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Books

Booker Prize Longlist 2019

It’s that time of the year again, and the Booker Prize (formerly known as the Man Booker Prize) longlist has been announced! Also known as the Booker Dozen (ironically as there are 13 books on the nomination list), this year’s nomination list seems unlikely to follow last year’s trend of diversity as the list includes many big names.  Margaret Atwood – The Testaments  Kevin Barry – Night Boat to Tangier  Oyinkan Braithwaite – My Sister, The Serial Killer  Lucy Ellmann – Ducks, Newburyport Bernardine Evaristo – Girl, Woman, Other  John Lanchester – The Wall  Deborah Levy – The Man Who…

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Poems

‘Heartaches’ by Donovan Lord: Poetry Review

We’re at the end of Pride Month and our very last post of the month is an incredibly special one. We were so lucky to be given an advance reader copy of Heartaches by Donovan Lord. This collection of poetry is an extremely personal narrative of the author’s life. Lord, a bi-racial, gay man, takes on the task of documenting great portions of his life, often painful and challenging. The content of Heartaches reflects exactly what its title denotes: a montage of painful moments. Of mental health, and mental illness. Of love and loss. Of unrequited love. Of racism. Of…

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Reflections

On the Social Responsibility of Writers

Do they have any? With Pride month upon us, it is perhaps no surprise that the question of social activism is on my mind. And since I am in the midst of writing my doctorate thesis, the question of social activism and writing has occupied my thoughts. Particularly the wonder of whether or not writers have a social responsibility to be activists, especially if they are writing about social issues? I am unashamed to admit that social activism plays a large role in my life: I am an openly feminist person of colour, an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, and ardently…

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Books

Seeds of Dissolution by William C. Tracy Book Review

Happy Pride Month! For many countries around the world (namely Western ones), June is Pride month—a month of recognition, and in the recent decades a celebration, of the rights and equality of all members of the LGBTQ+ community. It is no revelation that to many, literature is a form of escape from reality. And in the case of the LGBTQ+ community, it has similarly been turned to as a source of validation. Literature featuring homosexual characters is not as new as some may think, with evidence of same-sex relationships being hinted at, or even described, in as early as the…

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Reflections

5 Books on Mental Health I Want to Read

I’ve made it a point this year to branch out and read books on different topics. It can be so easy to fall into a particular genre of books and never branch out. Particularly when, if you are like me, working or studying, or doing both full time, and reading becomes your get away from the stress of everything else. You get comfortable in a particular genre that you know is exciting and enjoyable, that forcing yourself to find something new can be daunting. Additionally, my case, a part of me gets scared that I am going to be disappointed…

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Books

How to Pick a Book in a Bookstore

5 Tips to help you to avoid overspending on books All book-lovers know the feeling of intense panic that comes over them in the middle of a bookshop. You’re overwhelmed by all the choices and would much rather buy everything in the entire store than make a decision. I can definitely relate. In fact, at the time of writing this post, I am hiding out from my responsibilities in a cafe inside a bookstore. And while here, I was confronted with the typical desire to buy every book I see. For book lovers, it’s so easy to come up with…

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