First published in 1961 under the pseudonym Joseph Kell, One Hand Clapping is one of Anthony Burgess’s sharpest and most unconventional novels. A piece of social reportage told in the vivid voice of Janet Shirley, a young working-class woman from the fictional norther town of Bradcaster, the story follows her marriage to Howard, whose success on a TV quiz show triggers a chain of unsettling events. Far removed from the dystopian vision of A Clockwork Orange, the novel instead showcases Burgess’s gift for darkly comic satire and lively humour.

One Hand Clapping has recently been reissued for a new generation of readers: a fresh print and e-book edition were published by Galileo Books in February 2026, alongside a newly produced audiobook narrated by Becky Bowe and produced by Recorded Books in March 2026. You can listen to a sample of the audio edition here, and read more about the history of this One Hand Clapping here: A Lot of Lies and Tripe – by Anthony Burgess Foundation.