How has Writing Europe changed from the aftermath of World War I to 2018? What did classic writers of the early 20th-century have to say about Europe just after the war? And how do four writers from Read more
E-Books Are For Grown-ups? Review of Tim Parks, Where I’m Reading From, Part IV
In the fourth instalment of her multi-part review of Tim Parks’ essay collection Where I’m Reading From. The Changing World of Books, Gesa Stedman disagrees with the author again. E-books, she thinks, may be for grown-ups, but that doesn’t make them any more appealing. Tim Parks cannot really understand the […] Read more
Do We Need Stories? Yes! Part III of Tim Parks, Where I’m Reading From
In her fourth instalment of her multi-part review of Tim Parks’ essay collection Where I’m Reading From. The Changing World of Books, Gesa Stedman disagrees Read more
Responding to Tim Parks, Where I’m Reading From Part II
Gesa Stedman continues her multi-part review of Tim Parks’ essay collection Where I’m Reading From, this time with a response to “Why Finish Books?”. In contrast to the author, she thinks books deserve to be read cover to cover. I learned two things from Parks’ essay entitled “Why finish books?”: […] Read more
New Series on The Literary Field Kaleidoscope for World Book Day: A Review of Tim Parks’ “Where I’m Reading From” in Monthly Instalments
It is World Book Day today (only the English celebrate it in March) and a highly suitable occasion for us to launch a new monthly series: a chapter-by-chapter review of Tim Parks’ essay collection Where I’m Reading From. The Changing World of Books. He first published his collection Read more
Jhalak Prize for Reni Eddo-Lodge’s Why I No Longer Talk to White People about Race
Gesa Stedman explains one of the most recent attempts to diversify the literary field in the UK, the Jhalak Prize, which was awarded for the second time on 15 March 2018. Read more
That Was the Year That Was – The Literary Field in 2017
Gesa Stedman looks at the most important trends of 2017, sums up key events of the year, and is somewhat sceptical about diversity increasing in the literary field in 2018. Diversity? That was the year that was – and what an odd year for the literary field in the […] Read more
Why all Men (and Women) Should Read This – Or, How to Avoid the Authenticity Trap, Holly McNish “Nobody Told Me” (Review)
Gesa Stedman was nearly overwhelmed by the quality of the poetry, the potential to move her readers, as well as the topic of Holly McNish`s award-winning poetry collection and memoir “Nobody Told Me”. All men should read this. Holly McNish’s poetry will teach them things nobody tells you in advance, […] Read more
Prizing Experiments – The Goldsmith Prize 2017
Gesa Stedman explains how The Goldsmith Prize differs from most other literary awards – authors win it not for readability, accessibility or commercial appeal but rather for the formal risks they take. Read more
Why Academics Cannot Compete With Poets – A Written Encounter with Georg Büchner Prize-Winner Jan Wagner
Gesa Stedman encountered Jan Wagner in writing as a student before he was a prize-winning poet – not surprisingly, his academic writing skills amazed her. Read more
