Bldgblog wrote about eight short stories commissioned by the Royal Parks of London. Each story is set in a different London park. Rown Routh, the series’ editor, hopes that the Royal Parks commission will become an annual event.
According to Bldgblog, Routh asked for short stories from writers ” who had a connection to a particular part of London: for example, Nicola Barker, whose most recent novel is the Booker-prize short-listed Darkmans and who lives in Greenwich, has contributed By Force of Will Alone, set in Greenwich Park. The selection process evolved as word spread—and the final list now looks like this: William Boyd (The Dreams of Bethany Mellmoth, Green Park), Will Self (A Report to the Minister, Bushy Park), Ali Smith (The Definite Article, Regent’s Park), Adam Thorpe (Direct Hit, Hyde Park), Shena Mackay (The Return of the Deer, Richmond Park), Hana al-Shaykh (A Beauty Parlour for Swans, Kensington Gardens), and Clare Wigfall (Along Birdcage Walk, St James’s Park).”
The Park Stories series will be available from May in either individual booklets (priced at £2 each) or a box set (priced at £16). The books are available at select bookstores, and through The Royal Parks website. The authors will read in their respective parks this summer.
