Alex Hannaford: On Being Annoyingly Persistent
Born in London, Alex Hannaford cut his teeth in journalism on the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong and newspapers on the south coast of England before joining London’s Evening Standard as a feature writer and later commissioning editor. Since moving to the US in 2003, he has written about the death penalty, criminal justice, refugees, religion, culture and human rights issues for publications like British GQ, The Sunday Times and Sunday Telegraph magazines, The Guardian & Observer, The Independent, The Atlantic, and The Texas Observer.
He co-wrote and hosted “Dead Man Talking,” a crime podcast for Audioboom, which won a British Podcast Award, “Battleground,” about the 2020 presidential election, and “The Innocents,” about wrongful conviction. He wrote and directed “The Last 40 Miles,” an award-winning animated short film about the death penalty. Alex is an Ochberg Fellow at the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma at Columbia University. Follow him on X (Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram.
Alex Hannaford
Photo by Mike Lawrie
In this interview, Alex discusses how his love for Austin, Texas, led him to his new historical book, Lost in Austin: The Evolution of an American City, his anxiety about coming across as too “mean” in his writing, and more.
Name: Alex Hannaford
Literary agent: Howard Yoon / WME
Book title: Lost in Austin: The Evolution of an American City
Publisher: Dey St / Harper Collins
Release date: October 1, 2024
Genre/category: History; social science; political science
Previous titles: Pete Doherty: Last of the Rock Romantics
Elevator pitch: A long-time Austinite and journalist’s exploration of the profound changes that have shaped Austin, Texas—from the shifts within its vibrant music scene and the impact of rapid urbanization, to the challenges of gentrification and climate change—ultimately questioning what this city’s transformation signals for American urban identity.
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What prompted you to write this book?
I fell in love with Austin in 1999 on a road trip across the States. I met my wife there. Our daughter was born there. But in the 17 years I called the Texas capital home, I had a front row seat to the meteoric changes that were happening. I wanted to explore what those shifts meant and whether Austin had lost the very thing that made it so unique and special.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
It took about two years from the time the book was commissioned to having a final (ish) draft. I don’t think the idea itself changed, but I know that my editor’s suggestions for what to cut made it a better book. As a journalist, having to cut stuff is always tough. With Lost in Austin, I ended up chopping an entire chapter. At the time I wanted to throw my computer out the window, but I know it was the right call.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
No real surprises, but certainly some trepidation about the length of time it takes for a book to go from concept to publication when the subject matter is so timely. Austin is undergoing a dramatic transformation. But will the book still be relevant when it finally appears in bookstores? (Thankfully, I think so.)
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
I think the biggest surprise was the persistent, nagging feeling that maybe I was being too “mean” about a city I loved and that had given me so much. I felt guilty through the writing process, and kept having to validate what I was feeling along the way by talking to friends and journalists I’d left behind in Austin. But I know that if you’re not critical about stuff, you can’t expect change to happen. I think at its core it’s about learning from your mistakes because a lot of what has happened in Austin had happened before.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
I hope that my love for Austin comes through — there’s a timeline in there that tracks when I first “discovered” the city for myself back in 1999 through to 2020 when my family and I packed up and left for good. And while the book is about Austin, it really could be about any city that has experienced rapid gentrification or that has affordability problems, or that’s witnessing the effects of climate change.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Be persistent. I am—annoyingly so.
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