Episode 17 - Lolly Willowes

For our September 2026 episode of Starship Alexandria Emma puts forward the book Lolly Willowes by Sylvia Townsend Warner for Adrian's consideration. 

Other talking points: 

Unspoiler warnings 

Deniable wizbiz 

Period writing styles 

The straitjacket of expectations 

Burning Bedfordshire 

Lit and genre 

 
Media Mentions: 

Memoirs of a Survivor, novel by Doris Lessing (and our patrons-only discussion) 

Writers referred to in general: Charles Dickens, Victor Hugo, Mervyn Peake, Jerome K Jerome, PG Wodehouse 

Next month we look at the graphic novel Helen of Wyndhorn by King, Evely, Lopes and Cowles 

This month's patron episode is the novel A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge 

Emma's music recommendation: Washing Machine Heart by Mitski https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vjkh-acmTE&list=RD3vjkh-acmTE&start_radio=1  

Emma's latest writing is included in Creative Futures (Beyond and Within) https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/creative-futures-allen-stroud/7847161 which was recently shortlisted for a BSFA Award 

Adrian's most recent book is Engines of Reason https://bookshop.org/p/books/engines-of-reason-elder-race-book-ii-adrian-tchaikovsky/b69799af416d2980 

If you'd like to support the show, and get an additional monthly patrons-only episode, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home  

You can buy our official t-shirts and mugs at https://starshipalexandria.teemill.com/ 

Follow us at: 

Emma: @emmanewman@bsky.social and www.enewman.co.uk  

Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com