bookanista

Leo Butler: All of life’s dramas Leo Butler talks to Alexandra Samothraki about his work for the stage and his new book Notes from a Working-Class Playwright.

"The live theatre experience will become more necessary and longed for as we drown and lose contact with each other in the virtual world. The trick is to still take risks," @leobutler.bsky.social tells Alexandra Samothraki
@methuendrama.bsky.social
bookanista.com/leo-butler-all-of-lifes-dramas/

8 Books to Help You Understand Venezuela  - Electric Literature Paula Ramón, author of "Motherland," recommends literature about the past and present of her home country

A reading list for anyone who wants to understand the history of Venezuela, from oil discovery over a century ago to the current political situation.

It is a marvel - beautiful writing and so much insight. I welled up countless times. Got to be destined for the screen…

2073 (2024) Directed by Asif Kapadia | Official Trailer | Film 4 YouTube video by Film4

“2073”, @asifkapadia.bsky.social prescient movie doc shows where humanity is going. Set in a future totalitarian world where basic freedoms no longer exist, it no longer feels like fiction. The film ought to be retitled: “2033” www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXqv...
🎞️ #film #politics #democracy #society

Earth 7 by Deb Olin Unferth is out in July - pre-order for a treat at 2026’s halfway mark.
A sci fi romantic mystery about a mother, a daughter and Earth’s sand timer. It’s full of wisdom about us and our precious planet - and it is a masterpiece @dauntbookspub.bsky.social
#booksky 💙📚 #bookblogger

Happy publication day! Look forward to joining the celebrations at next week’s launch

A minority of one Loner Wilf Kelly, recognising a kindred spirit, resolves to tame an urban fox. Extract from Richard Tyrrell’s big-hearted debut novel The Fox of Kensal Green.

"On one of his regular strolls, his eye was caught by a flash of red among gravestones. The biggest fox he ever saw broke cover. Wilf felt mesmerised and had to follow..."
The Fox of Kensal Green by Richard Tyrrell. Out now from @saltpublishing.com 📚📖💙
bookanista.com/a-minority-o...

Nome’s Lemming Lady An appreciation of naturalist Sally Carrighar, who transplanted lemmings into her Alaskan home to study them, by the author of No Place Like Nome.

“She lets us experience animal realities through animal senses, which often surpass our own.”
Michael Engelhard admires nature writer Sally Carrighar, who invited lemmings into her home – and was accused by locals of raising rats
💙📚 #booksky #bookblogger #litmags
bookanista.com/nomes-lemming-lady/

Christmas is coming A single poem to mark the start of the Christmas season from Chris Emery’s fifth collection, Wonder.

A poem for Advent and Cyber Monday, from Chris Emery's latest collection #WONDER, out now from Salt
@chrisemery.me @saltpublishing.com
bookanista.com/christmas-is...

Tonight @britishlibrary.bsky.social Tickets still available! Here's editor Basma Ghalayini's irresistible introduction to the collection bookanista.com/alternative-...

Alternative Palestines Editor Basma Ghalayini introduces the new anthology Palestine Minus One, a collection of stories by Palestinian writers reimagining the eve of the Nakba.

"This was the thinking behind Palestine Minus One: for twelve Palestinian writers to process the magnitude of what has been happening, offering an alternative, more distant iteration of the old Nakba.” Basma Ghalayini #PalestineMinusOne @commapress.bsky.social 📚📖💙
bookanista.com/alternative-...

Giannis Paschos: Not necessarily in the right order Translator Alexandra Samothraki talks to author and Ichthyology professor Giannis Paschos about his remarkable memoir Chronicles of a Dyslexic Author.

"Dyslexia forced me to be twice as alert – to remain on the bridge that connected the real, which tortured me, with the imaginary, which soothed me.” Giannis Paschos #ChroniclesofaDyslexicAuthor @stairwellbooks.bsky.social 📚📖💙
bookanista.com/giannis-paschos-not-necessarily-in-the-right-order/

Memoir, social history and more Georgia de Chamberet finds much to admire in Nicholas Blincoe’s Oliver Twist & Me, a dual biography of Dickens and the author’s workhouse apprentice ancestor.

"The melding of fiction, memoir and history raises questions about the extent to which a novelist fuses the raw material of life with their fertile imagination."
Georgia de Chamberet @bookblast.org admires Nicholas Blincoe’s Oliver Twist & Me
bookanista.com/memoir-social-history-and-more/

Origins Publisher and poet Chris Emery looks back on an unexpected encounter in his teenage years, and reflects on the mechanics of writing from lived experience.

Publisher and poet Chris Emery looks back on an unexpected encounter in his teenage years, and reflects on the mechanics of writing from lived experience.
bookanista.com/origins-chris-emery/
His new poetry collection, Wonder, is available now from Salt Publishing
@chrisemery.me @saltpublishing.com

‘We’ve done it before’: how not to lose hope in the fight against ecological disaster Some days it can feel as if climate catastrophe is inevitable. But history is full of cases – such as the banning of whaling and CFCs – that show humanity can come together to avert disaster

'We know the planet can be saved from unspeakable horror. We’ve done it before.' Beautiful extract from HUMAN NATURE by @drkatemarvel.bsky.social, published today, in @theguardian.com Long Reads today www.theguardian.com/news/2025/se...

Bookmarking the BFI London Film Festival A round-up of eye-catching adaptations to look out for at LFF 2025, from Frankenstein and The Stranger to The Thing with Feathers and H is for Hawk.

Claire Foy in H is for Hawk, Benedict Cumberbatch in The Thing with Feathers, Andy Serkis' Animal Farm and much more. Read our round-up of book-to-screen adaptations not to be missed at the BFI London Film Festival, 8 to 19 October 2025 📚💙🎬
#BFI #LFF #LFF2025
bookanista.com/bfi-london-f...

Patrick Ryan: Connecting lives Short story master Patrick Ryan’s debut novel BUCKEYE is a sweeping tale of love, war, secrets and desire in a small-town American community.

We interviewed author Patrick Ryan, whose ambitious (and rather wonderful) novel BUCKEYE chronicles the lives of two couples across five decades in the fictional town of Bonhomie, Ohio. What will you read next?
💙📚📖 #booksky #bookblogger #litmags #debut #skybrarian
bookanista.com/patrick-ryan...

Breaking point With her husband unable to hold down a job and provide for the family, Pakistani housewife Tara takes a drastic step to become a breadwinner. From A Splintering

With her husband unable to hold down a job, Pakistani housewife Tara takes a drastic step to become a breadwinner. Read an explosive extract from A Splintering by Dur e Aziz Amna
bookanista.com/breaking-point
@duckworthbooks.bsky.social
💙📚📖 #booksky #bookblogger #litmags #reading

The Nail in the Wall by Fabio Morábito The simple task of hanging a reproduction painting causes escalating friction between a tetchy couple. From the collection The Shadow of the Mammoth

The simple task of hanging a reproduction painting causes escalating friction between a tetchy couple. A delightful portrait of domestic bickering from #fabiomorábito's brilliant story collection #TheShadowoftheMammoth. Out now from #otherpress, tr. #curtisbauer
bookanista.com/the-nail-in-the-wall/

All about the cliffhanger Allison King talks pencils and pets, community, continuity and suspense as she delves into her writing habits for tips for fellow writers.

Allison King's Tips for Writers No. 7 – adopt a cat
One who will lie down on your notebook so you can take cute photos. But also get nice cat toys to lure her away so you can actually write @4thestatebooks.bsky.social
bookanista.com/all-about-th...
💙📚📖 #booksky #bookblogger #catsky 🐈 #reading

(eventually) Embracing the sisterhood Marie O’Hare reflects on the lightbulb moment when she saw she had to concentrate on creating rounded female characters that reflect her own experiences.

"It was a glass-shattering moment. I was not, as I had always thought, separate from women. I was one of them.”
Marie O'Hare's #writerspath to her joyful and daring debut novel #IKnowWhereYouBuriedYourHusband. Out now from @bantambooksuk.bsky.social bookanista.com/embracing-th...

Present perfect Standing in line to enter the next world, a recently deceased hedge-fund analyst queries the protocol of the afterlife. From Autocorrect by Etgar Keret.

Waiting in line for eternity can be a colossal bore. Read 'Present Perfect', a hilarious take on protocols and shifting time in the afterlife, from Etgar Keret's new collection #Autocorrect. Out now from @grantabooks.bsky.social bookanista.com/present-perf...

And we are OPEN for submissions for Issue Ten!

Submissions will be open from JUNE 1st - JUNE 14th.

We are accepting fiction and non-fiction between 800-4000 words.

Odd title but the right title! All the emotions in a gorgeously written love story like no other. If you’re a fan of the film Past Lives, it will resonate deeply. It’s a book of the year contender! Heart the Lover by Lily King coming soon @canongate.co.uk
💙📚📖 #booksky #bookblogger #litmags #reading

Marriage Material is a new comedy drama now on @lyrichammersmith.bsky.social, loosely adapted from Sathnam Sanghera’s rather good novel about family, sisterly bonds and the Sikh immigrant experience. It lacks the wit of the novel, but still fun
#TheatreSky #LondonTheatre
💙📚📖 #booksky #bookblogger

Standing ovation for Jack (Slow Horses) Lowden and Martin Freeman. From the first words it’s evident you’re in for a darkly hilarious, disturbing experience. Stunning performances. Dialogue subversive and eye-boggling. Just WOW!
The Fifth Step is on now!
sohoplace.org/shows/the-fi...
🎭📖💙📚 #theatre

Daria Lavelle: Savouring the beyond The author of Aftertaste tells Farhana Gani about melding food and ghosts with romance and menace in her sensuous novel about connecting with the afterlife.

Congrats @darialavelleauthor.bsky.social on your thrilling (and mesmerising) supernatural romantic thriller! Highly recommend to #booksky.
Find out more in our bookanista interview: bookanista.com/daria-lavell...
@bloomsburybooksuk.bsky.social @simonandschuster.bsky.social 💙📚 📖 #bookblogger

My mother’s war An extract from Vichy France historian Cécile Desprairies’ novel The Propagandist, drawing on her family’s sympathies and collaboration with the Nazi occupiers.

"No, she had no regrets. On the contrary. If all the French had been on the right side, Germany would have won the war."
Read an extract from Cécile Desprairies' unflinching debut novel #ThePropagandist Out now from @swiftpress.bsky.social translated by Natasha Lehrer
bookanista.com/my-mothers-w...

The dark side of the mirror Liann Zhang introduces her satirical debut thriller Julie Chan Is Dead, and lets us inside her writing rituals and litearry influences.

We chat with Liann Zhang about her debut thriller Julie Chan Is Dead, a hilariously sinister satire on influencer culture
bookanista.com/the-dark-side-of-the-mirror/
@ravenbooks.bsky.social @bloomsburybooksuk.bsky.social
💙📚📖 #booksky #bookblogger #reading #litmags