83: Jon Doyle on Communion, Masculinity and Working-Class Identity | Reading Is Political

In this episode of Reading is Political I’m joined by debut novelist Jon Doyle to talk about his new book, Communion.

Set in Port Talbot, Communion explores masculinity, working-class identity, faith and community against the backdrop of a town shaped by the decline of the steel industry. Jon shares how his own experiences growing up in Port Talbot influenced the novel, and why the loss of industry goes far beyond economics, cutting deeply into identity, pride and purpose.

We also talk about masculinity and what happens when traditional roles begin to disappear, how men process loss, why emotional expression can feel difficult, and how fiction can open up these conversations in a meaningful way.

Alongside his own work, Jon recommends a range of books that explore political and social issues through accessible storytelling.

Find Jon here: https://www.instagram.com/jon.e.doyle/

Buy Communion here: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/communion-an-observer-best-debut-novel-of-2026-jon-doyle/2dfe77a37bf4e319?ean=9781805465133&next=t

Books recommended in this episode:

Drive Your Plow Over The Bones Of The Dead: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/drive-your-plow-over-the-bones-of-the-dead-olga-tokarczuk/3245853?ean=9781913097257&next=t

Ducks, Newburyport: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/ducks-newburyport-lucy-ellmann/3958799?ean=9781913111984&next=t

The Exhausted Of The Earth: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-exhausted-of-earth-politics-in-a-burning-world-ajay-singh-chaudhary/7600836?ean=9781915672117&next=t

How To Blow Up A Pipeline: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/how-to-blow-up-a-pipeline-learning-to-fight-in-a-world-on-fire-andreas-malm/5039728?ean=9781839760259&next=t

Moby Dick: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/moby-dick-herman-melville/400145?ean=9780393870794&next=t