Paul Cornell’s Chalk, the novel he calls “the heart of all my work,” comes out today in print and ebook worldwide, and now there is a perfect auditory accompaniment for your reading experience.
In addition to being a compelling dark fantasy about bullying and youthful trauma, Chalk is a love letter to ‘80s pop music: one character in the book practices a form of magic based on the tunes that are topping the charts, and every teen in school is keenly aware of which musicians are in (or out) from week to week. We’ve put together a YouTube playlist of the songs featured in the book, including a few bonus hits from the era that speak to the Chalk‘s themes. Listen along to songs by David Bowie, Blondie, Kate Bush, Michael Jackson, Bananarama, Culture Club, and many more as you read (and check out those amazing vintage videos)! And if you haven’t had a chance to pick up Chalk yet, you can get started with this excerpt, with a letter from Paul explaining more about why he considers this book his most important work.
