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.
The award-winning Irish writer, Donal Ryan, speaks about his latest novel, Where Are The Kings, and, together with presenter James Crawford, they explore its connections to three other books. Set in rural Ireland, Where Are The Kings, follows the character of Jack between the ages of twelve and fourteen as he attempts to deal with his mother's sudden death for which he feels a measure of guilt. Donal has won Book of the Year at the Irish Book Awards three times. In 2025 he won the Orwell Prize for Political Fiction, and he has twice been longlisted for the Booker Prize.For his three influences Donal chose: Emma Donoghue’s Room (2010) which was later turned into a film five years later directed by Lenny Abrahamson; Frank McCourt’s best-selling memoir Angela’s Ashes (1996); and Kent Haruf’s Plainsong (1999). Producer: Dominic Howell
Editor: Gillian Wheelan
This was a BBC Audio Scotland production.
13 Sept 2026
Sebastian Barry
The award-winning Irish writer Sebastian Barry speaks to Take Four Books about his latest novel, The Newer World, and, together with presenter James Crawford, they explore its connections to three other books. The Newer World takes us back into post-civil war America as we follow the character of Tennyson Bouguereau, a formerly enslaved man, and nascent singer as it turns out, who is forced to leave his home for fear of being killed, and heads to Nashville, until a surprising trip to Victorian England changes things.Sebastian Barry was the laureate for Irish Fiction from 2018 to 2021 and is a two-time winner of both the Costa Book of the Year and the Walter Scott prize for historical fiction. For his three influences he chose: The American Spelling Book by Noah Webster (1783); Army Life in a Black Regiment by Thomas Wentworth Higginson (1869); and A Journey in the Back Country by Frederik Law Olmstead (1860).Producer: Dominic Howell
Editor: Gillian Wheelan
This was a BBC Audio Scotland production.
30 Aug 2026
Colson Whitehead
Author Colson Whitehead discusses his novel "Cool Machine" and its literary connections with host James Crawford in this interview.
Who has been a guest on Take Four Books
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Colson Whitehead
Valeria Luiselli
M John Harrison
David Sedaris
Christopher Brookmyre
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Apple Podcasts (US)
4.3 / 5
10 ratings
Spotify
4.8 / 5
13 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 38 / 100
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Quality
63
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
31
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