities of ancient Rome as it charts the final decades of the Republic, placing
Joanne Harris: Chocolat
Led by presenter James Naughtie, the writer Joanne Harris takes questions from a BBC Bookclub audience on her best-selling novel, Chocolat. Published in 1999, the book follows the character of Vianne Rocher, a chocolate-maker and sometime witch, who arrives in the village of Lansquenet-sous-Tannes with her six-year-old daughter Anouk at the beginning of Lent and opens a chocolaterie opposite the c
Natalie Haynes
Led by presenter James Naughtie, a BBC Bookclub audience in Glasgow speaks to the author Natalie Haynes about her 2019 novel - A Thousand Ships - which retells the ancient Greek myths from a woman's perspective. Penelope, Clytemnestra, Andromache and Cassandra among others, all make appearances, but their stories are given a new voice and a fresh emphasis. This is the Trojan war and its impact as
Michel Faber
This month BBC Radio 4's Bookclub, presented by James Naughtie, speaks to the writer Michel Faber about his debut novel, Under the Skin. Published in the year 2000 by Canongate it went on to be shortlisted for the Whitbread Award that same year. The book follows the female protagonist of Isserley who roves the A9 in the Scottish Highlands looking to pick up hitchhikers (preferably ones with big mu
Christopher Brookmyre
This month, Bookclub, presented by James Naughtie, speaks to the author Christopher Brookmyre, as he takes questions from a live BBC audience about his debut novel, Quite Ugly One Morning. The book is a pacey crime thriller, not so much a 'whodunnit', as a 'whydunnit', and it introduces us to the wily, wise-cracking journalist Jack Parlabane - a character Chris is still writing about some thirty y
Sara Collins
This month, BBC Bookclub, presented by James Naughtie, speaks to the writer Sara Collins, as she takes questions from a live audience about her award-winning debut novel, The Confessions of Frannie Langton. Sara was the Costa Book Awards First Novel Winner in 2019. She has also adapted the book for television.Producer: Dom Howell
Editor: Gillian Wheelan
This was a BBC Audio Scotland production.
Richard Osman
Presented by James Naughtie, BBC Bookclub speaks to the writer Richard Osman about his crime-fiction novel The Thursday Murder Club, which sold millions of copies, and has been made into a film.
Alan Warner: Morvern Callar
Award-winning writer Alan Warner takes questions from Radio 4's Bookclub audience about his first-person, pacey novel, Morvern Callar, which was written in 1995 when Warner was in his late twenties. Morvern is a twenty-one year old foster-child whose life takes an irreversible turn when she discovers her boyfriend's dead body. The book was later turned into a critically-acclaimed film, of the same
Carys Davies: The Mission House
The writer Carys Davies talks to readers about her beautifully-crafted novel, The Mission House, which follows the character of Hilary Byrd, a British librarian in his fifties, who is seeking to find himself again in modern-day southern India.
Susanna Clarke: Piranesi
Susanna Clarke won the Women's Prize for Fiction with her novel Piranesi. She joins James Naughtie and a group of readers to answer their questions about this intriguing, tantalising novel.
Ken Follett: A Column of Fire
Bestselling novelist Ken Follett joins James Naughtie and readers to discuss his historical novel A Column of Fire, the third in his hugely successful Kingsbridge series. It’s a tale of spying and intrigue, as Elizabeth I battles to keep her throne in the face of fierce religious division across Europe.
Ayobami Adebayo
Ayobami Adebayo talks to James Naughtie and readers about her novel, Stay With Me, a moving story of loss and motherhood. Set against the backdrop of tumultuous political events in Nigeria, it tells the story of Yejide and Akin, whose marriage is childless. The novel, which is narrated by them both, explores the pressure to have a child, the toll it takes on their relationship and the profound
Marlon James: A Brief History of Seven Killings
Marlon James answers readers' questions about his award-winning novel, A Brief History of Seven Killings. The novel, which is narrated by multiple characters, opens in Jamaica in the run-up to the 1976 election. Kingston is riven by violence as competing gangs, some supported by the US government, compete for territory and control of the drugs trade. The novel is based on real events, includin
Lucy Caldwell: These Days
Celebrated novelist and short story writer Lucy Caldwell joins James Naughtie and readers to discuss These Days. Set in 1941, it focusses on the lives of two sisters living through the Belfast Blitz.Lucy talks about the inspiration for her novel, her research and writing it during the pandemic.
Nicholas Shakespeare: Six Minutes in May
James Naughtie and readers quiz Nicholas Shakespeare about his book, Six Minutes In May: How Churchill Unexpectedly Became Prime Minister. It chronicles the dramatic political and military events of 1940 which led to the momentous Norway Debate and Chamberlain’s resignation. Upcoming recordings at BBC Broadcasting House in London: Wednesday 15 May at 1300: Lucy Caldwell on These Days Thursday
Clare Chambers: Small Pleasures
Clare Chambers talks to James Naughtie and readers about her bestselling novel, Small Pleasures. Set in the London suburbs in the 1950s, it tells the story of Jean Swinney, a journalist who is asked to investigate a letter sent to her paper, from a mother claiming her daughter is the result of a virgin birth. Jean meets the mother, Gretchen; her husband, Howard and daughter Margaret and is drawn
Ann Cleeves: Hidden Depths
Bookclub travels to Northumberland to meet best-selling crime writer Ann Cleeves. She joins James Naughtie and listeners to discuss her novel, Hidden Depths: Detective Inspector Vera Stanhope sets out to solve two murders which are apparently linked, although there are no clues to connect the victims.Upcoming recordings - 1830 BBC Broadcasting House in London : 26 March - Clare Chambers on Sma
Graeme Macrae Burnet: His Bloody Project
Graeme Macrae Burnet joins James Naughtie and readers to reveal the secrets behind his award-winning historical novel, His Bloody Project. Set in the Scottish Highlands in 1869, His Bloody Project explores crime, justice and retribution through the confessions of a young man accused of murder, and an account of his trial.Upcoming recordings at BBC Broadcasting House in London: Tuesday 26 March
The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins, with Elly Griffiths
Marking 200 years since the birth of Wilkie Collins, crime writer, and Collins admirer, Elly Griffiths discusses one of his best known works -The Moonstone - with James Naughtie and a group of readers.Upcoming recording Wednesday 24th January at 1830 at BBC Broadcasting House, London: Graeme Macrae Burnet on His Bloody Project.
Donal Ryan: The Spinning Heart
Donal Ryan discusses his book The Spinning Heart with a group of readers, It's a powerful, moving novel told through twenty one individual voices. Set in Ireland in the immediate aftermath of the Celtic Tiger 'boom' years, each character reveals how the sudden and dramatic 'bust' affected their lives. At the centre is Bobby Mahon, once a respected and reliable foreman for a building company who
Katherine Heiny: Standard Deviation
Katherine Heiny answers readers questions about Standard Deviation, her hilarious novel about marriage, parenting and the road not travelled. Audra is married to Graham, who is divorced from Elspeth. While Audra is sociable, loving, outspoken, tactless, kind and funny, Elspeth is contained, reserved, controlled and reticent. Despite loving Audra, Graham begins to wonder if his life should have
Bernardine Evaristo: Mr Loverman
Bernardine Evaristo joins James Naughtie and readers to discuss Mr Loverman, her 2013 novel about Barrington Walker, a married man with a secret life. Ever since his teens in Antigua, Barry has been in love with Morris and despite both men moving to London, marrying and having children, their love affair has never faltered. Now he’s in his seventies, Barry decides it’s time to tell the truth.
Denise Mina: The Long Drop
James Naughtie is joined by Denise Mina to talk about her book The Long Drop. This intriguing true-crime story is set in 1950s Glasgow when notorious serial killer Peter Manuel spread fear throughout the city. The Long Drop alternates between Manuel's trial and a extraordinary night he spent with Glaswegian businessman William Watt, whose own family Peter Manuel was suspected of killing. De
Mick Herron: Slow Horses
Mick Herron answers readers' questions about his novel, Slow Horses, the first in his hugely popular Slough House series.
In it we meet the 'Slow Horses’ for the first time; failed spies who instead of being pensioned off, find themselves working in Slough House, near the Barbican in London. Here, they carry out menial administrative tasks of little or no importance, led by their offensive, vulg
Julian Barnes: Arthur and George
To mark our 25th anniversary, Julian Barnes returns to Bookclub. He’s answering readers' questions about his Booker-shortlisted novel Arthur and George. It's based on real events and tells the story of Arthur Conan Doyle’s campaign to overturn the conviction of a young solicitor, George Edalji,Upcoming recording:Thursday 13 July 1830 at BBC Broadcasting House in London - Mick Herron on Slow
Mary Lawson: Crow Lake
Mary Lawson joins James Naughtie and a group of readers to answer questions about her novel, Crow Lake. An international bestseller, it tells the story of four siblings, orphaned by a road accident who have to find a new way to live as a family. The story is narrated by Kate, looking back at that dramatic rupture in her childhood. As she tells her story, Kate comes to understand not only how i
Sarah Winman: Tin Man
James Naughtie and readers are joined by novelist Sarah Winman, answering questions about her novel Tin Man.
It's a moving and intimate portrait of three characters, Michael, Ellis and Annie. They variously fall in love, and fall out of touch, but are always deeply connected.
Tin Man is a short and powerful novel about love, loss and kindness. Our next Bookclub recordings are with Mary Lawso
Tan Twan Eng: The Garden of Evening Mists
Tan Twan Eng talks to James Naughtie and a group of readers about The Garden of Evening Mists.
A lyrical novel set largely in 1950s Malay (now Malaysia), it tells the story of Yun Ling, imprisoned by Japanese soldiers during the Second World War, and Aritomo, a master gardener who once worked for the Emperor of Japan.
It's a complex and moving story about forgetting, forgiveness and mercy.
Nadifa Mohamed: The Fortune Men
Nadifa Mohamed joins James Naughtie and readers to talk about her award-winning novel The Fortune Men. Set in Cardiff in the 1950s, the novel is based on the real-life trial of Mahmood Mattan, a Somali seaman accused of murder. It's a powerful, moving read and a dazzling portrait of a proud, bewildered young man and his life in Cardiff's Tiger Bay. Upcoming recordings: 15 March at 1830 at BBC
Cal Flyn: Islands of Abandonment
James Naughtie and a group of readers talk to Cal Flyn about her acclaimed book, Islands of Abandonment, an exploration of places which have been reclaimed by nature. She talks about her travels to Cyprus, the Orkney Islands, First World War battlefields in France, and beyond, chronicling the fightback that plants have staged once humans have left. She reveals why finding hope in even the most
Ross King: Brunelleschi's Dome
Historian Ross King answers listener questions about his book Brunelleschi's Dome. An incredible story of one man's determination to build an apparently impossible structure, it's a tale of ingenuity, artistic rivalries, and single-minded obsession. Although building had started on Florence's Santa Maria del Fiore in the late thirteenth century, it wasn't until 1418 that local goldsmith Filippo B
AJ Pearce: Dear Mrs Bird
James Naughtie is joined by writer A J Pearce and a group of listeners, as she answers their questions about her bestselling novel Dear Mrs Bird. Set in London in the 1940s, it’s the story of Emmy who has ambitions to be an intrepid war reporter, but instead finds herself working as a secretary on the agony aunt pages of an old-fashioned women’s magazine. Her main duty is opening and sorting the
Juan Gabriel Vasquez: The Sound of Things Falling
Juan Gabriel Vasquez answers audience questions about The Sound of Things Falling. Set in Colombia, the novel examines the personal and private impact of the drug wars that ravaged the country during the 1970s, 80s and 90s. It's the story of a strange friendship between two men, Antonio and Ricardo, told through Antonio's eyes. He sets out to investigate his friend's mysterious life, after Ric
Curtis Sittenfeld: American Wife
Curtis Sittenfeld answers listener questions about American Wife, a novel which follows Alice Lindgren's path from school librarian to First Lady, and is based on the life of former First Lady Laura Bush. Our next recording is at Broadcasting House in London on 13th October 2022. Juan Gabriel Vasquez will talking about his novel, The Sound Of Things Falling. To take part and ask a question, em
Hilary Mantel - Bring Up the Bodies
In a special programme first broadcast in 2013, Hilary Mantel discusses Bring Up the Bodies, her second Man Booker Prize-winning novel with James Naughtie and his Bookclub audience.England, 1535. A one-time mercenary, master-politician, lawyer and doting father, Thomas Cromwell has risen from commoner to become King Henry VIII's chief adviser. He learnt everything he knew from his mentor Cardinal
Kathleen Jamie: Selected Poems
Bookclub travels to Edinburgh where Scotland's Makar Kathleen Jamie answers readers questions about her Selected Poems, and her writing life.Many poems here celebrate the natural world; Kathleen Jamie writes about animals and plants with a forensic and empathetic eye, often focussing on unloved and unsung creatures like daisies, spiders and frogs. In this collection there are also poems about t
Kevin Barry
For the first time since the beginning of the pandemic, James Naughtie is joined by an in-person audience who are putting their questions to Kevin Barry, about his novel Night Boat To Tangier. It’s a darkly comic, melancholy novel about two gangsters, Maurice and Charlie, waiting in the port of Algeciras, hoping to spot Maurice’s runaway daughter. And as they wait, they reminisce and swap stories.
John Preston: The Dig
John Preston talks to a group of readers about his novel The Dig, a fictional take on the excavations at Sutton Hoo. Set in the summer of 1939, with war looming, the novel re-imagines this celebrated discovery of Anglo-Saxon treasure, The extraordinary finds attracted the attention of eminent professors and national museums but the original discovery was the work of a self taught local archaeologi
Diana Evans
Diana Evans answers listener questions about Ordinary People, her page-turner of a novel about contemporary black middle class experience in the London of today.
An absorbing tale of two couples and their family, the novel documents their struggles with identity, parenthood, sex, grief, ageing, friendship and love.Next month's book: The Dig by John Preston. Email bookclub@bbc.co.uk to join the vi
Nick Harkaway
Nick Harkaway answers listener questions about his extraordinary novel Angelmaker. A blend of fantasy, thriller and adventure the novel tells the stories of a young, disillusioned clock maker Joe Spork, former spy, ninety year old Edie Bannister, and the strange events that bring them together.Next month's book: Ordinary People by Diana Evans. Email bookclub@bbc.co.uk to ask a question.
Karen Joy Fowler
Novelist Karen Joy Fowler joins James Naughtie to answer listener questions about her Booker shortlisted novel We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves, a surprising story about an unusual family, and the lasting impact of an unconventional childhood. Narrator Rosemary looks back fondly on her early years with her sister Fern, but all is not as it seems. The novel has an unexpected twist and this pr
Sarah Moss
Sarah Moss joins James Naughtie to answer listener questions about her novel The Tidal Zone - a story of healthcare, parenting, and the echoes of the past. Adam and Emma are parents to 15 year old Miriam and 8 year old Rose. One day, Miriam collapses at school: her heart briefly stopped beating. She is rushed to hospital. The Tidal Zone considers the impact of this event on Miriam, and all of
Stacey Halls
James Naughtie and a group of readers talk to Stacey Halls about her novel The Foundling, set in 18th century London. It's the story of Bess, who gives up her new born baby to the Foundling Hospital. When Bess returns six years later to claim her child, she finds that her daughter has been taken by someone else.
Stacey answers listener questions about motherhood; her research; the sights and smel
Abir Mukherjee
James Naughtie and Bookclub readers talk to Abir Mukherjee about A Rising Man, the first in his Wyndham and Bannerjee detective series, set in Calcutta during the time of the Raj. Sam Wyndham is new to the police force and new to India. His sergeant, Bannerjee, offers him invaluable help not only with investigating a murder but also with navigating the complex political and social landscape of
Rachel Joyce: The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry
James Naughtie is joined by bestselling writer Rachel Joyce who is answering listener questions about The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry.
This moving, heartwarming story follows Harold as one day he impulsively sets off on a walk from Devon to Northumberland to visit his long lost friend Queenie; despite having no map, no plan, and no decent walking boots.
While he tramps across England, Haro
Maja Lunde - The History of Bees
The History of Bees by Maja Lunde is set in three different times and in three different countries - nineteenth century England, present day Ohio and Beijing at the end of the 21st century. Each storyline considers the lot of bees and beekeepers: William is designing a new type of hive, George; in Ohio, is trying to stick with traditional methods even though beekeeping and farming are becoming
Anthony Doerr - All the Light We Cannot See
Anthony Doerr talks to James Naughtie and a group of readers about his novel All the Light We Cannot See, which won the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
Set largely in St Malo in the 1940's, It tells the twin stories of Werner and Marie Laure,. They are on opposite sides during World War Two, but find themselves linked by a love of radio, and storytelling. Meanwhile, a Nazi officer is hunting
Lissa Evans - Old Baggage
Lissa Evans talks to James Naughtie and a group of her readers about her novel Old Baggage.Set in 1928, it tells the story of Matilda Simpkin, who was an activist during the Women’s Suffrage Campaign. Jailed five times, Mattie marched, sang, gave speeches and smashed windows, and nothing since then has had the same depth or excitement. After a chance meeting with 15-year-old Ida, she sets out on a
Tahmima Anam - A Golden Age
A Golden Age by Tahmima Anam is set fifty years ago, during the Bangladesh War of Independence. The conflict is seen through the eyes of Rehana, a fiercely protective mother, whose children join the fighting. Rehana, though not a natural revolutionary, becomes involved in the conflict herself, determined to do whatever it takes to keep her family intact.
Tahmima Anam joins James Naughtie to a
Francis Spufford - Golden Hill
Francis Spufford’s novel Golden Hill won the Costa Book Award, the Ondaatje Prize and the Desmond Elliot Prize and was shortlisted for a host of others. It’s been described by critics as ‘a crackerjack novel of old Manhattan’, ‘Like a newly discovered novel by Henry Fielding with extra material by Martin Scorsese’, and ‘utterly captivating’. Francis joins James Naughtie and a group of his readers
Melissa Harrison - All Among the Barley
Melissa Harrison is an acclaimed nature writer, novelist and podcaster. She joins James Naughtie and a group of her readers to discuss her novel All Among the Barley, set in Suffolk in the mid 1930’s. Centring on the experiences of teenage Edie Mather whose family have been farming the land for generations, the novel touches on the backdrop of shifting political and social change, as well as the d
Liane Moriarty - Big Little Lies
James Naughtie and a group of readers talk to Australian author Liane Moriarty about her New York Times bestselling novel Big Little Lies. Set in the sunny world of Pirriwee Public Primary School in the beautiful North Shore area of Sydney, there’s a dark thread of hidden violence running under the surface of the novel. Liane Moriarty sets an unexpected murder against a wittily written chorus of g
Amor Towles - A Gentleman in Moscow
James Naughtie and a group of readers talk to Amor Towles about his bestselling novel A Gentleman in Moscow. The 30 year story of Count Alexander Ilyich Rostov takes in the sweep of Russian history from the period just after the Russian Revolution, through the Stalinist purges, and heading towards Kruschev’s thaw – all experienced thorough the lens of Rostov’s long house arrest in The Metropol Hot
Kei Miller - The Cartographer Tries to Map a Way to Zion
James Naughtie and a group of readers talk to award winning poet, novelist and essayist Kei Miller about his Forward Prize Winning poetry collection The Cartographer Tries to Map a Way to Zion.The collection is set on Jamaica and structured through conversations between the map maker, trying to organise and lay down history with a deep conviction of his own rational knowledge, and the rastaman, tr
Tana French - The Wych Elm
James Naughtie and a group of readers talk to acclaimed Irish crime writer Tana French about her novel The Wych Elm, which was named a New York Times Notable Book of 2018, and a Best Book of 2018 by NPR, The New York Times Book Review, Amazon, The Boston Globe, LitHub, Vulture, Slate, Elle, Vox, and Electric Literature.The Wych Elm is the first stand-alone novel from the author of the Dublin Murde
Kazuo Ishiguro - Never Let Me Go
Kazuo Ishiguro, Winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, discusses his novel Never Let Me Go with James Naughtie and a group of invited readers.In one of the most acclaimed novels of recent years, Kazuo Ishiguro tells the story of Kathy, Tommy, Ruth and other school friends growing up in a darkly skewed version of contemporary England. Narrated by Kathy, now 31, Never Let Me Go is her attempt to
David Vann - Legend of a Suicide
David Vann discusses his novel Legend of a Suicide with James Naughtie and this month's group of readers.Legend of a Suicide is an intimate and profound account of a family tragedy, told in six linked stories that deal with the complicated misunderstandings between a son and his father, and describes the love, guilt and the painful understanding that begins to come with adolescence. When it was pu
Tayari Jones - An American Marriage
Tayari Jones discusses An American Marriage, which won the Women's Prize for Fiction 2019. The novel tells the story of Roy and Celestial, a newly wed and successful African-American couple in Atlanta whose marriage is tested when the husband is imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit.The book tackles the shadow cast by the judicial system over many African-American lives. Tayari tells Bookclub h
Joseph O'Connor - Star of the Sea
Joseph O'Connor talks about his novel of Irish emigration at the time of the Famine, Star of the Sea with James Naughtie and readers.In the winter of 1847, the Star of the Sea sets sails from Ireland for New York. Among the refugees are a maidservant, a bankrupt aristocrat, an aspiring novelist and a maker of revolutionary ballads. As we learn each of their stories, we also learn how each is conne
Oyinkan Braithwaite - My Sister, The Serial Killer
Oyinkan Braithwaite talks about her novel My Sister, The Serial Killer, a story full of deadpan wit and dark humour about two sisters in Lagos.Korede is bitter and jealous of her beautiful sister Ayoola, who is the favourite child. A kind, handsome doctor at the hospital where Korede works is the bright spot in her life and she dreams of the day when he will realize they're perfect for each other.
Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson
James Naughtie and Louise Welsh discussed Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson
Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson
August's edition is a Classic Bookclub - Robert Louis Stevenson's Kidnapped - and is part of BBC Radio 4's ongoing support for students during the Covid-19 crisis. In the absence of Stevenson, our guide to the book is author Louise Welsh, who has written an opera inspired by him.
Kidnapped is one Stevenson’s best loved titles. It’s an historical adventure novel set in Scotland after the Jacobi
Scott Turow - Presumed Innocent
Scott Turow talks about his first thriller, Presumed Innocent, with James Naughtie and a group of readers. The novel was first published in Britain in 1987 and Scott's books have since sold more than 30 million copies worldwide. The novel was seen as groundbreaking as it spawned a whole generation of legal thrillers. Presumed Innocent is the story of lawyer Rusty Sabich who's investigating the br
Max Porter - Lanny
Max Porter talks about his highly acclaimed novel Lanny, which was nominated for the Booker Prize 2019, and recently released in paperback. Max is one of the most exciting literary talents to emerge in recent years, with Lanny his follow-up novel to his 2015 debut, Grief Is the Thing with Feathers.Lanny is the story of a family who've recently moved to the countryside and whose village is peopled
Rebecca Solnit - The Faraway Nearby
Rebecca Solnit is a leading American essayist and writer. She talks to James Naughtie and a group of invited readers about The Faraway Nearby, her recollections of her mother's advancing Alzheimer's and the power of storytelling.One summer, as their mother was diagnosed with dementia Rebecca's brother decided to harvest all the apricots from their mother’s tree, whether they were ripe or not. He d
Jenny Offill – Dept. of Speculation
American novelist Jenny Offill talks to James Naughtie and readers about her novel Dept. of Speculation.The novel is the story of a relationship between two people whose names we never know. They meet by chance - she’s a writer and he's an artist working with sound. They write to each other and the return address on their envelopes is always Dept of Speculation. Egged on by a friend she calls the
Marian Keyes - Rachel's Holiday
Marian Keyes talks about one of her most popular novels, Rachel's Holiday.Rachel Walsh is an Irish woman in her late 20s living in New York, but whose life is disintegrating around her. She's lost her dead-end job; her boyfriend Luke has broken up with her; her best friend and flat-mate Brigit can't cope with her behaviour any longer – and the reason for all this, which Rachel just can't see, is t
James Meek - The People's Act of Love
Journalist James Meek talks about his novel The People's Act of Love, first published in 2005, a bold and imaginative work based in the wilds of Siberia where a strange and violent group of individuals come together with sinister results.Set in a time of great social upheaval, warfare, and terrorism, and against a stark, lawless Siberia at the end of the Russian Revolution, The People’s Act of Lo
Erin Morgenstern - The Night Circus
American author Erin Morgenstern talks about her fantasy novel The Night Circus which has become a cult favourite with readers. James Naughtie presents and an invited group of readers ask the questions.It's the story of a mysterious Victorian travelling circus that only opens at night and is constructed entirely in black and white. Although there are acrobats, fortune-tellers and contortionists
