It has been an excellent couple of years for dystopian fiction. The closer we feel to the brink of humanistic and political catastrophe, the more we turn to fictional dystopias, as though to torment ourselves with the preponderance of warnings to stay alert to the erosion - however gradual - of the freedoms that we … Continue reading Monday Musing: Why We Love Dystopian Fiction In A World Of ‘Alternative Facts’
"Sakamochi clapped his hands a few times and admonished, 'All right, all right, all right, quiet down, everyone!' The uproar quickly subsided, and he continued. 'Okay, I'll explain. We've had you come here for one and only one reason'. Then: 'Today, you're all going to kill each other'. This time, no outburst came. The students … Continue reading Review: Battle Royale by Koushun Takami
It's no secret that I love a good adaptation. I spent much of my teenage years on the verge of an incredibly unhealthy obsession with Colin Firth's portrayal of Mr. Darcy (who am I kidding? It was sufficiently extreme that I performed a pilgrimage to the lake from his infamous diving scene). While I've yet … Continue reading The Best TV And Film Adaptations Of Classic Novels
While on the hunt for some replacement books this week, I had the amazing fortune of coming across a 1946 French edition of Le Petit Prince for just $8. Not only does this prove the eternal wisdom of shopping for books second-hand, it also reacquainted me with one of my all-time favourite books. I first came across The Little … Continue reading The Mysterious Magic Of ‘The Little Prince’
Whether you face Feb 14th with feelings of horror, boredom, or excitement, Valentine's Day is one of those events that cannot be avoided. As soon as the Christmas lights are taken down, we're confronted with visions of stocky cherubs and uncomfortably artificial advertisements at almost every turn of the head. Since meeting my husband, I've … Continue reading 10 Unconventional Reads To Enjoy This Valentine’s Day (Whatever Your Relationship Status)
Once the New Year's resolutions have been abandoned, January can be a relatively dull and static month for many of us. Fortunately, the literary world doesn't stop turning, even as we lock ourselves away in a state of semi-hibernation. If you're interested in what's been happening this January, you've come to the right place! I've … Continue reading The Monthly Reader: A Literary Roundup For January 2019
"What will they make of us, the people of those unimaginably distant times? One thing I do know: they won't want the brutal reality of conquest and slavery. They won't want to be told about the massacres of men and boys, the enslavement of women and girls. They won't want to know we were living … Continue reading Review: The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker
Hello, my loves! So begins another fabulous week. To inspire a maximally insightful time, this Monday Musing comes from literary legend, Haruki Murakami. The quote is taken from his fantastic work, Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage. Look out for a review later this week. Wishing you all a wonderful Monday!
I have been posting a lot recently about summer as the perfect reading season. Holidays and lounging time mean extra hours to work your way through that growing pile of untouched books. The Book Habit was conceived as a way to publicly celebrate the joy of reading. And now it's time to take that one … Continue reading A Novel Giveaway!
For those of you who are frequenters of The Book Habit, my odd references to a life outside of literature may come as something of a surprise. Reading is, amazingly, only a part-time gig for me. Most of my week is in fact spent finishing up an MSc Human Rights at the LSE and getting … Continue reading The Right to Write: Censorship and Literature
