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 shape...
Presenter James Crawford speaks with multi-award-winning, Booker-longlisted French author Laurent Binet about his latest novel, Perspectives, and the three other works that influenced its creation.Set in 16th-century Florence, the novel follows an investigation into the mysterious death of a renowned painter, found lying on a church floor with a fatal stab wound to the heart. Above him, the masterpieces he dedicated over a decade to completing. But who is responsible for his murder?Laurent’s influences were: Dangerous Liaisons by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos (1782); The Story of my Escape from the Prisons of Venice by Giacomo Casanova (1788); and The Florentine Histories by Niccolo Machiavelli (1532).The supporting contributor was poet, translator and lecturer in Creative Writing at Loughborough University, Dr Kerry Featherstone.Producer: Rachael O’Neill
Editor: Gillian Wheelan
This was a BBC Audio Scotland production
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28:52
Susan Barker
Presenter James Crawford speaks to the writer Susan Barker on Take Four Books this week about her new novel, Old Soul, and the three other works that have helped to shape its creation. Susan's new book, published by Penguin, is made up of seven testimonies that cross centuries and continents, but they have one thing in common - a beguiling woman, who is much older than she looks, and leaves a trail of death and disappearance in her wake. The books Susan chose for her episode were: Under The Skin by Michel Faber (2000); Ghostwritten by David Mitchell (1999); and Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood (1988).The supporting contributor was the writer and Strathclyde University Creative Writing lecturer, Rodge Glass.During the episode, a short clip of the audiobook version of Under The Skin is played. The publisher is Canongate Books Ltd. Producer: Dom Howell
Editor: Gillian Wheelan
This was a BBC Audio Scotland production
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28:21
Emma Healey
This week Take Four Books, presented by James Crawford, talks to best-selling author Emma Healey about her new book – Sweat – and the three books that inspired its creation. Emma’s choices were: Dare Me by Megan Abbott (2012); Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss (2018); and The Harpy by Megan Hunter (2020).
Producer: Rachael O’Neill
Editor: Annie McGuire
Take Four Books is a BBC Audio Scotland production.
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28:40
Michelle de Kretser
This week Take Four Books, presented by James Crawford, talks to the award-winning Australian writer Michelle de Kretser about her new novel - Theory & Practice - and its three key influences. Michelle's choices were: the diary of Virginia Woolf from 1932; Ali Smith’s The Accidental from 2005; and Shirley Hazzard’s The Transit of Venus, from 1980.Producer: Dom Howell
Editor: Annie McGuire
Take Four Books is a BBC Audio Scotland production.
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28:37
Paul Theroux
The award-winning travel writer and novelist Paul Theroux talks to Take Four Books about his latest short story collection - The Vanishing Point - and explores three other works that have helped to shape his writing. Paul's choices were: A Simple Heart by Gustave Flaubert (1877); Two Brothers by V S Pritchett (1932); and Riders In The Chariot by Patrick White (1961). Producer: Dominic Howell
Editor: Annie McGuire
This was a BBC Audio Scotland production
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.
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