John Lanchester, the bestselling author of novels such as Capital and The Wall, has released his first collection of short stories, titled Reality. The book explores themes of grief, betrayal and the uncanny, often through the lens of modern technology. Lanchester, who also writes nonfiction and journalism, says the stories arrived unexpectedly, with the first being published in the New Yorker in 2017 after a friend encouraged him to submit it.
Lanchester describes the process of writing short stories as different from novels, likening it to the passivity of writing poetry. He notes that the stories often touch on the unsettling nature of online lives and technology, drawing parallels to classic ghost stories like Dickens' The Signal-Man, which also featured new technology of its time.
During the pandemic, Lanchester and his wife both contracted Covid-19 early on. He found it difficult to work, managing only half his usual output due to the cognitive and emotional strain of the virus. He warns that even when people are physically present, the pandemic consumes significant mental bandwidth.
Lanchester currently has Shakespeare's histories on his bedside table, finding them relevant to contemporary political divisions. He also recommends Jenny Odell's How to Do Nothing for its insights on the commodification of attention. When asked about organising books, he notes it is a contested topic in his household.
