By Elizabeth Haslam, William Swift and Jess Fischer
Since 2006, Tangerine Press has been championing the works of authors who often exist on the fringes of society. The press proudly describes themselves as giving voices to “misfits, mavericks and misanthropes.”
Poetry, fiction, non-fiction, anthologies, alongside vinyls and photo-books make up the wide range of literature and art published by this unique press. As well as the typical paperbacks, Tangerine Press also publishes a variety of more unusual formats, including handsewn chapbooks, broadsides, handbound and ephemera.
Beyond publishing but still within the world of books, this press also engages in some interesting side projects, including bookburning and seventies pornography.
New and Upcoming Releases
Fourth Industrial Revolution Slut by Karina Bush (2025): in this fast-paced work of fiction, readers follow writer and artist, Karina Bush, on a road trip to seduce powerful men and infiltrate the top levels of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Switzerland, Italy and the Metaverse are all on the list for this road trip like no other, as Karina encounters Tony Blair, Mark Zuckerberg, Pope Francis and George Clooney, to name a few. Fuelled by Bitcoin, attitude and celebrities, the ideas expressed in this book are unique enough to potentially form a whole new literary genre.
The next upcoming release being discussed from Tangerine Press is from their Walking Wounded series that warrants some explanation. Released in sporadic bursts over the years, this series currently includes fifty-three titles all by different authors. Perhaps unique for a press, until 2023, any copies not sold after nine months were ceremonially burned with the ashes scattered into the River Wandle in London. Now, the fate of unsold copies is left to the publisher’s discretion; some are gifted, buried, drowned or intentionally left on public transport or in pubs.
What Lies Beyond the Red Earth by Michael Salu (The Walking Wounded Series): this essay explores Michael Salu’s Red Earth project published in 2023, questioning the sense of self and traversing grief and truth regarding non-human perspectives when exploring thought, cultures and languages. While Michael Salu’s 2023 book echoes Dante’s Divine Comedy in terms of tone and form, this essay is an academic work of non-fiction, which builds upon the themes of AI, colonialism and subjectivity introduced in Salu’s earlier book. Among other topics, Salu reorientates academic views on foundational mathematics towards Asia and Africa, shifting focus from European missionary expeditions to show how these early methods are key for machine learning and AI today. Beyond this new release, Salu’s artistic research practices feed into his critical thinking involving other areas of interest, including his work as a filmmaker, editor, artist and digital creative strategist.
Notable releases
The Sick Fly Series by various authors: this collection is now sold out, a testament to its success in bringing attention to, and raising the value of, fringe works. The Sick Fly Series collects titles from William Wantling, Mick Guffan, John Dorsey, Everette Maddox and others. Totalling twenty-three titles, these numbered, limited-edition chapbooks were published in batches between 2012 and 2017. The collection begins with Wantling’s Korea 1953 & Other Poems, on the brutalities of war, and ends with Guffan’s Inner London Buddha – though Guffan’s closing edition is an unnumbered twenty-fourth. Hand-sewn in the Sick Tangerine workshop in velvet, these chapbooks made a mark both in their groundbreaking collection of fringe poetry and stunning presentation.
Farewell Tour by John Dorsey: Dorsey’s first publication in 2024 arrived on the scene in April. In this collection, Dorsey explores a range of philosophical and ironic themes from the surreal to the “shiny reared bicycle… his parents could never afford.” As an eleven-time Pushcart nominee, this addition to the Dorsey canon cannot fail.
The Uncorrected Billy Childish by Billy Childish: the release of The Uncorrected may not have made the national news, but in the publishing world, it was a moment of rebirth and rediscovery. In 2009, due to legality issues, Penguin’s lawyers removed Childish’s book from print and required the destruction of the copies, resulting in the book burning event in London in 2010. Here, in a stunning edition, Childish has been returned to the world of poetry in a thematically arranged poetry collection.
This Separated Isle, edited and arranged by Paul Sng and Kit De Waal: this photo collection centred on the theme of British-ness seeks out the stories and faces behind modern Britain using portraits paired with their narrative stories. As seen in the Guardian, This Separated Isle takes a hard look at the society fractured by Brexit, Black Lives Matter and COVID-19. The collaboration between Policy Press, Tangerine Press and Invisible Britain is notable both for content and an industry purpose, and This Separated Isle is one of several projects undertaken between Tangerine Press and similar independent presses. Despite its content, this publication brings readers something communally crafted and beautiful.
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