Gentle Art

Gentle Art is a book about folk devils; creatures at war with respectable society and the conventions on which respectable society is based. It can also be read as a heartrending account of the permanent degradation of men of great talent due to persistent lack of self-control, often indistinguishable from madness. Gentle Art 's diminutive dimensions echo the intent of early devotional literature - an almost disposable object, designed for personal edification and spiritual formation.

Referencing Stephen Graham s 1927 work, The Gentle Art of Tramping - a manual for life on the other side - Gentle Art is a departure from standard experimental its aim is not to be difficult. Kidnapping personas from real life ("marvellous" George, the petrol-drinker, the ket-head with a woman for a cock and more!) and entering them into absurd formatting - from Choose Your Own Adventure to a compilation of quotes footnoting the entire text - her stories tell of how and why people slip beyond the norms of society, and report back on what lies in store when they* get there.

*Everyone has a plan til they* get punched in the mouth.
Boxing Biannual, Mike Tyson

Gentle Art follows the success of Iphgenia Baal s 2011 publication The Hardy Tree , which saw her nominated for Granta's Best of Young British Novelists 4 to be announced in April 2013.