Blame My Shelf

The Opposite of Loneliness We don’t have a word for the opposite of loneliness, but if we did, I could say that’s what I want in life The Opposite of Loneliness brings together Marina Keegan’s short stories and essays, both previously published and unpublished, to great effect. Personally, I have rarely found the draw of short stories alluring. I see Edgar Allen Poe as overtly sombre and more akin to something I would have read at school, and Ali Smith unsatisfactory – without the chapters of back story I can find her work clipped, and care little for the characters. However – Marina Keegan shows masterful skill over the short story and for the first time had me rapt. After each story I felt as though I needed a break, to digest and wrap myself in the characters for a moment. They did not appear to be the beginnings of a novel, each one, in a chapter sized length, is a whole and complete journey –rarely resolved by our writer, however never concluded predictably. I love...

Feminists Don’t Wear Pink and Other Lies – Scarlett Curtis Scarlett Curtis has curated the voices of many different women, all of whom are feminists into one thought provoking book in the Instagram magnet shade of Baker Miller Pink. The voices featured are varied in background and age and profession, and this will contribute to its success. The medium of the book is further varied – ranging from short poetry, a letter on how to raise boys as feminists, mission statements and simple to do lists. We hear from accomplished actresses alongside women’s rights activists and schoolgirls, but what they all have in common is their unashamed, unabashed feminism. Predictably, I did not enjoy every section of this book – at times I found the point of view put across a little simplistic, or lazy, or written in a way as to avoid the real subject. However to contrast that, there were writers contained that I did not expect to enjoy, who put a message across in a way I had not considered b...

My Beach Holiday Recommendations 2018 Having had a recent relaxing holiday – an entire week to sit by the pool and read (5 books this year – I don’t know if I was the most sociable companion) it got me thinking about what makes a fantastic book to take in your hand luggage. For myself, I prefer to take “easy read” books, but equally there must be enough interest sustained without predictability. This is what I would see as a happy medium; How to be Famous by Caitlin Moran . Hilariously funny, Moran writes at a voracious pace, with every phrase loaded with humour and clever observations. We follow our protagonist Dolly, a music journalist through the typical debauched London landscape Moran would have frequented. Unlike previous releases, this one is written to appeal to an adult audience, however it has the trademarks of her style – the poor, council house upbringing with several siblings, journalist elements and social commentary – particularly regarding feminism. The End We Sta...