Allan Massie - A Question of Loyalties
James Naughtie presents from the Edinburgh Festivals, where Allan Massie discusses his novel A Question of Loyalties, about the divisions in France during World War II.
With James Naughtie. Recorded at the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ at the Edinburgh Festivals, Allan Massie discusses his novel A Question of Loyalties. First published in 1989, the book is widely acclaimed as his finest.
The novel engages with all the complexities and ambiguities of loyalty and nationality as it follows a family through the divisions in France during World War II, and the repercussions which last for decades.
In the early 1950s Etienne de BalafrΓ© strives to find out what happened to his father when the German invasion of 1940 divided the country between collaboration and resistance. Where some might see an accomplice, the author Allan Massie seeks to understand a human being making difficult choices.
As always on Bookclub, a group of especially invited readers join in the discussion.
October's Bookclub choice : Dirt Music by Tim Winton (2002)
Presenter : James Naughtie
Interviewed Guest : Allan Massie
Producer : Dymphna Flynn.
Last on
![]()
Jim Naughtie writes about Allan Massie's novel.
Clip
Broadcasts
- Sun 7 Sep 2014 16:00Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
- Thu 11 Sep 2014 15:30Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
How many of these 100 Novels have you read?
After a passionate debate, our panel has come up with this surprising literary selection.
Bookclub at 20
Sebastian Faulks, Naomi Alderman and more select favourite editions of the programme
Sample our books and authors Clip Collection
Interviews, previews and reviews
Short stories to keep
The fiction podcast featuring the best stories from the UK's finest writers
Books
Celebrating reading and the 100 novels that have shaped our world.
Podcast
-
![]()
Bookclub
Led by James Naughtie, readers talk to acclaimed authors about their best-known novels
