Paul Bailey, who published his first novel in 1967 and was twice Booker-shortlisted, has died. Guardian obituary here. He lived local: generous, funny, incisive company. And book-swapping. And gossip. His last two books were collections of poems: Inheritance and Joie de vivre, both published by CBe (above). I’m clean out of stock but more copies will arrive next week and can be ordered now and I know that sounds cheap and Paul, frankly, is laughing.
Lara Pawson’s Spent Light did not win the Goldsmiths Prize on 6 November but we had fun on the shortlist and congratulations to Rachel Cusk and there are two mentions in the TLS Books of the Year for Spent Light – which ‘has burnt through the months’ (Paul Griffiths) and ‘which is very dark and has great love for the world and its inhabitants’ (Sarah Moss). Special mention to Kirkdale Books in Sydenham, which has sold more copies of Spent Light than any other novel this year – individual booksellers enthusing about specific books still works, who knew?
Above, Cate Blanchett outside Lutyens and Rubinstein bookshop in Notting Hill in the Apple TV series Disclaimer, looking a bit lost (with reason: the script is not good). She goes in to ask if the books she has ordered have arrived and is told: ‘I think we’re still waiting for the Agota Kristof.’ I’m not sure which Kristof she wanted but Cate, if you are reading, the day after watching I took in both Trilogy and The Illiterate and they are there for you to collect.
CBe is still on X, for now, but as of yesterday is also on Bluesky, here. To any new readers, welcome. This newsletter and previous are archived here on the CBe blog, Sonofabook, which has been running since 2007 and also has occasional rants. And there’s this, on the website (Season Tickets): 6 CBe books entirely of your own choice for £45 (or 12 for £80), post free in the UK.
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