Will Self’s innovative ‘Kafka’s Wound’ digital essay for The Space has been selected as a contender for the “Best Digital Humanities blog, article, or short publication” award. Please vote at DHAwards.org before midnight on Sunday 17 February 2013. Will Self’s project entry is the last one on the list for that award.
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Umbrella by Will Self – USA Publication Date
A quick note for American readers – Umbrella is published in the USA on 8th January 2013 by Grove Press. Pre-ordering is available at Amazon.com. For more information about Umbrella and to read an extract, see the full page of info on Umbrella.
A Point Of View: In Defense Of Obscure Words
Both general readers and specialist critics often complain about my own use of English – not only in my books, but also in my newspaper articles and even in radio talks such as these. “I have to look them up in a dictionary”, they complain – as if this were some kind of torture.
Follow the link for the full transcript of Will Self on A Point Of View: In Defense Of Obscure Words. You can also listen to the radio broadcast through the BBC iPlayer.
Will Self on J.G. Ballard
Will Self describes the importance of J.G. Ballard’s writing in this 7 minute video from The Literature Society’s ‘Alternative Good Friday Sermon Event’.
Will Self Reading From His Forthcoming Novel Umbrella
A 20 minute video of Will Self reading an excerpt from his forthcoming novel “Umbrella” at The Literature Society’s ‘Alternative Good Friday Sermon Event’.
Will Self On Why He Doesn’t Get On With Politicians
Metro newspaper has an interview with Will that covers his thoughts on politicians, appearing on Question Time, and why he’s just “a regular family guy”.
Will Self’s Dream About David Cameron
Will on a disturbing dream about the current British Prime Minister for the FT magazine.
Umbrella
Umbrella, scheduled for publication in the UK by Bloomsbury on 16th August 2012. Pre-ordering is already available at Amazon.co.uk.
Umbrella will be published in the USA by Grove Press on January 8th 2013 – pre-ordering is available at Amazon.com
“A brother is as easily forgotten as an umbrella.” James Joyce, Ulysses
Recently having abandoned his RD Laing-influenced experiment in running a therapeutic community – the so-called Concept House in Willesden – maverick psychiatrist Zack Busner arrives at Friern Hospital, a vast Victorian mental asylum in North London, under a professional and a marital cloud. He has every intention of avoiding controversy, but then he encounters Audrey Dearth, a working-class girl from Fulham born in 1890 who has been immured in Friern for decades.
The Death Of A Government Inspector – Will Self and the English National Opera
Will Self has contributed a very short story, The Death Of A Government Inspector, to the English National Opera’s new search for global talent called Mini Operas. Everyone is invited to listen to stories by Will, A.L. Kennedy and Neil Gaiman and then write a 5 – 7 minute script for an opera based on the story. You can read the full details of the Mini Operas competition on the official site.
Will Self On Renationalising The Railways
Medhi Hasan provides a recap of Will Self’s comments on Question Time about renationalising the UK railways as part of his regular New Statesman column.
You can watch the most recent edition of Question Time online through BBC iPlayer.