ISSUE 17

On the cover, legendary artist MARK LECKEY is photographed by Mark Peckmezian.

The Book of the Season is MIDDLEMARCH: A STUDY OF PROVINCIAL LIFE by Mary Ann Evans who, for reasons of societal sexism, wrote under the pen name George Eliot. This sprawling English novel tends to be accompanied by phrases like ‘but it’s just so long’ from those who haven’t read it, and ‘the best novel in the English language’ from those who have. Contributors include: Rebecca Mead, Rob Palk, Jean Hannah Edelstein, Deborah Friedell, Jordana Brewster, Yelena Moskovich and Tara Isabella Burton.

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PART 1

Library Key

Snippets

The Interview: MARK LECKEY by Hari Kunzru — ‘To be honest, I’m looking for a way out of the art world.’

Supernatural Bookshelf

PART 2

Welcome to Websville

George Eliot reads the news by Rebecca Mead — Railways, cholera, covid, kindness
My twenties, my thirties, my forties… by Rob Palk — The success world is not my world

Some times I set a good example by Jean Hannah Edelstein — My life as a moral model

Middlemarch, 2022

Book club with old friend who happens to be a film star by Deborah Friedell — Three-act reread with the brilliant Jordana Brewster

Speed read

Two wills, burn one by Yelena Moskovich — Very small inheritance story

Education sex by Tara Isabella Burton — Submission fetish but for scholars

Letters

Summer book reveal

Issue timeline

A BOOKISH
MAGAZINE

The Happy Reader is a unique magazine about reading for anyone who wishes to stay inspired, informed and entertained.With beautiful typography, the magazine is a design object which celebrates the pure pleasure of reading and the calming luxury of being offline.

Each issue is split into two halves. The first half is an in-depth interview with a book fanatic and the second half gets under the skin of one classic work of literature.