The Book Alchemist

Hello and welcome to The Book Alchemist. I’m Heather Suttie and in this series we meet avid readers from all walks of life.

My guest today is avid reader Karen Campbell. Her dream is to have a book shop and she’s one step closer to that with her business ‘For the love of books’.

We discuss cosy crime, Alan Parks, Jane Harper's The Dry, Kit de Waal, Karen Campbell's Paper Cup, Marion Todd, Muriel Spark and something I can’t pronounce properly…

In this week's episode baker, book lover, sub-editor and Scottish Sunday Mail columnist Julie Bryson discusses her love of reading and the books which shaped her life.

The books and authors we discuss include:

• Sophie Loren's Eat With Me
• Nigella's How to Eat
• Queen Victoria: Daughter, Wife, Mother, Widow by Lucy Worsley
• Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
• Julia Donaldson, Peter Pan and Moat Brae in Dumfries
• Enid Blyton
• Notes from an Exhibition by Patrick Gale
• Anne of Green Gables
• Out of Africa
• Wonder by RJ Palacio
• Lessons in Chemistry
• Taste by Stanley Tucci
• The Unfortunates by Laurie Graham

If you'd like to join Bookface, the free online book group which trades purely in great recommendations for books of every genre. Click here.

Hello and welcome to this episode of The Book Alchemist which features double best-selling author, biohacker and wellness expert Davinia Taylor.

We talk all things health and wellbeing and the power of brilliant reading material.

We discuss her books It's Not a Diet and Hack Your Hormones, emotional sensitivity, ADHD, resilience, weight loss and the power of Instagram.

The authors, podcasts and experts mentioned include:

• Deep Nutrition: Why Your Genes Need Traditional Food by Dr Catherine Shanahan
• Terry Pratchett books
• Professor Andrew Huberman and Dave Asprey's podcasts
• Gary Brecka
• Dr Ken Berry
• Dr Malcolm Kendrick

There's no one more passionate about Scottish culture than Alistair Braidwood. His website, Scots Whay Hae! podcast and radio show is a celebration of writers, poets, music, films, TV, art, comedy, books and and so much more - all created by Scots talent.

The books and authors we discuss are:

• Iain Banks
• The Hobbit
• The Sound of My Voice by Ron Butlin
• Shuggie Bain
• Deborah Orr's Motherwell
• Jenni Fagan
• Denise Mina
• Louise Welsh
• Zoe Strachan
• Muriel Spark
• Gillian Shirreffs

Find Alistair on Twitter.

Callum McSorley is an award-winning writer based in Glasgow.

In this episode we discuss awards, Ally McCoist, the importance of finding the time to read, why failing is good and how a part-time job helped him become a best-seller.

The authors and books we discuss are:

• Haruki Murakami
• Predator's Gold by Philip Reeve
• John Boyne's The Hearts Invisible Furies
• Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
• The Buried Giant and Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
• Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

His short stories have appeared in Gutter Magazine, Shoreline of Infinity, New Writing Scotland, Typehouse Literary Magazine, The Glasgow Review of Books, Monstrous Regiment, and many more.

His debut novel, SQUEAKY CLEAN was published by Pushkin Vertigo in 2023 and won The McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Book of the Year 2023. Squeaky Clean is out now, you can buy here.

“Loved it… One of the best books I’ve read in a while. Excited to see what Callum McSorley does next. A serious talent.” KEVIN BRIDGES, comedian and author of The Black Dog.

“A manic tale of blood and suds told with laconic humour and warmly engaging characterisation. Callum McSorley is definitely a talent to watch. I knew within a page that I was in good hands.” CHRIS BROOKMYRE.

Lazara Canton is a self-published author. The 45 year-old mum of two has called Hong Kong, Scotland, Istanbul and Spain home, travelling with her role in corporate leadership training.

Growing up in Shotts, a small town in Scotland, at an early age she experienced the loss of her Dad and sister, and after leaving her high profile career she decided to write a self-help memoir.

She is now a Mindset Healer and Coach.

The books we discussed include:

• The Urgent Life by Bozoma Saint John
• The Architect's Apprentice by Elif Shafak
• The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby
• Flowers in the Attic by VC Andrews
• The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken
• Consolations by David Whyte
• Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
• Marianne Williamson's The Gift of Change
• Eckhart Tolle's The Power of Now

If you've enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and subscribe.

The Book Alchemist is a celebration of the magic of books and the joy of storytelling and Dr Gillian Shirreff's debut novel Brodie is the topic of conversation alongside the books which mean the most to her.

She shares her journey receiving an MS diagnosis and years later a devastating breast cancer diagnosis. Her gorgeous novel Brodie was a labour of love and celebration of Gillian's love of Muriel Spark.

The books and authors we discuss are:

• The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark
• The Selfish Giant by Oscar Wilde
• Why We Revolt by Victor Montori
• Bunburry Series by Helena Marchmont
• Miss Blaine's Prefect Series by Olga Wojtas

Please take a moment to review The Book Alchemist, thank you for listening!

Life is too short for s*** books and in this episode we meet James Taylor, who has a passion for books 24/7 as he's a bookseller with Waterstones.

We talk about the perks of being a bookseller, his favourite books and the joys of an unintentionally funny book.

Like what you hear? Please subscribe and review The Book Alchemist wherever you listen to your podcasts and if you'd like to contact me, my email is [email protected]

This episode features Sheila Grier, an avid reader and wonderful TV and film actress from the iconic soap, Brookside and so much more.

She loves biographies, Billy Connolly, libraries and the escapism that books allow.

Sheila tells us how she landed her dream job on Brookside and how reading has shaped her life.

Life is too short for s*** books and Graeme Armstrong is a highly celebrated Scottish writer. His teenage years were spent within North Lanarkshire’s gang culture. His bestselling debut novel, ‘THE YOUNG TEAM’, is inspired by his experiences.

We chat about his book and how it came to be.

The books we discuss are:

• The Young Team
• Trainspotting

Alongside overcoming struggles with drug addiction, alcohol abuse and violence, he read English as an undergraduate at the University of Stirling; where he returned to study a Masters’ in Creative Writing. He is currently undertaking a PhD at the University of Strathclyde.

It won the Betty Trask Award, the Somerset Maugham Award, and was Scots Book of the Year 2021. It's being adapted for screen by Synchronicity Films.

In 2021, Graeme presented ‘SCOTLAND THE RAVE’, a BBC documentary exploring Scotland’s rave and PCDJ culture, which was subsequently nominated for a BAFTA Scotland and RTS Scotland Award 2022. Most recently, he wrote and presented ‘STREET GANGS’, a BBC factual series exploring modern Scottish gang culture, drill music and his own past.

In 2023, Graeme was named as one of Granta’s ‘Best of Young British Novelists’, a once-in-a-decade literary honour.