The Writer and the Critic

On this final episode of The Writer and the Critic for 2021, your hosts, Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond discuss birthdays, Halloween and Jewish Stuff before moving on to wax lyrical about this month's books: Little Eve by Catriona Ward [6:35] and Light Perpetual by Francis Spufford [36:35].

If you've skipped ahead to avoid spoilers, please come back at 1:16:45 for final remarks.

Next episode - in February 2022! - the two books up on the slab will be:

When We Cease to Understand the World by Benjamin Labatut

A Ghost in the Throat by Doireann Ní Ghríofa

Read ahead and join in the spoilerific fun!

On this episode of The Writer and the Critic, your hosts, Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond have a mercifully brief and borderline hysterical conversation on the state of COVID before jumping a discussion of this month's books: The Cost of Living: A Working Autobiography by Deborah Levy [3:45] and Dissolve by Nikki Gemmell [29:50].

If you've skipped ahead to avoid spoilers, please come back at 58:15 for final remarks, including a minor rant on the subject of book annotations/defacement.

Next month, the two books up on the slab will be:

Little Eve by Catriona Ward

Light Perpetual by Francis Spufford

Read ahead and join in the spoilerific fun!

Hello dear listeners!

Before the recording of Episode 84, Kirstyn and Ian had a chat about the strange alternative present that has taken up residence during COVID. It didn't quite fit into the episode itself so they though they'd upload it as an extra surprise this month.

Hope you enjoy!

On this episode of The Writer and the Critic, your hosts, Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond briefly discuss the usual COVID guff before jumping into this month's books: The Employees by Olga Ravn [4:20] and Everyone Knows Your Mother is a Witch by Rivka Galchen [37:55].

The visual artists referenced during are Lea Guldditte Hestelund and Patricia Piccinini.

If you've skipped ahead to avoid spoilers, please come back at 1:22:50 for final remarks.

Next month, the two books up on the slab will be:

• Dissolve by Nikki Gemmell

Read ahead and join in the spoilerific fun!

On this episode of The Writer and the Critic, your hosts, Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond indulge in some thankfully brief maudlin meanderings around the current state of the pandemic before turning to the books up for discussion: All the Fabulous Beasts by Priya Sharma [9:10] and Cat Person and other stories by Kristen Roupenian [34:00].

The article “Cat Person” and Me by Alexis Nowicki is recommended for those interested further background reading.

If you've skipped ahead to avoid spoilers, please come back at 1:24:30 for final remarks.

Next month, the two books up on the slab will be:

Everyone Knows Your Mother is a Witch by Rivka Galchen

The Employees by Olga Ravn

Read ahead and join in the spoilerific fun!

On this episode of The Writer and the Critic your hosts, Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond waste no time in diving straight into their discussion of The Animals in That Country by Laura Jean McKay [3:20] and Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon [47:50].

Also recommended is the novella The Deep by Rivers Solomon, Daveed Diggs, William Hutson & Jonathan Snipes, which Ian reviewed for Locus.

If you've skipped ahead to avoid spoilers, please come back at 1:23:10 for final remarks.

Next month, the two books up on the slab will be:

All the Fabulous Beasts by Priya Sharma

You Know You Want This: Cat Person and other stories by Kristen Roupenian

Read ahead and join in the spoilerific fun!

On this episode of The Writer and the Critic your hosts, Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond indulge briefly in some COVID commiseration before beginning into their discussion of The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson [4:30] and Mrs Death Misses Death by Salena Godden [39:10].

If you've skipped ahead to avoid spoilers, please come back at 1:17:00 for final remarks.

Next month, the two books up on the slab will be:

The Animals in That Country by Laura Jean McKay

Read ahead and join in the spoilerific fun!

On this episode of The Writer and the Critic your hosts, Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond spend some time on brief tangents regarding awards (good) and coffee (not so much) before launching into their discussion of Memorial by Bryan Washington [7:30] and The Mermaid of Black Conch by Monique Roffey [40:00].

If you've skipped ahead to avoid spoilers, please come back at 1:18:15 for final remarks - including the exciting conclusion to last episode's exciting cliffhanger: Has Ian Finished All the Murmuring Bones and Did He Like it?

Next month, the two books up on the slab will be:

The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson

Read ahead and join in the spoilerific fun!

P.S. Our apologies for the poor sound quality on this episode. Due to unnoticed mic issues, for once Ian sounds better than Kirstyn - a fact about which he is undoubtedly delighted.

On this episode of The Writer and the Critic your hosts, Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond, discuss All the Murmuring Bones by Angela Slatter [10:40] and Smart Ovens for Lonely People by Elizabeth Tan [47:05].

If you've skipped ahead to avoid spoilers, please come back at 1:12:15 for brief final remarks. Next month, the two books up on the slab will be:

Memorial by Bryan Washington

Read ahead and join in the spoilerific fun!

On this episode of The Writer and the Critic your hosts, Kirstyn McDermott and Ian Mond, discuss Mammoth by Chris Flynn [3:05] and Boy Swallows Universe by Trent Dalton [29:00].

If you've skipped ahead to avoid spoilers, please come back at 1:07:50 for brief final remarks. Next month, the two books up on the slab will be:

All the Murmuring Bones by Angela Slatter

Read ahead and join in the spoilerific fun!