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Take Four Books

Take Four Books

BBC Radio 4 62 Episodes Aug 23, 2026

Presenter James Crawford looks at an author's latest work and delves further into their creative process by learning about the three other texts that have shaped their writing.

Episodes

Valeria Luiselli
Valeria Luiselli Aug 23, 2026 1714 Presenter James Crawford speaks to award-winning Mexican American novelist and essayist Valeria Luiselli about her latest novel, Beginning Middle End, and its three key literary influences. In the novel, a mother and her twelve-year-old daughter travel across a wildfire-stricken Sicily in search of family history, archaeology, and the inner-workings of story itself. Along the way, the mother remai
M. John Harrison
M. John Harrison Aug 16, 2026 1708 The writer M. John Harrison speaks to Take Four Books about his latest novel, The End of Everything, and, together with presenter James Crawford, they explore its connections to three other works. The End of Everything follows the characters of Phillip Tennent and his elderly aunt Marnie. A crisis has happened. The exact nature of which remains obscure, but government barely functions, the seas ar
David Sedaris
David Sedaris Aug 9, 2026 1713 Presenter James Crawford speaks to American author and humourist David Sedaris on his new collection of essays, The Land and Its People. From navigating the realities of ageing to reflecting on his personal relationships, Sedaris explores a wide range of experiences across the book's 28 essays. He also discusses the three works that inspired the collection: Raymond Carver's Cathedral (1981), Joy
Christopher Brookmyre
Christopher Brookmyre Jul 26, 2026 1884 Scottish crime writer Christopher Brookmyre speaks to Take Four Books this week about his latest novel, Quite Ugly One Evening, and, together with presenter James Crawford, they explore its links to three other books. Chris's new book, Quite Ugly One Evening, is a locked-room mystery with a twist, and we're back with one of his most beloved characters - the maverick Scottish investigative journali
Liz Nugent
Liz Nugent Jul 19, 2026 1706 The award-winning Irish writer, Liz Nugent, speaks to Take Four Books about her latest novel, The Truth About Ruby Cooper, and, together with presenter James Crawford, they explore its connections to three other works of fiction. Ruby Cooper and her sister, Erin, live an idyllic life in their close-knit church community in Boston. But when Ruby is sixteen, she is involved in an incident that cause
Elizabeth Strout
Elizabeth Strout Jul 12, 2026 1720 Presenter James Crawford speaks to award‑winning American author Elizabeth Strout - winner of the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and a two‑time Booker Prize nominee - about her new book The Things We Never Say and its three key literary influences.In Elizabeth's latest novel, we are taken to the New England coast, where we follow the life of history teacher Artie Dam, who is struggling to cope wi
Tahmima Anam
Tahmima Anam Jun 28, 2026 1711 The Bangladeshi-born British writer, Tahmima Anam, speaks to Take Four Books about her latest novel, Uprising, and together with presenter James Crawford, they explore its connections to three other works of fiction. Set on a fictional, sinking island, Uprising, is told from the perspective of a group of children who witness their mothers living lives of cruelty and servitude. Tahmima Anam is a
Maggie O'Farrell
Maggie O'Farrell Jun 21, 2026 1718 The bestselling author of Hamnet returns with her tenth novel - Land - which is a soaring history set in Ireland in the years before and after the Great Famine. Maggie has sold more than eight million books worldwide and is translated into 44 different languages. She won the Women's Prize for Fiction in 2020.For her three influences Maggie chose: Joseph O’Connor’s Star of the Sea from 2002; Marie
Douglas Stuart
Douglas Stuart Jun 14, 2026 1949 The Booker Prize-winning Scottish author, Douglas Stuart, speaks to Take Four Books about his latest novel, John Of John, and, together with presenter James Crawford, they explore its connections to three other works of fiction.John Of John follows the character of John-Calum Macleod who, when his art school education comes to an end, catches the ferry home to the island of Harris to find that not
Imani Thompson
Imani Thompson May 31, 2026 1704 Imani Thompson speaks to Take Four Books about her debut novel Honey. Together with presenter James Crawford, they explore its connections to three other literary works. In Honey, PhD student Yrsa doesn't set out to kill. But after an incident involving a bee sting gone wrong, she suddenly feels alive. So she starts to think about what justice could look like, if she took it in to her own hands...
Deborah Levy
Deborah Levy May 24, 2026 1710 The award-winning writer Deborah Levy speaks to Take Four Books about her latest novel, My Year In Paris With Gertrude Stein, and, together with presenter James Crawford, they explore its three key literary influences. The new book follows three female friends in Paris. There's Eva an artist in a long-distance marriage, Fanny, a sexually adventurous financier, and making up the trio, is our unname
Katie Kitamura
Katie Kitamura May 17, 2026 1831 The American writer Katie Kitamura speaks about her Booker-shortlisted novel, Audition, and together with presenter James Crawford they explore its connections to three other literary works.Audition begins with two people meeting for lunch in a Manhattan restaurant. The woman is an accomplished actress and she's meeting a man who is young enough to be her son. But who is he to her, and who is she

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