In Botton’s latest book, "The Architecture of Happiness," he discusses beauty and ugliness in architecture. The writer Alain de Botton is a frequent contributor to numerous newspapers, journals and magazines. He has published three novels, “Essays in Love,” “The Romantic Movement” and “Kiss and Tell.” He is also the author of a number of works of non-fiction, including the titles, "How Proust Can Change Your Life," "The Consolations of Philosophy" and "The Art of Travel." In this week’s Inspired Minds, Alain de Botton talks to Breandáin O’Shea about the intricacies of architecture and the effect it has on our everyday lives. Interview: Breandáin O'Shea

John Burnside is the author of nine collections of poetry and six works of fiction. He's achieved wide critical acclaim, winning the Whitbread Poetry Award in 2000 for "The Asylum Dance," which was also short-listed for the Forward and T. S. Eliot prizes.John Burnside studied English and European Languages at Cambridge College of Arts and Technology. After working for a time as a computer software engineer, he became a freelance writer in 1996. He is a former Writer-in-Residence at Dundee University and now teaches at the University of St. Andrews. Some of his works include "Burning Elvis" -- a collection of short stories -- and several novels, including "The Dumb House," "The Mercy Boys” and "The Locust Room." His latest novel, "The Devil's Footprints," has just been published in Germany and it is about this novel and his recent Memoir "A Lie About My Father" that John Burnside speaks with Breandáin O’Shea in this week's Inspired Minds. Interview: Breandáin O'Shea

Minette Walters latest novel, "The Chameleon’s Shadow," was published in late 2007 and already has shot to the top of best-seller charts. Crime writer Minette Walters' first book "Ice House" became a worldwide bestseller just months after it’s publication. It won the Crime Writers' Association John Creasey Award in the UK for best first novel and was translated into several languages within six months of initial publication. She has gone on to write a string of successful novels including titles such as "The Devil’s Feather," "The Darkroom" and "The Echo." In this week’s Inspired Minds, Minette Walters talks to Breandáin O’Shea about the process of creating her novels, her addiction to news channels and even gives a few clues to the outcome of her latest thriller and already a best-seller, "The Chameleon’s Shadow." Interview: Breandáin O'Shea

Esther Freud was named as one of the 20 Best of Young British Novelists by Granta magazine. Esther Freud's debut novel, "Hideous Kinky," evokes the bohemian childhood of two young children accompanying their mother in her search for freedom and adventure in 1960s Morocco. The book was made into a film starring Kate Winslet. Further titles by Freud include "Peerless Flats" and "Gaglow." Her most recent novel is "Love Falls." It is about this latest novel that the author talks this week to Breandáin O’Shea. She also touches on her great grandfather Sigmund Freud and her relationship to Germany today. Interview: Breandáin O'Shea

Boyne's novel "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas" quickly found an audience with adults and children alike and has now been published in 18 languages. His first novel, “The Thief of Time,” was published in 2000 and was followed by five others including the titles “The Congress of Rough Riders,” “Crippen” and later this year “Mutiny on the Bounty.” In this week’s Inspired Minds, John Boyne talks to Breandáin O’Shea about the process that went into writing “The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas,” and the phenomenal success this book has had all over the world. Interview: Breandáin O’Shea

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