"An occasional student who comes upon the name may wonder idly who William Stoner was, but he seldom pursues his curiosity beyond a casual question. Stoner's colleagues, who held him in no particular esteem when he was alive, speak of him rarely now; to the older ones, his name is a reminder of the end … Continue reading Review: Stoner by John Williams
"The Greeks had a word, xenia - guest friendship - a command to take care of traveling strangers, to open your door to whoever is out there, because anyone passing by, far from home, might be God. Ovid tells the story of two immortals who came to Earth in disguise to cleanse the sickened world. … Continue reading Review: The Overstory by Richard Powers
Happy 2019, my friends! A new year and a fresh start for The Book Habit. I took a couple of weeks off from creating content whilst getting myself organised and putting into place a long overdue site redesign. For those of you who have been visiting The Book Habit for a while, I hope that you enjoy the … Continue reading Welcome Back To The Book Habit!
As we edge closer to the start of 2019, I've found myself reflecting a lot on this past year. It has been, without a doubt, the hardest of my life. It turns out that getting used to life in a new country isn't all that easy, particularly when it coincides with turning away from just … Continue reading Monday Musing: 10/12/18
I'm definitely one of those people who unashamedly revels in the Christmas season. I have my decorations up mid-November and make it a personal goal to watch a different Christmas film every night of December (although this admittedly requires watching some truly atrocious ones). While I don't love the commercialisation that undoubtedly accompanies the holidays, … Continue reading A Book Lover’s Gift Guide (For All Budgets)
One of the things that I've had to get used to living in the US midwest is the incredibly variable weather. Going from 35-40C heat in the summer to lows of -15C in the winter takes quite the adjustment, particularly for someone so used to very mild English weather. Living in such extremes has, however, … Continue reading Monday Musing: 03/12/18
As most regular readers of The Book Habit already know, I'm someone who needs to be constantly learning. I have always thrived as a student, whether in an official capacity or through picking up knowledge in my spare time. It's probably why I ended up following my academic career to its natural peak as a PhD … Continue reading The 5 Best Places To Learn About Literature Online (For Free!)
Recently, I've been struggling to find balance. Maybe the idea that balance is something we can ever truly find is just an illusion. It seems to me that wherever we're looking for balance - whether in work versus regular life, between different hobbies, in time spent with friends or alone - there's always going to … Continue reading Monday Musing: 12/11/18
Is it possible to really love a book without wanting to know something about the person that produced it? For me, the two are heavily intertwined. I have a fascination with authors and the background, skills, and habits that have allowed them to make such incredible art. Whether there are patterns in the way that … Continue reading Literary Lifestyles: The Writing Habits of Charles Dickens
I can't believe that October is almost over. This year has just flown by, in all its glorious chaos. It has been my first full year in the US - a year of uncertainty, lots of fear, and many questions. One thing that's really surprised me about emigrating - particularly when it is done for … Continue reading Monday Musing: 22/10/18
