Halfway into Iain's road trip novel (Raw Spirit) through Scotland's whisky country. I almost feel as if I'm sitting in the car & roaring with laughter with a best mate. Not only have we lost a fine mind but we have lost a damn decent bloke. Even in the face of death, with the sands of time quickly running out Iain showed humour, humility & great strength. What a fine member of the human race you were sir!
In what respect have his "rants" against that war not aged well? If anything his commentary in Raw Spirit shows a degree of prescience which has only been reinforced with the passage of time.
Sadly missed. Had the honour of meeting him at a book signing for Surface Detail. Very funny, scarily intelligent and a genuinely down to earth guy with a raw talent. Sorely missed. RIP Iain. Thankyou for your legacy ❤️
What an amazing interview. I've read most of his works and just finished Raw Spirit (I'm Scottish and love my single malts). I'm typing this with wet eyes. I can only hope I have such dignity and humility in the face of inevitable death. His was a life well lived and I feel privileged to have glimpsed it via his prose. What a character. Well met Mr Banks.....well met.
The spirit of this man and how lively he is expressing himself here in this interview is just... Pure? I wouldn't be able to be like that given those circumstances. Iain was a beautiful soul.
I love this guy, I'm a huge fan of his Culture series. It saddens me that there won't be any more of them. But my admiration and thanks go to him for the hours of engrossing reading and enjoyment I've had from his work.
Thanks for upload. What a nice guy, such a funny chap too. Writers can tend to be dull and a wee bit up their own hole. When you chat to them I mean. This man is the exception, and a great spud. God bless you Iain.
I miss Iain Banks and his novels a lot. A truly remarkable author and all round great character. Got down to Aye Write's "Remembering Iain Banks" for the opening of Glasgow's Book Festival the other day. One of the speakers had a great anecdote. He said a while back that they'd found themselves in shop selling cosmetics. Upon seeing a label on one of the products stating "This product has not been tested on animals" Iain said "well that's not right!" , proceeded to take the lid off and knocked it back!!
Had always wanted to meet this man, perhaps my favorite author, but never managed to. We're the same age and to have him pass before me, and so quickly. . . oh, Iain, I will miss your wordcraft so.
Damn, I wish I had discovered how amazing this man was before he was gone. I only learned about the culture series recently, and it was only after that that I decided to learn more about the author. what an awesome guy. it makes me wish there really was an afterlife so I could meet him one day.
Ian G I discovered him only a few years before his death and feel the same way. I find it very depressing that there will never be another culture novel
3/4 of the way into Inversions. Even his lesser novels are great. I get was he was trying to do with Inversions. That novel is low-key but spacious. I prefer the striking images of Consider Phoeblas ( that obese with the teeth will stick with me forever ). Adieu Iain. Sorry for the bad spelling but I am french speaking.
Jonathan Blanchet that fat cult leader will haunt me forever, that's always the scene i share with people if they only allow me to share one. also loved the own skin suit in Excession and aliens that poke each other in the asshole when they're fooling around
I'm sorry to say I didn't know he had died before seeing this. Only just discovered his writing but already can tell he's going to be one of my favourites
I saw that he wanted to hold a copy of the Quarry in his hands which was being rushed out for June which is the same month he died. Did he manage to do it I wonder...
really miss him, met him a number of times, wonderful writer in both science fiction and mainstream fiction, or though there are very few mainstream writers like him
Just got into Culture series, probably the best writer in SF and an amazing literary voice. Sad that he passed but what spirit and humor in facing it. Inspiring.
I watch this every 6 months or so. I miss him like an old friend. I hope to go up to Loch Shiel one day and quietly pay my respects - perhaps with a wee dram (I like to think he would approve!). Does anyone know if he released any of his music?
His familly missed him & so does his friends but Mister Banks is missed also as a writer. Only an evoluted being can talk like that & could have been building the Culture all along the novels. For me he remain the Father of the New Space Opera and is the best Science-Fiction Writer of my Time far above the others. he should have at least the Hugo & Nebula twice. Since he didn't got it I'm not so crazy about those prize anymore...
RIP. One of best Scottish writers. I loved his Sci-Fi Culture stuff and the Fiction stuff I've read it excellent as well. The Bridge was memorising. I'd love to hear his music. I'm a musician as a hobby so I'd love to hear what he made. Does anyone know if he published it anywhere? I met a guy at my 21st birthday party that was an mate of my flatmate that used to correspond with him about explosives and making thermite back in the early 90s. Luv and Peace.
Ian came often to Igg"s restaurant in Edinburgh... I had the pleasure of serving him frequently, as well as drinking a glass with him on his birthday. He once spent several hours with us, having discovered "Zombies".... I remember helping him into the taxi... very much the worst for wear. Did any of you know that his favorite computer game was Sid Miers... "Civilization"..?? I saw him through the window of a coffee shop once, went in, and said hello. We talked for over two hours on Civilization strategy... great guy. Good memories.
my best pal Collin Dresner RIP introduced me to Ian, we where freinds before but it was the M books that cemented that bond. i believe Ians approch to his cancer helped my friend during his time of fuck u cancer.... Miss you both immensely
Lovely guy. I was shocked to here he was dead. Just read Espedair Street and stumble across the news. Very sad but his legacy is immense and shines on.
I think it's Amazon that's planning a Banks series. Jeff Bezos is a big fan: www.theverge.com/2018/2/21/17035618/amazon-culture-series-iain-m-banks-television-show
God (😂) save us from Netflix/ Disney/Marvel interpretations of Iain’s work. My vote is for the Broccoli family to replace the Bond cash cow with the Culture. At least we might get the humour and humanity.
I'm just finding out about this great mind and fine writer ! Can't wait to get The Wasp Factory ! The Quarry is his last novel.Did he write any short novels or stories ?
I kinda wish Kirsty wouldn't pry so much into his thoughts when he's trying to deal with all this. He's dying, use your imagination, we don't need to make it difficult for him by asking him about it so much. Celebrate his life.
Autonova I suspect the questions she asked helped him come to a greater understanding himself. He did agree to the interview so I also suspect he welcomed the questions
Lost my dad to cancer 4 months ago - currently on a holiday in Lanzarote to recuperate. Absently chose The Quarry off my bookshelf to take on holiday, which had been sitting there unread since it was released, and turns out it’s a bloody book about someone’s dad dying of cancer! Good book tho had me laughing when the young lad keeps getting a boner hugging his aunt 😂 Need to read the other Banks’ books I’ve not got round to reading. Such a cool guy and great author! (Also found out in this interview he used to live 3 miles away from me when I was a child!!). ✌️
Frakking *gall bladder* cancer! I don't even have a gall bladder - lost it in my 30's! If *only* Banks had eaten richer, greasier, fatty foods, and taken less care of his body, and ruined his gall bladder, he'd still be with us!!!
couldn't agree more with all those voicing their sadness at this great author and lovely human being. I so wish someone would have asked more penetrating questions not ONLY on the societal-cultural aspect of his SciFi but ALSO on the science aspect. For example, clearly, The Algebraist shows that he was uncomfortable to a degree having to use faster-than-light "hyperspace" (which is obviously bullshit) in order to create a means of cultures meeting each other in space. The other- fascinating- question would be that he clearly ponders what "non biological" intelligence could look like and, from the Culture series, one gets the sense that, according to him, it could likely not only be superior but also less amoral. So all those "Minds" that he describes-- they seem to have a twisted sense of humour but do they 'emotions' 'drives' etc and- if not- what drives them? Although first and foremost a writer, he followed science development closely and it's frustrating that, with all these ill-prepared interviewers (I've watched all I could find on TH-cam) nobody goes into any depth.
did he complete that symphony? or that plot for the next book? did he get his final wishes to be scattered and shot over the forth etc ? it seems like the clock was against him trying to tie up these loose ends.
Yeah theres a few good writers still around. I'm enjoying the Expanse novels a lot. But man, what a loss. I frigging love the culture books and universe
I would love if Iain M Banks legacy was to introduce the world to the Culture as films and have Disney adopt this body of work and give it to Kathleen Kennedy to produce. She could fully get on board with the message and purity of Iain M Banks writing. She could stop trying to turn Star Wars into the culture and we could all just get along. I'd get to watch some of my favourite science fiction books take flight on the silver screen and be appreciated by so many people. This is a solution to two problems. SJW Starwars and no Culture movies. Get this to disney management. Match made in heaven. Luv and Peace.
Right? Genuinely a fantastic guy. I would have loved to chat with him about politics, because I suspect there was quite a bit of nuance there. I wonder what his impression of the current state of affairs would be...
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still sad about his death. So much humanity in his work. Cleverness. Imagination. I know no writer like him.
Even his AI minds where deeply human (although I suspect they'd be grumpy at you if you said it). Wonderful writer.
There is no writer like him. I have looked, and I have looked. He is incomparable.
Watching this for the umpteenth time in 2022 and I still feel incredibly sad at the loss of this brilliant writer and wonderful human being.
Halfway into Iain's road trip novel (Raw Spirit) through Scotland's whisky country. I almost feel as if I'm sitting in the car & roaring with laughter with a best mate. Not only have we lost a fine mind but we have lost a damn decent bloke. Even in the face of death, with the sands of time quickly running out Iain showed humour, humility & great strength. What a fine member of the human race you were sir!
Raw Spirit was fun to read but all the iraq war and bush/blair rants have not aged well.
In what respect have his "rants" against that war not aged well? If anything his commentary in Raw Spirit shows a degree of prescience which has only been reinforced with the passage of time.
Not a novel.
This man changed my life. The Culture is what I hope we can aspire to as a species.
Gutted that he's gone. Absolutely gutted. British literature will have to wait many years before anyone else like Banks comes along.
Love this man dearly. He doesn't seem morose at all despite his looming expiration date. I'm glad we'll always have his novels to keep us company.
Sadly missed. Had the honour of meeting him at a book signing for Surface Detail. Very funny, scarily intelligent and a genuinely down to earth guy with a raw talent. Sorely missed. RIP Iain. Thankyou for your legacy ❤️
Definitely starting to reread all the Culture novels.
The best imagination in the entire business of imagination.
Ian Banks.
Thank you.
You will never be forgotten.
What an amazing interview. I've read most of his works and just finished Raw Spirit (I'm Scottish and love my single malts). I'm typing this with wet eyes. I can only hope I have such dignity and humility in the face of inevitable death. His was a life well lived and I feel privileged to have glimpsed it via his prose. What a character. Well met Mr Banks.....well met.
35:17 I suddenly feel very fortunate to have witnessed the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope, and to be astounded by its future findings.
Yes!
The spirit of this man and how lively he is expressing himself here in this interview is just... Pure? I wouldn't be able to be like that given those circumstances. Iain was a beautiful soul.
I keep reading his books over an over. RIP Iain Banks.
How Brave to speak like this about the end of your life... incredible.
I love this guy, I'm a huge fan of his Culture series. It saddens me that there won't be any more of them. But my admiration and thanks go to him for the hours of engrossing reading and enjoyment I've had from his work.
Thanks for upload. What a nice guy, such a funny chap too. Writers can tend to be dull and a wee bit up their own hole. When you chat to them I mean. This man is the exception, and a great spud. God bless you Iain.
I miss Iain Banks and his novels a lot. A truly remarkable author and all round great character.
Got down to Aye Write's "Remembering Iain Banks" for the opening of Glasgow's Book Festival the other day.
One of the speakers had a great anecdote. He said a while back that they'd found themselves in shop selling cosmetics. Upon seeing a label on one of the products stating "This product has not been tested on animals" Iain said "well that's not right!" , proceeded to take the lid off and knocked it back!!
beautiful man sublime story teller parr excellent ,god rest your soul
"I really gotta stop doing my research so late" that joke took me a couple seconds to process
Fucking miss him man. The Wasp Factory changed my life.
Thanks for posting this. The version I saw on BBC2 was only half an hour long. So it's great to have this extended version.
RIP big man, gone but not forgotten
Thanks for sharing this. Guy was a legend.
Thanks so much for sharing this.
The brightest lights SHOULD shine the longest. They should shine FOREVER. That they don't yet is the greatst sorrow of our age.
I miss Iain Banks. I'm sad that we'll see no more of his stuff.
He was great.
Luv and Peace.
He was such a brave man. And a great writer.
Had always wanted to meet this man, perhaps my favorite author, but never managed to. We're the same age and to have him pass before me, and so quickly. . . oh, Iain, I will miss your wordcraft so.
Damn, I wish I had discovered how amazing this man was before he was gone. I only learned about the culture series recently, and it was only after that that I decided to learn more about the author. what an awesome guy. it makes me wish there really was an afterlife so I could meet him one day.
Ian G I discovered him only a few years before his death and feel the same way. I find it very depressing that there will never be another culture novel
3/4 of the way into Inversions. Even his lesser novels are great. I get was he was trying to do with Inversions. That novel is low-key but spacious. I prefer the striking images of Consider Phoeblas ( that obese with the teeth will stick with me forever ). Adieu Iain. Sorry for the bad spelling but I am french speaking.
Jonathan Blanchet that fat cult leader will haunt me forever, that's always the scene i share with people if they only allow me to share one. also loved the own skin suit in Excession and aliens that poke each other in the asshole when they're fooling around
I'm sorry to say I didn't know he had died before seeing this. Only just discovered his writing but already can tell he's going to be one of my favourites
I saw that he wanted to hold a copy of the Quarry in his hands which was being rushed out for June which is the same month he died. Did he manage to do it I wonder...
Joshua Hardwick Yup he did. Got it on his hands a week before he passed away
..
Demetrius LaShawn racist clown
Great interview, wonderful writer, fantastic Scottish rogue! Thanks for posting this.
Just about to start "Consider Phlebus".
Your work lives on Iain 😊🙏
I love his humour. Great man, great writer. Will be missed.
I thought this program lost. Thanks for uploading it!
Ahhhh you marvelous man/lady, thanks for posting!
really miss him, met him a number of times, wonderful writer in both science fiction and mainstream fiction, or though there are very few mainstream writers like him
If I will ever be able to speak about my death like this, I will die a happy man! Iain Banks will surely be missed.
Just got into Culture series, probably the best writer in SF and an amazing literary voice. Sad that he passed but what spirit and humor in facing it. Inspiring.
My favourite author since "Wasp Factory" have not read his last novel, I am saving it to indulge as a matured whiskey :-)
I watch this every 6 months or so. I miss him like an old friend. I hope to go up to Loch Shiel one day and quietly pay my respects - perhaps with a wee dram (I like to think he would approve!). Does anyone know if he released any of his music?
His familly missed him & so does his friends but Mister Banks is missed also as a writer. Only an evoluted being can talk like that & could have been building the Culture all along the novels. For me he remain the Father of the New Space Opera and is the best Science-Fiction Writer of my Time far above the others. he should have at least the Hugo & Nebula twice. Since he didn't got it I'm not so crazy about those prize anymore...
Thanks for posting this. It isn't up on the BBC iPlayer for some reason :(
RIP. One of best Scottish writers.
I loved his Sci-Fi Culture stuff and the Fiction stuff I've read it excellent as well. The Bridge was memorising.
I'd love to hear his music.
I'm a musician as a hobby so I'd love to hear what he made. Does anyone know if he published it anywhere?
I met a guy at my 21st birthday party that was an mate of my flatmate that used to correspond with him about explosives and making thermite back in the early 90s.
Luv and Peace.
Ian came often to Igg"s restaurant in Edinburgh... I had the pleasure of serving him frequently, as well as drinking a glass with him on his birthday. He once spent several hours with us, having discovered "Zombies".... I remember helping him into the taxi... very much the worst for wear. Did any of you know that his favorite computer game was Sid Miers... "Civilization"..?? I saw him through the window of a coffee shop once, went in, and said hello. We talked for over two hours on Civilization strategy... great guy. Good memories.
Still missing him.
my best pal Collin Dresner RIP introduced me to Ian, we where freinds before but it was the M books that cemented that bond. i believe Ians approch to his cancer helped my friend during his time of fuck u cancer.... Miss you both immensely
Lovely guy. I was shocked to here he was dead. Just read Espedair Street and stumble across the news. Very sad but his legacy is immense and shines on.
I'm still pissed that this wonderful man has passed away
Always wait till the credits. Good job John.
What s fucking brilliant man! Just heard that Netflix is going to make a culture series! Hope it lives up to this mans amazing vision.
I think it's Amazon that's planning a Banks series. Jeff Bezos is a big fan: www.theverge.com/2018/2/21/17035618/amazon-culture-series-iain-m-banks-television-show
It probably won't.
God (😂) save us from Netflix/ Disney/Marvel interpretations of Iain’s work. My vote is for the Broccoli family to replace the Bond cash cow with the Culture. At least we might get the humour and humanity.
Nice interview.
Sadly missed. Humble enough to admit Canal Dreams was his worst. Whit for me was the best. Crow Road and Espedair Street were very good too.
I'm just finding out about this great mind and fine writer ! Can't wait to get The Wasp Factory ! The Quarry is his last novel.Did he write any short novels or stories ?
I kinda wish Kirsty wouldn't pry so much into his thoughts when he's trying to deal with all this. He's dying, use your imagination, we don't need to make it difficult for him by asking him about it so much. Celebrate his life.
Autonova I suspect the questions she asked helped him come to a greater understanding himself. He did agree to the interview so I also suspect he welcomed the questions
I would have said shes just doing her job very well.
I disagree with this point of view. They probably discussed this topic beforehand, and death and disease are important parts of our lives.
Quite disappointing that he's gone. He looks so well here...I can't believe he had a terminal cancer. Absurd.
What a hero he is.
Lost my dad to cancer 4 months ago - currently on a holiday in Lanzarote to recuperate. Absently chose The Quarry off my bookshelf to take on holiday, which had been sitting there unread since it was released, and turns out it’s a bloody book about someone’s dad dying of cancer! Good book tho had me laughing when the young lad keeps getting a boner hugging his aunt 😂 Need to read the other Banks’ books I’ve not got round to reading. Such a cool guy and great author! (Also found out in this interview he used to live 3 miles away from me when I was a child!!). ✌️
Frakking *gall bladder* cancer! I don't even have a gall bladder - lost it in my 30's! If *only* Banks had eaten richer, greasier, fatty foods, and taken less care of his body, and ruined his gall bladder, he'd still be with us!!!
I can't help but read every comment in a Scottish accent :)
eleven
couldn't agree more with all those voicing their sadness at this great author and lovely human being. I so wish someone would have asked more penetrating questions not ONLY on the societal-cultural aspect of his SciFi but ALSO on the science aspect. For example, clearly, The Algebraist shows that he was uncomfortable to a degree having to use faster-than-light "hyperspace" (which is obviously bullshit) in order to create a means of cultures meeting each other in space. The other- fascinating- question would be that he clearly ponders what "non biological" intelligence could look like and, from the Culture series, one gets the sense that, according to him, it could likely not only be superior but also less amoral. So all those "Minds" that he describes-- they seem to have a twisted sense of humour but do they 'emotions' 'drives' etc and- if not- what drives them? Although first and foremost a writer, he followed science development closely and it's frustrating that, with all these ill-prepared interviewers (I've watched all I could find on TH-cam) nobody goes into any depth.
I don't think he's dead, just had enough of writing for some reason, maybe medical or otherwise.
did he complete that symphony? or that plot for the next book? did he get his final wishes to be scattered and shot over the forth etc ? it seems like the clock was against him trying to tie up these loose ends.
I tool a part-read culture book to one of his book signings. He asked if I was enjoying it then told me 'the butler did it' lol
Was this about his whiskey book?
Who the fuck disliked this
sumtimes i cant help but wunder if this country has created many'shakespeare's
At least Peter F. Hamilton survives to carry the Space Opera flag on.
Yeah theres a few good writers still around. I'm enjoying the Expanse novels a lot. But man, what a loss. I frigging love the culture books and universe
don't know why he didn't choose to be cryopreserved.
I see that naive out group preferring thing they are doing in Scottish politics in his political commentary.
I would love if Iain M Banks legacy was to introduce the world to the Culture as films and have Disney adopt this body of work and give it to Kathleen Kennedy to produce.
She could fully get on board with the message and purity of Iain M Banks writing.
She could stop trying to turn Star Wars into the culture and we could all just get along.
I'd get to watch some of my favourite science fiction books take flight on the silver screen and be appreciated by so many people.
This is a solution to two problems. SJW Starwars and no Culture movies.
Get this to disney management.
Match made in heaven.
Luv and Peace.
Ian Edmonds Absolutely not! Keep her away from anything creative.
God, did he have any flaws at all?
Largesse1000 So where’s his flaw?
not that i can see! lovely man
Hahaha, hates religion, governments, violence and discrimination yet thinks 'Islamophobia' is a problem. Marvelous writer though.
Right? Genuinely a fantastic guy. I would have loved to chat with him about politics, because I suspect there was quite a bit of nuance there. I wonder what his impression of the current state of affairs would be...
I was 3 books into the culture before i thought to google the author and felt like i got punched in the stomach :/
Man i envy the people who shared random or very specific converaations with him ever🫡