Graham Norton: ‘In a world going to hell in a handcart, Ireland is a wonderful beacon’

The chatshow host’s new novel centres on Irish lives dominated by shame and repression. Yet, after ‘decades of darkness’, the country’s legalisation of abortion and gay marriage have made him hopefulGraham Norton’s second novel, A Keeper, had not gone to press before this interview, so his publisher ran off an A5 photocopy for me. After reading the first few pages, I thought they must have sent me the wrong book. Literary fiction this strong could not be the work of a TV star whose canon of previous works comprised one novel. Whoever wrote this clearly had to be an established author.When I tell Norton this, he does a little squirm beside me on the sofa. “Oh my God, that’s incredibly nice of you. I’m not very good at taking compliments, so let’s gloss over this bit, but I’ll just say thank you very much. Seriously, that’s really, really nice.”We’ve got to thank the church for what Ireland is now, because it is a reaction to all those decades of darknessPeople get stuck in their heads about the thing that’s wrong with their life – they forget to have a lovely time Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2018-10-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #gay marriage #publisher ran #literary fiction #tv star

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Proof goth is not dead: A first edition of Frankenstein just set a world auction record.

Mary Shelley was goth before it was cool. She wrote Frankenstein—sometimes described as the world’s first science fiction novel—as part of a horror story writing game. She lost her virginity to Percy Shelley on top of her mother’s grave. (To be fair, it was one of her main leisure spots, but... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2021-09-17 16:41:12 UTC ]
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Sky News Australia rolls out the red carpet for Piers Morgan, who vows to take on ‘woke world’

Another conservative loudmouth comes to town. Plus: a Sunrise interview with Meghan Markle’s father falls flatMove over Andrew Bolt, Alan Jones and Peta Credlin – there is a new conservative loudmouth in town.Piers Morgan, the former editor of the UK tabloid News of the World, has returned to... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2021-09-17 02:36:53 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #red carpet #piers morgan #conservative loudmouth #meghan markle #andrew bolt #alan jones #peta credlin #news corp

Sally Rooney’s Beautiful World, Where Are You tops UK book charts

In its first week on sale, Rooney’s new novel has outsold Jamie Oliver and beaten day-one sales of her previous book Normal People by 1,200% at WaterstonesSally Rooney’s Beautiful World, Where Are You has shot to the top of the UK’s book charts, selling more than 40,000 copies in just five... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2021-09-14 14:20:14 UTC ]
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What is the role of art in times of turmoil? ‘A Play for the End of the World’ offers no easy answers.

A novel by Jai Chakrabarti follows two productions of a play staged decades apart as acts of resistance. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2021-09-14 13:00:00 UTC ]
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Sally Rooney's Beautiful World, Where Are You finds the top spot

Sally Rooney's Beautiful World, Where Are You (Faber) has debuted in the UK Official Top 50 number one spot, selling 46,065 copies in its first week on sale, making it the fastest selling Adult Fiction title since sales figures returned in March. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-09-14 00:26:45 UTC ]
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'Keep making the world a better place' Osman urges booksellers

Richard Osman has praised the "passion and intelligence" of booksellers up and down the UK, applauding their hard work and adaptability during the pandemic. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-09-12 17:58:45 UTC ]
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FaZe Clan enters the comic book world and Proactiv taps Joan as AOR: Agency Brief

Also, Cambell Soup kicks off the NFL season with a spot featuring Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay. Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2021-09-10 17:32:00 UTC ]
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CBI unveils projects to young readers in Ireland, regardless of their backgrounds

Conversations around making the literature sector in Ireland more inclusive have been happening for some time, and the publication of Arts Council Ireland’s Equality, Human Rights and Diversity Policy in 2019 put a focus on the need for diversity across all artforms, so that no one is excluded. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-09-10 14:32:17 UTC ]
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Non-fiction and children’s outstrip fiction in Ireland as sales fillip continues

After encouraging sales despite bookshops’ closures in the first lockdown, the market in Ireland has responded remarkably well since, with sales of Non-Fiction and Children’s titles particularly solid. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-09-10 13:31:14 UTC ]
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Sally Rooney’s latest novel is a lucid, nuanced story about coming of age in a broken world

“Beautiful World, Where Are You” more than lives up to the promise of its predecessors and even exceeds the hype. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2021-09-10 12:00:00 UTC ]
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Growing Up in Ireland report reveals impact of library funding’s 2008 scrapping

In 2008, as the global financial crisis peaked and Ireland faced a long period of austerity, the government announced that the primary school library fund would be cut in its entirety. The €2.2m annual investment from the then-Department of Education & Science had been in place for 37 years;... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-09-10 10:30:52 UTC ]
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HarperCollins Ireland publisher Nagle looks to build brand as list launches

With its first two titles issued last week and a further four to come in 2021, Conor Nagle explains how HarperCollins Ireland is harnessing the power of a big list alongside some indie sensibilities. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-09-10 00:00:19 UTC ]
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Hannah Gold | 'You can’t change the world, but you can try to influence your little corner'

"If you can give children hope and empowerment, it makes them much more inclined to do something,” says Hannah Gold. “Frightening children about climate change just makes them paralysed with fear.” Gold is speaking to me over video call from her home in Lincolnshire about her début children’s... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-09-09 19:32:48 UTC ]
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World Book Day Emma Scott as chair of trustees

World Book Day has appointed Emma Scott as chair of trustees, replacing Stephen Lotinga. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-09-06 16:57:58 UTC ]
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Children's Institute 9: Indie Bookselling in a Post-Pandemic World

Booksellers focused on the nuts-and-bolts of indie bookselling in a post-pandemic world, with Wednesday roundtables on gift bundles and boxes and hosting virtual events especially well attended by Ci9 booksellers. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-09-03 04:00:00 UTC ]
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10 of the Best Novels and Short Stories about the First World War

The story of the First World War has been told in fiction, film, and television many times since the Great War began in 1914. Previously, we gathered together some of the best poems about the First World War, but what about the novels and short stories that have been written? […] Continue reading at Interesting Literature

[ Interesting Literature | 2021-09-02 14:00:03 UTC ]
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