By Panagiota Katsaveli,
Reading books and belonging to a variety of genres are two of the most widespread hobbies of people around the world. It allows readers to explore different worlds and leave their reality behind just for a short taste of a completely different life. However, it is not humanly possible for any individual to read every book that exists or even every book that is published in a single year, given that millions of written works are released on an annual basis. In this chaos, it is easy to miss out on amazing books and authors and never come across stories and personalities that would fit your reading preferences perfectly. For this reason, I feel like it is my responsibility to introduce you to a very talented contemporary writer: Lara Williams.
First things first, let us focus on the person behind the name, before diving into her work. Lara Williams is a contemporary English writer and is based in Manchester, England. Besides her engagement with producing literary pieces, Williams teaches Creative Writing at Manchester Metropolitan University. She is the author behind the incredible short story collection Treats, which, in the U.S.A., was given the alternative title A Selfie as Big as the Ritz, and, in 2019 she wrote the book Supper Club, while her next project, The Odyssey, is going to be released on April 2022. Moreover, written pieces of hers have been featured in The Guardian, The Independent, Vice, The Times Literary Supplement, McSweeney’s, and other outlets. She has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize, is featured in Best British Short Stories 2017, and in 2021 she was longlisted for the BBC National Short Story Award. Her short story collection was shortlisted for the Republic of Consciousness Prize, the Edinburgh First Book Award, and the Saboteur Awards, but also longlisted for the Edge Hill Short Story Prize, and her book Supper Club won the Guardian “Not the Booker” Prize. Lastly, she was named as a “Book of the Year 2019”, by TIME and Vogue.
As it has already been established, Lara Williams is a contemporary writer, and as such, she addresses many contemporary issues and problems of modern reality. In her works, she deals with the slippery relationships, maturational struggles, and setbacks of the 20 and 30 something-year-olds in our society, since these decades are some of the most forming and challenging ones during a human’s existence. In these age groups, she explores a wide spectrum of topics, including —but not limited to— contemporary womanhood and adulthood, abortion, depression, and new baby anxiety among others. No matter the situation, Williams’ articulately observed scenes capture the throes of early adulthood and tableaux of life at the very moment of change. The characters that populate the chapters of her books or her short stories go through difficult chapters of life, such as divorcing spouses, job-hunting, and moving from one place to another. With her narrative, Williams manages to make the readers part of the characters’ world and make them experience these challenges alongside them. Every one of her stories constitutes a moody snapshot of modern life and love.
Her way of writing makes the stories more personal, deep, and confessional. Williams can limn huge parts of a character’s life in a small number of pages by zeroing in on details that communicate everything about everything, all in a single moment. Her painstakingly, carefully composed portraits capture the small times that can change the course of someone’s life. She chooses to join the consistently solid narration across stories with turns of phrase and evocative prose, as she continues by lacing the narrative with tangible, almost “Instagramable” details that hint at her characters’ deepest desires. The through-line between these stories and the varied narrative voices is an ability to ingrain timeless life experiences with contemporary meaning. All these components allow readers to have greater empathy and connect with the characters to a deeper level, even in the short number of pages that her short stories occupy.
One really interesting short story of hers that I had the pleasure to come across was titled Treats, the same as her entire published short story collection. Even if we pay attention solely to the title, it gives us readers many hints regarding the story. On one hand, if taken as a noun, “treats” have the meaning of something special, like a gift or surprise towards a third party. On the other hand, if taken as a verb, the meaning shifts to the way one behaves towards themselves or others. In the text, the author presents brief moments from Elaine’s life, covering instances from her work and home environments. The emphasis, in my opinion, is placed on the way her mindset changes as she grows older, the way she perceives her relationships and interactions with others, as well as the way she chooses to behave towards her very own self. Through her, readers can understand that, no matter what our life circumstances are, we have the power to control the way we view everyday life and what matters the most is the way we choose to treat ourselves; we have the power to choose kindness and make ourselves feel better and more content with our lives. Also, we hold the power to be kind to other people around us and change the trajectory of their day or even life; all we have to do is realize our true potential.
All in all, reading books is a fulfilling, enriching experience for every reader around the world and it gives us the opportunity to come into contact with ideas, people, and stories from diverse places. Discovering different writers, apart from the classics and the widely known contemporary ones, is a magical experience, hence giving Lara Williams a chance to prove just how talented she truly is, will only reward you in the long run. Lara Williams has shown the literary world what she has to offer, and she has worthily earned her position in the literary community. Her works have already been translated into six languages and by giving her a chance, her success and recognition will only grow higher. So, what are you waiting for?
