Bookclub

28:23

Daniel Mason

Bookclub ·

2026/10/04

Led by presenter James Naughtie, the American writer, Daniel Mason, takes questions from a Bookclub audience about his 2023 novel, North Woods.North Woods is the story of a house and a plot of land in Massachusetts. It spans four centuries and takes in various characters, both human and animal, who find themselves, for whatever reason, encountering the space. Whether it's a young Puritan couple on the run, or an English soldier, or inseparable twin sisters or even a rampant beetle - all are

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28:13

Irvine Welsh

Bookclub ·

2026/09/06

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

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28:07

Janice Hallett

Bookclub ·

2026/08/02

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

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28:34

Anne Sebba

Bookclub ·

2026/07/05

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,

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28:18

Kirstin Innes

Bookclub ·

2026/06/07

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 HowellEditor: Gillian Wheelan This was a BBC Audio Scotland production.

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28:55

Nicola Barker

Bookclub ·

2026/05/03

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 HowellEditor: Gillian Wheelan This was a

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28:24

Dorothy Koomson

Bookclub ·

2026/04/05

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

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28:58

Alan Cumming on Alasdair Gray's Lanark

Bookclub ·

2026/03/01

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

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34:37

Sarah Bernstein

Bookclub ·

2026/02/01

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 HowellEditor: Gillian Wheelan This was a BBC Audio Scotland production.

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28:30

Rónán Hession

Bookclub ·

2026/01/04

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 everyday life. It celebrates the ordinary, and the idea that we can learn from the people we might

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36:47

Jane Austen: Sense and Sensibility

Bookclub ·

2025/12/16

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 and threat of its loss. Marianne Dashwood wears her heart on her sleeve, and when she falls in love with the dashing but unsuitable John

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27:45

Hallie Rubenhold

Bookclub ·

2025/11/02

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 Prize for non-fiction in 2019.This episode was recorded at The Queen's Reading Room Festival at

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29:06

John Niven

Bookclub ·

2025/10/05

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 eyes on promotion. This recording takes place in the BBC Scotland studios in Glasgow, Pacific

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29:06

Paula Hawkins

Bookclub ·

2025/09/07

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 and starring Emily Blunt as Rachel. This episode was recorded at the Edinburgh International Books

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28:40

Kit de Waal

Bookclub ·

2025/08/03

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, Carol, their futures look very different. Jake is adopted, while Leon remains in foster care. The story

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28:37

Tom Holland

Bookclub ·

2025/07/06

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 us back in a pre-Christian era, and setting in context the convulsion that began in January of 49 BC

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28:35

Joanne Harris: Chocolat

Bookclub ·

2025/06/01

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 church. Francis Reynaud, the local priest, disapproves of her instantly and Vianne's arrival polarizes

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28:41

Natalie Haynes

Bookclub ·

2025/05/04

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 never seen before. The book was shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction in 2020. Producer: Dom

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28:26

Michel Faber

Bookclub ·

2025/04/06

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 muscles). In 2013 the book was made into a film, shot in Glasgow, and directed by Jonathan Glazer. It

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28:46

Christopher Brookmyre

Bookclub ·

2025/03/02

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 years later. Published in 1996, Quite Ugly One Morning, was a best-seller at the time, and the actor

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