Episode Details

What happens when you repeatedly leave behind everything familiar and force yourself to begin again?

In this episode of Thought Atlas, I sit down with Huw Evans, an author, professional editor, photographer, real estate investor, and self-described “jack-of-all-trades.” Born in the UK and raised across different countries because of his father’s military career, Huw grew up repeatedly entering unfamiliar environments.

After university and working in Spain, Belgium, Greece, and London, he eventually made another major leap: emigrating to North America in his 20s with only a few thousand dollars, no job, nowhere to live, and no established network.

We explore what those experiences taught him about confidence, adaptability, identity, belonging, and the psychology of starting over.

Huw also takes us behind the creation of Retrospective, the first novel in his Graeme James trilogy. Drawing from personal experiences, childhood memories, nostalgia, and his fascination with 1980s London, the novel explores crime, memory, identity, morality, and the relationship between the past and present.

We talk about why Huw chose 1980s London as the setting, why crime fiction can be such an interesting lens for examining human behavior, how he taught himself writing, editing, and photography, and what his different careers have taught him about learning without waiting for permission.

And perhaps most importantly, we discuss reinvention.

What happens when you feel trapped by the identity you’ve already built? Huw’s answer is simple: change doesn’t always have to begin with something dramatic. Small changes can compound into much bigger transformations.

His message at the end of the conversation is equally simple:

Never give up.

Learn more about Huw and Retrospective through his official website: https://www.huwevans.me/

You can also find Retrospective through the booksellers Huw mentions in the episode.

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