The Bee
@beelitmag.bsky.social
A home for working-class readers and writers
https://thebeemagazine.com
https://thebeemagazine.com
I love photography work in which the photographer makes themselves parrndo the story, rather than just being the detached eye
Perms, hairspray and cigarettes—a snapshot of a 1980s salon-to-salon salesman’s day from the eyes of his feminist daughter. www.newyorker.com/culture/phot...
A Photographer’s Portraits of Her Dad
In the nineteen-eighties, Janet Delaney took pictures of her father at work, and came to a deeper understanding of who he was.
www.newyorker.com
January 7, 2026 at 3:15 PM
I love photography work in which the photographer makes themselves parrndo the story, rather than just being the detached eye
The documentary photography of working-class people that gets published tends to show people looking pitiable and/or threatening.
We try to challenge that a bit, and Carmina Ripollés is one of the photographers who helps us. Here's her fabulous festive portfolio:
thebeemagazine.com/when-were-sm...
We try to challenge that a bit, and Carmina Ripollés is one of the photographers who helps us. Here's her fabulous festive portfolio:
thebeemagazine.com/when-were-sm...
When We’re Smiling
Do photographs of working-class people have to be sombre, serious and vaguely threatening? Not if Carmina Ripollès is taking the pictures, they don’t. Here’s her show of smiles from the past year to c...
thebeemagazine.com
December 29, 2025 at 9:19 AM
The documentary photography of working-class people that gets published tends to show people looking pitiable and/or threatening.
We try to challenge that a bit, and Carmina Ripollés is one of the photographers who helps us. Here's her fabulous festive portfolio:
thebeemagazine.com/when-were-sm...
We try to challenge that a bit, and Carmina Ripollés is one of the photographers who helps us. Here's her fabulous festive portfolio:
thebeemagazine.com/when-were-sm...
Looking forward to columnists exploring further class-related statistical anomalies, such as employed working-class people having to claim benefits to cover basic living expenses.
December 24, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Looking forward to columnists exploring further class-related statistical anomalies, such as employed working-class people having to claim benefits to cover basic living expenses.
Had a lot of fun working with Leesa Morris on this, a comic festive disaster story about a working-class woman's first Christmas with her fiancé's middle-class parents. Her observations of rituals and manners from sausage rolls eating to present opening are a yuletide delight 🐝🎄🐝🎄🐝🎄
How I Ruined a Middle-Class Christmas
Her family scoff sausage rolls, love a bit of tinsel, and open their presents when they get up. His eat tiny amounts of Thorntons, colour-co-ordinate, and – yes, we are in Hell – wait until after dinn...
thebeemagazine.com
December 23, 2025 at 7:57 PM
Had a lot of fun working with Leesa Morris on this, a comic festive disaster story about a working-class woman's first Christmas with her fiancé's middle-class parents. Her observations of rituals and manners from sausage rolls eating to present opening are a yuletide delight 🐝🎄🐝🎄🐝🎄
Reposted by The Bee
Born in the Mon Valley, Phillip Bonosky transformed from a devout Catholic into a committed Communist writer, chronicling the struggles of working-class immigrants. Richard Gazarik tells his story.
pghrev.com/phillip-bono...
pghrev.com/phillip-bono...
Phillip Bonosky’s Fight for the Working Class - Pittsburgh Review of Books
Phillip Bonosky wanted to be a Catholic priest growing up during the Great Depression amid the slag heaps of a nearby steel mill in Duquesne, a gritty steel
pghrev.com
December 9, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Born in the Mon Valley, Phillip Bonosky transformed from a devout Catholic into a committed Communist writer, chronicling the struggles of working-class immigrants. Richard Gazarik tells his story.
pghrev.com/phillip-bono...
pghrev.com/phillip-bono...
Anyone else noticing “canonical” replacing out “iconic” in ads? I have just watched an an advert for a canonical calendar.
December 21, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Anyone else noticing “canonical” replacing out “iconic” in ads? I have just watched an an advert for a canonical calendar.
The new episode of our Working Class Library podcast, in which Kevin Barry makes the case for Angela’s Ashes as a working class classic, is out now - on all platforms, and our site - see link here 🐝🐝
The Working Class Library Episode 6: Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt
Kevin Barry joins Claire Malcolm, chief executive of New Writing North, and Richard Benson, editor of The Bee, to discuss Frank McCourt’s 1996 memoir Angela’s Ashes.
thebeemagazine.com
December 19, 2025 at 5:32 PM
The new episode of our Working Class Library podcast, in which Kevin Barry makes the case for Angela’s Ashes as a working class classic, is out now - on all platforms, and our site - see link here 🐝🐝
Reposted by The Bee
This doesn't sound good: www.thebookseller.com/news/waterst... (And it's already terrifying that such an important asset to the UK economy, cultural soft power and to generally making life better is owned by a US hedge-fund.)
Waterstones and Barnes & Noble owner 'looks to list them on stock market'
The owner of Waterstones and Barnes & Noble, a US hedge fund, is reportedly looking to list the booksellers on the stock market.
www.thebookseller.com
December 19, 2025 at 9:35 AM
This doesn't sound good: www.thebookseller.com/news/waterst... (And it's already terrifying that such an important asset to the UK economy, cultural soft power and to generally making life better is owned by a US hedge-fund.)
Just discovering Thomas Burke, a prolific early 20th c working class writer who joined London Bohemia, and then pointed out that most of the convention-challenging it was so proud of had been/was already being done by working-class Victorians decades earlier. Looking forward to reading more in 2026
December 19, 2025 at 9:45 AM
Just discovering Thomas Burke, a prolific early 20th c working class writer who joined London Bohemia, and then pointed out that most of the convention-challenging it was so proud of had been/was already being done by working-class Victorians decades earlier. Looking forward to reading more in 2026
Why IS Angela’s Ashes called Angela’s Ashes?
Kevin Barry has a theory.
Kevin Barry has a theory.
December 17, 2025 at 10:01 PM
Why IS Angela’s Ashes called Angela’s Ashes?
Kevin Barry has a theory.
Kevin Barry has a theory.
We recorded an episode of the Working Class Library podcast about Angela's Ashes at Hexham Book Festival with Kevin Barry.
Kevin's a native of Limerick and his dad knew the McCourts. It was a great conversation & confirmed my belief that AA is an overlooked working-classic. Podcast coming Thursday
Kevin's a native of Limerick and his dad knew the McCourts. It was a great conversation & confirmed my belief that AA is an overlooked working-classic. Podcast coming Thursday
December 16, 2025 at 10:06 PM
We recorded an episode of the Working Class Library podcast about Angela's Ashes at Hexham Book Festival with Kevin Barry.
Kevin's a native of Limerick and his dad knew the McCourts. It was a great conversation & confirmed my belief that AA is an overlooked working-classic. Podcast coming Thursday
Kevin's a native of Limerick and his dad knew the McCourts. It was a great conversation & confirmed my belief that AA is an overlooked working-classic. Podcast coming Thursday
Gary Stevenson, author of Trading Game, was responding to Rory Stewart's claim that he was "not an economist", just "a City trader".
Gary has a Master of Philosophy degree in Economics from Oxford University.
Gary has a Master of Philosophy degree in Economics from Oxford University.
December 8, 2025 at 10:38 PM
Gary Stevenson, author of Trading Game, was responding to Rory Stewart's claim that he was "not an economist", just "a City trader".
Gary has a Master of Philosophy degree in Economics from Oxford University.
Gary has a Master of Philosophy degree in Economics from Oxford University.
We're proud and excited to say our Working Class Library podcast episode about The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, featuring David Nicholls, is now available on all good podcast platforms, and on our site. We loved doing this, and hope you like it too 🐝
The Working Class Library Episode 5: The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾ by Sue Townsend
Richard and Claire are joined by novelist David Nicholls to consider Sue Townsend’s 1982 novel The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾.
thebeemagazine.com
November 17, 2025 at 7:10 PM
We're proud and excited to say our Working Class Library podcast episode about The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, featuring David Nicholls, is now available on all good podcast platforms, and on our site. We loved doing this, and hope you like it too 🐝
A little taster of the full episode, which we'll be posting on on Monday.
November 14, 2025 at 6:12 PM
A little taster of the full episode, which we'll be posting on on Monday.
Congratulations to @newlands.bsky.social for this deserved recognition.
Tom was on our Writing Chance programme for working-class writers in 2024, and we are very proud for him.
Tom was on our Writing Chance programme for working-class writers in 2024, and we are very proud for him.
November 13, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Congratulations to @newlands.bsky.social for this deserved recognition.
Tom was on our Writing Chance programme for working-class writers in 2024, and we are very proud for him.
Tom was on our Writing Chance programme for working-class writers in 2024, and we are very proud for him.
Reposted by The Bee
“We live in a time when standards of masculinity are being dictated to us by deeply problematic men.”
This Memoir Takes A Sledgehammer to Notions of Masculinity - Electric Literature
Adam Farrer’s “Broken Biscuits” uses vulnerability and incisive humor to deconstruct his relationship with his father, brothers, and male friends
buff.ly
November 13, 2025 at 9:00 PM
“We live in a time when standards of masculinity are being dictated to us by deeply problematic men.”
Reposted by The Bee
I wrote one of the episodes for the newly relaunched Play For Today, which starts tonight (my episode is on in a couple of weeks). This is an article about that .
www.independent.co.uk/arts-enterta...
www.independent.co.uk/arts-enterta...
Play for Today: The revival hoping to save British TV from a class crisis
Play for Today’s one-off films were a seminal moment in television in the Seventies and Eighties, writes Hannah J Davies. Decades later, Channel 5 is bringing them back, and aiming to diversify small-...
www.independent.co.uk
November 13, 2025 at 8:32 AM
I wrote one of the episodes for the newly relaunched Play For Today, which starts tonight (my episode is on in a couple of weeks). This is an article about that .
www.independent.co.uk/arts-enterta...
www.independent.co.uk/arts-enterta...
One of our favourites
Watch out for our Working Class Library podcast episode about her and The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, featuring guest David Nicholls, coming soon.
For an introduction, see thebeemagazine.com/a-guide-to-the-secret-diary-of-adrian-mole-aged-13-3-4-by-sue-townsend/
Watch out for our Working Class Library podcast episode about her and The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, featuring guest David Nicholls, coming soon.
For an introduction, see thebeemagazine.com/a-guide-to-the-secret-diary-of-adrian-mole-aged-13-3-4-by-sue-townsend/
November 12, 2025 at 6:06 PM
One of our favourites
Watch out for our Working Class Library podcast episode about her and The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, featuring guest David Nicholls, coming soon.
For an introduction, see thebeemagazine.com/a-guide-to-the-secret-diary-of-adrian-mole-aged-13-3-4-by-sue-townsend/
Watch out for our Working Class Library podcast episode about her and The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, featuring guest David Nicholls, coming soon.
For an introduction, see thebeemagazine.com/a-guide-to-the-secret-diary-of-adrian-mole-aged-13-3-4-by-sue-townsend/
Working-class & comic novels receive little scholarly attention in the UK. Funny working class novels really struggle, however loved they are.
Seems less so in Europe, which explains why Sue Townsend's work receives more scholarly attention there.
This is nice: www.ethesis.net/townsend/tow...
Seems less so in Europe, which explains why Sue Townsend's work receives more scholarly attention there.
This is nice: www.ethesis.net/townsend/tow...
A comprehensive study of the non-dramatic work of Sue Townsend. (Jurgen
Willems)
www.ethesis.net
November 11, 2025 at 9:51 AM
Working-class & comic novels receive little scholarly attention in the UK. Funny working class novels really struggle, however loved they are.
Seems less so in Europe, which explains why Sue Townsend's work receives more scholarly attention there.
This is nice: www.ethesis.net/townsend/tow...
Seems less so in Europe, which explains why Sue Townsend's work receives more scholarly attention there.
This is nice: www.ethesis.net/townsend/tow...
Our designer David has a game called fantasy classics, where he chooses books he thinks should be published as classics. With him all this way on this one.
Look out for an episode of our Working Class Library podcast about it, featuring the great novelist and Mole fan David Nicholls, coming soon.
Look out for an episode of our Working Class Library podcast about it, featuring the great novelist and Mole fan David Nicholls, coming soon.
November 10, 2025 at 9:53 PM
Our designer David has a game called fantasy classics, where he chooses books he thinks should be published as classics. With him all this way on this one.
Look out for an episode of our Working Class Library podcast about it, featuring the great novelist and Mole fan David Nicholls, coming soon.
Look out for an episode of our Working Class Library podcast about it, featuring the great novelist and Mole fan David Nicholls, coming soon.
Now we've closed our first open submissions, we made a little list offering some thoughts on what makes proposals stand out, and where writers might think about tuning them up.
thebeemagazine.com/advice-for-w...
thebeemagazine.com/advice-for-w...
Advice for writers
Feedback from our editors following the Bee’s first open submissions.
thebeemagazine.com
November 5, 2025 at 9:24 PM
Now we've closed our first open submissions, we made a little list offering some thoughts on what makes proposals stand out, and where writers might think about tuning them up.
thebeemagazine.com/advice-for-w...
thebeemagazine.com/advice-for-w...
We started off looking at social class in Dracula as a bit of fun really, but it's more interesting than you might think.
It's fairly well known that vampires were often used to refer to the parasitical rich in the 18th and 19th centuries - in this picture by Walter `Crane.
It's fairly well known that vampires were often used to refer to the parasitical rich in the 18th and 19th centuries - in this picture by Walter `Crane.
October 31, 2025 at 8:15 PM
We started off looking at social class in Dracula as a bit of fun really, but it's more interesting than you might think.
It's fairly well known that vampires were often used to refer to the parasitical rich in the 18th and 19th centuries - in this picture by Walter `Crane.
It's fairly well known that vampires were often used to refer to the parasitical rich in the 18th and 19th centuries - in this picture by Walter `Crane.
We'll be recording our episode on class in Dracula at Whitby Lit Fest in November.
Join us if you dare 🧛🏻♀️
whitbylitfest.org.uk/event/the-wo...
Join us if you dare 🧛🏻♀️
whitbylitfest.org.uk/event/the-wo...
October 27, 2025 at 6:54 PM
We'll be recording our episode on class in Dracula at Whitby Lit Fest in November.
Join us if you dare 🧛🏻♀️
whitbylitfest.org.uk/event/the-wo...
Join us if you dare 🧛🏻♀️
whitbylitfest.org.uk/event/the-wo...