To commemorate London Pride 2020, the British Library have released a conversation between Armistead Maupin and Damian Barr, recorded at the British Library Knowledge Centre on 10 February 2014. Maupin was touring the world promoting the final instalment of Tales of The City, which was entitled The Days of Anna Madrigal.
Read MoreThe books, films and music we love say so much about us – every time we pick up a novel or sit down to another box set we add another chapter to the story of ourselves. And they give us the chance to forget about the world around us and disappear somewhere else, if only for a while. Right now we can’t leave home but we can still travel and meet new people and have new experiences in books, tv and film.
Read MoreStories of Splendid Isolation creates moments of literary respite in the wake of Covid-19. I’m delighted to have added some of my thoughts alongside Olivia Sudjic, Joe Dunthorne and others. You can listen by activating Google Assistant - listeners can hear writers from around the world share their reflections during a time of uncertainty, like a literary version of Thought for the Day.
Read MoreThe books, films and music we love say so much about us – every time we pick up a novel or sit down to another box set we add another chapter to the story of ourselves. And they give us the chance to forget about the world around us and disappear somewhere else, if only for a while. Right now we can’t leave home but we can still travel and meet new people and have new experiences in books, tv and film.
Read MoreI've been overwhelmed by the response to this piece that I wrote for the i newspaper.
Thank you for sharing your stories and coping strategies. Let's support each other hour by hour, day by day.
Many of you have got in touch about my way into writing this novel - I never intended to write this novel.
I had my heartbroken with the story of a murder of a boy - who looked like a long lost friend of mine. That boy was Raymond Buys, he was 15 when he was killed at Echo Wild Game Rangers camp in South Africa. I wrote about the contemporary history, The Boer War and the growing right wing power now.
You Will Be Safe Here paperback published!
Today is the publication day for the paperback of You Will Be Safe Here, published by Bloomsbury. You can buy your copy now!
Read Damian's interview with Lisa O'Kelly for The Observer to find out more about his debut novel and the research behind it.
Click here to buy your paperback copy of You Will Be Safe Here!
I’m delighted that You Will Be Safe Here has been shortlisted by the The Authors' Club for their Best First Novel Award 2020. Peer recognition this profound is rare and I couldn’t be in finer company - thank you.
Read MoreEstablished in 2013 with a significant gift from Donald Windham in memory of his partner of 40 years, Sandy Campbell, the Windham-Campbell Prizes are among the richest and most prestigious literary prizes on earth. The community, camaraderie, diversity, and inclusive nature of the Prizes honors the spirit of their lives. Eight prizes of $165,000 are given covering fiction, non-fiction, poetry and drama.
Join us for the live announcement, hosted by Damian Barr, streamed on windhamcampbell.org
Tune in 19th March: 7PM GMT, 3PM EDT, 12 PM PDT, 12:30. AM (Friday) IST, 6AM (Friday) NSW
Read MoreIt was a pleasure to be interviewed by John Maytham on my recent tour of South Africa. You can really tell when someone has read you *very closely* and he certainly did. We get through a lot in seven minutes. Thanks for listening. http://www.capetalk.co.za/podcasts/144/the-john-maytham-show/297362/profile-damian-barr-author-of-the-poignant-debut-novel-you-will-be-safe-here-chats-to-john
Read MoreDelighted to have a piece in this collection edited by Val McDermid and Jo Sharp. Imagine A Country: Ideas for a Better Future offers visions of a new future from an astonishing array of Scottish voices, from comedians to economists, writers to musicians. Featuring Ali Smith, Alan Cumming, Kerry Hudson, Jackie Kay, Louise Welsh and many more. I wrote about how it’s hard to imagine the future when we haven’t been taught our own history. Royalties will be split among five Scottish charities: Shelter Scotland, Scottish Women’s Aid, Scottish Book Trust, Refuweegee and Reforesting Scotland.
Read MoreDamian Barr celebrates animal bravery in wild tales about battles, cruelty and kindness.
Beavers are heroes, as any Narnia fan will tell you. Now the news confirms what we have known since meeting Mr and Mrs Beaver in CS Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Industrious rodents havebuilt six dams upstream of the flood-prone Devonshire village of East Budleigh. These have been slowing the flow of water during the recent storms, reducing pollution and restoring native wildlife, according to a local five-year study.
Read the full article here
Read MoreI’m delighted to join authors I admire on this list from such a prestigious organisation. What an unexpected pleasure it was getting the news while touring with the book on the other side of the world. Thanks to the judges and congratulations to all the other writers on this achievement and to EVERY SINGLE WRITER who sits down and attempts that first novel.
Read MoreDamian will be at the New Zealand Festival of the Arts on Wednesday 4th March to read from his debut novel, 'You Will Be Safe Here'. The Literary Salon host, and acclaimed author of his memoir 'Maggie & Me', will discuss South African history, hope, homophobia and the true story that inspired this extraordinary novel.
See the full festival programme at www.festival.nz/events/all/
We live in a world on the edge of change: forced migration, climate chaos and Trump-Brexit all tilt our axis. We need stories now more than ever—to help us understand how others faced other changes so we might not just survive but thrive. Plus ça change?
Read MoreI'm delighted to announce that The Big Scottish Book Club is returning for a second series! More books on TV!
We want to thank you for all your support and for watching. The first series featured Sara Collins, Janice Galloway, Marian Keyes, Graham Norton, David Nicholls and Patrick Gale among many others and the second series will be equally illustrious. You can still a chance catch Series One on BBC iPlayer for the next few weeks.
Read MoreAs part of the BBC Radio 4 series, From Fact to Fiction, Damian has written the short story 'Summer Son'. As the Scottish Government reviews the difficult situation of students cut off from their parents, Damian writes about the painful and increasingly visible reality of family estrangement.
You can listen to Damian's story, 'Summer Son' on BBC Radio 4, 7th February at 3.45pm.
Click here for more info
And Click Here for the full festival programme
Read MoreDamian has been announced on the line-up for the Adelaide Writers' Week 29th Feb - 5th March 2020. He'll be taking part in three events across two days and you'll be able to hear him discuss and read from his debut novel You Will Be Safe Here.
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