McCarthy Woolf has […] breathed new life into this well-worn trope (Mannequin, Toy Story… erm Chucky), adding poignancy to the book’s “stranger than fiction” tale of a heiress who preferred dolls to people.’ – Yvonne Singh, Writers Mosaic

Karen McCarthy Woolf, shortlisted for Top Doll (Dialogue Books, 2024), is the featured poet in this week’s Eliot Prize e-newsletter.

The newsletter tells you about the wide range of content we have just published to help you get to know Karen and her work. This includes our specially produced videos of her reading from Top Doll and talking about the book.

Download the Reader’s Notes on Top Doll, which include a selection of the poems, plus reviews, reading suggestions, and a writing prompt or two for those inspired to respond creatively. The aim of the Readers’ Notes is to inspire deeper readings of the book, individually or shared with friends, book groups or writing workshops.

We have published a new review, commissioned from John Field, exploring the humour and dark histories within the book.

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