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Take Four Books

BBC Radio 4
Literary Influence
Love
Art
The Party
Nostalgia
The Troubles
Covid-19
Moby Dick
Petersburg
The Lord Of the Rings
Activism
Lockdown
Betrayal
Revolution
Bristol
A Case Of Matricide
Women's Freedom
The Proof Of My Innocence
Virginia Woolf
Old Soul

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.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes59Foundeda year ago
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Artwork for Take Four Books

Latest Episodes

Presenter James Crawford speaks to award-winning novelist Amitav Ghosh about his new book, Ghost Eye, and its three key literary influences.

Ghost Eye is told through the memories and recollections of its narrator, Dinu, who grew up in Calcutta and ... more

The award-winning English writer Gwendoline Riley speaks to Take Four Books, about her new novel The Palm House, and, together with presenter James Crawford, they explore its three influences.

The Palm House follows the friendship between Laura Mill... more

Presented by James Crawford Take Four Books speaks to the writer Solvej Balle from her home on an island off the coast of Denmark about her latest instalment of the 'On the Calculation of Volume' series. The novels tell the story of Tara Selter, an a... more

Scottish novelist and poet Jenni Fagan tells presenter James Crawford about her new novel, The Delusions, in which she takes readers to the afterlife - or, at least, to its entry portal. It is a place where the newly dead are required to queue up and... more

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Recent Guests

Gwendoline Riley
English novelist, author of The Palm House
Author, The Palm House
Episode: Gwendoline Riley
Solvej Balle
Award-winning Danish novelist
Author of On the Calculation of Volume
Episode: Solvej Balle
Jenni Fagan
Scottish writer and poet, author of The Delusions
Author
Episode: Jenni Fagan
Yann Martel
Canadian novelist and short story writer
Author of Life of Pi and Son of Nobody
Episode: Yann Martel
Susan Choi
Author of Flashlight
Author
Episode: Susan Choi
John Lanchester
Author, journalist, and short story writer
Episode: John Lanchester
Jennifer Niven
Internationally best-selling American writer known for her novels including All the Bright Places.
Episode: Jennifer Niven
Bryan Washington
One of America's most exciting young authors, acclaimed for his tender explorations of love, alienation, sexuality, and belonging.
Episode: Bryan Washington
Rob Doyle
Acclaimed Irish novelist
Episode: Rob Doyle

Host

James Crawford
Presenter and host of the literary discussion series that explores authors' creative processes and influences.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#244
United States/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#28
United Kingdom/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#71
United Kingdom/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#145
Canada/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#239
Canada/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#27
Australia/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#88
Australia/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#13
New Zealand/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#22
Ireland/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#28
Sweden/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#33
New Zealand/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#43
Switzerland/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#52
Ireland/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#62
Hong Kong/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#66
India/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#70
Denmark/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#89
Sweden/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#90
Belgium/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#91
Israel/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#100
South Korea/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#105
Philippines/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#111
Switzerland/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#116
South Africa/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#116
India/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#118
Poland/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#128
Hong Kong/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#177
Finland/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#188
Netherlands/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#193
Singapore/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#195
South Korea/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#197
Norway/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#205
South Africa/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#211
Denmark/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#215
Philippines/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#226
Israel/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#248
Belgium/Arts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Jenni Fagan
Q: What drew you to Frankenstein and Wait as three foundational influences?
Frankenstein offered a lens on creation, power, and the monstrous within humanity, while Wait reframes myth to reveal ordinary moments of weight and responsibility, together guiding The Delusions from origin to outcome in a way that emphasizes human connection.
Jenni Fagan
Q: How did Nina Cassian's Temptation influence the mood and imagery of the book?
Temptation provided a direct, provocative spark that informs the book's yearning for something greater than life and its vivid, life-affirming imagery that the narrator carries into Edie's perspective.
Jenni Fagan
Q: What is Processing in The Delusions, and how does it shape the story's exploration of life after death?
Processing is portrayed as the largest soul terminus where the newly dead must account for their lives; it reveals how truth, memory, and delusion interact within a system, shaping Edie's responsibilities and the novel's philosophical core.
Yann Martel
Q: How did you approach writing the footnotes and the two parallel narratives in the book?
I planned the sections so that fragments of the poem and the accompanying footnotes could speak to each other; one fragment leads into a footnote that sheds light on the other, and vice versa, creating a dialogic structure that mirrors how memory and interpretation work in storytelling.
Yann Martel
Q: Tell us which version of Homer's Iliad you picked and why it influenced Son Of Nobody.
I chose Stephen Mitchell's 2011 translation for its lean, fast pace and because Mitchell treats the text as a collaborator rather than a rigid scholarly faithfulist, which allowed me to fashion a new epic voice while remaining aware of the source's cadence.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Take Four Books

What is Take Four Books about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Exploring the intersection of literature and the creative process, this podcast takes listeners on a journey with authors discussing their latest works. Each episode focuses on an author who not only shares insights about their newest publication but also highlights three influential texts that significantly shaped their writing journey. This unique format offers a glimpse into the minds of acclaimed authors, revealing the deeper connections between their works and the literary influences around them, while simultaneously engaging with broader themes in literature, creativity, and personal identity.

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Which podcasts are similar to Take Four Books?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Take Four Books:

1. A Good Read
2. Bookclub
3. The Waterstones Podcast
4. World Book Club
5. Ask Penguin

How many episodes of Take Four Books are there?

Take Four Books launched a year ago and published 59 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Take Four Books?

Recent guests on Take Four Books include:

1. Gwendoline Riley
2. Solvej Balle
3. Jenni Fagan
4. Yann Martel
5. Susan Choi
6. John Lanchester
7. Jennifer Niven
8. Bryan Washington

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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