Scots reveal life-changing books

Lulu chose Barack Obama' s "Dreams from my Father"

Well known Scots have been revealing their favourite books as part of a new project aimed at getting the country to read and write more.

Those taking part in "The Book that Changed My Life" project include author Ian Rankin whose favourite book is "A Clockwork Orange" by Anthony Burgess.

Singer Lulu's choice was "Dreams from my Father" by Barack Obama.

The Scottish Book Trust is looking for submissions from across the country, the best of which will be published.

The project follows the success of Days Like This, which saw thousands of people in Scotland sending in stories about a special day in their life.

CELEBRITY BOOK CHOICES IAN RANKIN: A Clockwork Orange - Anthony Burgess BRIAN COX: The Dice Man - Luke Rhinehart ALEXANDER MCCALL SMITH: Collected Shorter Poems - WH Auden LULU: Dreams from My Father - Barack Obama AL KENNEDY: The Restaurant at the End of the Universe - Douglas Adams CRAIG HILL: The Conquest of Happiness - Bertrand Russell MARK COUSINS: A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man - James Joyce JOHN MICHIE: The History of the Scottish Enlightenment - Arthur Herman MURRAY GRIGOR: On Growth and Form - D'Arcy Thompson JANICE GALLOWAY: Piano Course, Book A (The Red Book) - John W Schaum

In Days Like This, each story was read by a celebrity panel and was featured on the BBC Radio Scotland's website. The best ones were featured in a series of radio programmes.

In the new project, the book does not need to have "changed their life" literally.

It could be a book that has shaped them; or a book that meant something at a significant point in their life, or even a book associated with a special event, good or bad.

It could include a classic novel, a children's book, a biography or a collection of poems, as long as it is linked to a personal and possibly life-changing story.

Marc Lambert, chief executive of the Scottish Book Trust, said: "Based on the outstanding response we got for Days Like This, and the huge enthusiasm of the participants, we expect to get some very inspired - and inspirational - stories about the power of books and their significance in people's lives.

"Books do change lives - we know that. But in which ways? We are dying to find out.

"We hope that the answers from people all across Scotland will create a real buzz about reading and writing, encouraging others to take up book and pen."

The deadline for submissions is 1 December, 2009, with the most inspirational stories being published in a book in 2010.