Bookclub

Presenter James Naughtie and Bookclub readers talk to the award-winning writer Matt Haig about his best-selling novel, The Midnight Library.

Published in 2020 the novel follows the character of Nora Seed, who racked with self-doubt and regret, grapples with who she is, and what she really wants. After a desperate cry for help she finds herself in The Midnight Library, and begins to work through some of those questions.

The novel has sold more than twelve million copies and been translated into 56 languages. It has most recently been released as a graphic novel, illustrated by Fred Fordham. And the book is also set to hit the screen, in a film being directed by Garth Davis and starring Florence Pugh. Filming is due to begin next year.

Producer: Dominic Howell

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 connected in this very layered and beautifully rendered novel, which was named as one of the top ten books of 2023 by The New York Times.

Daniel was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2021 for his collection of short stories, A Registry of My Passage Upon the Earth.

This episode was recorded at the BBC Scotland studios in Glasgow.

Producer: Dominic Howell

The award-winning Scottish writer Irvine Welsh speaks to Bookclub, presented by James Naughtie, about his era-defining 1993 debut, Trainspotting.

Producer: Dominic Howell

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

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

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

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

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

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

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