A Good Read

Ian Rankin talks to Mariella Frostrup about his latest crime thriller The Impossible Dead, and world famous photographer Don McCullin gives us his five of the best books

The classicist Mary Beard and writer Bidisha talk to Harriett Gilbert about their favourite books, in an edition recorded in front of an audience at the Cheltenham Literature Festival.

Books discussed:

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons

The Odyssey by Homer

Producer: Beth O'Dea

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in October 2011.

Robert Harris talks about his latest book The Fear Index with Mariella Frostrup and discusses why he wanted to base it around the money orientated world of Swiss Hedge Fund managers. We discover the unprecedented appeal of The Iliad. Two debut novels have been shortlisted for Man Booker prize - Suzi Feay discusses if this is the place for new writing and how to find that great first novel.

Former Children's Laureate Michael Morpurgo joins short story writer Sara Maitland and presenter Harriett Gilbert to talk about the books they love, and share their enthusiasm for their choices.

Their favourite books cover the globe from Venezuela to Edinburgh to Steep in Hampshire, where Michael Morpurgo and the subject of his book both lived. He chooses Under Storm's Wing by Helen Thomas, a collection of her memoirs and letters about life with one of Britain's best-loved poets.

Sara Maitland's book, House-Bound by Winifred Peck, is described by all three as a real oddity, a book unlike any other - but a rather good oddity.

And Harriett Gilbert picks The Sickness by Alberto Barrera Tyszka, a slender novel about a man with a terminal illness, which turns out to be surprisingly gripping.

Producer: Beth O'Dea

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2011.

Open Book marks the 50th anniversary of Joseph Heller's bestseller, Catch 22, as soldier turned author Andy McNab and Professor Christopher Bigsby discuss why this 1961 novel remains so popular. We look at the role of writers in residence with Horatio Clare, writer-in-residence for Maersk lines and Naomi Alderman, soon to be writer-in-residence at the Gladstone Library. And literary apps: responding to your feedback on them and looking at what the publishing industry has in store for us in the future.

Charles Frazier, bestselling author of Cold Mountain, discusses his long awaited third novel Nightwoods which is once again located in the forests and mountains of North Carolina. Travel writers Sara Wheeler and Michael Jacobs look at the nature of travel writing and if the genre will survive in the age of the internet, cheap flights and apps. And Lev Grossman and Erin Morgenstern discuss why they felt compelled to write magic literature for adults and how their books differ from traditional children's fantasy novels.

Meg Rosoff discusses her latest book There is no Dog. South African novelist Christopher Hope and Dr Andrew van der Vlies, senior lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London discuss why South Africa remains such a potent source of inspiration. And literary agent Carole Blake explains how the book world has responded to the technology boom in applications for smart phones and what types of literary apps are available.

DJ Taylor talks to Barry Unsworth, who shared the 1992 Booker Prize for his historical novel Sacred Hunger, about his sequel The Quality of Mercy. Indian-born novelist Anita Desai discusses her latest book The Artist of Disappearance, a trio of novellas. And literary critic Peter Kemp traces the history of the novella.

D J Taylor talks to Joe Dunthorne about his newly-published second novel Wild Abandon. Susie Harries, talks about the writing of The Buildings of England, and two architectural writers, Jonathan Glancey and Hugh Pearman, reflect on the quirks that make this magnum opus such a pleasure to read.

Crime writer Dreda Say Mitchell talks to Ruth Rendell about "Vault", her 23rd Inspector Wexford novel. They are joined by Newcastle born writer Martyn Waites to discuss how writers write the city in their books. And critic Michael Carlson profiles Ira Levin author of Rosemary's Baby,The Stepford Wives, A Kiss Before Dying and The Boys From Brazil.