‘…the most important voice in European literature.’ (said once in a french magazine)
Or, is he actually just a bit of a div?
He has a new book coming out. It looks serious, but don’t worry, it won’t be.
Archive for the ‘First Editions’ Category
Is Michel Houellebecq….
Monday, September 6th, 2010
Local Authors Nominated for Major Award….
Sunday, August 29th, 2010Two local authors have made it onto the longlist for the prestigious Guardian First Book Award.
So a big ‘well done,’ goes out to Rebecca Hunt for Mr Chartwell and Ned Beauman for Boxer, Beetle, on getting nominated. You can read more about the award here, especially interesting if you were ever curious as to the meaning of the phrase ‘Modernist Self-flagellation.’ A phrase that Ned seeks to explain.
Funnily enough, both authors will be coming to the store In October so look out for more details on that.
Stuart Evers – 10 Stories About Smoking
Tuesday, August 17th, 2010Not out until March but very cool nonetheless.
Ten stories of allure, betrayal, nostalgia, solitude, seduction, damage, desire and loss; of silence broken by the click of a lighter; insomnia defined by a glowing ember; a magician’s trick; a lover’s scent; a final wish. These are stories that go to the heart of things.
‘Evers has found possibility in even the bleakest and smallest of lives, with each delicately linked not only by a cigarette but also by a glimpse into how terrifyingly empty a life can be’ David Vann
‘With powerfully understated writing, Evers has an eye for the humor that lives alongside sadness, and above all for the humanity in the smallest of actions’ Evie Wyld
Something for the Weekend? … William T Vollmann’s Expenses
Saturday, August 14th, 2010
William T Vollmann is an author who seems to have a small following in the UK but a massive appeal in the States. He won the National Book Award for Europe Central in 2005 but on the most part he seems to be an American writer – for Americans. Or, at least that’s what the publishers think. Anyway, here’s a good article if you want to find out more.
Anyway, arriving by way of Flickr on Friday afternoon, his expenses submitted to Penguin reveal Vollmann to be an author more audacious with his employer’s money than British Politicians are with the taxes of the working people. It would appear that Vollmann employed ‘ladies of the night’ to be cover starts for his latest book. Does anyone know if Penguin approved this?
Comrades, Let’s Optimize! Francis Spufford’s Red Plenty….
Monday, August 9th, 2010
New East London Author: Signed Copies of Boxer, Beetle…
Friday, July 30th, 2010Ned Beauman’s debut novel is a real ripping (east London) yarn that reminds me of G.K Chesterton’s The Man Who Was Thursday in the way that it’s really a page-turner with some seriously big ideas attached. I’ll do a full review as soon as possible but I should mention that Ned will also be coming to do a reading and a signing in October so be sure to keep an eye out for more information on that. We’ve got three signed copies left so get involved. The book is hardback and priced at £12.99.
This is what it’s about….
The (Pages of Hackney) Booker Longlist: The Year Of The Usual Suspects????
Sunday, July 25th, 2010It seems to have been a strange year so I reckon that there will be some surprises but here are my guesses for Tuesday’s longlist:
The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ by Philip Pullman
The Hand That First Held Mine by Maggie O’Farrell
Beatrice & Virgil by Yann Martel
Parrot and Oliver in America by Peter Carey
The Pregnant Widow by Martin Amis
Solar by Ian McEwan
Even the Dogs by Jon McGregor
Boxer, Beetle by Ned Beauman
Mr Chartwell by Rebecca Hunt
The Thousand Autumns of Jacob De Zoet by David Mitchell
Red Dust Road by Jackie Kay (not sure if this is eligible)
Sunday is Book Cover Appreciation Day….
Saturday, July 24th, 2010
Should Authors Tweet?
Friday, July 23rd, 2010
Ned Beauman, author of Boxer, Beetle has kicked up a right stink (here and here) by claiming that using Twitter is ‘beneath the dignity of the published novelist. Is he right? The only people arguing are obviously massive Twitter fans (Jury’s still out for me). So VOTE.
“My main objection is that it’s simply beneath the dignity of a published novelist. There needs to be some sort of exclusion zone around an author’s mental processes otherwise it undermines the autonomy of their work.”
