Xantoné Blacq and Harry Trevaldwyn
A Good Read
BBC
4.2 • 848 Ratings
🗓️ 23 June 2025
⏱️ 28 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
WHEN GOD WAS A RABBIT by Sarah Winman, chosen by Harry Trevaldwyn THE ALCHEMIST by Paulo Coelho, chosen by Xantoné Blacq JAMES by Percival Everett, chosen by Harriett Gilbert
Music producer and composer Xantoné Blacq joins actor and writer Harry Trevaldwyn to share the books they love with presenter Harriett Gilbert.
First up, Harry brings to the table a book by The Sunday Times bestselling author Sarah Winman. A book about childhood and growing up, friendships and families, triumph and tragedy and everything in between. When God Was a Rabbit celebrates the magic of the everyday for Harry, but what do the others think of it?
Next up, Xantoné chooses The Alchemist by Brazilian author Paulo Coelho, which since publication in 1988 has become a widely translated international bestseller. A blend of spirituality, magical realism and folklore, Xantoné finds it an incredibly motivational read. Are Harry and Harriett also inspired by it?
Finally, Harriett puts forward Percival Everett's most recent book, the 2024 Booker Prize nominated 'James'. Both funny and horrifying, soulful and thrilling, Everett reframes the story of Huckleberry Finn from the perspective of Jim. Harriett is blown away by it - do the others agree?
Producer: Becky Ripley
Photo credit CK Morrison
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Things just swirling around my head. |
| 0:03.6 | Am I really the product of this? |
| 0:06.1 | Astonishing secrets uncovered by at-home DNA tests. |
| 0:11.0 | Little did I know what more was to come. |
| 0:13.4 | I'm Jenny Clemen and in the new series of The Gift, |
| 0:17.5 | we'll hear more stories emerging out of the ever-expanding global DNA database. |
| 0:22.8 | They didn't know that I was different. |
| 0:25.7 | You had kids together. |
| 0:27.0 | Yeah. |
| 0:27.4 | Then you met. |
| 0:28.3 | Then we met. |
| 0:29.2 | The Gift. |
| 0:30.1 | Listen on BBC Sounds. |
| 0:34.1 | BBC Sounds, music, Radio, Podcasts. |
| 0:38.7 | What to read next? That is the question, and we're here to answer it. |
| 0:43.5 | With me today recommending books they love are musicians Anthony Black, composer, vocalist, |
| 0:49.1 | multi-instrumentalist, who over the years has collaborated with Amy Winehouse, |
| 0:53.1 | Emily Sande and Nigel Kennedy, |
| 0:54.8 | among others, and has performed at festivals ranging from Glastonbury to Lollapalooza. |
| 1:00.7 | And with Zantany, actor and writer Harry Shivaldoin, whose screen credits include The Bubble, |
| 1:06.4 | 10% The Outlaws, and most, How to Train Your Dragon. |
| 1:11.7 | Harry's debut novel, a young adult rom-com called The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King, was published this year. |
... |
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