In brief: Hum; The Life of Birds; In Writing – review
Hum
Helen Phillips
Atlantic Books, £16.99, pp272
Set in a dystopian near-future – close enough to our own to feel unnervingly familiar – Phillips’s ingenious and unsettling novel features a world populated by humans living alongside “Hums” – AI-driven robots. In a concrete city devoid of forests, protagonist May plans a trip for her family to the botanical gardens, which have acquired almost mythical status in her mind. But the trip spirals out of control, and through May’s increasing disquiet, Phillips explores motherhood, individual agency, and a disturbing vision of our technological future.
The Life of Birds
David Attenborough
William Collins, £10.99, pp288 (paperback)
In this updated version of the 1998 original, the nation’s favourite natural historian shares his passion, enthusiasm and encyclopaedic knowledge of the evolution, adaptation and complex survival strategies of birds. From diets that need to be both energy-rich and light in weight (hence the propensity for seeds) to the imperative to reproduce with eggs, it’s full of fascinating information and written in Attenborough’s inimitable, accessible style.
In Writing: Conversations on Inspiration, Perspiration and Creative Desperation
Hattie Crisell
Granta, £16.99, pp304
As host of the hugely popular In Writing podcast, Crisell distils what she has learned from interviewing an impressive array of authors into an accessible compendium. From themes such as “Where do ideas come from?” to “How do we tell the truth?”, writers from novelists Maggie O’Farrell and David Nicholls to screenwriter Jesse Armstrong and comedian James Acaster share their wisdom. Essential reading for anyone interested in the writing process.
To order Hum, The Life of Birds or In Writing go to guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply
