Welcome to The Deep Read, where you will find all sorts of shenanigans from the Mr B’s booksellers – reviews, articles, poems, art, stories, links, tips and more! This month, you’ll find a quick-fire author Q&A, check out Ed’s latest literary linocut, read reviews from Emma and Nic, find out Hannah’s favourite biscuit, and see what happens when we get incredibly random and niche book recommendation requests…

Quick-Fire Q&A with Hana Tooke

Hana Tooke, children’s author extraordinaire and long time friend-of-Mr B’s, launched her new gothic middle grade novel Skulkmoor with a party at Mr B’s this week. We grabbed her for a quick Q&A about books and more…

If you were living in the divided house from your new novel Skulkmoor, which side would you want to live in: Iris’s because it has a bird tower.

The characters in the book have to invent something to compete for their inheritance. What would you invent to prove yourself? A circus of mechanical frogs

If you could be any gothic creature, what would it be? A gargoyle

You’re locked in an escape room with any author, living or dead – who do you choose? Yasmin Rahman

Recommend us three of your favourite books: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, Northern Lights by Philip Pullman, and Inkheart by Cornelia Funke.

Ed’s Literary Linocut of the Month

As well as being probably the greatest bookseller in the country, our Ed is also a talented artist, as evidenced by the beautiful limited edition prints of the shop you might remember we sold a couple of years back. He also has a penchant for reimagining book covers and literary characters in linocut form. This month he has been working on this brilliant work depicting Modesty Blaise, star of Peter O’Donnell’s cult classic spy series. You can also read Ed’s review of the book in issue 1 of Dust Jackets here.

Mr B Gets Ready for Monisha Rajesh

Nic, aka Mr B, is very excited to be interviewing Monisha Rajesh next week at our event for her new book, Moonlight Express. Here’s what he had to say about it: “Monisha rides the world’s moonlit rails in search of some wholesome (and environmentally friendly) slow travel vibes. And, in the main, she finds them in abundance as she disarmingly bonds with every imaginable type of traveller in the dining cars of new and classic night-train routes. One minute you’re riding with Monisha to the Norwegian far North under the glare of the midnight sun, the next you’re watching her share a rushed empanada on a Peruvian siding with fellow travel-writer (and long-time pal of Mr B’s) Julian Sayarer. A multi-continental wanderlust-inducing bombardment of train love – as long as you don’t mind a bit of insomnia and unscheduled delay.” Tickets still available – click here!

Britain’s Multicultural History @ BRLSI

We are delighted to be selling books for our friends over the road at BRLSI as they host an important and fascinating event, Learning the Lessons of Britain’s Multicultural History, in November. Acclaimed historian Kieran Connell will be joined by friend-of-Mr B’s Suresh Ariaratnam for what is a timely conversation foregrounded against a landscape of increasing intolerance, immigration anxiety and racially-motivated riots. Tickets available from £3, click here for more information.

Emma Reviews The Adversary

We have long been big fans of Canadian writer Michael Crummey’s work, particularly his 2020 historical epic, The Innocents. Emma has just devoured his new novel, The Adversary, and had this to say: “Set in 18th century Newfoundland, The Adversary follows a small coastal community headed up by two rival siblings – the vulgar Abe Strapp, and the cunning Widow. Neither one will let anything, or anyone, get in the way of taking the other down. It grabs you from the first chapter and propels you along – each chapter a step closer or a step back in one of the sibling’s plans – whether it be the arrival of a plague, or a band of rowdy sailors washed up ashore with plans of their own. It’s grim, gruesome, violent, with a prevailing atmosphere of never-ending darkness, but there is also great humour here too – with some of the best swear words you’ll ever read!”

Weird and Wonderful Subscription Requests

As you’ll know, we run the country’s number one bespoke reading subscription service, where we cater to all tastes… no matter how niche! To give you a peak behind the scenes, we thought we would start sharing some of the more… unique requests we receive from our lovely customers.

This week Nethmi has been responding to the following: “I would love to receive books about humans slowly turning into sea creatures.”

Sounds difficult – not for our Nethmi, she was piling them up before she’d finished reading the sentence! Check out her recommendations here.

Diary Dates, Links and Tips

September 23: Booker Prize shortlist announcement. This year, for the first time, the announcement will be at a live event at the Southbank Centre. Tickets still available – click here.

September 27: Camp YA Book Festival – featuring Ava Eldred, E Lockhart, Elle McNicoll, Elizabeth Lim, Abdi Nazemian, Robin Alvarez and many more!

One last note – a shout out the amazing local business Solina Pasta, which is now my favourite restaurant in Bath. It serves an incredible selection of pasta dishes and other picky bits at very reasonable prices. A few of us booksellers went a couple of weeks ago and it was so good I was immediately back with my wife later that week. If you live in Bath, or are visiting for the day, check them out!

As always, thanks for reading! Tom