Podcast•Mar 1, 2026•28 min
Alan Cumming on Alasdair Gray's Lanark
In this episode of Book Club, actor Alan Cumming guides listeners through Alasdair Gray’s seminal novel Lanark, exploring its split narrative of a gritty Glasgow reality and a surreal dystopian realm. Cumming reflects on the book’s anarchic structure, its vivid language, and the emotional resonance it held for him as a drama student, while discussing themes of authoritarianism, environmental collapse, and the interplay of realism and fantasy. He also shares anecdotes from recording the audiobook in an abandoned studio, highlighting the novel’s immersive, dream‑like quality. The conversation underscores how Lanark’s dual worlds mirror contemporary anxieties and the power of literature to help us process them.
