This had been on my radar for a while – the wonderful cover had me thinking of extended walks by the seaside – like a coastal Sebald or Solnit. It’s a little different, and not 100% what I was expecting. Instead of a poetic piece of psychogeographical narrative, this is a biography of a coupleContinue reading “The Salt Path: Raynor Winn”
Category Archives: Opinions
Lanny: Max Porter
I devoured Porter’s first book Grief is a Thing with Feathers in one sitting, so I cleared an afternoon and settled in. Although I am a bit of a traditionalist in terms of form, there’s something about the way Porter dissolves the boundaries of form that is really accessible. Lanny opens with a barrage ofContinue reading “Lanny: Max Porter”
Penguin Modern Poets Three: A Review
This series aims to introduce readers to new, contemporary poets. I bought this collection as I’m of the belief that one cannot have enough Sharon Olds poetry in their possession and I’d never read any substantial amounts Booker or Shire although I have been a big fan of everything I’ve read or encountered. Suffice toContinue reading “Penguin Modern Poets Three: A Review”
Put that Phone Away! Review of Cal Newport’s ‘Digital Minimalism’
Everyone knows that social media is making us unhappy. If like me, you’ve tried to put your phone away, cut down on social media use etc only to fail miserably after a couple of days, you’ll understand the frustration of feeling like you’re controlled by the need to ‘stay connected’. What makes this book suchContinue reading “Put that Phone Away! Review of Cal Newport’s ‘Digital Minimalism’”
Assembly Lines by Jane Commane: Reviewed
There is a very strong sense of place in this collection – almost enough to term it psychogeographical. The post-industrial landscape of the Midlands lingers on the fringes of most poems, taking centre stage for many. Commane sets out her stall strongly from the very start. The opening poem presents a gritty world with linesContinue reading “Assembly Lines by Jane Commane: Reviewed”
Milkman: A Review
I’d read a lot about this book before picking it up myself – that it was too obscure, too literary (since when has that become a bad thing?!?), so I was a little dubious before starting. I flicked through the first page before getting my hands on the whole book, and was instantly hooked. TheContinue reading “Milkman: A Review”
Dostoyevsky Wannabes Cities: Bristol Review
If you’ve not yet encountered Dostoyevsky Wannabe, I’d highly recommend them. A small, independent press based in Manchester, they’re at the vanguard of accessible, innovative literature, producing work at a prolific rate (51 books in four years) One of their more popular projects is the Cities series, where they invite poets to collaborate to produceContinue reading “Dostoyevsky Wannabes Cities: Bristol Review”
Allen Ginsberg – Howl: A Review
I’ve ALWAYS wanted to visit San Francisco, primarily because its synonymous with the Beat writers, who I was obsessed with as a teenager. Every year, I revisit Kerouac’s On The Road, but I realised it’s been a long time since I picked up Ginsberg’s Howl. Wondering if it still held the same magic to thirties meContinue reading “Allen Ginsberg – Howl: A Review”
Lavinia Greenlaw: A World Where News Travelled Slowly
I recently listened to an old Scottish Poetry Library podcast with Lavinia Greenlaw (if you’ve never tuned in, you must. They really allow the poets to open up on their art and influences) and was really struck by the way she talked about growing up in Essex and the impact her scientific background has hadContinue reading “Lavinia Greenlaw: A World Where News Travelled Slowly”
The Woman in the Window
I’m a sucker for a thriller I can devour in an afternoon, and from the back cover, this looked promising. With quotes of praise from Stephen King, Gillian Flynn and Val McDermid, my expectations were high. The opening chapter immediately intrigued. Developing in a manner similar to Hitchcock’s ‘Rear Window’, as the protagonist spies onContinue reading “The Woman in the Window”
Nicola Heaney 