Richard Flanagan is the Tasmanian-based, Booker-winning writer of The Narrow Road to the Deep North (2014). He gave a talk recently in London to support the publication of his latest novel and memoir, Question 7. I have it, signed, by my bedside so can’t write about that (yet). But for now, I’m currently reading his The Living Sea of Waking Dreams.
It’s luminous.
Here’s Peter Carey: “I have been reading The Living Sea of Waking Dreams, not just for its necessary rage … but the sheer beauty of its sentences which stirred the ashes of a heart still capable of gratitude and admiration for a fellow writer.”
Flanagan, a Booker Prize-winning novelist, comes from a family, some of whom are still illiterate. In fact 50% of Tasmania today is illiterate (he told us that at the talk). If you haven’t yet discovered him, I urge you to start. Try Wanting, his novel that has a starring role for Charles Dickens!
– Alastair Creamer
I set myself a challenge early this year of reading short stories from around the world, and in different genres. So far I’ve devoured Penguin’s collections of French, Spanish and Japanese, which move from writers of the past to present. Interesting to see (in translation!) the difference on styles, pace, content, use of dialogue etc.
I came across the Nordic collection (in the fab local indi bookshop Trumans) which pushed several buttons: contemporary speculative crossed with crime crossed with noir. Am fascinated at the approaches from the different countries and Margret Helgadottir’s introduction to the area is very enlightening – especially for someone with ‘Viking’ genes…
Nordic Visions – Best of Nordic Speculative Fictions ed Margret Helgadottir
– Irene Lofthouse
Katharine Towers, let him bring a shrubbe. A pamphlet of poems inspired by the music, and the apple cultivation, of Gerald Finzi (1901-1956). The kind of poetry I wish I could write.
Some 26ers may know how I responded to a piece of Anglican church music by fantasising about intrigues in the vestry and a corpse in the organ loft. Katharine Towers’ response to Finzi is imaginative, but far more intelligent and relevant than that.
– Aidan Baker
I can’t recommend Kathleen Jamie’s Cairn highly enough. It is a meditation on the precariousness of life and our planet. I think 26ers will find it fascinating as she speaks to many of the projects that we’ve had recently, but also because of the form. It made me go a little bit gooey inside. She blends poetry and hybrids of non-fiction. It is as the title suggests, bits piled up to make something greater than the sum. It’s understated, powerful and beautiful.
– Julia Webb-Harvey
I was captivated by Michael Longley’s Life of Poetry on BBC Sounds, marking the 85th birthday of the Irish poet. Each of the five short episodes focuses on a different aspect of Longley’s work – the Troubles, nature, love – and is full of wonderful insights and surprises.
– Jill Hopper
I read two books this month, Pet and Bitter by Akwake Emezi. Bitter is the sequel to Pet chronologically but within the world of the books, it works as a prequel, telling the story of the protagonist of Pet Jam’s mother Bitter. I loved both books tremendously, Pet for how it imagined a world in which trans youth, disabled people, Black people and artists could exist in their fullness. I also loved how it explored the banality of violence in a YA book so deftly. Bitter I loved for how: it showed the different roles people can play within a revolution; how burnout and tapping out is necessary for a movement to thrive, and the necessity of administrative roles, childcare roles, growing food and cooking food, generally the necessity of people who aren’t on the frontlines.
I’ve been a big fan of Akwaeke Emezi’s work since I discovered their debut Freshwater in 2017; and have read 4/8 of their books thus far and I’m looking forward to delving into the other 4!
– Mugabi Byenkya
I have been in France for most of this month and done a lot of writing and wine drinking there, but I don’t believe I need to recommend either of those activities to 26! So I could recommend the country of France, which is itself rather pleasant, or I could recommend the main activity I was doing while in the UK, which was watching the Olympics. I shall do the latter. For one, there is a joy in watching people at their absolute pinnacle which, at least for me, makes me strive to do my absolute best and for two, the Paralympics are starting in less than a week’s time so there will be even more to enjoy.
With regards to an actual recommendation, if you are able to I would suggest watching the woman’s diving 10m platform final. The calibre of Chinese divers, particularly Quan Hongchan, is something to behold.
– Harry Ashton-Key