Desert Island Discs Val McDermid on her childhood love of libraries
Sep 25, 2025
Val McDermid shares her deep love for libraries, describing them as her second home where she devoured countless books. She reflects on feeling like an outsider in Fife, yearning for a world beyond her small community. Val reveals how solitude, a loyal dog, and a good book shaped her childhood. A pivotal trip to Blackpool inspired her to apply to Oxford, leading to a culture shock filled with new experiences and diverse accents. Her journey showcases the power of literature in opening up horizons.
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Library As A Lifelong Refuge
- Val McDermid made the library her second home and read anything she could get hold of.
- She moved through fiction shelves despite rules that forced some non-fiction choices.
Outsider In A Parochial Town
- Val felt like an outsider growing up in Fife and spent a lot of time alone with a dog and a book.
- She couldn't recognise or name her sexuality because it wasn't discussed there in the 1960s.
Blackpool To Oxford Leap
- A week in Blackpool convinced Val she should apply to Oxford, and she attended from age 17 after an interview at 16.
- Oxford was a culture shock where even vegetables and accents felt alien to her.