Book Talk

The final Book Talk podcast of 2012 features a timely discussion of J.R.R Tolkien's worldwide bestselling favourite The Hobbit, coinciding with the release of the first in Peter Jackson's series of big-budget film adaptations of the novel.

Paul Gallagher is joined by Edd McCracken of Book Riot, Hollyrood High School librarian Rachel McCabe and two high school pupils, Juliette and Michael, to get into a wide-ranging discussion of the fantasy classic. With each of their Hobbit experiences being different - some having read it many times since childhood, some just reading it for the first time for this podcast - their reactions offer a great cross-section of opinions!

If you've read The Hobbit and agree or disagree with any of the comments in the podcast, we'd love to hear from you. Add your comments below!

Links

Edd McCracken's writing on Book Riot

Rivendell by Rush (listen to the podcast to understand the reason for this link!)

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Ryan Van Winkle hosts a jam-packed Book Week Scotland special for the second episode of Bookmarked. Book Week Scotland took place from 26 Nov - 2 Dec and incorporated over 350 book-centred events across the length and breadth of Scotland, in libraries, theatres, community centres, schools and pretty much anywhere booklovers could think of.

On the podcast we have:

Alexander McCall Smith reading his contribution to the My Favourite Place book

Scottish Book Trust's Jeanette Harris talking about guarding one of the Book Sculptures for the Book Week Scotland Treasure Hunt, and student Jemma explaining how she followed the clues and found one of the sculptures.

JL Williams and two young adults discussing the Young Writers Conference, their workshops, including examples of cut-up poetry (pictured right) - and their 5 favourite books

Novelist and screenwriter Frank Cottrell Boyce talking about his top 2 screenplays and why he doesn't read his children's books to his own children

Clive Gilman from Dundee Contemporary Arts (DCA) on their Book Week Scotland programme

Translator Brian Holton reading a Chinese poem in Mandarin and in a Scots translation

Nicola Balkind discussing her week traversing Scotland as the Book Week Scotland blogger

On this edition of the Book Talk podcast host Paul Gallagher welcomes The Herald's Arts Correspondent Phil Miller and Scottish Book Trust's Reader Development Co-ordinator Claire Stewart to review arguably the most anticipated book of the year, The Casual Vacancy, J.K. Rowling's first book for adult readers.

Now that the dust (and hype) has settled from the book's release at the end of September, we thought it the perfect moment to get into a discussion of the book itself - how does Rowling fare in choosing to tell a story of a world that's more painful reality than the magical escapism of Harry Potter?

Bookmarked is Scottish Book Trust’s latest podcast, bringing you a monthly dose of bookish action from all around Scotland. Each new episode is jam-packed with book news, interviews, readings, roundups and sneak previews.

Whether you are a staunch bookworm or looking for something new to get you stoked about reading, be sure to catch Bookmarked, hosted by Ryan Van Winkle, arriving for your listening pleasure in the first week of every month.

In our inaugural podcast, you’ll catch a behind-the-scenes tour of ‘GiftED’, the Edinburgh book sculptures exhibition currently touring Scotland; a catch-up with author, Wigtown resident and book lover, Jessica Fox; a taster of Book Week Scotland’s events programme and a quick-fire interview with author Jenni Fagan, who fills us in on her favourite books for people who are short on time.

Bookmarked is produced by Colin Fraser with music by Ragland.

This special edition of Book Talk features three interviews recorded on location at Edinburgh International Book Festival last month. Kate Summerscale, author of the phenomenally successful The Suspicions of Mr Whicher discusses the results of her success and her new book, another fascinating piece of historical non-fiction, Mrs Robinson’s Disgrace. Angelmaker author Nick Harkaway talks about how being the son of John Le Carre meant being raised in 'a house full of stories', as well as going into detail about his own fiction writing. Lastly, debut novelist Natasha Soobramanien explains her fascination with islands and describes how years of life experience shaped her novel Genie and Paul.