(Part 2)

Many themes emerge, those of the nature of art, repurposing, love, death, illness, despair, bliss and many more. Philips has created intricate and important images on each page which reflect, mirror and encapsulate the chosen words on the page. It reads almost like a hybrid book; a poetic novel and is challenging but breath-taking.

(Part 1)

A Humument is the work of a decades long creative endeavour by Tom Philips which started as a simple challenge to himself in 1966: to find a second-hand book for threepence and alter every page. From this came several different versions and from the pages of an old Victorian novel called A Human Document, a new story emerged. Philips‘ new book follows the story of a man called Bill Toge and his love Irma.

Great to read another book about my favourite historical figure. This book was really interesting in it‘s interpretation of Grace and her life. It is the only source I‘ve come across that proposes and discusses the possibility of Grace being a spy for the English. (Continued in comments 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻)

A really original read; this book aims to explore what indigenous Americans experienced when they first encountered European society. With the majority of sources from this period being from European perspectives, it is refreshing to read but also cannot hide the trickiness of tracking these stories that have been concealed, ignored or erased. (Continued in comments… 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻)

Having just read one book of hers, I already feel like Shirley Jackson is going to be a new favourite author of mine. Her prose is sublime, layered, intricate, loaded and somehow effortless. This book was a beautiful mix between classic, jump-scare horror and psychological torment. Written and set in the 1950s it brilliantly reflects themes of feminism, loneliness, identity and more. (Continued in my comments 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻)

Cora Seabournce travels to Essex in her widowhood seeking fossils and a scientific explanation for the local hysteria that a serpent plagues them. This was really well written, the descriptions of the nature and landscapes were beautiful. The characters were all deeply complex and very distinct. The ending was rather open ended and maybe slightly anticlimactic but still enjoyable. There was so much detail that I‘ll think about this one often.

I recently completed the Hadrian‘s Wall path with my dad and read this to introduce myself to the history. We walked 84 miles from west to east over 6 and a half days. This was a great, short, easily read introduction with interesting facts and a broad historical sweep, covering how it was used, for how long, the people that used it, and its purposes. Recommend for anyone wanting an introduction to the northernmost Roman frontier!

Pinker explores why we as people can seem so irrational, how we can fall in to cults, etc. He goes over different fallacies and how to analyse probabilities and how pre-held belief can impact our ability to disseminate facts. An impactful read.

Set in 60s America, Elizabeth Zott is a chemist presenting a cooking show, imbuing housewives with scientific knowledge as well as confidence. The writing was cleverly done, seamlessly switching perspectives. Very impressed with how she wrote from the perspective of the dog; it did not feel contrived or forceful, but plausible and satisfying. An elegant example of the hardships suffered by women without being pandering or condescending.

Late the game on this one but glad I finally read it! Esther Greenwood is an intelligent and talented woman but is trapped in a stifling, restricting system which drives her mad. Some of the most beautiful and inventive descriptions I‘ve ever read. Esther‘s descent seems completely plausible, believable and inevitable. Really powerful. Highly recommend.

Spent a day at the National Archives last week and saw an opportunity for this picture when I was reading a scroll from the 1660s and 70s detailing the expenses for the king‘s household staff 🥰

A fantastic microhistory about a 16th century miller who believed the earth was formed much in the same way cheese is, through putrefaction came a mass, that worms then formed in this mass which were angels. Ginsburg impressively unravels how these beliefs may have been formed, analysing the books Menocchio would have read, the oral culture and traditions of his village, the movement of ideas, wider contexts and consequences of the reformation.

A small snapshot of Word on the Water in London on Friday 🥰

Went to Word on the Water on Friday, the London book barge, and picked up 2 news books. The first a small Bukowski book called Notes of a Dirty Old Man and the second called Seven Brief Lesson on Physics by Carlo Rovelli 💫 📚

Went to the Deptford Literature Festival yesterday and picked up 2 books. One was Tales from the City and is a collection of short stories from Londoners on themes of Food, Climate and Nature and was free from the festival 🥰 The second is Blood & Sugar, an historical crime fiction set in Deptford in the 1700s 🥰 Looking forward to tucking into both at some point! 📚

A poor Californian moves to Vermont for college where he encounters an elite and studious classics class which he eventually manages to join and thus enters a world very similar to a Greek Tragedy. All the characters are deeply flawed, damaged, distinct and multi-faceted and Richard is a very intriguing narrator. They are fully-formed and yet unpredictable, and constantly changing, but in a manner which is consistent with their characters.
Loved!

I love this quote by Seneca On Asthma and Death from his Moral Letters to Lucilius, this one translated by Robin Campbell. I find it rather comforting.

A useful whistle stop tour on the History of Political Thought. Some aspects are easier to grasp than others but it is all presented in as simple and understandable a way as possible which makes it possible to fly through this one. It‘s includes brief explanations of some of the most prominent thinkers such as Marx and John Rawls, as well as covering conceptual history and governmentality and eventually globality.

This was fascinating to read. As I‘ve seen many mention, the middle section can get a bit tedious and repetitive but overall it was very engaging, simple writing and short, quick snippets of stories. Occasionally I would have wanted more detail, his lifestyle is so unique sometimes it‘s difficult to picture, but a great, broad stroke through his life and very touching and emotional in many places! Glad I read it and got to understand him more.

A Victorian story following two timelines; a woman who‘s lost her memory but can remember how to deliver babies and tend to wounds and a male midwife in London treating high society women. The eventual link between the two is satisfying and intelligently interwoven. The medical descriptions are also fascinating and well researched. The only let down is the very end which feels a little rushed and not fully explored. But a good read nonetheless!

Written in 1996, Let Me Count the Ways follows Frances, a complicated, multi-faceted woman, as we witness the aftermath of the failure of her marriage. A complex story and unfolded well through the structure, beginning almost at the end, then going back to find out exactly what really happened, and then coming back again to see the final complexities satisfyingly play out. This book has a lot of sadness and depth and heart.

Young, former lovers Frances and Bobbi become entangled with an older, married couple and messiness ensues. I didn‘t like this one as much as Normal People but it was still an enjoyable read if ever so slightly tedious and cliche. Most of the characters were fairly unlikeable but there was also a realistic element to it, especially the modern communication and relationship building.

This book is completely engrossing and novelistic. It‘s incredible how intertwined the lives of these women were, presented well by the structure of the book. I didn‘t know much about Catherine de Medici before but I have a new appreciation for her fierceness and ability to stand toe to toe with Elizabeth (my favourite). However these women are never pitted against each other, but rather allowed to magnificently stand as their own people.

This was a really thorough and fascinating look at the queens during the crusades, starting with the formidable Eleanor of Aquitaine. It looked at their lives before marriage (where possible), their relationships with the kings, their relationships with each other (very interesting!), motherhood, their political actions, their deaths and legacies. All very different women and fascinating in their own rights.

This is a fantastic telling of a true tale from 16th century France of a man who abandons his family, returns 9 years later and is welcomed back by his village, but 3 years after that his family and his village claim he isn‘t actually the man who left. Davis fully interrogates the cultural context and builds a substantial image of peasant village life in this microhistory.

I fancied a quick, easy Christmas read as a break from academic texts. This was perfect for that! An author who‘s book is being adapted into a movie meets the famous, leading man on set and they don‘t immediately get on. A colloquial writing style and easy flowing plot makes this a cheesy but enjoyable, easy-going Christmas read.

Unfortunately I think this book was too hyped up for me and I had too high expectations going in. It was enjoyable and a unique story but the writing felt too simplistic verging on bland and I wasn‘t particularly captivated by any of the characters. The ending also felt a bit anticlimactic. I think for me the whole thing just lacked a bit of depth. But I do think I would have enjoyed it more had I had lower expectations going in.

I‘ve read some criticisms about the accuracy of this book and I understand the point but I still really enjoyed it. Some of the language was a bit cheesy and dramatic but it still got me choked up at numerous points. 2 sisters in France during WWII, one battling home life in a occupied village and the other joining the resistance. The characters were really deep and complex and flawed.

My second attempt at reading Hoover and I think that‘ll be it for me. Much of what I didn‘t like was the same as the last one. Again I felt like she spent the start telling us who these characters were and then had them act nothing like that the whole rest of the book with no explanation. The twist didn‘t feel enough like a twist to be a psychological thriller for me which is what I was expecting when I went in. A quick read with simple writing.

This is one of my favourite books that I‘ve read recently! Brilliantly innovative and the world building is exquisite. I truly felt like I was in the grand halls and seeing the ocean and the statues, I didn‘t want the story to end. I‘ve also read some reviews of people finding the descriptions too much and Piranesi‘s constant documentation tedious but I love that kind of ordered confusion. I wish I could read it for the first time again! Recommend

A really beautiful episode on BBC2 tonight from a series a few years ago to remember Hilary Mantel. Such a lovely woman with a fascinating life and mind. It was wonderful to hear her talk about her life, processes and influences as well as hear others talk about the affect of her work too. It will be on BBC iPlayer for catch up. RIP Dame Hilary Mantel ❤️

Another book suggested for my uni course and this was a great introduction to some of the most well known poetic forms like sonnets, villanelles, sestinas, ballads, etc. This book includes really nice, simple explanations of the poetic form, a short history of the form and then numerous examples of the form used well. A very useful book and nice, easy introduction.

I didn‘t enjoy this one as much as The Foundling but I still thought it was very good. Very slow burn but the characters and setting are so enticing that I didn‘t mind. Lots of tension and suspense that was very well maintained throughout. I think Stacey Halls is one of my favourite authors at the moment and I will be eagerly awaiting her next book.

This book felt really original. I think it might be the almost stream-of-consciousness writing style but also the interwoven timeline felt right, like things from the past were revealed at just the right time. This book deals with a lot; racism, addiction, depression. I especially liked the exploration of Gifty reconciling her religious and scientific lives.

I picked this up because I really enjoyed A Spool of Blue Thread and a modern day retelling in Taming of the Shrew sounded really interesting. Unfortunately for me this book didn‘t deliver. Everything seemed basic and simple. The characters were 2-dimensional and stereotypical and yet behaved completely against their characters with no justification. Also none of them were likeable. The story line was boring. At least it was short and quick.

I‘m a bit torn with this one. I can see why it‘s so popular; it is a good story and I appreciate the originality to not tell a typical love story. However some aspects I felt were slightly simple or juvenile, like the writing style and the weird names? Some of the things the characters said and did didn‘t ring true for me. Some of them also felt underdeveloped for me. It left me feeling icky but maybe that means it was effective? I don‘t know.

Another book for my uni course. This was very useful, includes great exercises and lots of inspiration. Naturally engagingly written with entertaining anecdotes. A useful, quick read.

This was a book for my uni course. It was really impressive, very useful for my essays and really informative. To start with I found it quite jargon heavy with very long, complicated sentences which made it difficult for me to understand. I ended up getting 1/3 through and starting again making notes on everything to make sure it went in 😂 that helped massively and by the end I was used to the heavily academic writing style. Impressive book!

The second book by Stacey Halls and I enjoyed this even more than The Familiars which is saying something! The structure and point of view change work really well to keep you guessing at the characters‘ next moves. The whole storyline of a woman giving up a baby and then going back years later to collect her and she‘s already been collected, is brilliant. Easy to empathise with all the characters despite their being morally grey. Recommend!

I love visiting the Institute of Historical Research 🥰 the books are so beautiful and the atmosphere is magical 🥰

A murder mystery taking place at a drama school. It was slightly predictable but I enjoyed the premise, the characters and the details and having been to drama school myself certain bits were very funny! A fun, easy read!

This book follows the lives of several black, British women over different generations. I loved it! It felt so unique and candid. I could instantly see and understand the characters, they were so nuanced and detailed and flawed and relatable. A beautiful book and I‘m really glad I read it!

This book was really fascinating! It started with a brief overview of some impressive female rulers before 1300 and then went chronologically, showing how their powers evolved and grew and how they interacted with each other. Some really fascinating women I‘d never even heard of too! Brilliant book!

Jury service isn‘t too bad when you get to catch up on your reading 🥰😂

This was a brilliant book about a lesser known suffragette called Kitty Marion. She was one of the most violent suffragettes; blowing up buildings, trains and homes. She was force fed in prison more than any other suffragette; 232 times in 4 months. And after having to leave the UK at the start of WWI because she was born in Germany, in America she became a key campaigner for sex education and contraception. This book also goes into why 👇🏻

Now I‘ve finished reading the books it‘s time for another marathon of the movies 😂👑

The final Lord of the Rings! The ending makes me cry so much 😂 the goodbyes are so pure and heartbreaking 💔

I really enjoyed this! I don‘t know why I‘d never before considered why or how or when Rome began. Beard is very thorough and covers all aspects like myths, politics, relationships and analyses why sources are or aren‘t reliable and what archeological discoveries can tell us. Obviously some answers we‘ll never know but she paints an intriguing and detailed picture!

When you trip and spill your tea ☕️🤦🏼‍♀️

*instant heart-break*

A present from my mum 😍 a book on key statistics through history; the tallest building in the ancient world, the average wage in the Mughal empire, the bloodiest-ever ritual human sacrifice etc. Can‘t wait to dig into this and annoy people later by spewing cool facts 😏