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David Isaacs
David Isaacs has recently completed a PhD about the ethics of rewriting at UCL. He is coming to the end of a first novel and is at the early stages of a new project about the present tense.


Articles Available Online


Interview with Namwali Serpell

Interview

December 2020

David Isaacs

Interview

December 2020

Namwali Serpell is a rarity: an academic and novelist whose criticism is as vital as her fiction. Since we first spoke, in September 2020,...

Book Review

June 2018

Christine Schutt’s ‘Pure Hollywood’

David Isaacs

Book Review

June 2018

There is a certain kind of American novelist of the late twentieth century whose fiction fetishises plant names. The...

He said, ‘Tell me about yourself’ He said, ‘Tell me about you’ He said, ‘Tell me everything I’m interested’ He said, ‘I want to know’ He said, ‘I want to know where you’re from’ He said, ‘What you do’ He said, ‘Do you like what you do?’ He said, ‘Who does’ He said, ‘I’m lucky to be doing something I love’ He said, ‘But you are who you are’ He said, ‘Not what you do’ He said, ‘What do you do at the weekend?’ He said, ‘In your free time?’ He said, ‘Do you like music?’ ‘Films?’ ‘Art?’ ‘Books?’ He said, ‘Sport?’ ‘Gym?’ ‘Cycling?’ ‘Walks?’ He said, ‘Can you drive?’ He said, ‘What are your ambitions?’ He said, ‘What are your goals?’ He said, ‘Hopes’ He said, ‘Dreams’ He said, ‘This is cheesy, I know, but what would your wish be if we saw a shooting star? He said, ‘What star sign are you?’ He said, ‘No, I don’t believe’ He said, ‘It’s nonsense, of course, but isn’t that the fun?’ He said, ‘I’m a Libra It means I’m easygoing and urbane It means I’m an idealist’ He said, ‘Of course I don’t believe’ He said, ‘I don’t believe how good this is’ He said, ‘Have you tried it?’ He said, ‘Try it Honestly Take a sip’ He said, ‘I told you’ He said, ‘Didn’t I tell you it was good?’ He said, ‘One more before we leave’ He said, ‘I’m going to get you drunk’ He said, ‘I’m not drunk’ He said, ‘Look, I’m fine’ He said, ‘I’m fine doing whatever you want’ He said, ‘I’d rather not’ He said, ‘How about this place I know?’ He said, ‘Only if you’re sure’ He said, ‘I’m sure this is the way’ He said, ‘This is definitely the way’ He said, ‘Of course I know how to get there I go there all the time’ He said, ‘It’s down here’ He said, ‘Trust me, it’s great’ He said ‘Let me show you’ He said, ‘I’m very impressed’ He said, ‘You’re a

Contributor

August 2014

David Isaacs

Contributor

August 2014

David Isaacs has recently completed a PhD about the ethics of rewriting at UCL. He is coming to the end...

Prize Entry

April 2017

Pylons

David Isaacs

Prize Entry

April 2017

Once upon a time, Dad would begin, I think, focusing on the road, there was a man called Watt....

Seasickness

Prize Entry

April 2016

David Isaacs

Prize Entry

April 2016

‘How would you begin?’   She puts a finger to her lips, a little wrinkled still from the water, and hesitates. She says, ‘Maybe:...
How things are falling.

Prize Entry

April 2015

David Isaacs

Prize Entry

April 2015

i.   Oyster cards were first issued to members of the British public in July 2003; by June 2015 they will have been replaced...
by Accident

fiction

April 2014

David Isaacs

fiction

April 2014

[To be read aloud]   I want to begin – and I hope I don’t come across as autistic or anything like that (and...

READ NEXT

poetry

January 2012

Tynemouth Lodge

W. N. Herbert

poetry

January 2012

‘Sometimes I go to the tavern and get drunk.          What of it?’                                 Nesimi 1 Bars tend us...

poetry

September 2016

Two Poems

Sun Yung Shin

poetry

September 2016

  Autoclonography   for performance   In 1998, scientists in South Korea claimed to have successfully cloned a human...

fiction

January 2014

To Kill a Dog

Samanta Schweblin

TR. Brendan Lanctot

fiction

January 2014

The Mole says: name, and I answer. I waited for him at the indicated location and he picked me...

 

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