On Hemingway's early awareness of how to regard and deal with fascists: open.substack.com/pub/samj/p/p...

Ben Fountain, author of Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk and the hilarious new satire Rasputin Swims The Potomac is on the podcast this week: www.buzzsprout.com/1728150/epis... He talks about the President who shall not be named, giving readers a jolt, the possibilities of fiction. He is superb.

It's been a great pleasure having Annabel on our course - and reading the follow-up blogs! So pleased to see people enjoying the books - and thinking about them so carefully. And having fun!

Ben Fountain, author of Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk and the hilarious new satire Rasputin Swims The Potomac is on the podcast this week: www.buzzsprout.com/1728150/epis... He talks about the President who shall not be named, giving readers a jolt, the possibilities of fiction. He is superb.

Will Self is on the podcast this week. I said: WILL SELF. It is, as you might expect, fascinating. He does not hold back on the state of literature, the state of several nations, what happened next. You can get it wherever you harvest podcasts, or here: www.buzzsprout.com/1728150/epis...

We have a new newsletter: 'It's an explanation not a question.' Features more important details about the new and wonderful Mark Bowles novel How Do People Stay the Same - including upcoming in person events! www.galleybeggar.co.uk/campaigns/vi...

Can recommend the recent @acrossthepondbooks.bsky.social interview with Self too - freewheeling and very funny

Just finished reading an interview he did with Ballard in 1995. He's always been an astonishing conversationalist

easy to forget how funny Will Self is, which is "extremely funny"

this really is a great listen.

A reminder that we're taking bookings for our Critical Reading school. Class one almost full up, class two most of the way there. A couple of months before we close - but would love to fill all places ASAP. Helps us pay for print runs as well as guaranteeing months of reading pleasure.

!!

Will Self is on the podcast this week. I said: WILL SELF. It is, as you might expect, fascinating. He does not hold back on the state of literature, the state of several nations, what happened next. You can get it wherever you harvest podcasts, or here: www.buzzsprout.com/1728150/epis...

A new article about Ernest Hemingway and how he might just be allowed back into polite society. open.substack.com/pub/samj/p/a...

Here's the Across the Pond episode

We've got a great new episode about the mighty Stephen King: www.buzzsprout.com/1728150/epis... Features an interview with Caroline Bicks, author of Monsters In The Archive, a fantastic book about delving into the great man's drafts. Plus general appreciation of his talent.

We've got a great new episode about the mighty Stephen King: www.buzzsprout.com/1728150/epis... Features an interview with Caroline Bicks, author of Monsters In The Archive, a fantastic book about delving into the great man's drafts. Plus general appreciation of his talent.

Love the latest @acrossthepondbooks.bsky.social celebrating Stephen King's work as literature. Big recommend for this King podcast. This one is a good example: discussing at length King's vivid portrayal of bullying. pca.st/episode/aff4...

This is tremendous on the great Len Deighton. Also, love* this quote: " No, that is not the way to treat your readers unless you just don’t care about them; and in that case you should be writing literary novels." *Obviously not the opinion of Galley Beggar Press - but: haha!

New modernism alert! We've just signed a new - and wonderful - novel by Henry Sutton. We have more in the pipeline too. And! We're getting early feedback about the next Mark Bowles novel. Readers love it. Of course they do. Details here: www.galleybeggar.co.uk/campaigns/vi...

Have you heard our conversation with David Keenan yet? We spoke about his new novel Boyhood, how he first got published, Glasgow, and much more. Unsurprisingly, he was eloquent and brilliant: www.buzzsprout.com/1728150/epis...

Have you heard our conversation with David Keenan yet? We spoke about his new novel Boyhood, how he first got published, Glasgow, and much more. Unsurprisingly, he was eloquent and brilliant: www.buzzsprout.com/1728150/epis...

Our Critical Reading school is open again! This is our popular online class where we pull apart novels, look at them from an editorial point of view - and also just have the fun of discussing wonderful works of art. Details here: www.galleybeggar.co.uk/school-criti...

Hello! We have two wonderful episode updates!

Read Sarah Hall's "Helm". Decided not to read this when it came out, but after listening to the @acrossthepondbooks.bsky.social episode I had to. I've very glad I did as it was wonderful. The only strand that didn't grip me was Catherine's letters, but the rest of them more than made up for 1/2

In case you missed our series of IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS yesterday:

I wrote about BookTok - and why publishers need an escape strategy: open.substack.com/pub/samj/p/b...

New episode alert! Lori and Sam talk to the brilliant Joanna Kavenna about her wonderfully inventive novel "Seven". www.buzzsprout.com/1728150/epis...

New episode alert! Lori and Sam talk to the brilliant Joanna Kavenna about her wonderfully inventive novel "Seven". www.buzzsprout.com/1728150/epis...

We are proud to announce the shortlist of this year's Galley Beggar Press short story prize: Fire! Fire! Or, Ascension by Kate Ansell A Devil’s Alphabet by Annie Hayter Clean Sheet by Kinneson Lalor

We'll be reading: Katherine Mansfield, The Garden Party and Other Stories Jeanette Winterson, Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit Philip Roth, The Plot Against America Fran Ross, Oreo George Saunders, Lincoln in the Bardo Orhan Pamuk (trans. Erdag Göknar), My Name Is Red

I wrote about a very ancient love on my Substack: open.substack.com/pub/samj/p/a...

National treasures.

A few more words about our beloved Sirius here - as well as an interview with Álvaro Enrigue, a serious writer.

This week, a fantastic interview with the vivacious, fierce, fantastic Álvaro Enrigue. (Also some heartfelt words about Sam's beloved dog Sirius and the aid dogs have given to literature over the years.) www.buzzsprout.com/1728150/epis...

always in the weft

A sad newsletter this time, in memory of our best boy, and literary superstar, Sirius: www.galleybeggar.co.uk/campaigns/vi...

Our latest episode arrived while I (Sam) was away in the hills. But! I'm eager to share it now because it features a fascinating conversation - this time with James Cahill about his art world novel The Violet Hour. Also, talk about Wuthering Heights. Of course. www.buzzsprout.com/1728150/epis...

Our latest episode features a real gem of a novel: Mr Outside by Caleb Klaces: interabangbooks.com/across-pond A lovely, moving, funny, sad, insightful novel. Caleb was also great to talk to.

Our latest episode features a real gem of a novel: Mr Outside by Caleb Klaces: interabangbooks.com/across-pond A lovely, moving, funny, sad, insightful novel. Caleb was also great to talk to.

Read Lily King's "Heart the Lover". Hadn't read anything by this author (or even heard of her if I'm being honest) but picked it up due to the @acrossthepondbooks.bsky.social episode. Was captivated from start to finish by something that managed to be both a page turner and very moving. Went in 1/4

Deforestation, fascism, cults, resistance and more in our latest episode, a fascinating conversation with Chilean writer Simón López Trujillo about his novel Pedro The Vast: www.buzzsprout.com/1728150/epis...

Our latest episode features a conversation with writer and musician Ausyn Wohlers about her book Hothouse Bloom: interabangbooks.com/across-pond freight.cargo.site/w/422/q/75/i... A very interesting book by a talented writer. Just what we enjoy talking about.

Links, Tips and Suggestions: "Disgustingly lewd" French poetry, Sappho, an absurd (and frightening) attack on Plato, the bloody end of American civilisation and some sustaining literary diversions. open.substack.com/pub/samj/p/l...

Our latest episode features a conversation with writer and musician Ausyn Wohlers about her book Hothouse Bloom: interabangbooks.com/across-pond freight.cargo.site/w/422/q/75/i... A very interesting book by a talented writer. Just what we enjoy talking about.

Great review of Telenovela just arrived in the Irish Times: www.irishtimes.com/culture/book... "a convincing portrait of the darkest period in Chile’s modern history, which, by homing in on those on the wrong side of history, reflects the subtle weaponry of silence and language"

Our latest conversation is with Gonzalo C Garcia about his incredible novel Telenovela, Chile, Pinochet, and much more. podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/a...

Read Sarah Perry's "Enlightenment". Was ravished by the phrase on the opening page 'at half pass four a fisherman caught a cup untouched since the ink was wet on The Battle of Maldon, spat twice, and threw it back.' Got a little bogged down by the frequent changes of viewpoints and then listened 1/3

This is why we do it:

On today’s Advent Calendar, Gonzalo C. Garcia gives us a Xmas song he cannot stand. Listen podfollow.com/hellish Gonzalo’s excellent ‘Telenovela’ is out now on @galleybeggars.bsky.social - to hear more about it from Gonzalo himself listen to the latest @acrossthepondbooks.bsky.social!