Alasdair Gray rereads artwork

Alasdair Gray rereads

40 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 1 year ago - ★★★★★ - 2 ratings

In the last year of my uncle Alasdair Gray’s life he read excerpts from his favourite books to me as we sat together at his home in Glasgow. These recordings are very special to me and I want to share them with you. I hope you enjoy them.

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Episodes

1982, Janine: Chapter 11

November 15, 2022 11:39 - 12 minutes - 11.4 MB

Alasdair Gray rereads an excerpt from Chapter 11 of his second novel 1982, Janine. This is Alasdair’s own choice of excerpt from what he felt was his best novel. And he continues reading until Jock’s breakdown and the multiple sections of typeface defeat even his ability to read aloud. I made these recordings in what turned out to be the last year of my uncle's life - so I could spend more time with him and share with you the very great pleasure of sitting quietly at home with Alasdair list...

Poetry: Old Negatives

November 01, 2021 15:37 - 4 minutes - 4.36 MB

In 1993 Alasdair sent his sister Mora (my mother) a cassette tape in reply to one of her letters. On it he reads some of her favourites poems - along with his own personal selection - from his collection Old Negatives (published the same year). I started recording Alasdair in what turned out to be the last year of my uncle's life - so I could spend more time with him and share with you the very great pleasure of sitting quietly at home with Alasdair listening to him read and talk about book...

Unlikely Stories: Time Travel

May 28, 2021 07:57 - 27 minutes - 25.4 MB

In 1993 Alasdair sent his sister Mora (my mother) a cassette tape in reply to one of her letters. On it he reads the whole of this bitter-sweet short story Time Travel – which was published the same year with some revisions in Ten Tales Tall And True and later in Every Short Story. I started recording Alasdair in what turned out to be the last year of my uncle's life - so I could spend more time with him and share with you the very great pleasure of sitting quietly at home with Alasdair lis...

Lanark: Chapter 40. Provan

February 24, 2021 18:19 - 11 minutes - 10.4 MB

In 1993 Alasdair sent his sister Mora (my mum) a cassette tape in reply to one of her letters. He ends it with this excerpt from Lanark and an explanation of why he only included the miserable aspects of his childhood in the novel. I started recording Alasdair in what turned out to be the last year of my uncle's life - so I could spend more time with him and share with you the very great pleasure of sitting quietly at home with Alasdair listening to him read and talk about books. Mum mentio...

Lanark: Chapter 41. Climax

February 19, 2021 12:45 - 14 minutes - 12.8 MB

In 1993 Alasdair sent his sister Mora (my mother) a cassette tape in reply to one of her letters. On it he reads bits of his work he thinks she'll enjoy - including this excerpt from the Climax of Lanark that’s clearly based on memories of spending time with his own son, Andrew. I started recording Alasdair in what turned out to be the last year of my uncle's life - so I could spend more time with him and share with you the very great pleasure of sitting quietly at home with Alasdair listen...

Poetry: The Unit

February 15, 2021 12:31 - 2 minutes - 2.45 MB

In 1993 Alasdair sent his sister Mora (my mother) a cassette tape in reply to one of her letters. On it he reads bits of his work he thinks she'll enjoy including this poem from 'In a Cold Room 1952 - 57' - the first of four verse sequences in Old Negatives. I started recording Alasdair in what turned out to be the last year of my uncle's life - so I could spend more time with him and share with you the very great pleasure of sitting quietly at home with Alasdair listening to him read and t...

Unlikely Stories: The Trendelenburg Position

October 13, 2020 12:33 - 14 minutes - 12.9 MB

Alasdair rereads his own choice of short story, the slyly sinister The Trendelenburg Position. It was originally published in 1993 and although Alasdair never owned a television - and only engaged with digital technology via his assistants - the story is surprisingly prescient and still seems relevant today. I made these recordings in what turned out to be the last year of my uncle's life - so I could spend more time with him and share with you the very great pleasure of sitting quietly at ...

Childhood Favourites: Treasure Island continued

June 22, 2020 11:34 - 14 minutes - 13.1 MB

Alasdair continues rereading Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island. Sadly there wasn’t time for him to finish the whole book! But I found it so gripping I had to borrow his copy and read to the end. I made these recordings in what turned out to be the last year of my uncle's life - so I could spend more time with him and share with you the very great pleasure of sitting quietly at home with Alasdair listening to him read and talk about books. You can find out more about the story behind...

Childhood favourites: Treasure Island continued

June 22, 2020 11:34 - 14 minutes - 13.1 MB

Alasdair Gray continues rereading Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island. Sadly there wasn’t time for him to finish the whole book! But I found it so gripping I had to borrow it and read to the end. With thanks to: Alasdair Gray; David Thomas - technical advice and support; Berniya Hamie – closing piano; Matthew Robinson – rereads logos. Featured book: Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. You can follow @alasdairgrayrereads on Instagram for news, pictures and previews of upcomi...

Childhood favourites: Treasure Island

April 13, 2020 11:56 - 14 minutes - 12.9 MB

Alasdair Gray rereads the opening chapter of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic adventure story, Treasure Island. Alasdair particularly admired the way Stevenson opened his novels and credited him with providing the model for the opening paragraph of his own novel, Poor Things. With thanks to:  Alasdair Gray;  David Thomas - technical advice and support;  Berniya Hamie – closing piano;  Matthew Robinson – rereads logos. Featured book: Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. You can fo...

Childhood Favourites: Treasure Island

April 13, 2020 11:56 - 14 minutes - 12.9 MB

Alasdair rereads the opening chapter of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic adventure story, Treasure Island. Alasdair particularly admired the way Stevenson opened his novels and credited him with providing the model for the opening paragraph of his own novel, Poor Things. I made these recordings in what turned out to be the last year of my uncle's life - so I could spend more time with him and share with you the very great pleasure of sitting quietly at home with Alasdair listening to him re...

Childhood Favourites: Edward Lear & others

March 11, 2020 16:49 - 16 minutes - 15.4 MB

Alasdair and his sister Mora (my mother) recite and reread Edward Lear’s limericks and nonsense rhymes – which leads them on to childhood quarrels, other favourite books and poems and the huge influence of author-illustrators on Alasdair’s own art. I made these recordings in what turned out to be the last year of my uncle's life - so I could spend more time with him and share with you the very great pleasure of sitting quietly at home with Alasdair listening to him read and talk about books...

Childhood favourites: Edward Lear & others

March 11, 2020 16:49 - 16 minutes - 15.4 MB

Alasdair Gray and his sister Mora recite and reread Edward Lear’s limericks and nonsense rhymes – which leads them on to childhood quarrels, other favourite books and poems and the huge influence of author-illustrators on Alasdair’s own art. With thanks to:  Alasdair Gray & Mora Rolley;  David Thomas - technical advice and support;  Berniya Hamie – closing piano;  Matthew Robinson – rereads logos. Featured book: Nonsense Omnibus by Edward Lear. You can follow @alasdairgrayrereads on In...

Lanark: Glasgow is a magnificent city…

February 03, 2020 17:43 - 5 minutes - 5.21 MB

Alasdair rereads the passage from Chapter 22 of Lanark that includes his most quoted excerpt - where Thaw explains to his friend McAlpin why nobody notices the magnificence of the city they live in. I made these recordings in what turned out to be the last year of my uncle's life - so I could spend more time with him and share with you the very great pleasure of sitting quietly at home with Alasdair listening to him read and talk about books. You can find out more about the story behind Al...

Lanark: Chapter 44. End

December 31, 2019 13:50 - 32 minutes - 29.4 MB

Alasdair rereads his own favourite excerpt from Lanark – Chapter 44. End. I first shared this podcast in memory of my beloved Uncle who left us on the 29th of December 2019. When I asked him why he had chosen this chapter he said "because it's the end and, I think, a rather good one". I'm so pleased to be able to say that Alasdair's own death - like his life - was a good one. I made these recordings in what turned out to be the last year of my uncle's life - so I could spend more time with ...

Lanark: Epilogue

December 23, 2019 16:54 - 7 minutes - 6.72 MB

Alasdair rereads an excerpt from the Epilogue of his novel Lanark - where the hero meets his author and argues against his forthcoming death. I made these recordings in what turned out to be the last year of my uncle's life - so I could spend more time with him and share with you the very great pleasure of sitting quietly at home with Alasdair listening to him read and talk about books. You can find out more about the story behind Alasdair Gray rereads in A Gray Space a creative space insp...

Other Worlds: The First Men On The Moon

December 02, 2019 09:20 - 18 minutes - 17.2 MB

Alasdair explains how H G Wells’s description of interplanetary conflict in The War Of The Worlds - informed by socialism and the brutality of the British Empire - quickly became a dominant narrative and rereads excerpts from the Wells novel that particularly impressed him - The First Men On The Moon. I made these recordings in what turned out to be the last year of my uncle's life - so I could spend more time with him and share with you the very great pleasure of sitting quietly at home wi...

Other Worlds: Of Me And Others – New Kelvingrove

November 13, 2019 08:36 - 8 minutes - 7.6 MB

Alasdair rereads the first part of his essay New Kelvingrove from Of Me And Others - in which he describes how childhood visits to Glasgow's Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum fuelled his imagination and aided his obsession with creating and escaping to other worlds. I made these recordings in what turned out to be the last year of my uncle's life - so I could spend more time with him and share with you the very great pleasure of sitting quietly at home with Alasdair listening to him read a...

Other Worlds: The Imp Of The Perverse

October 14, 2019 16:16 - 11 minutes - 10.4 MB

Alasdair rereads another excerpt from the stories that so terrified him as a child and explains how Edgar Allen Poe’s The Imp Of The Perverse relates to Freud’s death wish. I made these recordings in what turned out to be the last year of my uncle's life - so I could spend more time with him and share with you the very great pleasure of sitting quietly at home with Alasdair listening to him read and talk about books. You can find out more about the story behind Alasdair Gray rereads in A G...

Other Worlds: The Fall Of The House Of Usher

September 30, 2019 09:56 - 14 minutes - 13.6 MB

Alasdair describes the terror he experienced as a child on first reading the stories of Edgar Allan Poe and rereads the start of one of his most famous works – The Fall Of The House Of Usher. I made these recordings in what turned out to be the last year of my uncle's life - so I could spend more time with him and share with you the very great pleasure of sitting quietly at home with Alasdair listening to him read and talk about books. You can find out more about the story behind Alasdair ...

Other Worlds: Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea

September 16, 2019 07:11 - 15 minutes - 14.2 MB

Alasdair rereads excerpts from Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea – the first science fiction he ever read and a book that improved his geography as he followed the path of the Nautilus on a globe of the world. I made these recordings in what turned out to be the last year of my uncle's life - so I could spend more time with him and share with you the very great pleasure of sitting quietly at home with Alasdair listening to him read and talk about books. You can find out m...

Childhood favourites: Just So Stories

August 19, 2019 17:34 - 16 minutes - 15.5 MB

Alasdair Gray rereads excerpts from Just So Stories to his sister Mora and they revisit Rudyard Kipling’s illustrations and rhymes – with one particular passage triggering thoughts of Jean Rhys and Eliot’s The Wasteland. With thanks to:  Alasdair Gray and Mora Rolley;  David Thomas - technical advice and support;  Berniya Hamie – closing piano;  Matthew Robinson – rereads logos. Featured book: Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling. You can follow @alasdairgrayrereads on Instagram for news,...

Childhood Favourites: Just So Stories

August 19, 2019 17:34 - 16 minutes - 15.5 MB

Alasdair rereads excerpts from Just So Stories to his sister Mora (my mother) and they revisit Rudyard Kipling’s illustrations and rhymes – with one particular passage triggering thoughts of Jean Rhys and Eliot’s The Wasteland. I made these recordings in what turned out to be the last year of my uncle's life - so I could spend more time with him and share with you the very great pleasure of sitting quietly at home with Alasdair listening to him read and talk about books. You can find out m...

Childhood Favourites: The Box of Delights

July 31, 2019 17:22 - 17 minutes - 15.6 MB

Alasdair rereads the beginning of John Masefield’s The Box of Delights – a book he mentions with great fondness in a number of podcasts and that he enjoyed as much at the end of his life as he did when he was a child. With many thanks to the copyright holders who very kindly gave us permission to reread this excerpt. I made these recordings in what turned out to be the last year of my uncle's life - so I could spend more time with him and share with you the very great pleasure of sitting qu...

Gothic Novels: Influences & inspiration

July 16, 2019 14:25 - 18 minutes - 16.5 MB

Alasdair talks about some of the work that influenced his Gothic novel Poor Things - from Thomas Love Peacock's Nightmare Abbey to Mel Brook’s film Young Frankenstein - and explains why he feels the opening of this book may be his best. You'll hear that I incorrectly credit Gene Wilder as the director of Young Frankenstein in the podcast and Alasdair rightly sounds rather dubious! I made these recordings in what turned out to be the last year of my uncle's life - so I could spend more time...

Gothic novels: Influences & inspiration

July 16, 2019 14:25 - 18 minutes - 16.5 MB

Alasdair Gray talks about some of the work that influenced his Gothic novel Poor Things - from Thomas Love Peacock's Nightmare Abbey to Mel Brook’s film Young Frankenstein - and explains why he feels the opening of this book may be his best. Note: I incorrectly credit Gene Wilder as the director of Young Frankenstein in the podcast and Alasdair rightly sounds rather dubious. With thanks to:  Alasdair Gray;  David Thomas - technical advice and support;  Berniya Hamie – closing piano;  Ma...

Gothic novels: Poor Things – Wedderburn’s Letter

July 16, 2019 14:21 - 5 minutes - 4.65 MB

Alasdair Gray rereads the beginning of Duncan Wedderburn’s hysterical (and hysterically funny) letter to Gordon Baxter from his Gothic novel Poor Things. With thanks to:  Alasdair Gray;  David Thomas - technical advice and support;  Berniya Hamie – closing piano;  Matthew Robinson – rereads logos. Featured book: Poor Things by Alasdair Gray. You can follow @alasdairgrayrereads on Instagram for news, pictures and previews of upcoming episodes.

Poor Things: Wedderburn’s Letter

July 16, 2019 14:21 - 5 minutes - 4.65 MB

Alasdair rereads the beginning of Duncan Wedderburn’s hysterical (and hysterically funny) letter to Godwin Baxter from his Gothic novel Poor Things. I made these recordings in what turned out to be the last year of my uncle's life - so I could spend more time with him and share with you the very great pleasure of sitting quietly at home with Alasdair listening to him read and talk about books. You can find out more about the story behind Alasdair Gray rereads in A Gray Space a creative spa...

Gothic novels: Northanger Abbey

July 01, 2019 15:30 - 23 minutes - 21.5 MB

Alasdair Gray rereads excerpts from Jane Austen's first novel Northanger Abbey - where Austen pokes gentle fun at the attributes and experiences of the typical romantic heroine together with the craze for everything ghastly and Gothic. With thanks to:  Alasdair Gray;  David Thomas - technical advice and support;  Berniya Hamie – closing piano;  Matthew Robinson – rereads logos. Featured book: Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen. You can follow @alasdairgrayrereads on Instagram for news, pic...

Gothic Novels: Northanger Abbey

July 01, 2019 15:30 - 23 minutes - 21.5 MB

Alasdair rereads excerpts from Jane Austen's first novel Northanger Abbey - where Austen pokes gentle fun at the attributes and experiences of the typical romantic heroine together with the craze for everything ghastly and Gothic. I made these recordings in what turned out to be the last year of my uncle's life - so I could spend more time with him and share with you the very great pleasure of sitting quietly at home with Alasdair listening to him read and talk about books. You can find ou...

Unlikely Stories: The Crank That Made The Revolution

June 16, 2019 17:07 - 11 minutes - 10.7 MB

Alasdair rereads his short story The Crank That Made The Revolution from Unlikely Stories Mostly. Very clever, very poignant and very funny! I made these recordings in what turned out to be the last year of my uncle's life - so I could spend more time with him and share with you the very great pleasure of sitting quietly at home with Alasdair listening to him read and talk about books. You can find out more about the story behind Alasdair Gray rereads in A Gray Space a creative space inspi...

Gothic Novels: Nightmare Abbey

May 31, 2019 10:04 - 24 minutes - 22.2 MB

Alasdair describes the concept of the Gothic novel and rereads the first chapter of Nightmare Abbey by Thomas Love Peacock. This satirical novella was originally published in 1818 and was among the many influences on Alasdair's own Gothic novel Poor Things. I made these recordings in what turned out to be the last year of my uncle's life - so I could spend more time with him and share with you the very great pleasure of sitting quietly at home with Alasdair listening to him read and talk ab...

Gothic novels: Nightmare Abbey

May 31, 2019 10:04 - 24 minutes - 22.2 MB

Alasdair Gray describes the concept of the Gothic novel and rereads the first chapter of Nightmare Abbey by Thomas Love Peacock. This satirical novella was originally published in 1818 and was among the many influences on Alasdair's own Gothic novel Poor Things. With thanks to:  Alasdair Gray;  David Thomas - technical advice and support; Berniya Hamie – closing piano;  Matthew Robinson – rereads logos. Featured book: Nightmare Abbey by Thomas Love Peacock. You can follow @alasdairgra...

Gothic novels: Poor Things

May 13, 2019 14:40 - 28 minutes - 26 MB

Alasdair Gray introduces his Gothic novel Poor Things and rereads chapters four and five - A Fascinating Stranger and Making Bella Baxter.  With thanks to:  Alasdair Gray;  David Thomas - technical advice and support;  Berniya Hamie – closing piano;  Matthew Robinson – rereads logos. Featured book: Poor Things by Alasdair Gray. You can follow @alasdairgrayrereads on Instagram for news, pictures and previews of upcoming episodes.

Poor Things: Chapters 4 & 5

May 13, 2019 14:40 - 28 minutes - 26 MB

Alasdair introduces his Gothic novel Poor Things and rereads chapters four and five - A Fascinating Stranger and Making Bella Baxter.  I made these recordings in what turned out to be the last year of my uncle's life - so I could spend more time with him and share with you the very great pleasure of sitting quietly at home with Alasdair listening to him read and talk about books. You can find out more about the story behind Alasdair Gray rereads in A Gray Space a creative space inspired by...

Childhood Favourites: More Alice in Wonderland

May 13, 2019 14:28 - 13 minutes - 12.1 MB

Alasdair rereads chapter two of Alice in Wonderland – for those of us who enjoyed chapter one and want to hear a little bit more. I made these recordings in what turned out to be the last year of my uncle's life - so I could spend more time with him and share with you the very great pleasure of sitting quietly at home with Alasdair listening to him read and talk about books. You can find out more about the story behind Alasdair Gray rereads in A Gray Space a creative space inspired by Alas...

Childhood favourites: More Alice in Wonderland

May 13, 2019 14:28 - 13 minutes - 12.1 MB

Alasdair Gray rereads chapter two of Alice in Wonderland – for those of us who enjoyed chapter one and want to hear a little bit more. With thanks to:  Alasdair Gray;  David Thomas - technical advice and support; Berniya Hamie – closing piano;  Matthew Robinson – rereads logos. Featured book: Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. You can follow @alasdairgrayrereads on Instagram for news, pictures and previews of upcoming episodes.

Unlikely Stories: The Star

April 28, 2019 14:02 - 6 minutes - 5.71 MB

Alasdair rereads The Star to his sister Mora, my mother. It's one of his best loved short stories and her own personal favourite. I made these recordings in what turned out to be the last year of my uncle's life - so I could spend more time with him and share with you the very great pleasure of sitting quietly at home with Alasdair listening to him read and talk about books. You can find out more about the story behind Alasdair Gray rereads in A Gray Space a creative space inspired by Alas...

Childhood Favourites: Alice in Wonderland

April 28, 2019 13:22 - 15 minutes - 14.4 MB

Alasdair explains to his sister Mora (my mother) why Tenniel refused to work for Charles Dodgson again after illustrating the Alice books and rereads the beginning of this children’s classic. I made these recordings in what turned out to be the last year of my uncle's life - so I could spend more time with him and share with you the very great pleasure of sitting quietly at home with Alasdair listening to him read and talk about books. You can find out more about the story behind Alasdair ...

Childhood Favourites: Shared memories

April 22, 2019 12:15 - 21 minutes - 19.3 MB

Alasdair describes his early appearance on BBC Scotland's Children's Hour and he and his sister Mora (my mother) reminisce about favourite childhood books, comics and radio programmes. I made these recordings in what turned out to be the last year of my uncle's life - so I could spend more time with him and share with you the very great pleasure of sitting quietly at home with Alasdair listening to him read and talk about books.  You can find out more about the story behind Alasdair Gray r...