AfterWords

In February 1910, the future Virginia Woolf played the most famous practical joke in British military history. Blackening her face and masquerading as an Abyssinian prince, the young writer and her friends conned their way onto HMS Dreadnought, the Empire’s most powerful battleship. 'The Girl Prince' is a tantalisingly fresh take on the iconic writer and her deeply problematic stunt, as well as her ideas on race and empire. In this episode, listen to award-winning author and scholar Danell Jones and Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies in the Faculty of Arts at McGill University Tabitha Sparks discuss what happened aboard the ship, Woolf’s involvement in the hoax, the immediate aftermath and how the narrative surrounding the ‘practical joke’ has changed over the years. To buy the book and for more information, visit hurstpublishers.com

Born in Kolkata shortly before Indian independence, Mihir Bose still feels enormous gratitude towards Mr Crombie of the UK’s Home Office, who confirmed his permanent resident’s rights in 1975. In this episode, join Mihir, the BBC’s first sports editor and first non-white editor, and Sarah Sands, author and Deputy Chair of the British Council, in conversation about his book ‘Thank You Mr Crombie’. You'll hear Mihir take us back to life in 1960s Britain, a time when Indian food was shunned, not adored. Landladies wouldn’t rent him a room and he suffered several assaults, fearing for his life. Reflecting on migration, race and British society, he looks at how far the country has come and how its sometimes deeply shameful past must still be addressed. To buy the book and for more information, visit hurstpublishers.com

In an increasingly dystopian world, 'Negotiating with the Devil' by Pierre Hazan takes readers inside the world of armed conflict mediation, offering insight into the political and ethical ‘red lines’ that shape talks with armed interlocutors, be they states or insurgents. In this episode, listen to Pierre and Victor Mallet in conversation about the high-stakes process of conflict mediation, the role of a peace negotiator, Pierre’s own thoughts about what makes a good mediator, and the grey areas as well as the shifting political imperatives impacting conflict mediation today. To buy the book and for more information, visit hurstpublishers.com

'The Great Indian Food Trip' is an entertaining, erudite adventure of eating, drinking and travelling. This is how Swedish novelist, rock musician and author Zac O’Yeah has come to understand the Indian subcontinent, his home of thirty years. In this episode, listen to Zac in conversation with writer and journalist Samanth Subramanian about the book, Zac’s love of food, his most memorable meals during his travels across India, and unique insight into the country’s delicacies, their origins and locales. To buy the book and for more information, visit hurstpublishers.com

We are in a new age of terror, with self-radicalising, hard-to-categorise individuals planning violence. Since the Westminster Bridge attack in 2017, more than 40 terror attacks have been foiled by the security services. 'Plotters' by journalist Lizzie Dearden is an eye-opening account of the British terror attacks you’ve never heard of—because the perpetrators were caught in time. In this episode, listen to Lizzie in conversation with fellow journalist and writer Tam Hussein to discuss the changing face of modern terrorism, the common factors that led to the would-be attackers being stopped and what each one caught tells us about British society. To buy the book and for more information, visit hurstpublishers.com

As floods and fires rage across the planet, more people are embracing nonviolent action to achieve political change. Can it work? In ‘_Sorry for the Inconvenience But This Is an Emergency_’ doctor and aid worker Lynne Jones offers a compelling, ground-level account of the last five years of UK protests, exploring how and why ordinary citizens have adopted extraordinary methods to confront the climate and nature crises. In this episode, listen to Lynne in conversation with Fiona Godlee, doctor, and former Editor-in-Chief of the _British Medical Journal_, about Lynne’s experiences, from Greenham Common Women’s Peace Camp to her involvement in movements like Extinction Rebellion today. They will also discuss the most effective kinds of protest, and what compels people to break the law in the name of justice. For more, visit hurstpublishers.com

AfterWords is back on 30th October 2024. For the next six episodes, join Hurst authors in conversation with leading experts and journalists to discuss their new and illuminating books. You’ll hear about our new era of mass protest and whether nonviolent action can achieve real political change; the changing face of modern terrorism in the UK; the complex and delicate process of peace-making in an increasingly dystopian world; a fresh take on the iconic writer Virginia Woolf and her deeply problematic prank; lessons in guilt and gratitude to the British from Mihir Bose; and a culinary adventure like you’ve never seen…or heard…before. For more information and to check out the books, visit hurstpublishers.com

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China’s millennials feel stuck. They are caught between the country’s authoritarian politics, hypermodern technology, and economic boom. In her raw and revealing memoir, Under Red Skies, Karoline Kan turns to the three generations of women in her family to understand the ever-changing China she grew up in. In this episode, listen to Karoline in conversation with Quilt.Ai’s Angad Singh Chowdhry about life in China beyond the headlines: the remarkable story of Karoline’s family, her own experiences as a Chinese millennial and whether understanding the country’s youth holds the key to understanding China as it is today.

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