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 meContinueContinue reading “Allen Ginsberg – Howl: A Review”
Tag Archives: Book 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 hadContinueContinue 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 onContinueContinue reading “The Woman in the Window”
Parallax, Sinead Morrissey
Morrissey’s T.S.Eliot Prize-winning fifth collection is defined by the poet at the outset as Parallax (Astron.) Apparent displacement, or difference in the apparent position, of an object, caused by actual change (or difference) of position of the point of observation. It’s a collection about perception and paradoxes, opening with 1801, inspired by Dorothy Wordsworth’s ‘The GrasmereContinueContinue reading “Parallax, Sinead Morrissey”
Leontia Flynn: Profit and Loss
Leontia Flynn’s third collection was first published in 2011, but it’s taken a while for us to come into contact. In general, I try to avoid reviews of poetry collection before reading a book and in this case, I think it was a wise decision. Not because the reviews weren’t excellent – they were, mostContinueContinue reading “Leontia Flynn: Profit and Loss”
Europa
Sean O’Brien’s collection Europa comes at a fitting time for a poetic exploration of European and British identity. It’s a heavy read, moving across the continent, but still retaining the ability to focus in on the details in breathtaking and meaningful ways. The collection opens with ‘You Are Now Entering Europa’ – a title whichContinueContinue reading “Europa”
Selected Poems by Kate Clanchy
It is the delicacy with which she transforms the mundane that makes Clanchy one of my favourite poets and this selection opens with ‘Slattern’ from her debut collection of the same name. In terms of the sequencing of the collection, this is a beautiful note on which to open, where she explores the notionContinueContinue reading “Selected Poems by Kate Clanchy”
The Bricks that Built the Houses
I’ll start by admitting something – I really wanted to dislike this book. Not because I’m not a fan of Kate Tempest’s work – I find her performance style invigorating and was swept away by the anger in the voice of Let Them Eat Chaos. So, why was I so keen to find fault? Jealousy? Resentment?ContinueContinue reading “The Bricks that Built the Houses”
Crudo, Olivia Laing
Olivia Laing’s novel Crudo reviewed.
Normal People, Sally Rooney
One of the biggest novels this year reviewed
Nicola Heaney 