“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”– James Baldwin Upon first reading James Baldwin, I was immediately struck by the vibrancy of his writing, his poignant portrayal of racial injustice and his ability to create deeply complex and authentic characters. As a revolutionary writer and […]Read More
English Literature is a compulsory subject for students across the UK up until the age of sixteen, thus it is not unreasonable to assume that what is taken from these lessons will inform these students’ future understanding of the world. The whitewashing of the UK education system, and specifically the secondary school syllabuses, is therefore […]Read More
Though literature can provoke and offend, it is likewise capable of acting as a medium of inspiration and empowerment. Among the four books listed below are feminist non-fiction texts focusing on women’s sexuality and menstruation, encouraging female empowerment through education. Come As You Are by Emily Nagoski, Ph.D. Centred around women’s sexuality, Dr. Emily Nagoski’s […]Read More
With the increased popularity of true-crime shows such as Conversations with a Killer, Tiger King or The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann, bibliophiles craving more detailed accounts of the world of drug traffickers and murderers will be able to finally satisfy their yearning by indulging in some of these mesmerising true crime books. Blow by Bruce […]Read More
Activist reading lists have become a staple of the Black Lives Matter movement. Sasha Mills explores the importance of literature in anti-racism, and how it can be used as a starting tool in re-education. Read More
The Jhalak prize is a step outside the box of conventional literary prizes and publishing agencies, amplifying positive discrimination. However, this celebration of BAME writers allows us to identify, acknowledge and learn from their stories – something that is as important now as ever.Read More
We would not have Pride without Black activists. Stormé DeLarverie – a lesbian and drag performer – was one of the key figures in the Stonewall riots. Arrested and beaten by police, DeLarverie incited the crowd by asking: “why don’t you do something?”. Marsha P. Johnson – a trans woman and drag queen – was […]Read More
Although the weather is not reflecting it right now it is technically summertime. There's something extra special about spending a warm summer day reading. So, here are my top 5 books to read this summer. Read More
With protests against racism and police brutality continuing to grip many countries around the world – several folks are asking themselves what more, beyond that, they can do to be better allies to the black community in this necessary, crucial fight for equality. Outside of donations and signing petitions, one such means is the amplification […]Read More
Audiobooks tend to divide the masses in the world of literature. With applications such as Audible and Scribd helping with accessibility to books and stories, some adore them. Others, myself included, are not big fans of them. On top of this divide, there is an inherent question among consumers of literature: can audiobooks rightfully be […]Read More
Any parallel universe is possible within the pages of a novel, a memoir and, indeed, from my perspective, a cookbook (or several) too. I have faith that the ‘To Be Read’ (TBR) list will never diminish. I live to indulge my inner bookworm and often wonder what will be the last book I ever read, […]Read More
As a nation, we are all looking for a little bit of escapism in these strange times. Arecent report by The Guardian found that many of us are turning to books, withthe average adult’s reading time in lockdown having almost doubled.Where crowds of characters in film and TV often give us a visual reminder of […]Read More
“For women, then, poetry is not a luxury. It is a vital necessity of our existence. It forms the quality of the light within which we predicate our hopes and dreams toward survival and change, first made into language, then into idea, then into more tangible action.” — Audre Lorde In recent years, poetry has […]Read More
The best way to learn someone’s secret is to have them write a story. “So it really happened?” one reviewer demanded. “The professor made her do. . .that in exchange for raising her boyfriend’s grade?” The author—still under a mandate of silence—shrugged. “Is it based on your life?” someone else slyly asked. Nostrils flared, eyes […]Read More
During these dubious and unprecedented days many of us will be spending isolated, I often find that the antidote for my anxiety comes in the form of an engrossing and powerful novel. As these next few weeks will undoubtedly be unsettling, here is a compilation of novels which offer a mental escape from these harrowing and fraught times. Read More
