Sourcebooks triumphs in auction for THE RESORT by Sara Ochs

Kate Burke has sold US rights to Sara Ochs’ unputdownable debut thriller THE RESORT and a second unnamed novel to MJ Johnston at Sourcebooks for a significant six-figure sum. THE RESORT will be published in hardback this Autumn.

THE RESORT is set at a scuba diving school on one of Thailand’s world-famous party islands – a place where backpackers go to find themselves or get lost for ever. When a young woman is found dead during a scuba diving lesson, the morning after a full moon party, the diving instructor and her group of ex-pat friends realise they aren’t the only people who have fallen in love with paradise. A killer has too.

Rights have already been sold to this exciting debut in pre-empts or at auction in the United Kingdom, Germany, Finland, Holland and Russia. The UK hardback edition will be published in July by Transworld as THE DIVE.

About Sara Ochs

Sara Ochs is an attorney, law professor, and author who splits her time between the United States and Sweden. When she’s not writing psychological thrillers set in far-flung destinations, Sara can usually be found on a flight with a glass of wine in one hand and a novel in the other.

Praise for THE DIVE

‘THE DIVE is an escapist, up-all-night thriller that holds you under and doesn’t let you surface for air until the very final page. Utterly compelling!’ – Lucy Clarke, Sunday Times Top Ten bestselling author of ONE OF THE GIRLS

‘A compelling and accomplished debut, perfect for fans of Ruth Ware and Lucy Foley.’ – Steve Cavanagh, Sunday Times bestselling author of THIRTEEN

‘A deadly, dangerous, beautiful nightmare. THE DIVE will leave you breathless yet gasping for more.’ – Chris Whitaker

‘THE DIVE turns paradise into a nightmare… and I loved every minute of it… I was captivated by Sara’s writing and can’t wait to see what she does next.’ – Amy McCulloch, author of BREATHLESS

Follow Sara on Twitter and Instagram.

Visit Sara’s website.

THE HYACINTH GIRL by Lyndall Gordon longlisted for 2023 PEN/Jacqueline Bograd Weld Award for Biography

Lyndall Gordon’s ground-breaking biography THE HYACINTH GIRL: T. S. Eliot’s Hidden Muse has been longlisted for the 2023 PEN/Jacqueline Bograd Weld Award for Biography.

The PEN/Jacqueline Bograd Weld Award for Biography was established in 2008 by Rodman L. Drake and awards excellence in biography writing. The winning title is considered by the judges to be a work of ‘exceptional literary, narrative, and artistic merit, based on scrupulous research’, with previous winners including the likes of Amy Stanley’s STRANGER IN THE SHOGUN’S CITY and LOOKING FOR LORRAINE by Imani Perry.

The finalists for the 2023 award will be announced in early February and the winner revealed at the annual PEN America Literary Awards Ceremony at New York’s Town Hall on the 2nd of March. The other shortlisted titles for the 2023 award are as follows: AN AMERICAN MARTYR IN PERSIA: The Epic Life and Tragic Death of Howard Baskerville by Reza Aslan, CIVIL RIGHTS QUEEN: Constance Baker Motley and the Struggle for Equality by Tomiko Brown-Nagin, DILLA TIME: The Life and Afterlife of J Dilla, the Hip-Hop Producer Who Reinvented Rhythm by Dan Charnas, THE ADVENTURES OF HERBIE COHEN by Rich Cohen, G-MAN: J. Edgar Hoover and the Making of the American Century by Beverly Gage, GURU TO THE WORLD: The Life and Legacy of Vivekananda by Ruth Harris, MR. B: George Balachine’s 20th Century by Jennifer Homans, THE POPE AT WAR: The Secret History of Pius XII, Mussolini, and Hitler by David I. Kertzer, and SAXOPHONE COLOSSUS: The Life and Music of Sonny Rollins by Aidan Levy.

Drawing on the dramatic new material of the only recently unsealed 1,131 letters, THE HYACINTH GIRL casts new light on T. S. Eliot’s life and great poetry, and restores a quiet, talented woman to prominence in literary history.

Virago published the hardback edition of THE HYACINTH GIRL in the UK in October last year, while the American edition was published by W. W. Norton in November. It has received enormous acclaim – from fellow biographers as well as readers and critics – and was highlighted by many publications as being one of the best non-fiction titles of the year. The UK paperback edition will be published in August 2023.

Lyndall also recently appeared in a BBC documentary about Eliot’s ‘The Waste Land’, which forms part of programming across BBC television and radio designed to celebrate the centenary of the publication of the celebrated poem. You can read more about the documentary here. Lyndall is one of the luminaries appearing at the T.S .Eliot Summer School in the UK, 8-16 July 2023.

Photo credit: Nina Hollington

About Lyndall Gordon

A much-celebrated biographer, Lyndall Gordon lives in Oxford. Her ability to make the subjects of her biographies come vividly to life has won her many literary awards, including the Cheltenham Prize and the James Tait Black prize. She has also been longlisted for the Samuel Johnson Prize and shortlisted for the Duff Cooper Prize and the Comisso Prize in Italy for her Emily Dickinson biography LIVE LIKE LOADED GUNS.

Her previous biographical work on T. S. Eliot – two biographies, ELIOT’S EARLY YEARS and ELIOT’S NEW LIFE, incorporated into an updated edition, THE IMPERFECT LIFE OF T. S. ELIOT – won the British Academy's Rose Mary Crawshay Prize and Southern Arts prize. THE IMPERFECT LIFE OF T. S. Eliot was also selected by the New York Public Library as one of 25 ‘Books to Remember’ from 2000 and by the Independent on Sunday as one of the ‘30 best biographies of the twentieth century’. Translator Xu Xiaofan won the Lu Xun Literary Prize for her translation of THE IMPERFECT LIFE OF T. S. ELIOT, published in China by Shanghai Literature and Art.

Praise for THE HYACINTH GIRL

‘Exemplary… revealed that the great man’s poetry was a lot less impersonal than he led us to believe.’ – Lucasta Miller, The Spectator, ‘Books of the Year’

 ‘A number of good books have marked the centenary of “The Waste Land”… but, for me, the most brilliant and incisive new book on Eliot is Lyndall Gordon’s The Hyacinth Girl: T.S. Eliot’s Hidden Muse, which looks at Eliot’s poetry in the light of his recently opened correspondence with Emily Hale.’ – Colm Tóibín, Irish Times, ‘Best Books of the Year’

‘Lyndall Gordon’s sensitive study of Emily Hale, Eliot’s childhood sweetheart in America’ – Iona McLaren, The Telegraph, ‘Best Biographies of 2022’

 ‘Gordon does an admirable job navigating the ambiguities of the tangled situations she chronicles; she is respectful of complications, of emotional messiness, of unusual attachments. She patiently evokes the intricacy and singularity of each intimate relationship. There is a human richness to Eliot’s cerebral poetry that we can appreciate more in the context of his knotted emotional life, and Gordon’s art is in drawing this out. She is also adept at mapping Eliot’s well-known religious and spiritual yearnings onto the sexual and emotional struggles that fed his beliefs. This is delicate and tricky work, if one is not overly reductive, and Gordon allows the reader to live with Eliot’s conflicts and contradictions. She is not interested in reducing or bludgeoning the mystery of his words, but in exploring layers and resonances.’ – Katie Roiphe, The New York Times

 ‘Exquisitely nuanced’ – Kathryn Hughes, Sunday Times

‘Lyndall Gordon is the first biographer to uncover the life of T.S. Eliot’s hidden muse, the inspiration of one of his greatest works of poetry …This is a work that will change the way that Eliot is seen.’ – Miranda Seymour, author of I USED TO LIVE HERE ONCE: THE HAUNTED LIFE OF JEAN RHYS

‘There is no finer guide into the mind of T.S. Eliot than Lyndall Gordon. Drawing upon Eliot’s newly unsealed letters to Emily Hale, THE HYACINTH GIRL reimagines one of the great literary love stories of the twentieth century… Thanks to Gordon’s meticulous research and inspired storytelling, we will never read these poems the same way again: It turns out that the great poet of ‘impersonality’ was baring his soul all along. Emily Hale, too, finally gets her due in this brilliant and revelatory work from one of our greatest biographers.’ – Heather Clark, author of the Pulitzer Prize finalist RED COMET: THE SHORT LIFE AND BLAZING ART OF SYLVIA PLATH

Visit Lyndall’s website.

Hodder takes four more adventures on the high seas from Stockwin

Hodder & Stoughton have signed four more books from Julian Stockwin for his classic maritime series starring Thomas Kydd.

Morgan Springett, Editor at Hodder & Stoughton, has acquired World English Language rights from Isobel Dixon, at the Blake Friedman Literary Agency.

With over half a million copies sold in the series to date, Stockwin is the undisputed master of the age of sail adventure. We are delighted that Hodder & Stoughton will continue to bring these books to readers all over the world, over 20 years since they published KYDD, the first book in the series. A number of titles have been translated into French, German, Portuguese, Russian and Japanese.

Stockwin’s series follows Thomas Kydd on his journey from pressed man to Admiral in the British Navy during the Great Age of Sail. It follows historical events incredibly closely, beginning in 1793, and is unusual in nautical fiction for the hero being an ordinary man forced into service, not an officer.

Springett says: ‘I’m hugely excited to work with Julian on his next four books. It’s an incredible achievement to have written such a long and exciting series. His fans are some of the most dedicated in publishing and have been following Kydd’s rise from pressed man to Captain for over 20 years now. I am thrilled to be able to continue the adventure.’

Stockwin says: ‘When I first began my working relationship with Hodder & Stoughton I doubt anyone, let alone myself, could envision the series growing to 29 titles with the signing of this latest contract. I am very privileged to be able to write about the glorious period in our sea history that so many are drawn to.’ 

Dixon says: ‘Julian Stockwin is a brilliant storyteller, bringing wonderful characters to life over this classic series. I know readers will be delighted that there is so much more to come for Kydd and his comrades – and adversaries! – and we look forward to working with the Hodder team and editor Morgan Springett on what lies ahead.’

About Julian Stockwin

Photo: Allan House

Author of the Thomas Kydd novels, a series of 25 volumes (to date) in which Kydd rises through the decks and his adventures take him around the world. Atmospheric, page-turning narrative, rich with action and great characterisation. Published in many countries around the world, this is the first series to highlight the common seaman in the greatest age of fighting sail.

At 14 Stockwin joined a tough sea-training school, followed by the Royal Navy, transferring to the Royal Australian Navy when his family emigrated. He saw active service in the Far East, the Antarctic, the South Seas and Vietnam, and was on board the Melbourne at the time of its disastrous peace time collision with the Voyager. Later he worked for NATO on the strategic deployment of merchant shipping.

Stockwin is also author of two novels in the Moments of History series, depicting important turning points in history. The first, THE SILK TREE, tells the dramatic story of how the secret of silk was brought from China to the West. This was followed by POWDER OF DEATH, which shows how the nature of warfare was changed forever by the discovery of gunpowder.

Hodder published YANKEE MISSION, the 25th book in the KYDD series, in October 2022, and Mobius Books will publish in North America on 24 January 2023. Stockwin is now writing BERMUDA STATION, the next book in the Kydd series.

Praise for the Kydd series

‘Very readable and enjoyable. I recommend that you go out, beg, borrow or buy, and enjoy.’ – Bernard Cornwell

‘Forrester, Kent, Pope, O'Brian all wrote outstanding tales around their commissioned heroes. From a unique starting point, Stockwin has become another member of the band of great naval fiction writers who have achieved the highest standards of storytelling.’ — Firetrench Reviews

‘The preeminent living historical naval fiction writer on either side of the Atlantic.’ – Quarterdeck

‘Stockwin, a career navy man, writes of the nautical life with vivid authority.’ – Kirkus Review

‘A master teller of grand historical fiction tales. Pick one, any one, and you will be highly entertained… He writes brilliantly, bringing wonderful characters to life.’ – Booksville

‘In his hands the sea story will continue to entrance readers across the world.’ – The Guardian

Visit Julian’s official website

Like Julian’s page on Facebook

Follow Julian on Twitter

Julian on Pinterest

Blake Friedmann Best of 2022 & 2023

We’re delighted to have so many author achievements from 2022 to celebrate! Take a look at the list here:

GOOD INTENTIONS by Kasim Ali

 One of LoveReading’s ‘Books of the Year 2022’

 One of The Week’s ‘Best Novels of 2022’

 THE HIERARCHIES  by Ros Anderson

 ‘THE HIERARCHIES by Ros Anderson went above and beyond my expectations. The plot is as fast-paced as any Hollywood movie but the writing is exquisite. Told through the voice of Sylv.ie, a synthetic robot designed to cater to her husband’s every whim, there are dark moments and, as with the best dystopian fiction, the novel asks questions about humans and how we relate to those we see as ‘lesser’. I became very attached to Sylv.ie and her journey and I know I will re-read this book many times.’ – Gaynor Jones, Northern Soul, ‘Best Reads of 2022’

 EAST SIDE VOICES (including contributions by Romalyn Ante, Tuyen Do & Andrew Wong)

 ‘EAST SIDE VOICES, which started life as a literary salon exploring what it means to be East and Southeast Asian in Britain today, now takes this varied and thought-provoking collection of essays, brought together by founder and editor Helena Lee… Invaluable and delightful.’ – Esquire, ‘Best Books of 2022’

 ‘A range of touching essays on what it means to have an Asian or Southeast Asian identity in Britain. I found the nuanced reflections by the contributors, from Harry Potter actress Katie Leung to author and musician Claire Kohda, incredibly informative and, at times, profoundly emotional.’ – Katy Hessel, Waterstones Blog, ‘Katy Hessel's Favourite Reads of 2022’

THE MILK TART MURDERS (A Tannie Maria Mystery #4) by Sally Andrew

 A Number 1 Bestseller in South Africa (and series streamed on Acorn TV)

A SKY FULL OF STARS by Dani Atkins

 Winner of the Contemporary Romantic Novel Award at the 2022 Romantic Novel Awards

 HONEY & SPICE by Bolu Babalola

 One of Booklist’s ‘Top 10 Romance Debuts’ of 2022

 One of Time’s ‘Must-Read Books of 2022’

 One of WHSmith’s ‘Best Books of 2022’

 One of NPR’s ‘Best Books of 2022’

 A Times Bestseller

 ‘The holidays are the perfect time to sink into this sweet and savvy mashup. Like a Gen Z meeting of Nora Ephron and Bernardine Evaristo, in her first romance novel, the author of the myth-inspired story collection LOVE IN COLOR infuses the joy, pain, and laughter of young love with cultural insight and drama… This swoony coming-of-age tale cements Babalola’s superlative status as a queen of romantic comedy and master chronicler of Black British life.’ – Oprah Daily, ‘Favorite Books of the Year’

 ‘Amidst the typical stream of horror that social media offered in 2022, Twitter and TikTok also placed this sensual and thought-provoking romance into my lap… a romantic comedy brimming with all of my favourite tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fake dating, and Brits bantering until you’re practically begging for them to just snog already. Babalola expertly blends sex with societal discourse in ways that echo Jane Austen and Nora Ephron. Receiving updates on her follow-up is – for now – reason enough to keep Twitter activated.’ – Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, ‘Best Books of 2022’

 ‘This book felt like me. Having attended a British uni with a big African-Brit community (very much like the characters Kiki and Malakai at their society, Blackwell), reading about all that existed in their world while their story took place was nothing short of amazing. Everything about the way the story moved and flowed was so familiar. I felt like I lived it and to me, that is why I read – to see myself in pages and bask in the knowledge that I *get* it. This was one of those reads. Beyond that, it is definitely my favourite because you can feel the care and thoughtfulness that went into crafting the very realistic characters. As a big lover girl, it helped that the whole book literally bled romance and Black joy and excellence. Totally swoon-worthy.’ – Anna-Maria Poku, The New York Times, ‘Readers’ Favourite Books of 2022’

 ‘A deliciously witty romantic comedy, packed full of memorable characters and relatable humour.’ – Waterstones, ‘Best Books of 2022: Feelgood Fiction’

 ‘Flirting – good flirting – has its own drumbeat; an unseen force that seems to govern the back and forth. Not only does Bolu Babalola capture this perfectly in HONEY & SPICE, but whether she’s writing about her characters’ heartbreak or their hope, their treasured friendships or their burning ambitions, her prose has its own irresistible rhythm – the kind that sucks you into their world completely… Babalola’s loving treatment of time-honoured romance tropes – the fake relationship is a classic for good reason – feels entirely fresh, and her ability to transcribe what it’s like to have chemistry with someone is enough to give you butterflies.’ – Apple Books, ‘Books of the Year’

 ‘If Bolu Babalola’s bestselling (and utterly fantastic) short story collection LOVE IN COLOUR offered a taste of the kinds of stories that this author can tell, then there’s no denying that her full-length debut HONEY & SPICE has confirmed without a doubt that Babalola is a romance writing force to be reckoned with. Packed with just as much passion, chemistry and heart as those stories that came before it, HONEY & SPICE has a lot of fun with its genre as expert relationship-evader Kiki and the man she recently publicly declared “The Wasteman of Whitewell” embark on a fake relationship in a bid to achieve their respective goals. Beneath the story of Kiki and Malakai’s surprising connection and electric chemistry, however, is an equally well-developed narrative of identity, friendship, love and growth. It’s all told with such an intelligent, sparkling narrative style and such delicious romantic tension that HONEY & SPICE will leave you desperately wanting to hear more from Bolu Babalola.’ – Megan Davies, Culturefly, ‘Best Books of 2022’

 ‘Every so often a writer will come along who takes your breath away with every page. Bolu Babalola is that writer. HONEY AND SPICE is her debut novel following the success of her short story collection LOVE IN COLOUR. It does not disappoint. The novel has all the ingredients for a hot and hilarious rom-com; take two students and a dash of chemistry, and mix in a hugely entertaining plotline, topped with a few spoons of passion and there you have it. Perfection.’ – Samira Sawlani, African Arguments, ‘Best African Books of 2022’

 ‘Bolu Babalola’s debut novel is a sexy slow-burn with depth, and the best part? She’s publishing a sequel in 2024.’ – Lydia Wang, Women’s Health Magazine, ‘Best Romance Novels 2022’ 

 ‘I haven’t read anything that has given me the same warm and fuzzy feeling since Bolu Babalola’s last offering LOVE IN COLOUR. Filled with romantic tension and misunderstanding, and an irresistible love interest, HONEY & SPICE is the perfect antidote to all woes. Never cynical and always loving, Bolu Babalola is a real gem! … A funny and sparkling debut, HONEY & SPICE is full of delicious tension and romantic intrigue that will make you weak at the knees.’ – Una McKeown, The British Blacklist, ‘The Best Reads of 2022’

 ‘Weruche Opia’s confident narration sings with a heady mix of feminine power and vulnerability. Opia builds an elegant, charismatic persona for Kiki Banjo, who doles out feminist relationship advice on her radio show. Add a fake relationship and a magical connection for a spellbinding story.’ – AudioFile Magazine, ‘Best Audiobooks of 2022’

 ‘I loved this book – romance and a bit of drama took me back to my university days. I loved the characters and all of the different friendships and relationships. It was fun and enjoyable and so easy to read!’ – Kimberley (Reading Partner), The Reading Agency, ‘Books of 2022’

 ‘Humorous and passionate’ – Elizabeth Okosun, The List, ‘The Best Romance Books Of 2022’

 ‘This enemies-to-lovers romance set on a British university campus hums with Bolu Babalola’s energetic, intelligent voice.’ –  Bookpage, ‘Best Romance of 2022’

 OXBLOOD by Tom Benn

 Longlisted for the 2022 Gordon Burn Prize

 HOPE AND GLORY by Jendella Benson

 =‘Hilarious and heart-warming in equal measure, this novel is centred around a family struggling to cope with loss, buried secrets and collective trauma. At times, I felt genuinely concerned for Glory, her family and the status of her new romantic relationship. I was completely absorbed in Jendella Benson’s Peckham, and loved her unique narrative voice… HOPE AND GLORY is a rich, heart-warming story of loss, love and family chaos and marks an exciting new voice in fiction.’ – Una McKeown, The British Blacklist, ‘The Best Reads of 2022’

 ‘In Jendella Benson’s HOPE AND GLORY, Glory Akindele flies home to London from Los Angeles after the news of her father’s sudden death. She’s tired of pretending that her life in L.A. is glamorous, but things aren’t so great at home either. Glory’s brother is in jail and won’t speak to her because she missed his trial, her sister is trying to uphold the facade of a perfect Nigerian housewife, and after the loss of her husband, her mother is on the verge of another nervous breakdown. Glory decides to stay and try to mend her family’s problems, but discovers a family secret that threatens to drive her family further apart.’ – Mariette Williams, Essence, ‘The 7 Best Novels Of 2022’

MELIZ’S KITCHEN by Meliz Berg

 No. 1 Sunday Times Bestseller

 One of ‘The Food Programme’s Books of 2022’

 CASE STUDY by Graeme Macrae Burnet

 Shortlisted for the 2022 Gordon Burn Prize

 Shortlisted for the 2022 Ned Kelly Award for Best International Crime Fiction

 Longlisted for the 2022 Booker Prize

 Longlisted for the Historical Writers’ Association 2022 Gold Crown Award

 ‘Did an unorthodox therapist drive a woman to suicide? This novel of purportedly found documents, including journals and biographical interludes, takes on this psychological mystery while exploring through its nested narratives the possibilities of fiction.’ – New York Times, ‘Notable Books of 2022’

 ‘CASE STUDY by Graeme Macrae Burnet is complex, funny and scary. After the ingenuity of HIS BLOODY PROJECT, set in remote 19th-century Scotland, who would imagine he could pull off the same trick twice with the cultish anti-psychiatry scene of 1960s London? Mind-blowing.’ – Peter Brookes, The Times, ‘Favourite Books of 2022’

 TIEPOLO BLUE by James Cahill

 One of BBC Culture’s ‘Best Books of the Year 2022’

 ‘Having been up at Cambridge in the mid-1980s, I was prepared to recognize (and luxuriate in the nostalgia of) the university’s ambience as depicted in James Cahill’s triumphant first novel TIEPOLO BLUE after I read the TLS review of it. Sure enough, it took me right back there in an instant, as the plot and the intriguing central character march towards their superb denouement.’ – Andrew Roberts, Times Literary Supplement, ‘Books of the Year 2022’

 ‘A compelling psychosexual story about beauty, desire and art, TIEPOLO BLUE is all the more interesting because it hits notes of such strangeness.’ – Lucy Scholes, Prospect Magazine, ‘Fiction Books of the Year: 2022’

 ‘An alluring and profoundly moving bildungsroman.’ – Waterstones, ‘Best Books of 2022’

 ‘A simmering debut novel.’ – Esquire, ‘Best Books of 2022’

 ‘When a repressed art historian falls for an uninhibited young artist, his entire life begins to unravel. Beautifully written, perfectly poised between satirical and heartfelt, and set right here in Dulwich Village.’ – Village Books, ‘Books of the Year: Fiction 2022’

 ‘Art, sex, power – TIEPOLO BLUE has it all, wrapped together in a plot that grabs you by the hand and leads you into the wild nights of Soho’s gay nightlife and the 1990s British art scene. It’s gripping and exquisitely written, with queer lust cutting through a pervasive air of unease.’ – Matt Railton, Soho House, ‘Best reads of 2022’

 THE LAST THING TO BURN by Will Dean

 Shortlisted for Thriller Book of the Year at the 2022 Fingerprint Awards

 Shortlisted for the 2022 Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award

 Longlisted for The Goldsboro Books Glass Bell Award 2022

 Longlisted for The 2022 Crime Writers’ Association Gold Dagger Award

 THE MAN WHO LOVED CROCODILE TAMERS by Finuala Dowling

 ‘I wept through it and when I finished THE MAN WHO LOVED CROCODILE TAMERS by Finuala Dowling, such is the emotion it evokes… a memorably crafted novel. It touches the tender nerve network of family and some shriekingly vivid entrail images of World War 2 battlefields in a tale that takes you into old schools and churches, hospitals and circus tents, advertising agencies, the streets of London, bars of Cape Town and even the downtrodden of Marseille. Most endearing are the interspersed heartfelt Fragments from a writer’s diary. This is a beautiful nugget of family legend, glistening with poet Dowling’s exquisitely turned phrases and hallmark huggable humour.’ – Nancy Richards, Sunday Times, ‘Books of the Year’

 A RATION BOOK CHRISTMAS BROADCAST by Jean Fullerton

  Shortlisted for the Shorter Romantic Novel in the 2022 Romantic Novel Awards

 BETRAYAL by David Gilman

 One of LoveReading’s ‘Books of the Year 2022’

 THE HYACINTH GIRL: T.S. Eliot’s Hidden Muse by Lyndall Gordon

 ‘Exemplary… revealed that the great man’s poetry was a lot less impersonal than he led us to believe.’ – Lucasta Miller, The Spectator, ‘Books of the Year’

 ‘Lyndall Gordon’s sensitive study of Emily Hale, Eliot’s childhood sweetheart in America’ – Iona McLaren, The Telegraph, ‘Best Biographies of 2022’

 ‘Putting it all in a surprising perspective is Lyndall Gordon’s insightful THE HYACINTH GIRL. Though raised in St. Louis, and long associated with a distinct British chilliness, Eliot and his work were shaped by women rarely given their due. Drawing on more than 1,100 letters to his lifelong love Emily Hale, Gordon introduces a tangled emotional backdrop.’ – Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune

 ‘A number of good books have marked the centenary of “The Waste Land”… but, for me, the most brilliant and incisive new book on Eliot is Lyndall Gordon’s The Hyacinth Girl: T.S. Eliot’s Hidden Muse, which looks at Eliot’s poetry in the light of his recently opened correspondence with Emily Hale.’ – Colm Tóibín, Irish Times, ‘Best Books of the Year’

 SIDE EFFECTS: How Our Healthcare Lost Its Way - And How We Fix It by David Haslam

 ‘In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the revered doctor asks searching questions about the current state of the NHS and what we should rightfully expect from our medical services.’ –Waterstones, ‘Best Books of 2022: Popular Science’

 PICTURE YOU DEAD by Peter James

 Top 10 Sunday Times Bestseller

 ‘Peter James returns with book eighteen in the highly successful DS Roy Grace series. Whether your loved one is a fan of Grace (either in the book or TV show format), or just loves a good police procedural, PICTURE YOU DEAD won’t disappoint – this time, Grace is caught up in the cut-throat world of fine art collection.’ – Darren Hardy, Amazon Editors’ Choice, ‘Best Books to Gift: Fiction’

‘The latest instalment in the Roy Grace series of mystery novels is also a personal favourite. James is a solid writer – character, action, and plot are perfectly balanced in this fantastic and gripping novel. If you haven’t read Peter James, make 2023 your resolution to start.’ – Andrew Gulli, The Strand Magazine, ‘Top 25 Mystery Novels of 2022’

 THE KIDS by Hannah Lowe

 Winner of the Costa Prize 2022

 Shortlisted for the T.S. Eliot Prize 2022

 Hannah Lowe made fellow of the Royal Society of Literature

 ARE WE HAVING FUN YET? by Lucy Mangan

 Longlisted for the Comedy Women in Print Prize

 Zakes Mda

 The latest in a series of academic accolades, Wits University Awarded an Honorary Doctorate to Zakes Mda in July 2022

 THE DARK FLOOD by Deon Meyer

A Number One Bestseller in South Africa

 Winner of the Crime Fiction Lover’s Award, Best in Translation, December 2022

 ‘Deon Meyer is the monarch of South African crime novelists. Detectives Benny Griessel and Vaughn Cupido, demoted after an ill-advised sortie in Cape Town, are investigating the disappearance of a computer wizard and beset by their own problems (such as Benny’s alcoholism). No stinting on the usual critique of South African politics.’ – Barry Forshaw, Financial Times, ‘Best Books of 2022: Crime Fiction’

 ‘South African author Deon Meyer writes in his native Afrikaans and is a master at keeping a long-running series fresh and feisty, which is why readers loved his latest Benny Griessel novel. It’s also one of his best… THE DARK FLOOD is a complex mystery thriller that is tense and explosive, populated with strong characters and has a very satisfying denouement as the strands of the story coalesce. As good as police procedurals get anywhere in the world.’ – Crime Fiction Lover,  Winner of  ‘Best in Translation’ at Crime Fiction Lover Awards 2022

 At the Gothenburg Book Fair 2022 Deon was also awarded the Martin Beck Award (‘Den gyllene kofoten’ or The golden crowbar) by the Swedish Academy of Crime Writers for THE LAST HUNT (published in 2020 but the prize could not be awarded to him due to the pandemic).

 YOUR WORD OR MINE by Lia Middleton

 ‘A thriller so full of twists it left me with whiplash’ – Clare Mackintosh, Daily Express, ‘Favourite Books of 2022’

 MY FIRST MEALS by Grace Mortimer

 Instant Sunday Times Bestseller

 Joseph O’Connor

 Winner of the 2022 AWB Vincent American Ireland Fund Literary Award

 WHAT EDEN DID NEXT by Sheila O’Flanagan

 Number One on the Irish Bestseller lists

 Shortlisted for the An Post Irish Book Awards 2022 for Popular Fiction Book of the Year

 THREE WEDDINGS AND A PROPOSAL by Sheila O’Flanagan

 Top 10 bestseller in both the UK and Ireland

 MAY GOD FORGIVE by Alan Parks

 Winner of the McIlvanney Prize 2022

 One of The Guardian’s ‘Best Crime & Thriller Books of 2022’

 ‘This fifth instalment in Parks’s 1970s-set Harry McCoy crime series continues the neat titular conceit which began with BLOODY JANUARY and continued with FEBRUARY’S SON. Winner of this year’s prestigious McIlvanney Scottish Crime Book of the Year Prize at the Bloody Scotland festival, it finds McCoy racing to save two boys kidnapped by unknown assailants after they are charged with a deadly arson attack on a hairdresser. Let’s hope Parks makes it all the way through to December to complete the dodecology.’ – Barry Didcock, The Herald, ‘Best Scottish Novels Of 2022’

 BOBBY MARCH WILL LIVE FOREVER by Alan Parks

 Winner of the Edgar Allan Poe Award 2022

 Shortlisted for the Macavity Award for Best Mystery Novel 2022

 SHIVER by Allie Reynolds

 Shortlisted for ‘Best Debut Crime’ at the 2022 Davitt Awards

 THE MERMAID OF BLACK CONCH by Monique Roffey

 Monique Roffey made fellow of the Royal Society of Literature

 ‘For a long time the idea of the woman scorned in Caribbean Literature came from Jean Rhys’ WIDE SARGASSO SEA, and while that was a powerful narrative, Monique Roffey has chosen to challenge it, and explore a different aspect of this in her award winning novel THE MERMAID OF BLACK CONCH. While it is about an actual mermaid caught off the coast of a Caribbean island in the 1970s, it is also about possession of women, colonisation, complicated inherited legacies and ancient curses. It’s a bittersweet, tender love story told in a lilting patois that immediately creates a detailed vision of the island, its land, people and history.’ – Mahvesh Murad, Tor.com, ‘Best Books of 2022’

 THE LITTLE WARTIME LIBRARY by Kate Thompson

 ‘A love letter to libraries, librarians and books… wonderful.’ – Reader review, Women’s Prize newsletter, ‘The Best Books You Read in 2022’

 A HISTORY OF WATER by Edward Wilson-Lee

 ‘In A HISTORY OF WATER, Edward Wilson-Lee brilliantly weaves together the career of the Portuguese national poet, Camões, and the historian Damião de Góis, and cleverly resolves a mystery about Damião’s murder. He opens a window on to a vast and contentious trading world that extended from Manila and Macau to the Atlantic.’ – David Abulafia, Times Literary Supplement, ‘Books of the Year 2022’

 ‘THE HISTORY OF WATER contrasts the lives of two great sixteenth century Portuguese men, and through them asks us to engage with two contrasting views of history. In its quiet way it takes us deep into the origins of post-Renaissance culture. I loved it.’ – Gabriel Josipovici, Times Literary Supplement, ‘Books of the Year 2022’

 ‘If you’re tired of the Nazis and the Tudors, this is the perfect antidote. It’s the story of two men who travelled the world from Lisbon in the 16th century: the art-collecting diplomat Damiao de Gois and the one-eyed ruffian Luis de Camoes, whose voyages took them as far as India, China and Japan… A splendidly readable book, full of odd details and bizarre characters.’ – Dominic Sandbrook, The Times, ‘Best History Books’

 ‘Compelling… An amazingly intricate account of Portugal’s Golden Age, constructed around two explorers and their competing visions for an expanding world.’ – Prospect Magazine, ‘Books of the Year: History’

 Edward Wilson-Lee was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship to work on his next book.

BOOKS TO READ IN 2023

So many BFLA titles were chosen as 2023 highlights! Take a look at the list here:

THE LAST PASSENGER by Will Dean

‘Will Dean’s THE LAST PASSENGER focuses on what was meant to be the holiday of a lifetime. Now, the main character just needs to survive. Ooh er.’ – Aine Toner, Belfast Telegraph, 2023 pick

RESURRECTION by David Gilman

A LoveReading ‘2023 Fiction Preview ­– The Fabulous Fiction that Awaits Us in the New Year ’ pick

‘RESURRECTION by David Gilman sees Dan Raglan return in the third Englishman thriller. Thirty years after his death, the skeleton of a pilot emerges from the dunes, still carrying a document that could expose the most valuable spy the UK intelligence service has ever known. The British, French, and Russians are looking for it — and so is Raglan.’ – Frances Owen, Historia Mag, ‘Historical books to look out for in 2023’

THE DIVE by Sara Ochs

‘THE GUEST LIST meets THE BEACH in this absorbing summer read about the dark side of paradise. It’s a truly gripping thriller that will transport you to Thailand from the comfort of your armchair or sun lounger.’ – Dead Good Books, ‘Debut crime novels to watch out for in 2023’

MY FATHER’S HOUSE by Joseph O’Connor

An Irish Times ‘Books to look forward to in 2023’ pick  

An Irish Independent 2023 pick

An Irish Examiner 2023 culture pick

‘In this powerful literary thriller based on a true story, Irish priest Hugh O’Flaherty hides those escaping from the Nazis in the neutral Vatican City as German forces occupy Rome.’ – Denise O’Donoghue, Irish Examiner

THE WOMAN ON THE BRIDGE by Sheila O’Flanagan

An Irish Independent 2023 pick

BFLA Staff’s Cultural Highlights of 2022

LIZZY ATTREE

THINGS THEY LOST - Okwiri Oduor (Oneworld, 2022)

Photograph by Lizzy Attree

This is my first pick and I wrote a full review in the Guardian earlier this year: It’s worth repeating here that Oduor is an extraordinary writer, and her debut novel is packed with magic.

GLORY – No Violet Bulawayo (Chatto, 2022)

Shortlisted for the Booker Prize this year, Bulawayo’s second novel GLORY focuses on the “Crocodile” that has stalked Zimbabwe since the end of the 15-year war of independence in 1979 and the rise of the dominant political party, ZANU–PF (Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front). Robert Mugabe is, for Bulawayo, the crocodile who ate the sun — as Peter Godwin described him in his 2006 book — yet the presence of other villains nurtured during ZANU–PF’s long stranglehold on power means that the current president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, presents an even greater danger to Zimbabwe today. Shocking, funny and lyrical it’s worth the read.

THE FURROWS – Namwali Serpell (Hogarth, 2022)

My first thought on reading THE FURROWS is that the book is just devastating. The descriptions of simple tragedies are emotionally overwhelming. Completely different from her debut novel THE OLD DRIFT, Serpell declares on the cover that she doesn’t want to tell a story of what happened, but how it felt, which is an unusual mode to select, but makes sense when it comes to the subject of grief, which is a difficult emotion to navigate. The story that unfolds describes the recovery of a sibling whose lost brother haunts her dreams and puts her on a collision course with a doppleganger who isn’t quite who he seems to be.

Next year I’m looking forward to: DAZZLING – Chikodili Emelumadu (Headline, 2023)

KATE BURKE

TV series: THE WILDS

Having binge-watched most of the big and buzzy TV series of the year, I came across this Amazon Prime series, recommended by an author on Twitter, and I absolutely inhaled the two series (sadly, it was cancelled after that). It's about a group of teenagers who survive a plane crash so it's a bit like LOST meets YELLOW JACKETS but there's more to it than that (no spoilers!) and I found it to be really gripping fun. Definitely one of the best things I've seen this year. So, here's my plug for this lesser-known gem! 

Film: TOP GUN: MAVERICK

My film of the year! Such great entertainment - amazing stunts, great action and just enough nods back to the (far inferior, in my opinion) original. It surpassed my expectations and while I know it would sound much cooler to say that EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE was probably the best film of the year (!), for me, it was MAVERICK. 

Live music: PET SHOP BOYS

It had been a couple of years since I had been to a gig and this one-off charity show at Camden's Electric Ballroom was an absolute treat! A surprise gift from my other half, I only found out I was going just days before the concert. It was so nice to be back in a room with a slightly sticky floor, plastic cups of beer and a crowd that knew every single word to their songs. 

FINLAY CHARLESWORTH

Book: TRESPASSES by Louise Kennedy (Bloomsbury)

A lucky friend from the North of Ireland managed to get hold of a proof of this way back in 2021, and until it had come out in the UK and she had sold every last person in our social circle a copy, she did not pipe down about it once. Thankfully, it was worth the noise.

A staggering, heart-breaking read about love and fear in 1970s Belfast that never raises its voice, undermines or mistreats the reader – just laying bare the tender-menacing reality as it plays out.

Photograph by Finlay Charlesworth

Play: CYRANO DE BERGERAC at the Harold Pinter Theatre, dir. Jamie Lloyd, freely adapted by Martin Crimp

I’ve been fortunate enough to see some amazing actors on stage this year – Ralph Fiennes, Tamsin Greig, Simon Russell Beale and Emma Corrin to name a few – but James McAvoy’s CYRANO stands out, a supreme performance combining muscular wit and cunning with a genuine soft, caring affection.

The new version of Edmund de Rostand’s play by Martin Crimp and Jamie Lloyd set him free with their mercurial script and staging – fast, irreverent, intricate, and never less than totally captivating.

Series: BAD SISTERS (Apple TV+)

Do I think watching and reading things about immensely silly murders make it less likely I’ll be bumped off? Possibly. For the likes of FARGO, ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING and BAD SISTERS, I’m happy to keep testing the theory.

BAD SISTERS keeps things fresh by telling you right at the start exactly who did it – but bouncing between the before and after to leave us asking how did they do it and will they get away with it?

Regularly took me from side-splitting laughter to jaw-dropping horror in seconds – fantastic.

Next year I’m looking forward to: THE MOON IS TRENDING by Clare Fisher (Salt, out 15th June). Clare was my very first guest lecturer as a fresh-faced create writing undergrad back in Leeds, and the first person I ever really associated with the short story – and since their last short story collection, HOW THE LIGHT GETS IN (Influx) came out in 2018, I’ve re-read it about four times and gifted fresh copies twice. To say I’m excited about THE MOON IS TRENDING, their new collection, would be an understatement.

Photograph by Isobel Dixon

ISOBEL DIXON

Travel: NEW MEXICO

Six years ago, my Picks of the Year included the Georgia O’Keeffe exhibition at Tate Modern, an agency summer outing which spoke to my long fascination with O’Keeffe’s paintings and her love of the New Mexico landscape – so reminiscent of the expanses of the Karoo where I grew up. A work not in that exhibition was The Lawrence Tree her striking image of the large ponderosa pine D.H. Lawrence sat and wrote under during his time in in New Mexico. One day, I thought, I’d see it – the painting and the tree itself. Late in that 2016 summer I’d also read and loved Out of Sheer Rage, Geoff Dyer’s wonderful, artful wrestle with Lawrence, himself, writing and not writing. This year saw a confluence of these two streams as (after pandemic postponements) I finally made it to the 15TH INTERNATIONAL D.H. LAWRENCE CONFERENCE in Taos, fell in love with the landscapes of New Mexico and sat happily a while under that ‘overshadowing’, ‘guardian angel’ tree. A week in Taos, walking among the pines on the D. H. Lawrence Ranch and learning more about New Mexico’s Native American communities was book-ended by two visits to the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe and a trip out to her homes at Ghost Ranch and Abiquiú. All this, with the friends I made along the way, made for a major memorable journey of the last few years. A Santa Fe poem about apricots and Georgia O’Keeffe fell into my lap as a result.

Events: BOOK FAIRS

It was a year of slow revival, and the return of other Covid-suspended festivals and book fairs suspended made for many significant reunions – I appreciated a return to a fuller FRANKFURT BOOK FAIR, a first trip to Gothenburg Book Fair with several authors, and being in Glasgow and Edinburgh again around the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

Book: WEST by Carys Davies

For more interior journeys, the novel that struck me most in its humanity, beauty and quiet power was Carys Davies’ WEST.

SIAN ELLIS- MARTIN

Event: WOMEN’S EURO 2022

I loved watching the Women’s Euro tournament this year. It was really inspiring to watch women from around the world play on an international stage and to finally get the screen time they deserve. And… it finally came home!

Book: PLAIN BAD HEROINES by Emily M. Danforth

A gothic, queer, cleverly written story with a haunting mystery at its heart. It was addictive reading and I couldn’t put it down.

TV: DEAD TO ME

I was a bit slow off the mark with this one and didn’t start season one until season three had come out. What a ride! Dead to Me is the perfect combination of funny, poignant and dramatic. Despite the absolute insanity of it, I binged the whole thing (and cried for the entirety of the last episode). The intricacies of Jen and Judy’s relationship are beautiful to watch, and Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini are amazing throughout all three seasons.

JULIAN FRIEDMANN

TV: BIG OIL VS THE WORLD, BBC TV (3 parts)

I started researching the anti-climate change lobby as part of the research for Dr Stephen Oppenheimer’s next book THE FOURTH FLOOD and was shocked at how blatant the lobby has been. This is nowhere better shown than in the three-part BBC documentary series BIG OIL vs THE WORLD. “The age of fossil fuels is far from over.” “What climate change means to me is looking in the eyes of my grandchildren, and wondering what kind of hell they’re going to pay?” Jane McMullen’s trilogy on the fossil fuel lobby deserves the Nobel Prize, such is the urgency of the issue, yet we are sleepwalking towards a global disaster.

Object: A HEATED COFFEE MUG WARMER

This really come into its own this December. It was given to me as a Christmas present last year: research shows that the USB warmers do not get hot enough. This one runs from mains and has three temperature settings. Highly recommended.

Photograph by Julian Friedmann

Travel: ICELAND

A bucket-list holiday to see volcanoes, geysers, the aurora, glaciers and ice caves (deep underneath glaciers) curated by New Scientist magazine (who knew they did holidays?) was a spectacular success.

SAMUEL HODDER

Book: WHY YOU LIKE THIS PHOTO: THE SCIENCE OF PERCEPTION by Brian Dilg (Ilex Press)

I devour photography books, but this little book was still full of revelations. Brian Dilg is a celebrated cinematographer and photographer, and here he uses discoveries in psychology and neuroscience to explain how perception works and the ways in which the human eye differs from a camera and its processes. It’s a fascinating subject and this short book is packed full of information that photographers can use to make their own work stronger.

Place: THE RUINS OF XANTHOS (Turkey)

Photograph by Samuel Hodder

I’m drawn to ruins – the older the better – like a cat is to catnip, and it was a delight to explore this ancient site in the countryside in the south of Turkey. I’d been intrigued by Xanthos, once a major Lycian city, since I first saw some of its treasures in the British Museum, including the glorious Nereid Monument. Despite being a UNESCO World Heritage Site, dating to the 8th century BC, Xanthos was almost deserted when I visited, and I could explore its remarkably well-preserved ruins in silence without any distraction. Below is a photo of the entrance to the amphitheatre. Xanthos is the site of the first recorded mass suicide in history: in 540 BC almost all the city’s population took their own lives when the city was about to fall to an invading Persian army.

Book: THE FIVE: THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE WOMEN KILLED BY JACK THE RIPPER by Hallie Rubenhold (Black Swan)

I came to this a little late, picking up the book after hearing Hallie Rubenhold talk at an event at the British Library this summer, and it became one of my favourite books of the year. It centres the victims of Jack the Ripper, correcting the marginalising and dismissive narratives that were placed upon them at the time. Despite being rigorously researched it has the pace of a thriller and it is deeply moving, too.

In 2023 I’m looking forward to: DUNE 2 directed by Denis Villeneuve! Earlier this year, I had been looking forward to DUNE so much that I was a little worried I would be disappointed. But I loved it: epic, sumptuous cinematography; exciting storytelling, and a brilliant cast including Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Oscar Isaac and Charlotte Rampling.

Photograph by Hana Murrell

HANA MURRELL

VILLA CARMIGNAC on Porquerolles Island

The island itself is a jewel off the Provençal coast – protected by National Park status, where cars and new builds aren’t allowed, and everyone walks or cycles between the charming village centre and beautiful beaches, passing by vineyards. I particularly enjoyed visiting the Villa Carmignac, a contemporary art gallery set in sprawling gardens, where you’ll find striking sculptures hidden behind gnarly old olive trees.

KAWANABE KYŌSA exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts

My mum and I really enjoyed this exhibition of Japanese painter Kawanabe Kyōsai’s work from the 19th century. Exquisitely wrought landscapes and animals were more familiar to me and reminiscent of other famous Japanese painters’ work, but the traditional scroll paintings depicting western visitors to Japan going around in top hats were a revelation. His fantastical, otherworldly creatures were also an arresting sight.

VORTEX JAZZ CLUB in Dalston

Local to me and to the office, I discovered their late-night Saturday jam session recently, and highly recommend it to anyone who fancies listening to a bunch of very talented jazz musicians for a great-value £5, in a causal and friendly space.

ANNA MYRMUS

Film: BONES AND ALL

I think surprise is something that always makes a film, or a book stick out for me and BONES AND ALL did nothing but surprise me. I went in not knowing anything about the film, specifically not knowing the two main characters were cannibals, so you can imagine my shock when Taylor Russell gnawed down on her classmate’s finger about five minutes in. But more than that I spent the whole film in awe of Luca Guadagnino, who left me similarly amazed by CALL ME BY YOUR NAME, because he managed to make a film that was thrilling, beautiful, disgusting, and romantic all at the same time.

Travel: CUBA

Photograph by Anna Myrmus

One of the highlights of my year was going to Cuba in July. Cuba is a beautiful country, and the landscape was breathtaking. We particularly enjoyed our time spent in the rural town of Viñales, where we went horse-riding twice, once at sunrise. The silence was astounding, especially having come from London. Cuba wasn’t the easiest place to travel but everyone was very warm and welcoming, and I really treasured our conversations with our hosts, taxi drivers and tour guides, who were always so open to chatting about everything from their life during covid to football.

JULIET PICKERING

Book: BOOK LOVERS by Emily Henry

I’m sure nearly everyone has heard of TikTok sensation Emily Henry; I picked up BOOK LOVERS to see what the fuss was about, and to my great delight/horror discovered that the main character was a literary agent. Literary agent characters are NEVER glam and usually pretty boring, but this one was quick and funny, and even I could suspend the disbelief at her falling for a moody, handsome publishing editor… Definitely fiction, but sexy, romantic and a joyful escape. Loved it!

TV: COUPLES THERAPY (BBC iPlayer)

I’m nosy, and always fascinated by the emotional dynamics between two people, so this documentary/reality show about real couples in counselling in New York, had me completely hooked. The second series was particularly absorbing as the covid pandemic hit, and forced everyone into lockdown, both bringing people together and forcing them apart. Soooo much better than Love Island - this is love in its grittiest form!

TV: THE MOLE AGENT (Storyville, BBC iPlayer)

I’m still an emotional wreck after watching this a few weeks ago. I don’t want to give away too much except to say that this starts out by being about an 83 year-old man sent into a Chilean nursing home as a mole, reporting on what he witnesses there via a succession of clumsy voice notes and videos, and then becomes a film about remarkable kindness. Devastating in the best (happy/sad) ways. 

In 2023 I’m looking forward to ROMANTIC COMEDY from Curtis Sittenfeld. ELIGIBLE was a lot of fun, so I’m very hopeful about this novel and all the title promises.

JAMES PUSEY

Art: EDVARD MUNCH: MASTERPIECES FROM BERGEN at the Courtauld. Small, powerful exhibition of 18 paintings rarely seen together outside Norway.

Sport: ICC Men’s T20 WORLD CUP CRICKET. Great England win Down Under.

TV: CANAL BOAT DIARIES. Adventures along Britain's waterways with film-maker and musician Robbie Cumming aboard his narrowboat, The Naughty Lass.

ANE REASON

Dance and music: FLIGHT PATTERN

Earlier this year, I signed up to the Royal Opera House’s new streaming service, which offers a large number of ballet and opera performances and behind-the-scenes features. It’s a brilliant way to access footage during my few fleeting moments of free time. Although the service doesn’t replace the experience of attending live performances, it does offer some unique advantages, such as being able to rewatch favourite moments and catch nuances that would have been lost without the aid of close-ups. It’s difficult to choose a favourite from such an extensive archive, but I particularly enjoyed Flight Pattern, a contemporary ballet by Crystal Pite, about the refugee crisis. 

Photograph by Ane Reason

Art: ASHMOLEUM MUSEUM
It has been a while since I went to a museum in person, so I loved visiting the Ashmolean Museum and seeing their Pre-Raphaelite exhibition. There were some spectacular large paintings on display and I enjoyed seeing some of the well-known masterpieces in real life, but the highlights for me were the small drawings, such as the intimate portraits the Pre-Raphaelites made of each other and their studies for paintings. 

CHILDREN’S BOOKS
Growing up in Norway, most of my books were written by Scandinavian authors. It has therefore been exciting to discover a wider range of children’s literature while reading to my daughter in the evenings. Our current household favourites include Frog and Toad, Daddy Lost His Head, The Enormous Crocodile, The Gruffalo’s Child and The Incredible Story of the Giant Pear. 

ROYA SARRAFI-GOHAR

Book: FREE by Lea Ypi (Allen Lane)

A memoir about the author’s childhood in Albania: first we see the anxious, paranoid atmosphere under the Hoxha regime through the eyes of a child who is quick to believe her teachers, and a little more curious than her parents would like. Then, when the regime falls, and political freedom arrives, we see the real human cost of the economic ‘shock therapy’ that followed: unemployment, bankruptcies, a civil war and refugee crisis.

Event: OPEN HOUSE FESTIVAL

I loved how the Open House festival allowed me to see the city I’ve lived in for so long with fresh eyes. A highlight for me was the derelict waterworks at New River Head, soon to be the new Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration. It featured an exhibition of imagined histories of people who lived around the New River, based on found objects, by Laura Copsey and Philip Crewe, with photos ‘taken’ by the New River itself (photographic film left in the river). I learned that the history of water infrastructure in the city is much more interesting than I’d realised.

Film: THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD (Joachim Trier)

A film about the mundane crises around turning thirty, which I also did this year -- it’s playful, fun, and almost corny. But it captures the doubt, anxiety and longing so well that it feels very compellingly human.

TABITHA TOPPING

Novel: MAPS OF OUR SPECTACULAR BODIES by Maddie Mortimer (Picador)

I really loved the way this novel played with form and language and am excited to see what Maddie writes next.

Poetry: AMNION by Stephanie Sy-Quia (Granta)

The kind of work that as soon as I finished it I wanted to go back to the beginning and read all over again.

Extra-curricular: EVENING ART CLASS

Signing up for a beginner’s art class was a spur-of-the-moment decision but one I’m so glad I did. Initially apprehensive (I hadn’t done any art since school), it quickly became the highlight of my week – and though not every one of my creations was successful (my cloud sculpture made of chicken wire and plaster apparently resembled a ‘sea-slug or a dead animal… but in a good way’), I had so much fun that I am seriously considering signing up for another class next year!

2023 Pick: ARRANGEMENTS IN BLUE by Amy Key (Jonathan Cape)

I really enjoyed Amy’s collection ISN’T FOREVER and am looking forward to picking up her memoir which is shaped around Joni Mitchell’s album ‘Blue’. While I have a soft spot for blue-themed books (e.g. BLUETS by Maggie Nelson), the fact that pretty much everyone I follow on social media is raving about how moving and beautiful ARRANGEMENTS IN BLUE is, has made me even more excited to read it.

DAISY WAY

Book: NIGHTCRAWLING by Leila Mottley

An incredible debut written when Mottley was still a teenager, making her the youngest author to ever be longlisted for the Booker Prize – and with good reason. It’s a heartbreaking story of neglect, poverty and exploitation which follows 17 year old Kiara who is left to fend for herself and finds herself pulled into the darkest side of the adult world. Gripping, gut-wrenching, powerful. This novel stayed with me long after I’d finished reading.

TV Series: BAD SISTERS

Sharon Horgan never disappoints and this is no exception. The dark comedy, which follows five Irish sisters as they deal with the fall out of their abusive brother-in-law's unexpected death, is just superb – wickedly funny, perfectly cast, and so well-written with twists and turns where you least expect them. Wonderful to have the backdrop of the beautiful Irish scenery too!

Film: EVERYTHING, EVERYWHERE, ALL AT ONCE

Michelle Yeoh is brilliant as the film’s unlikely hero, an ageing laundromat-owner trying to stop her life, business and family from falling apart, who is unexpectedly sucked into a trippy multiverse rift. A true rollercoaster of a film which seems to have a bit of everything – action, comedy, drama, love, martial arts, family, sci-fi… the list goes on. The frenetic energy of the film makes it fly past despite the long running time, and proves that the multiverse isn’t only for superheroes! It is completely bonkers and I loved it.