The two Kate Atkinson books we should talk about much more

There are books that arrive with a chorus of approval already attached to them. You can hear the noise before you even turn the first page: prize longlists, ecstatic reviews, the familiar phrases about brilliance and urgency and importance. 

Then there are books that are quietly absorbed into the background of contemporary fiction, admired, recommended now and then, occasionally pressed into a friend’s hands, but rarely given the full, sustained conversation they deserve.

Kate Atkinson’s Life After Life and A God in Ruins belong to the second category, which feels faintly absurd when you consider what they actually do, and how good they are. 

The brilliance of Susie Steiner's novels

I discovered this late, but I have to share how good the late Susie Steiner's Manon Bradshaw books are. They are so worth your time.

Kate Atkinson on writing: Creativity, craft, and connecting with readers

I’m a huge fan of Kate Atkinson, and The Guardian recently ran a great piece on her writing process. She discusses the blend of spontaneity and meticulousness that defines her career—one that has given us Life After Life, the Jackson Brodie series, and so much more.