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Alan’s 2020 Year in Books
Take a look at Alan’s Year in Books. The long, the short—it’s all here.
1,869 books
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925 friends
3,757 books
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4,950 friends
2,446 books
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2,186 friends
12,120 books
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1,993 friends
937 books
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204 friends
3,438 books
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234 friends
2,400 books
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287 friends
9,076 books
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4,999 friends
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Alan Beard
Goodreads Author
Born
in Birmingham, The United Kingdom
Website
Twitter
Genre
Influences
Alan Sillitoe, Henry Green, Raymond Carver
Member Since
December 2007
URL
https://www.goodreads.com/takingsky
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Alan Beard
when you finish that difficult story, when it all slots into place.
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You Don't Have to Say
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published
2011
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Taking Doreen Out of the Sky
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published
1997
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3 editions
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The Heebie-Jeebies
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published
2009
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Going the Distance
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published
2003
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Background Noise
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published
2009
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The Best British Short Stories 2011
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published
2011
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4 editions
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The New Abject: Tales of Modern Unease
by
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published
2020
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3 editions
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The Mechanics' Institute Review: Short Stories (The Mechanics' Institute Review, #14)
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The Book of Birmingham: A City in Short Fiction
by
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published
2018
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2 editions
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Come See About Me
(Literature & Fiction)
1 chapters
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updated Jan 11, 2016 03:37AM
Description:
I was asked to post by Sketchbook. A story that originally appeared in the mag 'Panurge' and subsequently selected for Best Short Stories 1991, and then reprinted in my collection 'Taking Doreen out of the Sky'.
Country Life
(Literature & Fiction)
1 chapters
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updated Mar 29, 2010 04:35PM
Description:
Short story originally published in London Magazine 32(5), 1992. A bit old then, but hopefully still readable. It also appeared in my first collection 'Taking Doreen out of the Sky' (Picador 1999).
Alan’s Recent Updates
"A time-travel novel that is based on exploring the “Butterfly Effect” in a mash up with a love story and an epistolary novel. The uniqueness of the premise comes from a contrast between hard sci-fi alien warfare and emotion-laden love poetry. Blood a"
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"Dumb Luck by Vũ Trọng Phụng is a Vietnamese social satire of the rise of Red Haired Xuân from street urchin and ball boy to wealthy, national hero. He is no innocent but rather a young rouge who adroitly takes advantage of the family of Mr and Mrs De"
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"A funny one this. It’s an autobiographical story concerning the struggles of a young woman of decidedly bohemian inclinations as she tries to find herself in Paris between the wars. I spent the first three parts highlighting Imagism-inflected passage"
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Alan
rated a book really liked it
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| Like an incantation this recounts a tale of a Senegalese soldier fighting with the French in the trenches of WW1. At night he crawls through the mud of no mans land and garottes a German (plucking them from their trench), cuts their hands off and ret ...more | |
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Alan
rated a book really liked it
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| I know I'm late to the party but I loved these biting accounts of (mostly) suburban angst. The writing is sharp, funny, tight (although it sometimes runs away with itself delightfully). Parents without kids for once quickly descend into smoking crack ...more | |
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started reading
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Alan
is currently reading
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Alan
rated a book really liked it
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| Like an incantation this recounts a tale of a Senegalese soldier fighting with the French in the trenches of WW1. At night he crawls through the mud of no mans land and garottes a German (plucking them from their trench), cuts their hands off and ret ...more | |
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Alan
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Alan
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| 3.5 stars | |
“When he got up to shuffle to the kitchen he moved as if Rebel Rebel was still playing even though the music had stopped and she followed to the room where little sunlight penetrated but which seemed sun-filled now. It had leaked in from the angels who were dissolving away in the other room. She tapped his shoulder and touched his side, was to the front of him, to the side of him, helping him with cups and kettle and turning on taps, tutting at his fridge, moving with jar and spoon as if she'd often done that here. As if he'd opened his eyes in a place where things persisted.”
― The Heebie-Jeebies
― The Heebie-Jeebies
“For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet or excite you. Books help us understand who we are and how we are to behave. They show us what community and friendship mean; they show us how to live and die.”
― Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life
― Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life
“A story is a way to say something that can’t be said any other way, and it takes every word in the story to say what the meaning is.”
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Graham Greene
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A group dedicated to the extraordinary life and work of Graham Greene.
Short Story lovers
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— last activity Jan 12, 2021 06:13AM
For people who especially love short stories, and don't care who knows it! ...more
Goodreads Librarians Group
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A place where all Goodreads members can work together to improve the Goodreads book catalog. Non-librarians are welcome to join the group as well, to ...more
The Extra Cool Group! (of people Michael is experimenting on)
— 158 members
— last activity Aug 27, 2013 12:21PM
*Note: This group, although it lives on in a sense, like a photograph, capturing a moment so people can look back later and go, "Oh, wow, you looked s ...more
Press 53's 53-word story contests
— 16 members
— last activity Sep 08, 2012 04:54PM
Every week we post a new 53-words story at our Press 53 blog http://press53.tumblr.com/ each week with a new theme. I create the weekly contest and j ...more
Comments (showing 14-63)
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My friend and fellow writer Joel Lane has died aged 50. Can't believe it. RIP Joel.
Ken wrote: "Thanks for the the tip on Volt and The Heyday of the Insensitive Bastards."They're both brilliant. I also liked 'Daddy's'.
Hi Kinga,that's a start! You should also buy Best British Short Stories 2011 (Salt). I'm not saying this just because I'm in it of course.
Al
Hello,To support you in your ASSP Campaign I went to an independent bookshop yesterday and bought The Penguin Book of Modern British Short Stories.
This way I support independent bookshops and short stories!
Just ordered your new book! Thanks for the link!
Jessica wrote: "thanks for joining the GG group, Alan!"not sure I'll have time to add much though. I see you're reading Brighton Rock - I still remember reading it back in the late 60s when i was a teenager. I hope they don't cock up the remake of the film.
Nathalie wrote: "I am full of cold, coughing and spluttering - doubt I'll make tonight. Hope it goes well"
OK Nathalie. Did go fairly well - sold 3 books!
I am full of cold, coughing and spluttering - doubt I'll make tonight. Hope it goes well
notgettingenough wrote: "Hey Alan. If I can come on Monday night can I bring a non-goodreads friend? I haven't checked tickets, haven't checked if it is okay to stay at my friend's place...And will I get to personally sa..."
Fabulous! Bring who you like - it's free, don't worry about tickets. Don't know how it will work out but I'm sure there will be drinks after somewhere. Trouble is I've got to get the train back to Brum at 9:45 (work the next day), so won't have that much time.
A few GRers are coming it will be nice to see everyone instaed of talking to avatars.
I'm still reeling from the Guardian review yesteday - nice to have all that space, but can't stomach that 'not quite fresh'!
caved in and ordered the newest Galgut as well...
oh, jealous, jealous, jealous, now I have to order that as well too!yes, I love him. Though his last one disappointed me.
Jessica wrote: "your book arrived today from amazon.co.uk--yay!!!!"Hope you like it Jessica. It picked up a nice little review in the Times recently. Just finished the new Galgut (I know you like him) - excellent.
your book arrived today from amazon.co.uk--yay!!!!
have no idea what's with the links...it still takes me to the Trump book....what kind of message am I getting?!
Jessica wrote: "how strange! your link takes me to a review of Donald Trump's book, How to Get Rich... !"bloody hell, a lot of the links have gone weird on me too. What's happening man?
feel free to post your list on my comments page, I'd love to see it!
how strange! your link takes me to a review of Donald Trump's book, How to Get Rich... !
Paul Bryant challenged me to do a top fifty stories and I had to include Joel's one about Charles Beaumont called 'The Quiet Hours' http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
(scroll down to see my top fifty stories..)
Oh I love Shirley Jackson! will check out Lane...
oh yes - Lane is my mate, in my writers' group, so I'm biased, but his novella 'The Witnesses are Gone' just won a Shirley Jackson Novella award, so it's not just me.http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63...
Donovan - I only know one book of his, a collection of stories (naturally), and it was a prize from The Short Review. I was knocked out by one partidular story.
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38...
James Hanley is an uneven writer, bit weird, intense and strange. I liked Sailor's Song and Boy.
at the moment only a launch is planned, but the Press do a lot of readings at festivals etc, so I expect stuff to happen. My problem is full time work! There's posters and stuff done with the proper cover- I'll try and post it.
My favourite authors? If you mean Henry Green and James Hanley you should read them .. there's one you know quite well though - you.
p.s. why have I not heard of any of your favorite authors?
Very much looking forward to reading it Alan! it's exciting--Will you be doing any books promo? readings, tours?
Thanks, Alan. i guess it's sort of like the odds of getting cast in a major motion picture.
Alan wrote: "I've posted a photo but it's not the same day - it's from about 6 years later, both of us. I'll have to get back with the pic of Clare from '73..."yes found it - I haven't told Clare I'm putting her pic up but still. The photo was taken just before mine - see what I mean about the same hairstyle. Same sunglasses too - we were mucking about.
W. wrote: "I never read your bio before Alan. Now I feel neglectful. I'll definitely pick up some books by you in the near future. (Sad to say you won't see any royalties since my cheap lifestyle demands I us..."There's only one book by me really - '..Doreen..', the other one mentioned I edited. I do have a collection coming out soon though.
I don't get royalties anyway - Picador pulped the book before it reached my advance. It's only available second hand anyway.
I have read one or two of your poems, but I will buy Ants Dissolve in Moonlight cuz I love the title (reference to something probably)..
I never read your bio before Alan. Now I feel neglectful. I'll definitely pick up some books by you in the near future. (Sad to say you won't see any royalties since my cheap lifestyle demands I use ABE.com. Soz mate.) But Picador. Swank. Seriously.
I've posted a photo but it's not the same day - it's from about 6 years later, both of us. I'll have to get back with the pic of Clare from '73...
cheers ceridwen & mp - I'll have a go... need to find the file first..
Alan wrote: "Ceridwen wrote: "That would be sweet!"it's just posting the thing - dunno how to do it. I could stick it on my profile and I could be female for an hour.."
If you click on your profile pic, it will take you to a page showing larger version of the pic and there should be an 'add more photos' link on top right of the page, I think.
Ceridwen wrote: "That would be sweet!"it's just posting the thing - dunno how to do it. I could stick it on my profile and I could be female for an hour..
Ceridwen wrote: "Awwwwww."I know - sickening isn't it. I took a photo of her at the same time I'll see if I can post it...
Ceridwen wrote: "I love the new picture. Where was this taken?"It was taken in 1973 in Weston Super Mare by my (very) new girlfriend - now my wife.
weird ain't it.. what happened to 1.38%? I want them back!
I've just compared books with myself and although I'm 100% the same on ratings you (me) and yourself (myself) have 'only' 98.62% books in common. Now here I am writing to myself. As I said to Jen I'm going senile (55 next month). It's Friday afternoon and work ends in 10 minutes - hence this shite.
Jessica wrote: "November 2010!great news, Alan!"
yes but maybe I shouldn't have said anything yet, might hex it
Ben wrote: "I'm excited for your reaction to Winesburg. I know it's had a lot of hype, but I do think you'll at least appreciate it. Cheers.".. I read 'Hands' this morning on the train to work. Yes, I think I'm going to like this. A lot.
Had some great news this morning too - my book has been brought forward and will now be out (or should be) in Novemeber 2010..
I'm excited for your reaction to Winesburg. I know it's had a lot of hype, but I do think you'll at least appreciate it. Cheers.
Ben wrote: "Congrats on the good review! He really analyzed it well, it seemed. Cheers."Yes I'm flattered and happy that Abailart took such trouble with it, and liked my stories too..
Congrats on the good review! He really analyzed it well, it seemed. Cheers.
Jessica wrote: "ah, sorry about that.Yes, I did indeed promise a review...and I fell down on the job.
But...I will do it, soon as I climb out from under the semester's course load.
soon I hope."
don't worry Jessica leave it. I know this time of year is so busy for academics (and us Uni librarians but I don't take my work home). It's such a bastard about Meg. Maybe she'll come back.
ah, sorry about that.Yes, I did indeed promise a review...and I fell down on the job.
But...I will do it, soon as I climb out from under the semester's course load.
soon I hope.
Jessica wrote: "hi Alan:did Meg S. leave GR?
(do we know why?)"
Yes Meg left, great shame. She emailed me to say she was worried about her privacy (seems someone was harrassing her). I miss her a lot as I got some great recommendations from her - not least 'How I Came to Know Fish', plus of course she was in the process of giving '..Doreen..' a good review.
Which reminds me, Ms Treat - didn't you say you'd do a review in a few days time back in April? ... No problem though, whenever...
