For the latest podcast, Ali talks to writer Andrew Raymond Drennan about his new novel, The Limits Of The World. They talk about the reason for setting the book in North Korea, the influences on Andrew’s writing, political systems, the role of art in society as well as its importance on an individual level, the possible redemptive qualities of romance and why, in the end, perhaps all you need is love and courage. Both men are in their element as they get to talk about things which mean a lot to them, and we hope you enjoy listening to it as much as they clearly did recording it.
Andrew is one of Scotland’s most interesting and engaged writers, and if you haven’t read his previous novel, The Immaculate Heart then you really should, but The Limits Of The World is a real artistic and intellectual leap forward as Raymond Drennan takes on questions such as individual freedom, the extremes of any political ideology, the horrors that men (and here it is always the men) can inflict on each other, and how trust is often the most difficult thing to give to another.
Over four years in the writing, with copious amounts of research behind it, The Limits Of The World will take you to an unfamiliar place inhabited by all too recognisable characters and their problems, concerns, hopes and fears. Ali will be giving the book a full review for his ‘Indelible Ink’ column over at Dear Scotland next week, but the short version is, if you are obsessed with books, and interested in any of those things mentioned above, do yourself a favour and get your hands on a copy. You will not regret it.
If you are a subscriber to the Scots Whay Hae! podcast you’ll likely know all of the above as it will have already arrived in the inbox of whatever mode you choose to use.
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There are a few changes happening to Scots Whay Hae! in the coming weeks, but it’s all cosmetic, the content will remain reliably the same whether you like it or not. See you soon…