In the second of our weekly interviews with authors shortlisted for the Guardian first book award, we talk to Nadifa Mohamed about her novel Black Mamba Boy. She discusses writing from African perspective, and why it was important to tell the story of her father, as one of the millions of "ordinary people" who braved war and famine to travel from Africa to Europe over the last century. We also challenge publisher and journalist Margaret Busby and Ellah Allfrey, Granta's deputy editor, to come up with a new literary canon of must-read books by writers who reflect the cultural and generic diversity of our new age.

We talk to the great Scottish original Alasdair Gray, whose latest book, A Life in Pictures, brings together the fruits of his singular artistic vision. He tells us why it's not an autobiography, how he combines visual art with writing and what would have become of him if his talent had found financial reward a little earlier in his career.

There's still time to enter our Guardian first book award competition – take a look at last week's podcast to find out how to get your chance to win all the books on the shortlist.

Reading list

A Life in Pictures Alasdair Gray (Canongate)
Black Mamba Boy Nadifa Mohamed (Harper)

The podcast canon

1. Banjo Claude Mckay (1889-1948)
2. The Black Jacobins CLR James (1901-1989)
3. Under Milk Wood Dylan Thomas (1914-1953)
4. The Murderer Roy Heath (1926-2008)
5. Waiting for the Wild Beasts to Vote Ahmadou Kourouma (1927-2003)
6. Song of Lawino Okot p'Bitek (1931-1982)
7. Salt Earl Lovelace (1935- )
8. Kindred Octavia Butler (1947-2006)
9. House of Hunger Dambudzo Marechera (1952-1987)
10. Half of a Yellow Sun Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (1977- )