I am drawing today’s discussion inspiration from author Nesrine Malik and her amazing book (seriously, go read it now!) We Need New Stories. In her chapter entitled “The Myth of the Reliable Narrator”, Malik brings up the question if and how we should judge authors by their writing. More specifically, are authors allowed to write … Continue reading
I’ve read some modern re-tellings of classics that have just fallen flat. Sometimes classics are named classics because they are indeed just that: stories that transcend time. They shape our culture and understanding of the past. They also help us shape our future and in particular the way authors and readers write and engage with … Continue reading
On The Come Up is Angie Thomas’ second novel. Her first, The Hate U Give, was a runaway success and was also adapted for film. Thomas’ first novel was amazing and the outstanding reviews and its reception from around the globe are a testament to her writing abilities. With that kind of first-time success, producing … Continue reading
As an avid reader of feminist literature, a student of feminist theory, and general lover of feminism, I have read a lot of books that talk about gender, race, class, xenophobia, and discrimination. For me, the importance of these topics is obvious. We need to have discussions about these topics and should be having more … Continue reading
When I read books, sometimes I know exactly what I want to highlight in my review and other times, ideas and themes from the novel need time to grow and develop in my mind like an oyster and its pearl. The latter was very true for my reading of A.D. Hopkins The Boys Who Woke … Continue reading
Talking about race is exhausting. It is emotionally draining, stressful, awkward, painful, scary, and sometimes really dangerous. To have a conversation about race, or any hard topics like gender, sexuality, and class, requires a level of vulnerability that demands patience and practice. People from different sides of the spectrum often come to the table with … Continue reading
Disclosure: This page may contain affiliate links. Clicking through for additional information or to make a purchase may result in a small commission. It is coming up to Christmas, the end of the year, and the 21st of December. Whilst many people around the world are making Christmas lists, dusting off menorahs, tentatively imagining New … Continue reading
I have been attending author events at the Kaufleuten in Zurich since I moved to Switzerland. They are great things for the community and I think they can encourage reading, multilingual boarder-crossing, and intellectual discussions about literature from around the world. I recently went to Han Kang’s talk/interview about her book, The Vegetarian. I have … Continue reading
On my last trip to the U.S.A. I did what I always do: spend waaaay to many hours in bookstores. Bookstores provide me with so much comfort. Just being around books instantly relaxes me. Who knew that words written on paper could bring so much peace? I am always looking for something new. It is … Continue reading
Sam Selvon’s The Lonely Londoners was written in the 1950s in a climate of change for the West Indies and Britain. As the British Empire slowly lost grip of its ‘acquired’ colonies, the British population found themselves with the confronting prospect of their colonial subjects ‘invading’ their white spaces and homeland. The Lonely Londoners tells … Continue reading
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