Tessa Hadley, an acclaimed author known for her intricately crafted literary works, shares her journey to publication in her 40s. She discusses the significance of character development, emphasizing that conflict enriches storytelling. Listeners are treated to a reading from her new novella, exploring themes of nostalgia and youthful deception. Hadley reflects on the emotional struggles of a writer, the importance of community, and her creative process. Her insights emphasize how personal experiences shape compelling narratives, resonating with writers and readers alike.

Tessa Hadley, a celebrated author and regular contributor to the London Review of Books, delves into the literary world of Mavis Gallant. They discuss Gallant's profound short stories and what sets them apart from her novels. Hadley highlights how Gallant's unique insights into society, particularly through female characters, reveal rich human experiences. The conversation also touches on the intriguing blend of personal and broader wartime themes in Gallant's work, showcasing her status as a ‘writer's writer’ and the impact of her self-doubt on her craft.

Tessa Hadley, author of 'Free Love,' reads 'Vincent’s Party,' a tale set at a winter party capturing the essence of lifting spirits. The story follows Evelyn's daring transformation for a party, exploring Vincent's charismatic world at a steam packet party, social interactions, and reflections on life and death.

Tessa Hadley, a prolific fiction writer with thirtieth story published in The New Yorker, discusses her journey as a writer, including the challenges she faced. They explore the connection between imagination and character development, observations from the window, and creating tension in a mother-daughter scene during the pandemic.

In this month's fiction podcast, Tessa Hadley reads "City Lovers," a story by the South African writer and 1991 Nobel Prize winner Nadine Gordimer. The story, which was published in The New Yorker in 1975, focusses on a love affair between a white man and a "colored" woman in Apartheid South Africa. It's deeply political in its details--the man is a geologist at a mining company, the couple's affair is illegal, and they cover it up by pretending that she is his servant. But Gordimer writes with a focussed intimacy that makes the piece a tragic love story rather than a political morality tale. "One of the things I think she can teach us," says Hadley, "is how to write politically without becoming shrill." Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices