Ian Leslie presents the show which brings to light the often surprising first literary attempts of the world's best known writers.

In this episode, the author of Fight Club, Chuck Palahniuk is found to have started out doling out questionable advice as editor of the letters page of a US newspaper's children's supplement.

Next up, we hear Marcel Proust's unexpected ornithological leanings and previously undiscovered entries from Raymond Chandler's adolescent diaries.

To finish, there's another of Henrik Ibsen's uncomfortable Christmas cracker jokes.

Producer: Claire Broughton

A Hat Trick production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in June 2015. Show less