‘First’ is a decisive word in the study of the humanities, particularly when it comes to feminist literature. Literary historians spend a good deal of time arguing over the exact idea of ‘who was first?’ whether it is the first modern novel, the first true poet, or even the minefield of the first use of various words in Shakespeare’s plays. It is most beneficial to be at the cutting edge as a writer, and above all the arguments these four writers are the best example of prominence, not only in their feminist ideals, but also in literary leadership. They were the first to address the issues surrounding their society and the time they lived in, and they did so with originality and the power of words.
New beginnings can be exciting, fun, and an opportunity to start afresh. They can also be frightening, unfamiliar, and isolating. In keeping with this month’s theme of firsts, Molly Antopol’s new collection of short stories, The UnAmericans, explores these ideas of new beginnings, fresh starts, and first homes never forgotten. Through the eyes of a variety of characters who have migrated from their homes, but who remain ‘alien’ to the societies in which they end up, Antopol gives us an insight into what it means to be the minority. Read more…
A vegetarian alternative to the classic dish – although it has to be said that a little shredded prosciutto added with the egg lifts it to a different level. This is a good way of stretching a single bunch of asparagus to feed 4. Read more…
Polly Vernon, one of the UK’s best and most provocative columnists, will be discussing the themes in her brilliantly funny and wise debut book The Hot Feminist with Elizabeth Day, award-winning journalist and author. Read more…
“Can I just say, before we go, that if I were a white man, I would love to look like you” – This was the point very early on in my career in marketing that I was pretty convinced that I would lose my job the next day. One probably shouldn’t say such things in what was meant to be a very serious interview with director turned fiction author David Cronenberg. My first marketing campaign was for Consumed, one that I elbowed my way into having been a fan of Cronenberg since I watched The Fly when I was way too young (and as a result had recurring nightmares for years about Jeff Goldblum’s jaw falling off in my hand). Read more…
‘Write Here’ takes us into our authors’ writing spaces across the globe, where they tell us about how they go about their craft. We mark each location on the map at the bottom of each post. In this edition, Nell Zink from Bad Belzig gives us a glimpse into the life of a writing junkie…
We sat down with the impossibly young Claire Lowdon to discuss her debut novel, Left of the Bang.
For over a hundred years, ‘the mystery of Jack the Ripper’ has been a source of unparalleled fascination and horror, spawning an army of obsessive theorists, and endless volumes purporting finally to reveal the identity of the brutal murderer who terrorised Victorian England. Read more…
