News
Communion by Jon Doyle review " a charged debut about sin and solace
8+ hour, 39+ min ago (844+ words) A man who meant to be a priest is faced with a moral crossroads in this ambitious and affecting first novel Jon Doyle's debut novel tells the story of Mack O'Brien, a young man who went to a seminary to…...
The Fallen by Louise Brangan review " an enraging account of Ireland's Magdalene laundries
6+ hour, 8+ min ago (1136+ words) The Guardian The Fallen by Louise Brangan review " an enraging account of Ireland's Magdalene laundries The horrifying story of the Catholic-run institutions that incarcerated thousands of women and girls Many readers, and surely most Irish readers, will finish this book…...
When an author says she had to decline a $175, 000 prize, what does it say about the publishing world? | Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett
7+ hour, 40+ min ago (221+ words) Helen De Witt turning down the Windham-Campbell literary award caused controversy. But her bold act highlights that such prizes aren't always as meritocratic as they might seem De Witt is a critically acclaimed author, and her debut novel, The Last…...
Michael Rosen wins Hans Christian Andersen award
21+ hour, 15+ min ago (223+ words) The former children's laureate missed the announcement of the award in Bologna due to post-Brexit passport rule changes Michael Rosen, the poet and author known for books such as We're Going on a Bear Hunt and Chocolate Cake, has won…...
Go Gentle by Maria Semple review " a joyfully clever New York romcom
5+ day, 6+ hour ago (230+ words) A Stoic philosopher navigates midlife in this madcap comedy from the author of Where'd You Go, Bernadette What would Marcus Aurelius have made of the Kardashians? Would Seneca have been amused by mindfulness apps? These were questions I had never…...
On Memoir by Blake Morrison review " lessons in life writing from a master
1+ day, 3+ hour ago (986+ words) Don't be fooled by the A-Z treatment " this thoroughgoing guide asks deep questions about the art of autobiography'I've had a life and I've also had a life as a life writer: Blake Morrison opens his tour d'horizon of arguably literature's…...
Deborah Levy: "CS Lewis's White Witch terrified me " but I wanted to meet her'
5+ day, 7+ hour ago (276+ words) The South African author on discovering Colette, being inspired by JG Ballard, and the subversive joys of Asako Yuzuki My favourite book'growing up I was delighted to move on to the imaginative sophistication of The Lion, the Witch and the…...
My Year in Paris With Gertrude Stein by Deborah Levy review " wonderfully entertaining
1+ day, 6+ hour ago (999+ words) Biography mingles with fiction as Levy explores the avant-garde writer through the story of three female friends in Paris The narrator of Deborah Levy's witty scherzo of a "fiction" " "novel" isn't the word for this uncategorisable book " thinks that Gertrude…...
Walking Shadow by Greg Doran review " Shakespeare's healing power
2+ day, 6+ hour ago (1405+ words) After the death of his husband, Antony Sher, the former RSC director embarks on a quest to see every First Folio This is really two books in one. The first part consists of the diaries written by Antony Sher in…...
Ghost-Eye by Amitav Ghosh review " a climate-crisis novel let down by its prose
2+ day, 5+ hour ago (1126+ words) A reincarnation mystery drives this exploration of spiritual interconnectedness in a globalised world What happens when a novelist cares more about their plot, or their message, than their prose? Plot and message have this much in common: they travel smoothest…...