Take Four Books, presented by James Crawford, speaks to the writer Vincenzo Latronico on his new novel Perfection - which has been shortlisted for the International Man Booker prize - and explores its connections to three other literary works. Perfection (translated by Sophie Hughes) follows the lives of millennial expat couple Anna and Tom, who work as digital creatives, and seek to live out, what should be, their dream existence in a chic flat in Berlin filled with flea market furniture and house plants, and yet an undefinable feeling of unfulfillment gnaws away. For his three influences Vincenzo chose: Things: A Story Of The Sixties by Georges Perec from 1965; Wilful Disregard by the Swedish author Lena Andersson from 2013; and No One Is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwood from 2021.

The supporting contributor for this episode was the Italian writer and translator Claudia Durastanti, author of Strangers I Know.

Producer: Dominic Howell Editor: Gillian Wheelan

This was a BBC Audio Scotland production.

This week, Take Four Books, presented by James Crawford, talks to the British-Chinese writer Xiaolu Guo about her new novel - Call Me Ishmaelle - which reinterprets Herman Melville's mighty Moby Dick story and follows the protagonist of Ishmaelle, a woman who sneaks onto a whaling ship disguised as a man. For her three influencing texts Xiaolu chose: Moby Dick by Herman Melville from 1851; Philip Hoare's Leviathan from 2009; and Othello by William Shakespeare (first performed in 1604).

The supporting contributor for this episode was the literary editor and founder of the independent publisher thi wurd - Alan McMunnigall.

Producer: Dom Howell Editor: Gillian Wheelan This was a BBC Audio Scotland production.

Three-times Booker nominated Scottish author Andrew O’Hagan tells us about his novel, Caledonian Road, and reveals three other works that inspired its creation.

This state-of-the-nation novel follows 60 characters over the course of a chaotic, post-pandemic year, focussing on protagonist Campbell Flynn as his life slowly unravels before his eyes.

Andrew O’Hagan’s chosen influences were The Princess Casamassima by Henry James; The Idea of Order at Key West by Wallace Stevens; and J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan.

The supporting contributor is contemporary novelist Katie Ward.

Producer: Rachael O’Neill Editor: Gillian Wheelan This was a BBC Audio Scotland production.