Manchester University Press

Forty years on from the selloff of our utilities, water, energy and social housing are all in crisis, author Kate Bayliss writes for The Big Issue:
https://www.bigissue.com/opinion/privatisation-ruins-lives-housing-water/

Her new book 'Privatising humanity' is out now!

How privatisation is ruining your life Privatisation has not only deepened inequality but has led basic human rights like access to housing and water to become private commodities

Two fantastic new reviews of David Scott's (ARGH KiD) new book, Caroline Aherne: Rebel in disguise.

Dale Shaw in The i paper: https://inews.co.uk/culture/dark-truth-behind-caroline-ahernes-genius-4439354

Viv Groskop in The Spectator: https://spectator.com/article/caroline-ahernes-comedic-genius-is-much-missed/

The book is out now and available in all good bookshops & online.

The dark truth behind Caroline Aherne's genius A new book charts the story of the woman who gave us some of television's greatest comedy creations - and the mental and physical health problems that plagued her

Join us for the launch of 'Privatising humanity' by Kate Bayliss at Housmans Radical Booksellers on Wednesday 10th June.

We have entered a new era of turbo-charged financial extraction. Virtually all aspects of our lives are now targeted by someone seeking to make a profit.

Unpacking the details of these processes in three sectors in the UK – water, energy and housing – Bayliss exposes the harmful consequences of this model, which is contributing to deepening inequality.

Kate will be joined in conversation by Adrienne Buller, author of The Value of a Whale.

Tickets available now from Housmans here: https://housmans.com/event/book-launch-privatising-humanity-by-kate-baylis-2/

With yesterday’s Guardian story on a previously unseen Leonora Carrington work going public, here are the two MUP books you should be reading if you want to dig deeper:

The Medium of Leonora Carrington by Catriona McAra
https://manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526177452/
Surrealist Women Artists and Mental Illness edited by Jenny Anger
https://manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526180704/

Both offer rich insight into the artistic and psychological landscapes surrounding Carrington and her contemporaries.

Women's History Association of Ireland Conference 2026 begins in Limerick today. To celebrate, we’re sharing a reading list spotlighting women’s history across disciplines. Browse the titles and get 30% OFF with code EVENT30 throughout the conference.

Shop the reading list: https://manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/blog/2026/05/26/whai-2026-conference-reading-list/

On the latest episode of The Book Club podcast, join hosts Dominic Sandbrook and Tabitha Syrett as they delve into the fascinating story behind the writing of Mrs Dalloway, the world it was born of, and the novel itself.

Including a mention of Mark Hussey's Biography of a Novel, which is available now.

Listen on Apple Podcasts here:
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/mrs-dalloway-woolf-sexuality-and-change/id1876049295?i=1000769553695

Mrs Dalloway: Woolf, Sexuality, and Change Podcast Episode · The Book Club · 25 May · 1hr 24min

Millennials annotate. Gen Z tabs. We write the books that spark conversations across generations.

We fear the MUP team had far too much fun writing these...

After inheriting his great-grandfather's miner's safety lamp, author Jake Morris-Campbell sets out on a pilgrimage across his homeland. Travelling from the Holy Island of Lindisfarne to Durham Cathedral, he asks what new ways might be made through the old north.

Join us on 8th June at Leeds Lit Fest.
Tickets here:
https://www.leedslitfest.co.uk/events/jake-morris-campbell-between-the-salt-and-the-ash

Jake Morris-Campbell: Between the Salt & the Ash After inheriting the miner’s safety lamp that belonged to his great-grandfather, Jake Morris-Campbell sets out on a pilgrimage across his