Damian Barr is a journalist, writer and salonnière. Shortlisted for a British Press Award, he has been a journalist for over a decade writing mostly for The Times but also the Independent, Independent on Sunday, Telegraph, Financial Times, Guardian, Evening Standard and Granta. He is currently Literary Editor of House magazine.
He hosts his infamous Literary Salon at Shoreditch House where guests include Bret Easton Ellis, John Waters, Polly Samson, James Frey, David Nicholls, Colm Toibin, Jojo Moyes, Taiye Selasi, Alex Preston, David Mitchell, DBC Pierre and Naomi Alderman. He has hosted events with the British Council, the Orange Prize, Hay, the BBC National Short Story Award and the Man Booker Prize.
About Maggie & Me
It’s 12 October 1984. An IRA bomb blows apart the Grand Hotel in Brighton. Miraculously, Margaret Thatcher survives. In small-town Scotland, eight-year-old Damian Barr watches in horror as his mum rips her wedding ring off and packs their bags. He knows he, too, must survive.
Damian, his sister and his Catholic mum move in with her sinister new boyfriend while his Protestant dad shacks up with the glamorous Mary the Canary. Divided by sectarian suspicion, the community is held together by the sprawling Ravenscraig Steelworks. But darkness threatens as Maggie takes hold – she snatches school milk, smashes the unions and makes greed good. Following Maggie’s advice, Damian works hard and plans his escape. He discovers that stories can save your life and – in spite of violence, strikes, AIDS and Clause 28 – manages to fall in love dancing to Madonna in Glasgow’s only gay club.
Maggie & Me is a touching and darkly witty memoir about surviving Thatcher’s Britain – a story of growing up gay in a straight world and coming out the other side in spite of, and maybe because of, the Iron lady.
Find out more about Damian, his latest book and his love of libraries in our author focus blog.
Get involved
Damian Barr will be visiting libraries this June to talk about Maggie & Me. These events are perfect for reading groups – so why not pop along with yours?
Wednesday 19 June: Leicester Central Library (Bishop street, Leicester, LE1 6AA). Starts 1pm. Contact Leicester Central Library on (0116) 2995483 or email [email protected].
Thursday 20 June: Smethwick Library (High Street, Smethwick, West Midlands, B66 1AA). Starts: 3.30pm. Find out more at www.sandwell.gov.uk. Contact Smethwick Library on 0121 558 0497 or email [email protected]
Friday 21 June: Weoley Castle Library (76 Beckbury Road, Birmingham, B29 5HR). Starts: 10.30 – 11.30am. For more information call 0121 303 2895 or email [email protected]
Friday 21 June: Yardley Wood Library (Highfiled Road, Birmingham, B14 4DU). Starts: 2.00pm – 3.00pm. For more information call 0121 303 2895 or email [email protected]
Tuesday 25th June: Ilkeston Library (Market Place, Town Centre, Ilkeston, Derbyshire DE7 5RN). Starts: 7-8.30pm. For more information email [email protected].
Author photo credit: Jonathan Ring
