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Then Later, His Ghost: a Christmas story by Sarah Hall – Audio Long Reads

Christmas coming, a man and a woman in a lonely long barn expecting a child, a post-apocalyptic landscape, a journey out into the tempest.

By Sarah Hall and Emma Haslett

It is 23 December, some time in the future, and a storm rages outside the house. Inside there are supplies and an expectant mother sleeps. Is it safe to venture out and fetch her gift?

In this post-apocalyptic story the novelist and short story writer Sarah Hall (The Electric MichaelangeloBurntcoat) imagines a mysterious landscape ravaged by weather: is it still Christmas, when the world seems to have stopped?

Warning: contains scenes that younger listeners may find disturbing.

Read by Emma Haslett.

You might also enjoy listening to Margaret Atwood: why I don’t write utopias

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You can read the text version here. This article was published in the New Statesman in 2014.

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[See also: A brief history of “woke”: how one word fuelled the culture wars – Audio Long Reads]

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[See also: Karl Ove Knausgaard: a personal manifesto on the art of fiction]

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