Norman Mailer, Football and Fiction, and End of the Hardback

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Norman Mailer Mariella is joined by the novelist Andrew O’Hagan to consider the work of the great American writer Norman Mailer, who died last week. Andrew chooses his favourite books from Mailer’s large output, and explains why he thinks The Naked and the Dead is one of the greatest books written about war. End of the Hardback Mariella considers whether the hardback is on the way out, as a major publisher announces plans to concentrate on paperback fiction. Andrew Kidd of Picador comes in to explain. Football and fiction A week before the William Hill Sports Book of the Year is announced, Wayne Rooney’s ghostwriter Hunter Davies asks whether there has ever been a great football novel. Books for All News of a scheme aimed at promoting books to readers from ethnic minority backgrounds. Samenua Sesher, of Arts Council funded project Decibel and Londonstani writer Gautam Malkani join Mariella.