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How to be a French Girl: A Reading List Posted in: Book club

Rose Cleary’s debut novel ​How to be a French Girl is just out this week from Weatherglass Books. To celebrate the publication, Cleary put together a reading list of some of the influences and inspirations behind the novel. ​Proleterka by Fleur Jaeggy, translated by Alastair McEwan A young woman takes a final voyage aboard a cruise ship with her distant father. Adrift and trapped, the girl seeks out embodiment through carnal relations with the ship’s crew. Through hardened,…

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‘Keeping Sheila’ from Vida Adamczewski’s ‘Amphibian and Other Bodies’ Posted in: Book club

Vida Adamczewski’s ​Amphibian and Other Bodies is a feverish and wildly inventive first collection that brings together her award-winning lyric play ​Amphibian with eleven new short stories, published by Toothgrinder Press today. Read ‘Keeping Sheila’, a story from the collection, below. The queue in the pet shop shambled forward. It was a Thursday afternoon, just after three. All these people should be working, Alice thought. She had an appointment at half past four in Stratford. It would take at…

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‘Amphibian and Other Bodies’: a reading list Posted in: Book club

Vida Adamczewski’s ​Amphibian and Other Bodies is a feverish and wildly inventive first collection that brings together her award-winning lyric play ​Amphibian with eleven new short stories, published by Toothgrinder Press. You can read ‘Keeping Sheila’, a story from the collection, here, and below, Adamczewski explores some of the books that inspired her work. ​Amphibian (adj) living both in water and on land. From the Ancient Greek ἀμφίβιος (amphíbios), meaning “both kinds of life” An unwanted pregnancy completely changed the way I related to…

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Glorious Exploits: a reading list Posted in: Book club

Our Book of the Week is Ferdia Lennon’s debut ​Glorious Exploits, a brilliantly original historical novel, telling the story of Lampo and Gelon, unemployed potters in 5th century BCE Syracuse (who speak in distinctly modern Irish vernacular), and their quest to stage Euripides with Greek prisoners of war for actors and a quarry for a stage. Lennon told us about some of the inspirations behind the book, from Thucydides’ ‘rollicking good’ account of the Pelopennesian War…

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‘There is no democracy in any love relation: only mercy’: an extract from Gillian Rose’s ‘Love’s Work’ Posted in: Book club

Gillian Rose’s classic memoir ​Love’s Work is being rereleased this month by Penguin Classics. Written in the wake of her terminal cancer diagnosis, this short, powerful book combines the personal and the philosophical to ask the unanswerable question: how is a life best lived? As Marina Warner described it on its 1995 publication, ‘in the compass of a scant 135 pages it provokes, inspires and illuminates more profoundly than many a bulky volume, and confronts the great subjects…

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‘Empathy! It’s just like melting.’: an extract from Anne Enright’s ‘The Wren, The Wren’ Posted in: Book club

Anne Enright’s latest novel ​The Wren, The Wren is nominated for the Writers’ Prize (formerly the Rathbones Folio Prize), the only international, English-language award nominated and judged purely by other writers. ​The Wren, The Wren is a generational saga, which explores the love between a mother and a daughter, and the long shadow of a famous father, whose poems  litter the text. Read the opening section of ​The Wren, The Wren below. There is a psychologist in Nevada called Russell T. Hurlburt who…

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The Coziest Books to Curl Up with in 2024 Posted in: A "what to read?" magazine.

As bookworms eagerly anticipate the literary offerings of 2024, there is a special category of books that promise to envelop readers in warmth and comfort. These are the coziest books of the year, the ones that beckon you to snuggle up with a cup of tea and lose yourself in their inviting pages. From heartwarming stories to charming settings, here are some of the coziest books to look forward to in 2024: 1. “The Bookshop…

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The Most Exciting Books to Look Forward to in 2023-2024 Posted in: A "what to read?" magazine.

As book lovers eagerly anticipate the release of new titles in the coming years, the literary world is abuzz with excitement over the most anticipated books of 2023-2024. From highly anticipated sequels to debut novels generating early buzz, there is a diverse array of captivating reads on the horizon. Here are some of the most exciting books to look forward to in the upcoming years: 1. “The Winds of Winter” by George R.R. Martin Fans…

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Top Books to Read When You Don’t Know What to Pick Posted in: A "what to read?" magazine.

Choosing the next book to read can sometimes be a daunting task, especially when you’re unsure of what genre or style you’re in the mood for. Whether you’re looking for a gripping thriller, a heartwarming romance, or a thought-provoking non-fiction book, there are certain titles that have universal appeal and are sure to captivate readers of all tastes. Here are some top books to consider when you find yourself at a loss for what to…

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Top 10 Fantasy Books That Will Transport You to Magical Worlds Posted in: A "what to read?" magazine.

Fantasy literature has the power to transport readers to enchanting realms filled with magic, mythical creatures, and epic adventures. From classic tales of heroism to modern sagas of intrigue, the genre of fantasy offers a diverse array of stories that ignite the imagination and captivate the soul. Here are the top 10 fantasy books that are sure to whisk you away on a journey to fantastical lands: 1. “The Lord of the Rings” by J.R.R.…

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