Issue No. 11
This bookish magazine for summer 2018 presents a landmark interview with OLLY ALEXANDER and a free-roving parade through the novel THE BLACK TULIP.
OLLY ALEXANDER, lead vocalist with British pop group YEARS & YEARS opens up about being young, gay and famous, explains a key literary reference in a new song, and namechecks, among others, James Baldwin, Andrew Holleran and Flannery O’Connor.
The articles that follow strive to unlock the meaning of THE BLACK TULIP, an unputdownable novel set in the Dutch Golden Age, with contributions from DEBORAH LEVY, RICHARD BENSON, CHARLIE CONNELLY and NEAL FOX.
CONTENTS
PART 1
On the cover, singer OLLY ALEXANDER photographed by Daniel Riera with styling by Stuart Williamson
Snippets
The Interview: OLLY ALEXANDER by Paul Flynn — The readerly road of the Years & Years superstar
Books Olly’s been given
PART 2
The Book of the Season is THE BLACK TULIP by Alexandre Dumas, originally written in French and published in 1850 as LA TULIPE NOIRE
Introduction: Floricultural thriller by Seb Emina
Psychology: Beware of the mob by Jane C.Hu — Losing oneself in the crowd
Cast of characters
Horticulture: Botany now by Richard Benson — Alchemy of the petal
Memoir: A strange neighbour by Deborah Levy — Mr John lived downstairs
Art: Mural murder mystery by Aaron Peck — Dutch painting on a Belgian building
Nine worst in-laws by Jean Hannah Edelstein — You can’t vet them all
Travel: Dumas on tour by Charlie Connelly — Making it all up on the road
The golden pigeon by Thomas Bird — China’s pigeon speculation bubble
Diary: Queen of the night by Rebecca May Johnson — The escapism of blank earth
Letters
Now read Frankenstein