Joined in 2023 
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He has written four novels: Time for Bed, Whatever Love Means, The Secret Purposes and The Death of Eli Gold. The winners of the Diverse Book Awards 2023 have been announced, with one winner from each of the four categories announced: Picture book, Children... Can Etta work out what happened to the real Santa in time to save Christmas? And will her dad finally stand up to the evil boss of Winterzone (TM)? Dapo Adeola, Tracy Darnton, Joseph Coelho and Chitra Soundar are among the 19 authors and illustrators longlisted for the Inclusive Books for Child... The subjects of Baddiel’s projects for adults and children are beginning to converge. The God Desire, his new book on atheism, will explore faith as a projection of desire. It won’t be to everyone’s taste. “ The God Desire is not dismissive of religion,” Baddiel tells me, “and in the same way, Virtually Christmas does not dismiss belief in Santa as absurd.” Comparing God to Santa is controversial when you’re promoting a children’s book. Yet, Baddiel bounds straight in: “Santa is a projection of desire, and so is God.”
Coffee house Caffè Nero has announced the 16-strong shortlist for the inaugural Nero Book Awards, recognising the outstanding books of the past 12... I was paralysed doing stunts on Harry Potter. It was still the best job in the world 17 November, 2023 Mathew Baynton on the end of Ghosts: 'What the f*** have we done?' 09 November, 2023 Richard Hammond: 'Top Gear wasn't laddish. We weren't misogynistic. We were three nice blokes' 23 October, 2023 What happens when an evil corporation takes over Christmas? Ok, so it might have taken the stress away - no more last minute shopping - just swipe an app and delivery drones arrive on Christmas Eve. a screen can show falling snow or roaring hearth and you don't need to travel as you can just video call your loved ones. Who cares if this company seems to know EVERYTHING about you and the holographic Santa cannot give you a hug? Eleven year old Etta cares. She has been told stories about how Christmas used to be and is determined not to put up with this soulless facsimile ay longer. Only one problem: Her dad works for Winterzone(TM) the evil corporation in question. And Winterzone (TM) has expectations for its employee's families. We visit the old house, where we made the 1996 video, but we were young then,” he says. “And now it’s me with a beard and a Christmas jumper. And yes, I do look like Santa.”But coming across a suspiciously Santa-like delivery man, Etta and her friends realise that they might have discovered a secret that WinterZone would rather they - and everyone else - didn't know. But maybe the world really needs to know the truth about Christmas. And deserves more than the one WinterZone have made them expect. A good point about consumerism is made through another Baddiel madcap adventure, with likeable characters and a very easy-to-imagine Christmas scenario. Virtually Christmas is set sometime in the future with Christmas fast approaching. However, it's not like the Christmas that we know today. It has been renamed and is now called Winterzone, presents are delivered by drone, Santa is a hologram - and there are hundreds of these that pop up everywhere! - and finally, the children in this future time have never seen snow!
After studying at Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School in Elstree, he read English at King's College, Cambridge and graduated with a double first. He began studies for a PhD in English at University College London, but did not complete it. So Etta is less than thrilled about the coming season. Even though her Dad works for WinterZone and has got her the role of the 'Perfect Present Please' kid this year! She'd rather have her grandma's tinsel, baubles and more magical memories any day.
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The HILARIOUS new novel and the year's most perfect festive gift - from million-copy bestselling author David Baddiel Bestselling author Alexandra Christo, author of TikTok sensation To Kill a Kingdom, introduces her new book, The Night Hunt (Hot Key Books), a dark... The dream is a British village Christmas, with chocolate box snow and thatched roofs, which sentimentally I completely find moving. I think that’s to do with, you know, coming from somewhere completely different in my bones but yearning for that.” I point out that the British Christmas aesthetic also has its roots in German festive traditions and the world of the Brothers’ Grimm. “Yes, but in the Pale of Settlement [where most Eastern European Jews were at one point confined to strictly designated areas] we were excluded from that. And that exclusion is what makes me yearn for it.” Skinner and Baddiel in November 1994 (Photo: Derry/Mirrorpix/Getty) And you know what’s really heart-breaking? This isn’t actually in the documentary, because the cameras weren’t on. A child said to me: ‘Oh, is this for your Jews Don’t Count documentary? So why are you showing our school drill? What that’s to do with it?’ And I said: ‘Well, you know, because you’re a Jewish school, this is why you have to do that.’ And he didn’t know. He thought all schools do this kind of drill.” David Lionel Baddiel is an English comedian, novelist and television presenter. Baddiel was born in New York, and moved to England when he was four months old. He grew up in grew up in Dollis Hill, Willesden, North London.
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