Latest news with #AustinTaylor
Irish Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Austin Taylor: ‘I found it so fascinating and poignant how we portray women in the media, especially powerful women who make mistakes'
Austin Taylor is speaking to me from her parents' attic in the farmhouse where she grew up in rural Maine. The 26-year-old is the picture of vibrant youth – glowing skin, a long mane of thick blonde hair and an easy-going demeanour. She is about to begin a law degree at Stanford University and has already completed a double degree in chemistry and English at Harvard – they call it a double concentrator. She has also just published her debut novel, Notes On Infinity , which she sold in the US for a seven-figure sum. You could call her an over-achiever, but I'm not sure she'd agree. In fact, not too long ago, she felt like a failure. 'I certainly felt intense pressure at Harvard. You're surrounded by people doing incredible cutting-edge work, especially in the sciences. You're surrounded by the legacy of people who have come through the institution before you who have done incredible things. You're surrounded by professors who are doing amazing research and teaching, and your peers who have amazing ideas and are working on really cool stuff in addition to taking five classes a semester and doing really well. There's a sense that if you're not doing something absolutely incredible, you're falling short or failing. I certainly felt that way.' It's something she wanted to explore in Notes On Infinity, particularly around the 'move fast and break things' culture that exists at the nexus of scientific research and venture capital-funded biotech start-ups. The book tells the story of Zoe and Jack, two brilliant Harvard students whose breakthrough scientific discoveries prompt them to drop out and set up a biotech company that claims to have found the cure for ageing. It's a classic Icarus tale of young idealism warped by greed and ambition. 'The dollar amounts are just unimaginable,' she says of biotech VC funding, 'especially for really young people. I think the incentive structures that that amount of money creates are often problematic and scary, especially in science, because science is fundamentally such a slow, iterative, uncertain process and business, especially in pitching a start-up, is all about positive spin. And that's a fundamental tension. And sometimes that creates awesome innovation and other times it creates fire and broken glass and damage.' You can probably guess which of these paths her book follows. READ MORE [ Rethink needed on meeting the demand for Stem graduates Opens in new window ] The novel was somewhat inspired by the scandal surrounding Elizabeth Holmes and her blood-diagnostic start-up, Theranos. Holmes, a brilliant and beautiful scientist, was the face of the company but was eventually jailed for defrauding investors in a spectacular fall from grace. In Notes On Infinity, Taylor's protagonist Zoe is a beautiful, brilliant young woman who also becomes the face of her and Jack's start-up. 'One of the things I was interested in exploring was the obsession with women in [ Stem ] spaces and the tokenisation of women in these spaces. Elizabeth Holmes was lauded for her gender during Theranos's rise, then after its fall she was demonised for her gender. I heard a disturbing number of comments about how she must have used her sexuality to manipulate male funders. That fixation on gender and self-presentation and hair and clothes and make-up, I do think it's heightened by the fact that women are such a minority in science. Former Theranos chief executive Elizabeth Holmes leaving court in San Jose, California, in March 2023. Photograph: Jeff Chiu/AP/PA 'I did consume a lot of the reporting on the Holmes case because I found it so fascinating and poignant, particularly on issues of gender, how we portray women in the media, especially powerful women who make mistakes.' Taylor's path from growing up as the only child of a dairy farmer in rural Maine to taking a double degree at Harvard to becoming a sought-after debut author about to embark on a legal career is remarkably grounded. 'I had a pretty idyllic, rural childhood. I rode horses and worked on the farm in the summers, milking cows. But I was also very invested in school and I played a lot of sports and I had access to lots of great opportunities.' Her decision to go to Harvard was motivated by the pursuit of academic excellence, but when she arrived on campus, she felt out of place. 'That transition was pretty jarring, which is something that comes out in the novel. I didn't realise the extent to which most people at Harvard would have already been embedded in that sort of community of people who will go to Harvard. There are lots of ways that you can be in that pipeline, so I'm not talking about legacy or family connections, but people had gone to the same summer camps, or done the same competitive academic things like debate or math olympiad, or they had played sports together, and I truly had no connection to the institution at all, so when I showed up on campus for the admitted students weekend it was like everyone else already had friends and they knew how to act and they knew where things were and what parties were going on, and I was like how am I already not a part of this? " Her choice of degree – chemistry – reinforced that feeling of being an outsider. 'I was convinced I needed to do something practical with my college time. There were lots of people questioning my decision to even go to Harvard. I think this is really common in rural areas actually. You can go for free to your state university so people are like, why would you choose to go to this elite university that feels very other to our community, particularly when you're going to be paying an amount of money, that seems silly? That divide and that perception is only worse now, given all of the things that are going on in America. I think that and coming from a farming family gave me this fixation that I needed to do a hard science, be practical and have a skill.' When she took some English classes, it reignited her childhood love of writing. 'If you had asked me when I was 10, 'what do you want to be when you grow up?', I would have said 'writer'…but I came to realise that was a not a particularly stable or likely career path. In fact, I think it seemed like a total pipe dream, so I turned away." After college, she worked for a non-profit in New York for a year before returning to her family home to take a year out in an attempt to recover from debilitating migraines. 'I had some time and I thought, what I've actually always wanted to do was to be a writer, so let me try.' But it wasn't all smooth sailing. She wrote a novel, and submitted it to publishers but couldn't find a home for it. 'Which was very upsetting,' she says. But even as that first novel was dying on submission, she had already moved on to Notes On Infinity . Where did she find the determination to push on with another book in the face of that early rejection? 'I think it was mostly that I was really compelled by the idea for Notes. And I was really convinced that it could be special. Then there was a degree of stubbornness, which is part of my personality for better or for worse, and also a degree of naivety, which was necessary for me to do the whole thing. I think if I had thought too hard about how likely any of this was to work out, I simply wouldn't have done it because the odds are so low.' [ Pat O'Connor: 'Why would girls study Stem if they have no career path afterwards?' Opens in new window ] The book deals – in addition to the American deal, the book has sold for six figures in the UK, and at auction in Germany – have changed her life, she says. They've given her the time and space to get better at writing, although she says she has not yet touched any of the money. 'I don't think I've ever had a phone call where there was a 'you-should-sit-down' moment. Even the first payments are more money than I've ever seen in one place, ever.' She is planning on working as an attorney with an interest in the interface between AI and media and arts. 'I recognise we must make space for AI's vast potential but, as a firm believer in the power and importance of good storytelling, I am concerned that existing legal frameworks provide inadequate protection for writers and the publishing ecosystem.' She has no plans to stop writing – a double concentrator in life too, it seems. In fact she has already finished a draft of her second novel, which will centre around a similar subculture of very powerful young male tech founders and a young woman's relationship with an older, more professionally powerful man. But she is very excited to be going to Stanford – to study law, and for the weather too, which is balmier than the northerly climes she is used to, but also for another reason … 'I've started drafting my third novel…" she says. 'And it's going to be set in Silicon Valley.' Notes on Infinity by Austin Taylor is published by Michael Joseph.
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Win a copy of Notes On Infinity by Austin Taylor in this week's Fabulous book competition
Scroll down to enter DEEPLY POIGNANT Win a copy of Notes On Infinity by Austin Taylor in this week's Fabulous book competition Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) WHEN Zoe and Jack meet in a chemistry class at Harvard, it's not just their brains that prove a good match. The pair's work sees them stumble across a new anti-ageing drug that could change the world, and fame and fortune beckon. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 10 lucky Fabulous readers will win a copy of this new novel in this week's book competition But an accusation threatens everything they've worked for. . . If you liked Tomorrow And Tomorrow And Tomorrow, you'll love this! 10 lucky Fabulous readers will win a copy of this new novel in this week's book competition. To win a copy, enter using the form below by 11:59pm on July 26, 2025. For full terms and conditions, click here.
Irish Times
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Vona Groarke is new Ireland Professor of Poetry
In The Irish Times tomorrow, Austin Taylor tells Edel Coffey about her debut novel, Notes on Infinity, and there is a Q&A with James Rebanks about his new book, The Place of Tides. Reviews are Karlin Lillington on Empire of AI: Inside the Reckless Race for Total Domination by Karen Hao; Andrew Lynch on The Radical Thinking of Desmond Fennell & The Definite Article: Collected Writings of Michael McDowell; John Walshe on The Dandy: A People's History of Sartorial Splendour by Peter K Andersson; Declan Burke on the best new crime fiction; Gemma Tipton on David Gentleman's Lessons for Young Artists; Mei Chin on Electric Spark: The Enigma of Muriel Spark by Frances Wilson; Jessica Traynor on The Writings of Padraic Colum: 'That Queer Thing, Genius', edited by Pádraic Whyte and Keith O'Sullivan; John Boyne on Among Friends by Hal Ebbott; Ruby Eastwood on To Rest Our Minds and Bodies by Harriet Armstrong; Miriam Balanescu on Idle Grounds by Krystelle Bamford; Sara Keating on children's fiction; and Colm McKenna on Larry: a New Biography of Lawrence Durrell, 1912–1945 by Michael Haag. This weekend's Irish Times Eason offer is Intermezzo by Sally Rooney, just €5.99, a €6 saving. Eason offer Vona Groarke will be the 10th Ireland Professor of Poetry, taking over from Prof Paul Muldoon. The position will run from September to November 2028. READ MORE Groarke said: 'It may seem strange for the newly minted Irish Professor of Poetry to find herself (almost!) at a loss for words to describe the delight and honour of having been selected for a role some of our finest poets have graced and amplified. 'But I want to express my deep gratitude to the trust for this opportunity. I hope that my tenure will continue the service of my predecessors in highlighting the work of those who've chosen to put the practice of the art and craft of poetry at the very centre of our lives. 'I would like my time as Ireland Professor of Poetry to honour all those individuals and organisations, from teachers to libraries, readers to Irish publishers, whose attentions and efforts help to sustain the work of Irish poets. Together, we contribute to a sense that Ireland, north and south, is a place where poetry happens and continues to matter. I also look forward to engaging with as many aspiring poets and readers of all ages as possible during my time in the role.' Liam Hannaway, outgoing Chair of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, and Chair of the Ireland Chair of Poetry Trust, said: 'I am delighted to witness Vona Groarke joining the great line of fantastic Irish poets who have held the position of Ireland Professor of Poetry. I wish her good fortune and I very much look forward to the freshness and energy which she will bring to the role. I would also like to acknowledge the work of the previous Ireland Professor of Poetry, Paul Muldoon, and thank him for his contribution over the past three years to the appreciation of poetry in Ireland and beyond. It has been a pleasure to have witnessed him at work in that time.' Maura McGrath, chair of the Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon, and incoming Chair of the Ireland Chair of Poetry Trust said: 'The appointment of Professor Vona Groarke as the next Ireland Professor of Poetry is a moment of celebration for poetry in Ireland. Vona's work, marked by precision, insight and emotional depth, has long been a cornerstone of contemporary Irish literature. Her appointment recognises not only her outstanding poetic achievements but also her ongoing contribution to the life of the arts in Ireland and beyond. The Arts Council is proud to support the Ireland Chair of Poetry Trust in this important role and looks forward to the ways in which Vona's tenure will inspire readers, students, and fellow poets alike.' The Ireland Chair of Poetry Trust was established in 1998 following the award of the Nobel Prize for Literature to Seamus Heaney. It was felt that this honour should be marked by choosing, every three years, a poet of honour and distinction to hold the Ireland Chair of Poetry. It is supported by Queen's University Belfast, Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin, as well as by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and the Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon. * The Irish Writers Centre has launched its newly revamped International Debut Novel Competition (IDNC) – a global call-out for unpublished fiction writers ready to break through. Formerly known as the Novel Fair, the competition has helped launch dozens of writing careers since 2011, with alumni securing big literary awards and publishing deals. Entrants are invited to submit 5,000 words of their manuscript and a 500-word synopsis between August 1st and September 14th for the chance to pitch directly to publishers and agents during a two-day hybrid event in November. An expert panel will review submissions anonymously, with 12 winners notified on November 7th. Writers such as Orla Mackey (Mouthing), Hesse Phillips (Lightborne), and Lauren Mackenzie (The Couples) all credit the competition with launching their careers. Details and entry via . Fee: €65 (€58.50 for members). Limited free entries available. * The Irish Times columnist, author and investigative journalist Kathy Sheridan will be in conversation with author and Sunday Independent columnist Máiría Cahill in the Bailey Allen Hall on Saturday, July 19th at noon as part of the Galway International Arts Festival. The event, Speaking Truth to Power, will cover several topics, including Cahill's book Rough Beast, which dealt with her sexual abuse by a republican, an IRA internal 'investigation' and her subsequent struggle for justice. Tickets are €10 and available from . * Echoes: the Maeve Binchy Literary Festival returns to Dalkey Castle and Heritage Centre from October 3rd-5th with an exciting line-up of events and speakers. On October 3rd, at 7.30pm, Binchy's award-winning play Deeply Regretted By ... directed by Conall Morrison will be performed. On October 4th from 9.30am to 5.30pm there will be an exciting day of conversations, interviews and readings featuring: Marian Keyes, Claire Keegan, Donal Ryan, Patricia Scanlan, Lisa Harding, Conall Morrison, Anne-Marie Casey, Gerard Stembridge, Sinead Moriarty, Roisin Ingle, Niall McMonagle, Oliver Callan, Anna Carey, Michael Harding, Catherine Dunne, Caroline Erskine, Ian Robertson, Sophie White, Andrew Meehan, Lise-Ann McLaughlin, Jessica Dromgoole, Sarah Binchy and Gordon Snell. On Sunday 5th at 11am, the Marvellously Maeve Guided Walk leaves from Dalkey Castle. At 3pm, there will also be a Rehearsed Reading of Tottenham Court Road, followed by a discussion with director Jim Culleton of Fishamble: The New Play Company and Gillian Binchy. Full programme and booking at . & Half & full day tickets available for Saturday. Booking fees apply * The Irish-American poet Fanny Howe has died in Boston, aged 84. She was the daughter of Dublin-born writer and director Mary Manning. Her daughter, the writer Danzy Senna, is married to fellow author Percival Everett. She was professor emerita of Writing and Literature at theUniversity of California, San Diego and lived in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Ireland was very important to her. Last year, although very frail, she flew over to see her mother's play Youth's the Season staged at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin. She had long-standing friendships with Mark Patrick Hederman at Glenstal and Richard Kearney at Boston College. * Galway-based author Maura McHugh, who writes prose, theatre, film/TV, video games, non-fiction and comic books, has been nominated for a World Fantasy Award in the category of Best Short Fiction, for her story Raptor, from the anthology Heartwood, edited by Dan Coxon, and published by PS Publishing in the UK. The anthology of twenty stories is a tribute to the innovative and lyrical Mythago Wood novels by award-winning author Robert Holdstock (1948 – 2009). 'I'm honoured to be one of five nominees from an international field by a jury of renowned writers and editors. My thanks to my editor and publisher for including me in this beautiful volume.' The World Fantasy Awards are one of most prestigious annual honours in fantasy literature and this year's winners will be announced in November at the World Fantasy Convention in Brighton, UK. * Irish PEN/PEN na hÉireann and Ukrainian Action Ireland is hosting an event to celebrate Victoria Amelina (1986-2023) and her posthumously published Looking at Women Looking at War: A War and Justice Diary, which recently won the Orwell Prize for Political Writing. It will take place on Tuesday, July 29th at 6pm in Books Upstairs, 17 D'Olier Street, Dublin 2. Speakers will include Yaryna Grusha (Editor) and Pádraig Hanratty (Co-Chair, Irish PEN). Admission is free but booking is required. On Wednesday, July 30th, at 7pmthere will be another celebration of Amelina's life and work held as part of Irish PEN's Freedom to Write programme with the John Hewitt Summer School in the Market Place Theatre and Arts Centre, Armagh. * The 2025 Kennedy Summer School taking place in New Ross from August 28th-30th has unveiled its programme details. The festival spotlights Colm Tóibín, celebrated novelist, who is featured in The Noel Whelan Interview, bringing his sharp narrative sensibilities to a rich literary discussion. Alongside him are several distinguished journalists whose writing shaped the event. Seán O'Rourke, former RTÉ presenter and long‑form podcaster, is the guest at the Kennedy Tea Party. Also present are columnist Brenda Power, Cal Thomas, an American commentator, and Sarah Churchwell, historian and writer whose work bridges US and Irish cultural narratives. Tony Connelly and Jim Acosta, both veteran correspondents, lend their reporting expertise. The programme offers a compelling blend of literary and journalistic voices, all contributing to an engaging exploration of contemporary culture, politics, and storytelling. * Inspired by the curious interplay of Irish words when translated to English, Aileen Crossley (author / illustrator) reimagines a world where dogs live in trees, eat acorns instead of bones, and pigs roam the oceans. In her whimsical Irish language picture book, a foxglove fairy finds a young girl Mollaí, overwhelmed by technology, and takes her on a magical journey through the Irish countryside. An Áit a nEitlíonn na Madaí Crainn (Where the Tree Dogs Fly), a luxurious hard-backed book of fine art lithographic prints, will be launched at Hodges Figgis, Dawson St, Dulbin on Friday, July 18th, at 6pm. All are welcome. * The Linen Hall has announced the launch of the Michael McLaverty Short Story Award 2025. McLaverty (1904 – 1992) was one of the foremost proponents of the Irish short story. The purpose of the award is to foster and encourage the short story. First prize is £2,000; with £250 each for two runners-up. The winning story will be published with the runners-up in a limited anthology. Renowned writer Neil Hegarty (The Jewel; Inch Levels; The Story of Ireland) and editor Emma Warnock, of No Alibis Press, are the judges. Entry guidelines can be found on the website . * Philip Casey was one of Ireland's most loved writers, evidenced by these tribute s published in The Irish Times when he died in 2018. Last week, he would have turned 75. One of Philip's quiet but enduring passions was a website created and curated: – a lovingly compiled directory of more than 700 Irish writers. Although the original site is no longer live, you can still view an archived version on the Wayback Machine here . Recently, his family recovered a backup of the site and restored most of the content to an unpublished version. They would love to find someone in the Irish writing community who might be interested in taking up the mantle: to update, edit, and relaunch the site under a new domain they have secured: Technical support is available if needed, but what's most important is a passion for Irish writing and a commitment to preserving and expanding this valuable resource. If you or someone you know might be interested in continuing Philip's legacy, please feel free to get in touch with Éamonn McGuinness, Philip's cousin and close friend, at eamonnmcguinness@ * Leila Aboulela has been awarded the 2025 PEN Pinter Prize. Judges praised Aboulela for her 'nuanced and rich perspectives on themes that are vital in our contemporary world: faith, migration, and displacement', calling her writing 'a balm, a shelter, and an inspiration'. Aboulela is an award-winning novelist celebrated for her distinctive exploration of identity, migration and Islamic spirituality. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, Aboulela's novels include Bird Summons, Minaret, The Translator and The Kindness of Enemies, which have been translated to over 15 languages. Aboulela's most recent works include the novella A New Year, selected as a World Book Night title in 2025, and River Spirit, shortlisted for the HWA Gold Crown Award. The PEN Pinter Prize is awarded annually to a writer resident in the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, the Commonwealth or former Commonwealth who, in the words of Harold Pinter's Nobel speech, casts an 'unflinching, unswerving' gaze upon the world, and shows a 'fierce intellectual determination ... to define the real truth of our lives and our societies'. * There will be an audience with Priscilla Presley on October 1st at 7.30pm at the National Concert Hall. In this deeply personal conversation drawing from her forthcoming memoir Softly, As I Leave You, Presley will reflect on what it took to leave her husband Elvis, what she lost in the process, and what she ultimately found: strength, purpose, and a life beyond the legend. Tickets can be purchased here . Eason presents an evening with Sophie White at The Racketspace at The Bernard Shaw on August 26th at 8pm. Emer McLysaght and Sarah Breen, co-authors of the Aisling series, will launch White's new novel, Such a Good Couple. Tickets are €20.99 and include a copy of the book, which you will receive at the venue on the night. * Iceapelago, the ice-covered islands that were once Ireland, is the creation of Peter Brennan who is the author of several reports on climate change. The Iceapelago books straddle the thin line between fact and fiction. Iceapelago 3, the final book in his climate fiction trilogy, is a parable, a war story and a deep reflection of the environmental collapse of a nation. As a temperate climate return, Iceapelago becomes the target of climate refugees seeking a new home. It is a thought-provoking story of hard truths, impossible choices, high stakes and moral dilemmas. This dystopian thriller ends with a twist that may give our planet some comfort.
The Sun
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Win a copy of Notes On Infinity by Austin Taylor in this week's Fabulous book competition terms and conditions
Win a copy of Notes On Infinity by Austin Taylor in this week's Fabulous book competition terms and conditions
