How to be Both: Ali Smith in conversation with Alex Clark, LRB Bookshop

The esteemed author discusses her stunning new novel How to be Both, which is shortlisted for both the Man Booker Prize and the Orange Prize for fiction.

As one of only three women that made it onto the Booker long list Ali Smith is no stranger to such literary prestige. She's already been shortlisted twice before for Hotel World and The Accidental. It comes as no surprise that in a list that is sadly short of females, Smith should feature. The Independent on Sunday described how she is 'at the forefront of a new wave of women's writing' and this unique and innovative style has brought both commercial and critical success.

Her latest novel, How to be Both (due to be published on 4th August), is Smith's most exciting yet. We've already devoured the review copy and are itching for it's official release so we can finally discuss the playful twist... Exploring the breadth and flexibility of art, the novel re-moulds genre conventions to reflect fresco painting techniques. The duality that shapes the novel weaves deftly into a single, surprising strand through Smith's inventive use of structure. 

She will read extracts and discuss this ingenious new novel with Guardian journalist and book expert Alex Clark.