Isabel Costello

Display of Short Story Collections, Daunt Books, Marylebone Until relatively recently, I was a short fiction sceptic.  The fact that I rarely read it didn’t stop me having a rather dismissive attitude: weren’t short stories a bit trivial and unsatisfying?  Why would I spend time on them when I could be reading a novel?  I was far from alone in my … Continue reading »

I’ve attended many author events and have been lucky to hear/meet some of the big name novelists who’ve inspired me:  Alan Hollinghurst, Linda Grant, Richard Ford, Marilynne Robinson.  There’s a new addition to that list: Lionel Shriver, who read at an intimate salon at the Society Club on Saturday.  I’ve never written up an author … Continue reading »

OK, hate is too strong a word, but even blogposts need a good title… I’ve been in hypercritical mode lately and I’m hoping this will get it out of my system.   It’s happened before.  At university I spent four years overanalysing and pulling to pieces the greats of French and German literature.  Parts of this I loved, … Continue reading »

Given my love of US fiction, it’s surprising that I haven’t hosted an American guest author before now, but it’s been worth the wait – I’m thrilled to welcome international bestselling author Tracy Chevalier to the Literary Sofa.  Tracy has written seven novels including Girl with a Pearl Earring which sold over 4 million copies.  I … Continue reading »

Before I joined Twitter and started blogging (both less than two years ago) I had never even come across the term TBR (To Be Read).  Once I’d finished reading the novel for my monthly book group, I’d take a casual look on my shelves (always well stocked because the book stall at the school jumble … Continue reading »