Gesa Stedman continues her multi-part review of Tim Parks’ essay collection Where I’m Reading From, this time with a response to “Why Finish Books?”. In contrast to the author, Read more
New Series on The Literary Field Kaleidoscope for World Book Day: A Review of Tim Parks’ “Where I’m Reading From” in Monthly Instalments
It is World Book Day today (only the English celebrate it in March) and a highly suitable occasion for us to launch a new monthly series: a chapter-by-chapter review of Tim Parks’ essay collection Where I’m Reading From. The Changing World of Books. He first published his collection Read more
Jhalak Prize for Reni Eddo-Lodge’s Why I No Longer Talk to White People about Race
Gesa Stedman explains one of the most recent attempts to diversify the literary field in the UK, the Jhalak Prize, which was awarded for the second time on 15 March 2018. Read more
That Was the Year That Was – The Literary Field in 2017
Gesa Stedman looks at the most important trends of 2017, sums up key events of the year, and is somewhat sceptical about diversity increasing in the literary field in 2018. Diversity? That was the year that was – and what an odd year for the literary field in the […] Read more
British Council Literature Seminar in Berlin 2018 Writing Gender: Sexuality, Feminism and Masculinity 25 – 27 January
Same chair, same location, same organisers. Still – hot! Jessica Fischer enjoys the readings and discussions with authors from the UK at the British Council Literature Seminar and feels fortified by the liberating energy that this event generated in all its diversity. The British Council invited writers and readers, professionals […] Read more
Why all Men (and Women) Should Read This – Or, How to Avoid the Authenticity Trap, Holly McNish “Nobody Told Me” (Review)
Gesa Stedman was nearly overwhelmed by the quality of the poetry, the potential to move her readers, as well as the topic of Holly McNish`s award-winning poetry collection and memoir “Nobody Told Me”. All men should read this. Holly McNish’s poetry will teach them things nobody tells you in advance, […] Read more
Prizing Experiments – The Goldsmith Prize 2017
Gesa Stedman explains how The Goldsmith Prize differs from most other literary awards – authors win it not for readability, accessibility or commercial appeal but rather for the formal risks they take. Read more
Why Academics Cannot Compete With Poets – A Written Encounter with Georg Büchner Prize-Winner Jan Wagner
Gesa Stedman encountered Jan Wagner in writing as a student before he was a prize-winning poet – not surprisingly, his academic writing skills amazed her. Read more
Beatlebone by Kevin Barry – Experimental Fiction on an Irish Island
Gesa Stedman enjoys Kevin Barry’s prize-winning novel Beatlebone which follows John Lennon’s trip to County Mayo during a creative crisis. All the reviews printed on the back of the book were right for once: Beatlebone is an exceptional novel. It is formally challenging but it is nevertheless possible to climb […] Read more
Nobel Prize in Literature for Kazuo Ishiguro
Gesa Stedman comments on the surprising Nobel Prize in Literature winner Kazuo Ishiguro and her personal favourite, the early novel An Artist of the Floating World. With market-driven decision making in publishing, and many predictable moves – the next Girl on the Train, the next middlebrow multicultural feel-good story , […] Read more
