Books / 22/09/2020 Dawn O’Porter’s So Lucky: a refreshing twist on regular chick lit

Although I’m usually averse to consuming any literature that could be described as “chick lit”, I had heard great things about Dawn O’Porter’s writing style. So, in search of some light-heartedness in a world that becomes darker by the day, I decided that I would give one of her books a try. So Lucky illustrates...

Books / 22/09/2020 ‘Reclaim her Name’: a new collection released under authors’ real names

Historically, there has been a major disparity in the treatment of male authors in comparison to female authors. In an attempt to counteract this, some female authors publish under male or gender-neutral pseudonyms in order to avoid any potential sexist or misogynistic discrimination. One of the most well-known examples of this would be JK Rowling,...

Books / 22/09/2020 Huckleberry Finn: conscious resistance against unconscious racism

Around the same time BLM marches gained momentum, I read Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. Set in the 1840s when slavery was still an industry in some southern US states, it offers a view into how attitudes, no matter how immoral, can be justified so long as they are normalized. Despite being his friend, Huck...

Books / 22/09/2020 Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy celebrates its 42nd birthday in 2020

On the 25th of May every year a small collection of fanatics across the world will walk out on the streets holding on their person a standard 30” by 56” towel. Some more devout followers might even put on pyjamas and a red bathrobe, screaming about how the answer to the question of life, the...

Books / 22/09/2020 Should we mourn GCSE poetry?

Ofqual’s decision to make GCSE poetry optional in 2021 has sparked mixed opinions, with  the current Poet Laureate, Simon Armitage, and other writers deeming it “a dangerous first step” in undermining the importance of the arts. Ofqual’s justification for their decision is that it will prevent students having to study complicated poems remotely. However, at...

Books, Venue / 05/08/2020 The Cat and the City: intricate and charming debut from UEA Creative Writing MA graduate (review and interview)

The Cat and the City, the debut novel of UEA alumnus Nick Bradley, is a wonderfully crafted love letter to Tokyo and its ever-changing inhabitants. Centred around the movements of a wandering calico cat, we are taken on a seamless journey, meeting characters who are more intertwined than perhaps they (and we) initially think. It...

Books

Should we mourn GCSE poetry?
Photo: Unsplash
Books

Should we mourn GCSE poetry?

Ofqual’s decision to make GCSE poetry optional in 2021 has sparked mixed opinions, with  the current Poet Laureate, Simon Armitage, and other writers deeming it “a dangerous first step” in undermining the importance of the arts. Ofqual’s justification for their decision is that it will prevent students having to study complicated poems remotely. However, at…


1 2 3 … 5

Searching