IT’S THAT TIME of the week: another episode of Behind The Lines is available to The42 members.

If you are unaware of what we do: each edition features a lengthy interview with one of the best sportswriters in the English language, and ask them to bring along some of their favourite pieces of sportswriting to discuss.

To get access to our back catalogue along with this week’s episode, become a member of The42 for €5 per month – or just €42 for a full year – by following this link.

This week’s guest is one synonymous with great sportswriting in the UK – Donald McRae. Don has twice won the prestigious William Hill Sports Book of the Year award, and his latest book – In Sunshine or in Shadow: How Boxing Brought Hope in the Troubles – is shortlisted for this year’s award.

He has written 12 books in all, and has also conducted more than 2,500 interviews for the Guardian.

Don talks to us about his atypical route to sports journalism: born in apartheid South Africa, he moved to London in exile to escape a jail sentence for his unwillingness to serve military service back home.

He moved with ambitions of becoming a writer: hear him tell the tale of how that happened.

There are also some outstanding nuts-and-bolts tips on how to conduct and write a great interview, the kind of advice university courses charge thousands for.

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Enjoy the show, and if you have any feedback for us: email behindthelines@the42.ie or tweet @gcooney93.