There are many contemporary online trends - particularly those that have to do with social media - that cast a problematic light on the way that consumers interact with the work that they're consuming. Social media has brought us closer than ever before to the people from whom art emerges - musicians, authors, and other … Continue reading Monday Musing: Should Authors Be Exempt From ‘Cancel Culture’?
One of the perils of writing about books online is the inevitable pull (and general expectation) toward some degree of social media engagement. I've been writing on The Book Habit on-and-off since 2013 and have found that, over time, I've become more active in various parts of the book-loving community. Being able to communicate with other bibliophiles … Continue reading Monday Musing: Does Social Media Change The Way That You Read?
In last week's Monday Musing, I wrote about the ways in which I process and account for my dislike of particular novels. Inspired by my troubled impression of Haruki Murakami's Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World (although my continued love for his work is reflected in today's choice of quote), I found myself contemplating the meaning … Continue reading Monday Musing: How Literature Offers An Intoxicating Salvation From Life’s Challenges
I'm no stranger to challenging weeks (or, let's face it, months). Since moving to the US, my life has undergone an overhaul that I certainly couldn't have anticipated when living as a fresh-faced and hopeful PhD student in the UK. While I figured that, by 30, I'd have a solid career, life plan, and the … Continue reading Monday Musing: How Bad Weeks Can Be A Book Worm’s Best Friend
Is it just me or does January feel like it gets longer the closer we get to its end? Granted, I don't have a whole lot of tolerance for the winter months. In Missouri, this time of year is brutal and my English constitution is only just starting to adapt to the fact that 10 … Continue reading Monday Musing: The Art Of Shopping For Books In The Snow
I can't believe that we're already almost through January (although the current -11C weather is making me increasingly desperate for the spring). Fortunately, I'm finding some great ways to while away these freezing winter months with the usual combination of tea and books. One of my goals for 2019 was to add some new literary … Continue reading Monday Musing: Dreaming Murakami
It's been a long weekend of reading here at The Book Habit central. We've had 10 inches of snow over the past two days and are officially snow-bound. I've written before about my struggles with adapting to the unpredictable extremes of weather in the US midwest and this weekend is surely my karmic punishment for complaining. Since … Continue reading Monday Musing: 14/01/19
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
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
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
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