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Bookclub: Daily Summaries Delivered
by BBC Radio 4
Led by James Naughtie, a group of readers talk to acclaimed authors about their best-known novels
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- 2 weeks ago28 min
Irvine Welsh
The award-winning Scottish writer Irvine Welsh speaks to Bookclub, presented by James Naughtie, about his era-defining 1993 debut, Trainspotting. Following a non-linear plot and written in Scots and Scots English, the novel is more of a collection of interconnected stories told from multiple viewpoints, all centred around a group of friends, who have become household names - Renton, Sick Boy, Spud and Begbie - as they battle, among other things, heroin addiction, poverty, and a burgeoning HIV/AIDS crisis. The novel had sold well over a million copies in the UK by the year 2015 and has been translated into thirty languages. The novel was turned into a 1996 film, often described as a modern classic, directed by Danny Boyle and starring Ewan McGregor, Jonny Lee Miller, Robert Carlyle, Ewen Bremner and Kelly Macdonald. This episode was recorded at the Edinburgh International Books Festival in August 2026. Producer: Dominic Howell Editor: Gillian Wheelan This was a BBC Audio Scotland production.
- Aug 2, 202628 min
Janice Hallett
Led by presenter James Naughtie, the award-winning writer Janice Hallett speaks to a Bookclub audience about her debut novel, The Appeal. Published in 2021 the novel -- which is presented as a series of documents, emails, messages and transcripts -- follows an amateur dramatics troupe called The Fairway Players, which is staging a rendition of Arthur Miller's, All My Sons, to raise funds for little Poppy Reswick's life-saving medical treatment. But is it possible a murderer is hiding in plain sight? This episode of Bookclub was recorded in Broadcasting House, London.Producer: Dominic Howell Editor: Gillian Wheelan This is a BBC Audio Scotland production.
- Jul 5, 202628 min
Anne Sebba
Historian and writer Anne Sebba, speaks this month to Bookclub, presented by James Naughtie, about her award-winning biography, That Woman: The life of Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor. ‘That Woman,’ as she was referred to by the Queen Mother and other members of the Royal Family, became a hate figure for allegedly ensnaring a British king. Born in 1896 in Baltimore under the name, Bessiewallis Warfield, she had an impoverished and comparatively obscure childhood which, Anne Sebba writes, inflamed a burning desire to rise above her circumstances.This episode was recorded at the Borders Book Festival.Producer: Dominic Howell Editor: Gillian Wheelan This was a BBC Audio Scotland production.
- Jun 7, 202628 min
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.
- May 3, 202628 min
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 makes his presence known in mysterious ways. Producer: Dominic Howell Editor: Gillian Wheelan This was a BBC Audio Scotland production. Author image credit: Colin Alderman
- Apr 5, 202628 min
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 teenagers' experiences with Marcus have far-reaching consequences. Described by the Independent newspaper as "one of the biggest selling black authors in Britain" Dorothy Koomson has been writing novels since she was thirteen years old. In 2022 she was a judge for the Women's Prize for Fiction. Author image credit: Niall McDiarmid.Producer: Dominic Howell Editor: Gillian Wheelan This was a BBC Audio Scotland production.
- Mar 1, 202628 min
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 cities of Unthank and Glasgow. The book has garnered widespread praise and critical acclaim for sitting realism and surrealism side by side and for daring to be experimental. The Guardian described the novel as "one of the landmarks of twentieth century fiction" while the Times Literary Supplement said it was "profoundly perceptive about the ways in which our society is destroying itself".This episode was recorded in front of a live audience at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre in February.Producer: Dominic Howell Editor: Gillian Wheelan This is a BBC Audio Scotland production.
- Feb 1, 202634 min
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 Editor: Gillian Wheelan This was a BBC Audio Scotland production.
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About Bookclub
Led by James Naughtie, a group of readers talk to acclaimed authors about their best-known novels
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