Welcome to Book Talk, where we help you find new fuel for your bookish obsession. While you might not find these authors while scrolling short-form content online, you will find their work to be significant, impactful, and, hopefully, something you reach for time and again. Happy reading!
One author that I can never get enough of is Claire Fuller. Her writing is elegant and personable, with the unique quality of drawing you so far in that, when you do come up for air, shadows of her work linger with you for days afterward.
Fuller graduated from Winchester School of Art with a degree in sculpture, followed by a Masters (distinction) from the University of Winchester in creative and critical writing. Although Fuller didn’t begin writing until she was 40, her five novels have been short and longlisted for various awards, including the Dublin Literary Award, and her fourth novel — Unsettled Ground(2021) — won the Costa Book Award in 2021. Her short fiction has appeared in a number of literary journals and, at present, her novels have been translated into over twenty languages.
One of her more well-known titles, Swimming Lessons(2017), is what got me interested in her work. Actually, interested isn’t the right word — let’s go with possessed. Because every word is chosen intentionally, strung together in a way that haunts you long after you put the book down. I would know: I’ve read Swimming Lessons every couple years since its publication in 2017. It’s a book I always come back to, simply because it inspires me — both as a reader and as a writer.
Beyond her writing style, what I like about Fuller is that she seems so personable. On her blog, she shares personal anecdotes — including time spent at writers’ festivals and her to-read list — making it feel as though she’s sharing parts of her life over a cup of coffee with you. And not to toot my own horn, but when I reviewed one of her books ages ago, she left a lovely little comment on my post. Such a kind person!
In interviews, Fuller’s personality shines through, showing someone who is — no surprise — passionate about reading and writing. But not just any writing: writing that has depth, and has been intentionally crafted (no wonder her writing feels so deliberate).
But let’s go back to her writing style for a minute. In Our Endless Numbered Days (2015), Fuller’s first novel, her thoughtful elegance shines through:
“In the middle, the river was a deep green, scattered with rocks poking their noses up for a breath. The water charged around them, creating eddies and whirlpools. Closer to the bank, the current dragged lengths of weed along with it so it seemed that long-haired women swam just under the surface, never coming up for air.”
Happy reading!
