Hamish Hamilton cook up another issue of Five Dials magazine

I received the exciting news in my mailbox earlier today that Issue No.7 of the Five Dials literary magazine (featuring Ali Sethi, Paul Farley, Paul Ewen, Diana Athill and Ian Fleming), has just been published, and is available to download right now (direct link to PDF). Wahoo!

If you’ve never had the pleasure of reading Five Dials magazine before, then believe me, you’re missing out on something really special. Turned out from the prestigious stables of London publisher Hamish Hamilton at fairly regular intervals throughout the year, Five Dials magazine (which is only published in electronic format), is always jam-packed with enough bookish features, articles and essays etc. to please even the most demanding of readers. In fact the only that amazes me more than the amount and quality of the content, is how Hamish Hamilton can offer this up every time for free, pro gratis, at no cost to the reader whatsoever.

So if you haven’t had the pleasure of an hour of two with Five Dials magazine before, then get along to the website and download this latest edition (and the sensational six which have come before it). I’m sure you won’t regret it. And while you’re there you may also like to add yourself to mailing list, so like me you can be one of the first to know when the latest edition pops out of the ‘oven’.

Oh and talking of next editions, it appears we won’t have to wait all that long for Five Dials #8 either. Released next week on the 25th, Five Dials #8 is going to be a special issue, themed around the city of Paris. And as it’s a special Parisian issue it’s being ‘launched’ in the ‘City of Lights’ itself, at the world famous Shakespeare and Company bookshop, where Joe Dunthorne and Steve Toltz will be giving special readings. How cool is that? It gets even cooler when one reads that Hamish Hamilton are inviting anyone and everyone, who may be in the city at the time, to join them at their Parisian party (here’s hoping not too many readers take them up on that offer ).

There’s no Paris for me next week I’m afraid, so I’ll just have to make do with the Five Dials Paris special (which I’m sure is going to be a good second best). Before I do though I’d better get my reading decks clear of Five Dials #7. Hold all calls Mrs. Rob!