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Desert Island Discs

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Castaway guests share the soundtrack of their lives.

Eight tracks, a book and a luxury: what would you take to a desert island? Guests share the soundtrack of their lives.

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Sue Lawley

Ian Rankin

Desert Island Discs: Ian Rankin

16/07/2006

BBC Radio 4 - Desert Island Discs, Ian Rankin

Sue Lawley's castaway is writer Ian Rankin

Sue Lawley's castaway is writer Ian Rankin.

Sue Lawley's castaway this week is the writer Ian Rankin. Ian Rankin is an award-winning writer of crime fiction and the creator of the Scottish detective John Rebus who has featured in 17 novels to date. 

Born in Fife, Rankin came from a working-class background in a coal-mining town where he says he spent most of his childhood trying to "look like he fitted in". In his bedroom he would live out a fantasy life, writing poems, stories and creating strip-cartoons. He admits there are many parallels between himself and Rebus - they lived at the same Edinburgh address, both are fond of a drink and now they even share the same taste in music, though unlike Rebus, Rankin has never smoked. However all that is about to change; Rebus has reached the age of retirement in the police force and Rankin's next novel will be the last in the series.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs] 

Favourite track: Solid Air by John Martyn
Book: A Dance to the Music of Time by Anthony Powell
Luxury: Pinball machine (traditional American one) 

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