Amanda Cassidy signs big book deal
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Electric Spark: The Enigma of Muriel Spark – a fitting tribute to a writer who found comedy in the blackest corners
Frances Wilson’s sly, unsentimental biography hews closely to its subject’s spirit
By Mei Chin
Old Kiln by Jia Pingwa: An unforgettable masterpiece depicting rural China during the Cultural Revolution
Desmond Fennell and Michael McDowell: not exactly ideological bedfellows, yet they share a few things in common
Esther Freud: ‘My sister always wants me to be harder, be meaner, be tougher. To cut through’
Children’s fiction: The Moon Seeker is a wildly original debut and worthy Staróg prize-winner
Éilís Ní Dhuibhne is new Laureate for Irish Fiction
Michael Haag’s biography of Lawrence Durrell is important and often revelatory, but it is not neutral
Austin Taylor: ‘I found it so fascinating and poignant how we portray women in the media, especially powerful women who make mistakes’
SHORT STORIES
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POETRY
To Rest Our Minds and Bodies by Harriet Armstrong: Ambitious, stylish novel is like The Bell Jar for Gen Z
By Ruby Eastwood
Idle Grounds by Krystelle Bamford: Riotous, dark debut marks the arrival of a singular new talent
By Miriam Balanescu
David Gentleman’s Lessons for Young Artists: advice for living well, for people of all ages
By Gemma Tipton
Author James Rebanks: ‘There is something to be said for knowing you lived in accord with your values and beliefs’
By Martin Doyle
Tree Hunting by Paul Wood: a supremely fascinating book that seeks to channel our frequently unarticulated love for trees
By Neil Hegarty
Human Resources: Slavery and the Making of Modern Britain – Ireland was not exempt from involvement
By John Walshe
