The most recent work which hovers in my mind is Tim Gautreux's novel, The Clearing. While it's a skilfully constructed, almost melodramatic saga of two brothers, the perfect descriptive writing and precision-placed metaphors really do deliver a vast sawmill from 1920s Louisiana into your imagination. The Clearing celebrates the conservative strengths of the historical novel but does not shy from the dark, ugly truths of real life.

Don Paterson's collection, Landing Light, proves him a major living poet. Some poems are in literary Scots (Lallans) with glossary but the majority are mysterious, varied and rueful perfections in English. The collection is triumphant on the strength of one stunning poem alone, titled, 'St Brides: Sea Mail'. Please read it.

As for 'younger' writers, I enjoy the work of Ben Rice and I was amazed Gwendoline Riley, author of the stylish short novel Cold Water, was not one of the recent Granta Best of Young British Novelists promotion. Riley's first novel set her out as an obvious talent and was published when she was just 21. I wait restlessly for her next novel.

Alan Warner is a Scottish novelist now living in Ireland. His novels include Morvern Callar, which was recently made into a major feature film, The Sopranos and The Man Who Walks.