Pre-orders for July!
Hello booklovers, it's your boy Sam here filling in for So this month on the deep cuts for the month to come. Plenty for everyone here, and lots of paperback too - to beat that cost of living crunch.
And, as ever, 10% off all titles.
The Cellist by Jennifer Atkins *SIGNED*
An extraordinary debut novel published by our very own Peninsula Press is the highlight of the month for us! In limpid and unforgettable prose, this novel asks what love and companionship costs: what happens when you are forced to cast yourself in the distorting light of another person's needs?
The Unfinished Ballad of Sam Amidon by David Mitchell and Sam Amidon *SIGNED*
To continue to blow our own metaphorical trumpet, July sees the release of our first publication from our inhouse mixed-media record label, Lanterne Records. It takes the form of a long conversation between novelist David Mitchell and Sam Amidon about influence and craft. Packed full of insights and god-tier record recs, and beautifully designed by Harry Hepburn, we're very proud to be putting it out!
Venomous Lumpsucker by Ned Beauman *SIGNED*
The new novel by Booker-shortlisted Ned Beauman that dramatizes our approaching mass-extinction, and asks whether we have it in us to stop it. Local man of letters Chris Power says 'Ned Beauman captures brilliantly the contradictory blend of urgency, paralysis, panic and resignation the climate emergency and its attendant mass extinctions inspire.'
Dostoevsky in Love : An Intimate Life by Alex Christofi *SIGNED*
Now in paperback, in this biography Christofi uses his novelist's eye to give us a fresh perspective on a familiar subject: Dostoevsky as 'a shy but devoted lover, an empathetic friend of the people, a loyal brother and friend, and a writer able to penetrate to the very depths of the human soul.' Essential for all fans. And we've got signed copies!
Of Saints and Miracles *SIGNED* by Manuel Astur, trans. Claire Wadie
Into this unconventional thriller, Astur weaves fables about the sun and the moon, tales of death and love, and reveals a community and a way of life that may soon be lost. Of Saints and Miracles is a sensuous and poetic portrayal of an outcast’s struggle to survive in a changing world, and a seamless blend of the tragic and the majestic.
Much-loved publisher of translated literature Peirene Press are having a revamp. SUPPORT SUPPORT!
Front Lines by Juliet Jacques
This seminal collection brings together almost 20 years of journalism on art, politics, and culture, by Juliet Jacques, one of the UK’s most pioneering trans writers and great friend of Burley Fisher Books.
Second Place by Rachel Cusk
No one does it quite like her. Cusk's latest novel takes us to an English coastal landscape, where a woman invites a famous artist into her home. But as the summer wears on, the artist's presence starts to unsettle the balance of life in her secluded home. Going on holiday? Grab this, now in paperback.
Dear Senthuran by Akwaeke Emezi
The first non-fiction title by the author of runaway summer hit, Dear Senthuran is a memoir, written in the form of a letter to the author's friends and family (given and chosen). Not to be missed!
Space Invaders and The Twilight Zone by Nona Fernandez, trans. Natasha Wimmer
Two mind-bending, fever dream books by Chilean novelist Nona Fernandez are being issued together in July by Daunt Books, translated by the unbeatable Natasha Wimmer (of 2666 and The Savage Detectives fame). Slight but intense, we recommend bagging both and disquieting yourself in the sun like a good lil goblin.
Air Age Blueprint by K Allado-McDowell
This new release from firm favourite Ignota Press is a manifesto describing how entangled human and non-human intelligence will remake our technologies, identities and deepest beliefs. Allado-McDowell (along with their AI writing partner GPT-3) weaves fiction, memoir, theory and travelogue into an animist cybernetics – an air age blueprint.
Life Ceremony by Sayaka Murata, trans. Ginny Tapley Takemori
From the author of Convenience Store Woman comes this debut, out of this world, short story collection. Real opportunity for some armchair travel into the unknown with this one.
Aphasia by Mauro Javier Cárdenas
Now in paperback, this mind-meltingly good novel my Mauro Javier Cardenas is the perfect accompaniment to a few tall beers (if you want to feel even wonkier). Think Joshua Ferris meets David Gates. Anarchic and hilarious.
Brainwashed: A New History of Thought Control by Daniel Pick
The next in the series of books co-published by Profile and the Wellcome Collection is a dive into subliminal messaging, brainwashing and state thought control. Read it now, and be ready for Party Conference season.
The Anatomy of Melancholy by Robert Burton
OK so this isn't exactly new, but this edition (edited by Angus Gowland) is. It's one of the maddest books I've ever encountered. Part commonplace book, part essay collection, part memoir -- it's funny, frustrating and totally beguiling. If you're feeling lacking in inspiration, pick it up and just read a few pages. It's also now in paperback, so if it sends you to sleep at least it won't knock you out when you drop it on your head.
That's all for now folks! Happy reading xx