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On this episode we speak to author Niamh Mulvey about her upcoming debut novel The Amendments. Many of you will know Niamh from her short story collection Hearts and Bones. (Head back to episode 6 of the pod if not to hear our interview with her shortly after H&B’s publication.) With The Amendments (published by Picador on April 11th) Niamh takes the titular story from the collection and crafts it into what is a beautifully wrought novel.

Set between London and Ireland The Amendments spans the lives of three generations of women, mapping the waining impact of powerful institutions on their lives. Although the plot is at stages particular to Ireland, there is a universal quality to the struggles Nell, Dolores and Brigid meet that is all too familiar.

Niamh’s is a rare voice. In a world that so often only speaks with unthinking certainty she writes bravely with rare nuance and compassion. The result is an unsparing, human and ultimately hopeful novel that asks us to embrace the world in all its contradictions and ambiguity. The Amendments is a huge recommend and one to watch through-out the year. If you’re close to any of these lovely places Niamh will be speaking there on these dates, so head along:

Foyles, Charing Cross Road 20th April (with Sinéad Gleeson and Elaine Feeney)

Phlox Books, London 24th April (with Tomiwa Owolade)

Waterstones, Manchester 25th April

The West Kirby Bookshop, 26th April

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On this episode we hear from Sinéad Gleeson about her upcoming debut novel Hagstone. Set on a rugged island somewhere in the wild Atlantic it centres around the life of Nel an artist who draws inspiration from the landscape, folklore and unexplained phenomena that surround her. The island is also home to a reclusive community of women, the Inions, who task Nel with the creation of a new artwork, a request that leads her to uncover truths both about them and herself.

If you’ve read Sinéad’s essays or know her work as an editor then Hagstone is exactly as you’d imagine. Thought provoking, unafraid and above all else a work of great story-telling. It was great to get the chance to sit down with her and hear how the novel came into being. And, along the way, we also had the chance to look back at her essay collection Constellations, discuss the incredible energy of the Irish literary scene and the enduring presence of Maeve Brennan.

Hagstone a huge recommend and is published in just a couple of weeks by 4th Estate on April 12th

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On this episode we meet Balsam Karam to hear about her latest novel The Singularity. Set in an unnamed coastal town the story follows the impact of one woman’s death on another. It is a study of loss, migration and motherhood and a book that remains with you long after you’ve put it down.
Through bold formal experimentation Balsam builds a language of post trauma, moving from separate narratives that co-exist on the same line to episodic, crystalline remembering. This is definitely a book for those who’ve read and loved Claudia Rankine’s Citizen.
At its heart are searching questions about who we choose and choose not to see in society. And at a time when violence is so breezily explained away in our wider public discourse, The Singularity asks us to consider the depths and complexity of a single life and lasting impact of its loss.

The Singularity is published by Fitzcarraldo and is available now.
Thanks to Ian Hawgood (Tides) and Huw Marc Bennett (Y Gwydd) for the use of their beautiful music.
If you enjoyed our conversation with Balsam please leave us a review and subscribe where you get your podcasts to never miss an episode.

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On this episode of the Ramble, an interview with Magogodi oaMphela Makhene in which we discuss her stunning, debut short story collection, Innards. Set in Soweto (where Magogodi was raised) her stories map the lives of a small group of residents living under and after apartheid.

By turns shockingly violent and deeply funny Innards is beautiful wrought from the first page. It is fiction that lays bare the enduring nature of trauma and celebrates the capacity of people to pursue life amid daunting realities.

There is so much to love about Magogodi’s work, but for us, above all else, it is her determination that the reader come to her. Every story is told in a blend of the languages of Soweto. They are transportive in the truest sense, boldly immersive and unsparing. A sprawling set of relationships, histories and politics that we are left to explore.

It was a huge pleasure to hear how this remarkable book came into being. So, next time you're staring undecidedly at some book shop shelves, definitely give this a go.

An unforgettable debut that hits with all the force of the sun. Junot Diaz

Innards is a wonder. Magnificent and haunting. NoViolet Bulawayo

A relay of fearless burning emblems Paul Harding
Huge thanks to Huw Marc Bennett for the use of his song Y Gwydd
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On this episode of Field Ramble, an interview with Aniefiok Ekpoudom to discuss his incredible work of narrative non fiction Where We Come From. Set between communities in South London, South Wales and the West Midland’s Neef’s book documents the rise of UK Rap and Grime. Beginning with the tenacious community hubs of Pirate Radio in Birmingham under the guiding hand of Cecil Morris to the emergence of artists such as Stormzy and Dave, Aniefiok documents the early years and emergence of the genres and the vital role that progenitors such as Cadet, Kano & Despa played.

At a time when public discourse around our social history can often feel so narrow Where we Came From is vital. It is a book that explores and celebrates the key role immigration plays in invigorating and progressing our shared cultural landscape. And one deeply in love with the music it chronicles. If you don’t believe us check out these recommends.

Guy Gunaratne ‘Phenomenal ... like the heroes he chronicles, Ekpoudom acts as a torchbearer, his book a beacon, for the story that follows.’

Candice Carty-Williams ‘A stunning exploration of a genre, a movement and a world. It is every bit as lyrical as the rap Ekpoudom has documented.’

Further reading: Adèle Oliver’s excellent Deeping It is definitely a huge recommend for anyone looking for further reading in the subject. We’ll be catching up with Adèle over the next few weeks on the Ramble. So subscribe to Field Ramble now on iTunes or Spotify to not miss out.

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