Most writing about conflict in the Middle East is, at least from an outsider’s perspective, handled with kid-gloves: can I say this, how do I phrase that, how do we make this look less messed up than it was? As far as I can tell, this was a problem Generation Kill: Devil Dogs, Iceman, Captain […]Read More
Sometimes you look at an animal and think how easy their life must be. That is what Rosanna Hildyard achieves in her pamphlet of short stories Slaughter. She carefully juxtaposes the complexity of the rational human being with the animal who lives and dies. Language is at the forefront of all our conflicts in Hildyard’s writing, as […]Read More
What Abigail Did That Summer is just as you would expect from Ben Aaronovitch. It is an eminently readable return to the world of his Rivers of London series. Set at the same time as Foxglove Summer, it fleshes some of the characters and ideas that are only lightly touched upon in the other books. […]Read More
If you’ve ever visited Liverpool, you’ll be well acquainted with Bold Street: a cobbled road bustling with independent businesses offering colourful clothing, music and delicious meals from all across the globe. Upon this street you will also find a shrine to social justice, a hub that has proven to be a force of radical activism […]Read More
In introducing his book, costume writer Lord Christopher Laverty poses an odd question. “Fashion in film – does it even exist?” might seem a rather strange way to introduce what is essentially an encyclopaedic deep-dive into that very subject. Everything about Laverty’s book, on the surface at least – from its title to subsequent 219-page […]Read More
Victoria ‘V.E.’ Schwab is a New York Times, Indie and USA Today bestselling author of twenty novels for children, teens and adults. She has also published a series of comics that serve as a prequel to her bestselling Shades of Magic series. Her latest novel, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, has spent sixteen weeks […]Read More
Some might say the Sherlock Holmes hype has come and gone, but Bonnie MacBird has proven the timelessness of the wonderful Holmes and Watson duo. The Three Locks is MacBird’s fourth Sherlock Holmes novel, which captures the essence of Doyle’s fiction perfectly. The novel cleverly disguises itself as the work of John Watson, a manuscript that he […]Read More
It’s definitely not unusual for debut novels to receive high amounts of acclaim and support,but Taffy Brodesser-Akner’s Fleishman Is In Trouble is perhaps one of the first I’ve seen thathas such a huge range of ‘high-profile’ readers. The novel’s praise has come from the likes ofElizabeth Gilbert, Marian Keyes, and Nigella Lawson, I could go […]Read More
During the first lockdown back in March I searched for hope and solace in books. However, the daily uncertainty that engulfed our lives affected me greatly and my love for reading was tested to the limit. I often became restless. The old pleasure I used to always get from sinking into a comfortable chair and […]Read More
John Kampfner’s Why The Germans Do It Better is an engaging account of German history, culture and national identity. Though wide-ranging in its subject matter, the book’s chief ambition is for other countries, namely the UK, to understand the complexities of a growing and vibrant Germany increasing in importance on the world stage. While publishers usually seek […]Read More
It’s dull. It’s academic. It’s pretentious pish-posh. These are some of the stereotypes people associate with literary theory and criticism. Freud is about the only exception to the rule because at least he talks about sex and not the symbolism of the colour of a curtain. But if you’re a serious reader or casual page-turner […]Read More
Northumberland: England’s northernmost county. Perhaps more renowned for its national parks, Roman wall, and the abundance of medieval castles dotted along its craggy coastline, rather than the presence of one of Europe’s biggest second-hand bookshops. Located just down the road from Alnwick Castle and the Alnwick Gardens – the site of the iconic flying lesson […]Read More
What is “home” to you? For many, our birthplace informs the way we understand ourselves. Consider your own region or country. What are its myths? England favours the WWII story, especially its theme of national resolve. The myth of modern France is built on revolution. American national myths have created some of the most famous […]Read More
Okay, look. I’m pretty sure I can guess what you’re thinking, but A Curious History of Sex isn’t porn – though it is definitely NSFW and features some unexpectedly raunchy Victorian postcards – it is history; bloody well-written and well-researched history at that. Dr Kate Lister, lecturer at Leeds Trinity University, sets out in A […]Read More
The star of Dunkirk and Black Mirror: Bandersnatch will take on the titular role of Dorian Gray, which makes its debut online on 16 March.Read More
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