November Meeting: The Perils and Pleasures of a Literary Review - Gail Pirkis & Hazel Wood (a conversation)

"Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes"  thought the classicists among the more than slightly foxed members of the Lit. Soc. as they assembled in the Court Hall for the Society’s November meeting in the expectation of being regaled with the perils and pleasures of literary review and finding neatly parcelled gifts awaiting them. Anyway, the two guest speakers seemed reassuringly English and showed no sign of having sprung from the belly of any beast. Working as a practised duet, they recounted 14 years’ experience as the editors of the quixotic quarterly magazine Slightly Foxed. Their partnership was forged in 2004 in the publishing world where Gail had been a book editor and Hazel a writer. Hazel was charged with looking after the intriguingly named “slush table”.    

Their quirky joint venture was a literary review whose contributors were rather left field for the world of arts and letters but were accorded equal importance with the book. They accepted a wide range of material and were always receptive to suggestions with The Seagull Outboard Motor Manual being  their most eccentric review selection, although apparently well received by the readership. The reviewers ranged from the celebrated to the obscure with a preference for those whose learning was lightly worn. Reinforcing first impressions of  an effective tag team, our speakers explained their editorial modus operandi – they both had to read and approve a contribution before it could appear in the journal.  

The Foxy Ladies aimed to give the reader the full spectrum of sensory experience with a considered choice of printing company and typographer. When they branched out into book publishing in 2008, they favoured sewn rather than glued-on backing, high quality paper and scraperboard illustrations allowing the reader to luxuriate in the reading experience with visual and tactile stimulation enhancing the intellectual. Their first offering was Rosemary Sutcliff’s  Blue Remembered Hills and they are currently producing the same author’s Eagle of the Ninth adventure series. They seek out authors with a distinctive voice offering a window into another world e.g. A Country Doctor’ s Commonplace Book. 

Quitting the seductive ambiance of “tea and tattle” so redolent of the 1980s Young Fogey phenomenon, Gail sketched out the practical evolution of their small business with steep learning curves in computing, obsolescent credit card machines, website creation, an  online shop, Readers’ Days and podcasts. They were able to capitalise on an interview with the Today programme on Radio 4  to publicise their civilising mission. The company ethos merges imperceptibly with the genius loci of their Hoxton H.Q. – plastic is banned; bags, wrapping soap bottles. 

The evening, doubtless in unconscious imitation of Slightly Foxed  itself, turned out to be a charming and unexpectedly fascinating experience with more than a touch of congenial whimsicality.  

William Doherty 

To visit the Slightly Foxed web-site, with details of the quarterly journal, the books, the podcast and the newsletter CLICK HERE