When Raynor and Moth suddenly find themselves destitute, they embark on the adventure of a lifetime.
Category: Non-Fiction
Born to be Wild: Finding Freedom During Lockdown
Craving the great outdoors during lockdown? Here are five reads to help you virtually escape.
Why the Word ‘Handsome’ Deserves a Renaissance
When Mr Darcy famously snubbed Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice, he declared that she was: ‘tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me’. In other words he was saying that Elizabeth was good-looking but not quite good-looking enough for his liking. Austen's words were published in 1813 and times have certainly changed. The Cambridge … Continue reading Why the Word ‘Handsome’ Deserves a Renaissance
What we Talk About When we Talk About ‘Shakespeare’: the Man and the Myth
Who or what are we referring to when we refer to #Shakespeare? While his plays have survived for over four hundred years, unfortunately the details of his life have not. Is the concept of 'Shakespeare' a man or a myth?
My Five Best Reads of 2020 and My 2021 Reading List
In no particular order, my five best reads of 2020 are: 1. The Five: the Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper by Hallie Rubenhold (published 2020) This incredible book pulls away archaic misconceptions pertaining to Jack the Ripper and his victims to communicate the truth about their identities. The Five is … Continue reading My Five Best Reads of 2020 and My 2021 Reading List
‘How to be Autistic’ by Charlotte Amelia Poe Review
Poe’s memoir is a painful poetry of her life’s cosmos. Misdiagnosed and misunderstood, Poe details her journey to diagnosis and self-discovery.
‘Women and Power: A Manifesto’ by Mary Beard Review
Beard explores the absence of women in positions of power and the role that classical civilisations play in our understanding of leadership and authority.
The Popularity of the Word ‘Positive’ and Five Reasons we Should Reduce its use
‘Be positive’. It’s a modern mantra which promises the secret of living a life of happiness. But perhaps it’s time to drop this fashionable rhetoric. Here are five reasons why.
‘The Vampire a New History’ by Nick Groom Review
Groom’s book, published in 2018, gets its teeth into vampire mythology. Groom argues that these creatures were a unique product of the Enlightenment.
‘Prozac Nation: Young and Depressed in America’ by Elizabeth Wurtzel Review
Elizabeth Wurtzel passed away earlier this year. She had acquired notoriety through the publication of her memoir ‘Prozac Nation’, an autobiography detailing the mental health struggles in her younger years. I decided now was a good time to read it.
‘Quiet: the Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking’ by Susan Cain Review
'Quiet' is a well-researched book that spoke volumes, at low-volume, to me. The book explores introverts from a ‘cultural’ point of view. It’s primary concern is the age-old dichotomy between the “man of action” and the “man of contemplation” and how we can improve the world if only there was a greater balance of power … Continue reading ‘Quiet: the Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking’ by Susan Cain Review
‘H is for Hawk’ by Helen Macdonald Review
Macdonald’s memoir retraces her experience of depression and grief, exploring the great outdoors with her Goshawk Mabel in order to understand what lies within.
‘She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement’ by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey Review
In ‘She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story that Helped Ignite a Movement’, Kantor and Twohey reveal their journey to publishing the New York Times article that exposed Hollywood Producer Harvey Weinstein during his tenures at Miramax and the Weinstein Company.
‘Fingers in the Sparkle Jar’ by Chris Packham Review
Naturalist, photographer and presenter Chris Packham recounts his early years in his unique memoir. Packham’s memoir explores, in a kaleidoscope of poetry and emotion, his experience of being a child and social outsider in 1970's Britain. During this time, he took solace in the solitude of nature and developed a life-long dedication and passion for … Continue reading ‘Fingers in the Sparkle Jar’ by Chris Packham Review
‘The Five: the Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper’ by Hallie Rubenhold Review
On this week, in 1888, Polly Ann Nichols was killed by Jack the Ripper. For over a century Polly, and the four other victims, have been narrated as 'just prostitutes'. Rubenhold strips away the misogynistic Victorian narrative and 19th century fake news pertaining to these women, revealing their vivid, rich and devastating lives. Rubenhold reveals the truth for the first time.
