The novelist Brandon Taylor, who has generated his own buzz with his debut novel, “Real Life,” and a collection of stories, “Filthy Animals,” visits the podcast to discuss the much-discussed work of Sally Rooney. Taylor recently reviewed her third novel, “Beautiful World, Where Are You.” On the podcast, he describes Rooney’s writing as an “intense, melancholic tractor beam.”

“She has this really great, tactile metaphorical sense, but it’s never overworked,” he says. “Her style is so clean. That is the word I come to most often in describing her style. It is so clean, so pristine.” Like her two previous books, this one is fueled by the vexations of intimate relationships. “Ultimately, if you’re a Sally Rooney fan, I think you’ll love this novel,” Taylor says. “And if you’re a Sally Rooney skeptic, I think she will acknowledge your concerns but maybe not answer them in full.”

Another Rooney, David Rooney, visits the podcast to discuss his new book, “About Time: A History of Civilization in Twelve Clocks.”

“There’s something about clocks and watches,” he says.” They have more meaning to many people than other artifacts. I wasn’t quite sure why. I was trying to get behind the faces of clocks and watches, to understand not so much how they work — although that’s fascinating — but what they mean, and what they’ve always meant, through history, across cultures.”

Also on this week’s episode, Tina Jordan looks back at Book Review history as it celebrates its 125th anniversary; Alexandra Alter has news from the publishing world; and Jennifer Szalai and John Williams talk about books that have been recently reviewed. Pamela Paul is the host.

Here are the books discussed by the Times’s critics this week:

“The Failed Promise” by Robert S. Levine

“The War for Gloria” by Atticus Lish

“The Magician” by Colm Toibin

Not yet thirty years old, the Irish novelist Sally Rooney has quickly amassed an international following. In “Conversations with Friends” and “Normal People”, Rooney’s nuanced depictions of complex characters confront structures of intimacy, friendship, and class. On February 12, 2020, Sally Rooney and fellow writer Heidi Julavits had a conversation - originally scheduled before an audience at the Sydney Goldstein Theater in January, but postponed due to Rooney’s illness, the program was recorded in a New York studio.

Alice and Bethany navigate Rooney Fever by discussing the masterful marketing campaign by Faber for Beautiful World, Where Are You? which is released this week.

Bookmark This! Ep 26: The worlds of Sally Rooney and Anne Carson

18:48 mins

Synopsis: A monthly literary podcast by The Straits Times featuring titles in the headlines and sizzling reads.In the latest episode of this literary podcast, The Straits Times journalists Olivia Ho and Toh Wen Li talk about new and old in the latest works by Sally Rooney and Anne Carson, from the millennial crisis of Beautiful World, Where Are You to the reworking of Greek myth in H Of H Playbook.

Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney (0:54) H Of H Playbook by Anne Carson (12:25)

Produced by: Olivia Ho (oliviaho@sph.com.sg), Toh Wen Li (tohwenli@sph.com.sg) and Penelope Lee

Edited by: Hadyu Rahim and Penelope Lee

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Last month Irish writer Sally Rooney launched her highly anticipated third novel Beautiful World, Where Are You. Since its release, the book has topped bestseller lists across the world and continues to fly off the shelves. We here at the Women’s Podcast devoured the book in just a few days and we’re still not ready to stop talking about it. That’s why in today’s episode, Róisín Ingle is joined by Irish Times columnists Emer McLysaght and Fintan O’Toole to get their thoughts on the book and to discuss the Sally Rooney effect: the mass appeal of her writing, the impact she’s had on the literary world and the spotlight she’s shone on emerging Irish writers.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sally Rooney’s third novel, ‘Beautiful World, Where Are You’, was one of the most hotly anticipated releases of the year. Now that it’s out, it’s smashing sales records. Her new book covers similar ground to her earlier work, but this time, more than ever, Rooney turns inward and grapples with what it means to be a successful writer in the current moment. So why has Rooney’s work struck such a chord with millions of readers? And does ‘Beautiful World, Where Are You’ live up to the hype? Guest: Writer and book critic, Madeleine Gray Follow The Culture on Instagram See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The best-selling and (mostly) critically acclaimed Irish novelist Sally Rooney has sometimes come under fire for not—despite her professed personal left-leaning politics—writing “Marxist” novels. But what does a Marxist novel look like? Is the novel form itself inherently bourgeois? In this episode of Art for the End Times, Lyta Gold sits down with writer and McGill University PhD candidate Richard Joseph to discuss Rooneymania, love stories, the limitations of the realist novel, and what exactly we are asking of writers when we ask them to tell “Marxist” stories.Read the transcript of this podcast: https://therealnews.com/lets-talk-about-sally-rooney-what-makes-a-novel-socialistRichard Joseph, LA Review of Books, "Everyone's a Critic": https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/everyones-a-critic/Pre-Production/Studio: Maximillian AlvarezPost-Production: Brent TomchikHelp us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer: Donate: https://therealnews.com/donate-podSign up for our newsletter: https://therealnews.com/newsletter-podLike us on Facebook: https://facebook.com/therealnewsFollow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/therealnews

The new Sally Rooney novel is here!  Anna and Annie discuss the publishing event and enormous success of the release of Rooney's third book.

Beautiful World, Where Are You is a novel about four friends, examining their relationships and touching on world issues.  Perfect for book clubs, there is so much to discuss.  Praised for its 'touching honesty' (Financial Times) and 'originality' (Esquire) this was Watersones' 2021 best-selling fiction title after only three days on the shelves.

Coming up: Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead.

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Credits

Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz