Richard Loftus

A man standing outdoors in front of a blue boathouse.

Director of Sales and Marketing at Town Hall and Symphony Hall Birmingham

Richard Loftus is Director of Sales and Marketing for the music charity responsible for Birmingham’s Town Hall and Symphony Hall. His career in the arts and music sector encompasses both the UK’s second largest theatre operator and the UK’s largest theatre owner/ operator, and a multi award-winning theatre production group. Here, he takes us on a tour of the three books that are currently on his nightstand

Two book covers on a grey background.
A book cover on a grey background.
The Year Of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion 
‘It’s like if Dolly Alderton was an 85-year-old woman whose husband had sadly died – OK, already I can see that’s a stretch. This book is intertwined in my mind with Vanessa Redgrave’s one-woman performance of grief and hope, taking Joan Didion’s words from page to stage at the National Theatre. If ever there was a quote to define 2020, it’s Didion’s: “Life changes in the instant. The ordinary instant.”’ 

Celine Dion’s Let’s Talk About Love: A Journey To The End Of Taste by Carl Wilson 
‘33 1/3 is an incredible series of books, each focused on a single album. The ever-growing series is genuinely fascinating and there’s something for everyone, from Black Sabbath to Björk. In this particular volume, music journalist Carl Wilson goes in search of his inner Dion fan, and explores how we define good and bad music. To be absolutely clear, her music is 100% good.’  

Natives: Race And Class In The Ruins Of Empire by Akala 
‘Akala is a musician, a political commentator, and Ms Dynamite’s brother. This book is a must-read. It’s a memoir. It’s a history lesson. It’s provocative. It’s reflective. It’s essential.’