Tuesday, November 10, 2020

TV FAVE RAVE - The Big Scottish Book Club








In these days of lock down where book reading has become a revived pleasurable pastime for many.  There are now, as if by magic, two book shows on BBC IPlayer; the light and breezy Between The Covers with Sarah Cox and The Big Scottish Book Club with Damian Barr. I like both, because they are approachable and avoid pretentious twaddle. Though I find myself frequently coming away more touched, inspired and motivated to read by The Big Scottish Book Club. 

Each week has an overarching theme such as memoirs or crime. The conversation is relaxed and quite deftly directed by Barr, whose openhearted enthusiasm and own experience as a writer leads his questions. You find the person being interviewed drawn out to talk further and deeper about their lives, writing process and how they feel about their characters and books. This aspect of personal revelation makes watching this Book Club unmissable. Shifting from riveting, to moving, amusing and back again with ease. I'm finding it the most satisfying programme, one I really look forward to viewing every week.














I'm very much in love with the way Damian Barr says 'murder', looks so in awe, then visibly shocked and bites his question cards in tense moments. 

Buttered Crumpet anyone?

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