Food for thought: Ian Rankin, novelist

The novelist Ian Rankin OBE is best known for his Inspector Rebus and Malcolm Fox crime series. His latest Rebus book, Saints of the Shadow Bible, is out now. Here he tells Charlotte Cripps about his current reading, watching, and listening...

Sunday

I dig out my vinyl copies of Lou Reed’s Transformer, The Velvet Underground and New York and listen while reading the obituaries.

Monday

I listen to the new Rory Gallagher boxset of crime-themed songs, Kickback City. I’ve written a short novella as part of the CD package. I hope he would have approved.

Tuesday

Watch The Escape Artist on BBC1. David Tennant brilliant as always.

Wednesday

Off to the BBC in Edinburgh to record a piece about my favourite work of classical music, Mozart’s Requiem. Had to admit I only found it through the film Amadeus.

Thursday

See Nick Cave in concert in Glasgow; the web footage of Cave at Glastonbury is mandatory pre-gig viewing.

Friday

Spent a happy couple of hours reading the new Asterix book, Asterix and the Picts. The series stays true to its roots and the puns are as pleasurable as ever.

Saturday

To Colinton Parish Church in Edinburgh to unveil a statue of Robert Louis Stevenson. Prepared by re-reading A Child’s Garden of Verses – a world away from Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde which I was reading earlier.