The Irish novelist and playwright on the positives of ageing, his struggles with depression and a golden age of Irish writingSebastian Barry, 68, is the author of 11 novels and 15 plays. Five of his books have been long- or shortlisted for the Booker prize, and his novels have won numerous awards, including the Costa book of the year (twice) and the Walter Scott prize for historical fiction. He was laureate for Irish fiction from 2018 to 2021. His latest novel, Old God’s Time, is about a retired policeman, Tom Kettle, and his struggles with the legacy of institutional child abuse in Ireland. It has been described as “a tour de force of transcendent power and complexity”. Barry was born in Dublin and lives in a converted rectory in the mountains of County Wicklow, Ireland.Was it good to be back in Ireland with Old God’s Time? Did it feel like coming home?I was in dread of coming home. I had spent two books [Days Without End and A Thousand Moons] in America, quite joyously… a kind of vast holiday. So, yes, it was coming home, but I was a bit… It’s not that I’ve been avoiding the whole strange cosmos of what we have done to children in this country, but I was certainly unable to write this book… until I did. When you get past 60, you do feel a sort of licence finally to write fearlessly about something that essentially is full of fear.Old God’s Time by Sebastian Barry is published in paperback by Faber (£9.99). To support the Guardian and Observer order your copy at... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2024-02-10 18:00:48 UTC ]
The Southern California Independent Bookstore Bestsellers list for Sunday, June 1, 2025, including hardcover and paperback fiction and nonfiction. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2025-05-28 13:00:00 UTC ]
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Who doesn’t love dark academia? The malevolent architecture and forced proximity cut with the youth and ambition that sets it all aflame? Ever since chancing upon a marked-up paperback of The Secret History in the late ’90s, I’ve been obsessed with dark academia and all the micro-genres... Continue reading at Electric Literature
[ Electric Literature | 2025-05-27 11:05:00 UTC ]
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In this interview, author Martha Hall Kelly discusses how a reading recommendation planted the creative seed for her new book of historical fiction, The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club. The post Martha Hall Kelly: On Personal History Inspiring Historical Fiction appeared first on Writer's... Continue reading at Writer's Digest
[ Writer's Digest | 2025-05-25 12:00:00 UTC ]
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Ocean Vuong’s second novel, The Emperor of Gladness, debuts at #2 on our hardcover fiction list and is the newest Oprah’s Book Club pick. Plus Kennedy Ryan’s third Skyland romance, Can’t Get Enough, lands at #2 on our trade paperback list, and Joe Abercrombie lightens his usual grimdark fare... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2025-05-23 04:00:00 UTC ]
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The African American Literature Book Club has launched the BLK Bestseller List, showcasing the bestselling books by Black authors going back 16 months. It consists of monthly data from Circana Bookscan on the top 20 hardcover and paperback fiction, nonfiction, and children’s books, as well as... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2025-05-22 04:00:00 UTC ]
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The Southern California Independent Bookstore Bestsellers list for Sunday, May 25, 2025, including hardcover and paperback fiction and nonfiction. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2025-05-21 13:00:00 UTC ]
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The history of a banned 1920s book comes to light. Plus, what these two WWII historical fiction novels have to tell us about today. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2025-05-21 12:00:00 UTC ]
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This is the magical historical fiction reimagining that saved me from being a complete GATSBY hater, written by one of my favorite authors. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2025-05-20 12:30:00 UTC ]
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Ahead of the author’s much anticipated memoir, we count down the best of her books – from climate dystopias to her world-conquering handmaidsAfter more than 30 years, Atwood caved to pleas to write a sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale. Not since Harry Potter had a publication caused such a sensation:... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2025-05-19 11:01:02 UTC ]
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In February, trade paperback and hardback formats declined 1.4 percent and 4.9 percent respectively over the same month last year. The post AAP’s StatShot: Some US Market Slippage in February appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2025-05-14 15:15:27 UTC ]
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The Southern California Independent Bookstore Bestsellers list for Sunday, May 18, 2025, including hardcover and paperback fiction and nonfiction. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2025-05-14 13:00:00 UTC ]
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A list of three books of historical fiction about motherhood set in three distinct time periods and places Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2025-05-14 12:30:00 UTC ]
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Nomad Editions will launch in November with pocket-sized redesigns of three HarperVia bestsellers. The publisher described Nomad as a response to the decline of mass market paperbacks, taking inspiration from Japanese pocket novels. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2025-05-12 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Ana Huang tops our trade paperback list and has the #1 book in the country with King of Envy, book five in her spicy Kings of Sin billionaire romance series. Plus Shelby Van Pelt’s Remarkably Bright Creatures, a handsell favorite, gets its paperback release, and Natasha Wing’s Night Before... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2025-05-09 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Enjoy all the best of the new historical fiction May has to offer including new books by Isabel Allende and Natalie Jenner. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2025-05-07 12:00:00 UTC ]
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Earlier today, the 2025 Pulitzer Prizes were announced and Percival Everett’s James was declared the winner for fiction. This came as no surprise to anybody even vaguely tapped into the literary scene: in addition to winning the National Book Award for Fiction, James won the Kirkus Prize and was... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2025-05-05 22:49:07 UTC ]
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