Our annual pick of the most exciting debut fiction has previously tipped Sally Rooney and Louise Kennedy, Tom Crewe and Douglas Stuart. Here the class of 2024 tell us their storiesEach year since 2014, the Observer New Review’s writers and editors have read scores of forthcoming debut novels from authors based in the UK and Ireland in order to spotlight the best; here’s our pick of 2024. As ever, our only guide was the quality of the books in front of us. This year’s list includes industry-tipped titles snapped up by big-spending publishers, but also a canny acquisition from a small independent press. There’s a third book from someone already widely celebrated as a writer of short stories, and even a debut from an actual Observer journalist. These are simply the books we rated most – and we think you’ll love them too.In previous years, we led you to Douglas Stuart’s Booker-winning Shuggie Bain, Gail Honeyman’s global bestseller Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine and Sheena Patel’s cult indie hit I’m a Fan. Last year’s picks continue to hoover up honours. Tom Crewe’s The New Life won the Orwell prize for fiction, while Michael Magee (Close to Home) won the Rooney prize, awarded to an outstanding Irish writer under 40. Both writers are on the shortlist for this month’s Nero debut fiction prize, along with Stephen Buoro, another of our 2023 picks.I’d take the washing up shifts no one else wanted so I could be at the back, jotting things downThere’s violence, but it’s about... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2024-01-14 07:00:20 UTC ]
A deliciously original study of the cheap editions of Pride and Prejudice and other novels – ignored by literary scholars – casts new light on her readershipJane Austen aficionados think that they know the story of their favourite author’s posthumous dis-appearance and then re-emergence. For... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2019-12-11 07:30:31 UTC ]
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“My Brilliant Friend” and Elena Ferrante’s other best-selling books are inspiring female novelists and shaking up the country’s male-dominated literary establishment. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2019-12-09 10:00:14 UTC ]
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Congratulations to Beth O'Leary! Her debut novel The Flatshare was recently announced as 2019 Fiction Book of the Year by the British retailer WHSmith—an honor previously bestowed on books such as Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman and The Girl on the Train by Paula... Continue reading at Writer's Digest
[ Writer's Digest | 2019-11-19 11:00:22 UTC ]
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It’s rare for novelists to make the leap to becoming filmmakers, but Dennis Cooper has not only made the transition, his latest movie Permanent Green Light is one of the year’s best. It reworks his longtime themes of young people, intimacy, and violence to create an affecting story of... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2019-11-18 09:47:50 UTC ]
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It’s a confusing thing, being Irish. We’re European with none of the sophistication, and for a tiny island, we have an impressive lack of consistency. That said, we also have an impressive literary output. Our politics, social movements, and religions have born enough conflict to make a canon... Continue reading at Electric Literature
[ Electric Literature | 2019-11-15 12:00:00 UTC ]
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From meditations on the d/Deaf experience to short stories blurring the mythic and the gothic with the everyday, from mixing the personal and political to a young woman uncover the truth about her family’s past – four outstanding writers have today been named on the shortlist for The Sunday... Continue reading at British Council global
[ British Council global | 2019-11-04 12:55:09 UTC ]
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Hilary Davidson, author of 'Dress in the Age of Jane Austen,' explores the fashions of Britain's Regency period. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-11-01 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine EvaristoSince studying Lara as a student, I have been a fan of Bernardine Evaristo’s work, and am delighted to see her win the Booker Prize this year. Girl, Woman, Other follows the lives of twelve black characters with different backgrounds and experiences, most... Continue reading at British Council global
[ British Council global | 2019-10-30 09:49:28 UTC ]
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The genre is experiencing a renaissance with quality novels and short stories from new and established authors. Continue reading at The Washington Post
[ The Washington Post | 2019-10-29 18:17:37 UTC ]
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Duolingo's library of interactive short stories is finally available for mobile, particularly for iPhones. The language-learning portal's Stories feature, which offers over 100 fully voiced bite-sized stories designed to test your reading and listeni... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2019-10-29 11:00:00 UTC ]
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Like they did with Snapchat in previous years, publishers are still figuring out what works and what doesn't on this latest hot new app. The post What publishers like BuzzFeed, Hearst and Vice are learning from being on TikTok appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday
[ Digiday | 2019-10-23 04:01:04 UTC ]
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Audible has partnered with Uber to launch in-app short stories to help stressed passengers find a "literary escape" on their journey. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-10-20 14:31:04 UTC ]
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Her novels, short stories and poetry were dense with lush and spellbinding imagery. As a teacher, one former student said, “She lived and died by the word.” Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2019-10-18 22:39:19 UTC ]
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Get more global with your reading, thanks to the Best Asian Short Stories 2019 collection. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2019-10-18 10:35:55 UTC ]
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News and Events WLT Photo by J. Foley Opale World Literature Today, the University of Oklahoma’s award-winning magazine of international literature and culture, announced late Wednesday evening that Ismail Kadare is the 26th laureate of the renowned... Continue reading at World Literature Today
[ World Literature Today | 2019-10-16 22:21:35 UTC ]
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An auction of various things from the estate of Anthony Bourdain, the late writer, chef, and TV host, is happening now through October 30, and it includes a number of Bourdain’s early writings. The current bid for the original manuscript of A Chef’s Christmas, his 2002 holiday audiobook, is... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2019-10-10 18:10:41 UTC ]
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The Rathbones Folio Prize has brought forward its 2020 shortlist and winner schedule two months earlier than in previous years. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-10-09 02:57:15 UTC ]
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In his poems, essays, short stories and novels, he highlighted the differences between East and West Germany, even after the Berlin Wall fell. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2019-10-07 22:40:33 UTC ]
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Whether you're looking to break a reading slump or prefer short form writing, we've got the deets on where you can find free short stories online. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2019-10-07 10:37:57 UTC ]
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Here are 10 Edgar Allan Poe quotes for writers and about writing from the author of several short stories and poems, including "The Tell-Tale Heart," "The Fall of the House of Usher," and "The Raven." In these quotes, Poe covers poetry, dreams, madness, and more. The post 10 Edgar Allan Poe... Continue reading at Writer's Digest
[ Writer's Digest | 2019-10-07 05:00:10 UTC ]
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