This week I’m speaking with award-winning British author Tessa Hadley about her newest novella, The Party. Set in postwar Bristol, it follows two sisters over a single weekend as they move through a series of gatherings that reveal the class divisions and shifting gender roles of mid-century Britain — that fascinating era between the war and the Beatles.

In our conversation, we discuss Hadley’s approach to memory, social change, and everyday life, as well as the literary influences that shaped her work. Known for novels like The Past and Free Love, and for her regular stories in The New Yorker, Hadley offers sharp insights into British society and storytelling. It was a great chat, and I hope you enjoy listening to it.

Lit with Charles loves reviews. If you enjoyed this episode, I’d be so grateful if you could leave a review of your own, and follow me on Instagram at @litwithcharles. Let’s get more people listening – and reading!

Tessa Hadley’s four books were:

• Tom's Midnight Garden, by Philippa Pearce (1958)
• The Rainbow, by D H Lawrence (1915)
• Guest of Honour, by Nadine Gordimer (1970)
• Open Secrets, by Alice Munro (1994)