Books HITLIST THE BEST BOOKS, COMICS & EVENTS
John J Niven You know a writer has made a career shift when they add a middle initial to their name. The author of The Second Coming takes a gory sidestep into the modern thriller field with Cold Hands. See review, page 41. William Heinemann.
John Connolly You all scoffed when you first heard about a crime series with a cop called Charlie ‘Bird’ Parker, but Irish-born author Connolly is well and truly having the last chortle. The Wrath of Angels is the latest unit-shifting instalment. Waterstone’s, Edinburgh, Wed 25 Jul. Martin Amis Those who were convinced that Amis’ best fiction days were behind him should take a look at Lionel Asbo, a gloriously-sculpted savage satire about modern Britain. See review, page 41. Jonathan Cape.
Ned Beauman Following on from the hugely-acclaimed Boxer, Beetle, Beauman delivers The Teleportation Accident, another idiosyncratic historical piledriver. See review, page 41. Sceptre. Denise Mina With Gods and Beasts, the Glasgow-based author and commentator merely confirms her status in the higher echelons of crime writing. See Profile at list.co.uk. Waterstone’s, Edinburgh, Thu 26 Jul.
Louise Welsh Under no circumstances should you read The Girl on the Stairs after dark. A seriously spooky tale from a writer who is proving to be a dab hand across the genres. See review, page 41. John Murray.
1001 Comics Asking the question, ‘Who Are the Geniuses Who Transformed Comics Forever?’, this event is led by Paul Gravett, the editor and co-author of 1001 Comics You Must Read Before You Die. CCA, Glasgow, Sat 28 Jul.
Jesus Was a Scotsman Controversially-titled discussion event marking 30 years since the first ‘public airing’ of William Lorimer’s translation of the New Testament into Scots. National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh, Thu 26 Jul.
Robert Burns in Song and Story As if to show that Burns is for life and not just for January, this event acts as an introduction to the Bard’s writings and their continued relevance. Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh, Sat 28 Jul.
Batman: Knightfall Vol 1 A neatly-timed reissue of the Dark Knight’s most infamous encounter with supervillain Bane, aka ‘the man who broke the Bat’, before the two clash on film. See review, page 42. DC/Titan.
40 THE LIST 19 Jul–2 Aug 2012
list.co.uk/books
FirstWrites INTRODUCING DEBUT AUTHORS
KERRY HUDSON has a go at this issue’s debut author Q&A. Her first book has been described as Morvern Callar meets Shameless
Give us five words to describe Tony Hogan Bought Me an Ice-Cream Float Before He Stole My Ma? Profane, funny, tender, council-estate, debut. I know I’m pushing it with that hyphen. Name one author who should be more famous than they are now? AM Holmes is probably doing fine without my help but I do wish she was more widely read so I could discuss her books with everyone I know.
What was the first book you read? The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.
What was the last book you read? Heft by Liz Moore. A stunning observation of loneliness and how people shape other’s lives even when they only briefly fall into each other’s orbit.
Which dead author do you wish was still alive today? I read To Kill a Mockingbird when I was 13 and its sweetness worked some sort of magic on me. So, Harper Lee could write another book, though perhaps one perfect book is enough for any writer. What one thing would you change about the publishing world? I’d love to see a broader reflection of the society we live in through contemporary literature. What plans do you have for book number two? I’ve already finished my second book, Thirst, which tells the story of a fragile love affair between a young Russian woman and a down-on- his-luck security guard.
(Interview by Brian Donaldson) ■ Tony Hogan Bought Me an Ice-Cream Float Before He Stole My Ma is out now published by Chatto & Windus. Read a longer version of this interview at list.co.uk.