I realised recently that, when I'm looking forward to reading a book, I tell myself that I'm going to 'blast through it'. I picture a feverish few days (or less) where I'm sitting in my chair, unable to put the book down because I'm so absorbed in the story. For some reason, I seem to… Continue reading On reading slowly
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How Greta Gerwig adapted ‘Little Women’ for a modern feminist audience
Picture this: me as a child, walking into a old-fashioned sunlit room in a little brown house in America. In front of me, fixed to the wall between two windows, is a cream-coloured semicircle of wood. There's an inkwell standing on it, and a sheet of paper covered in neat handwriting. The child-me looks so… Continue reading How Greta Gerwig adapted ‘Little Women’ for a modern feminist audience
My year in books
I am firmly in end-of-year mode, which mostly involves wrapping up everything I haven't quite finished yet - work jobs, craft projects, books, TV series - in order to get ready for the mental reset of a new year. It's like eating up the leftovers in your fridge, but for everything in your life. Does… Continue reading My year in books
How the BBC is nailing (and failing) His Dark Materials
For the past month or so, my Sunday evenings have revolved around watching the new TV adaptation of His Dark Materials on the BBC. This has meant that I've discovered previously unknown levels of cosiness - sofa, blanket, cup of tea, and a pre-teen girl riding a polar bear across a snowy wasteland - and… Continue reading How the BBC is nailing (and failing) His Dark Materials
How to view the transit of Mercury
On Monday 11th November, something exciting will happen: Mercury will pass between Earth and the Sun. This is known as 'transit' and it is exciting for two reasons. First, the planet will be visible for about 5 ½ hours against the backdrop of the Sun. Second, this sort of event is rare: the last time… Continue reading How to view the transit of Mercury
7 recommendations for Non-Fiction November
If you follow any book lovers on social media, you've probably already heard about Non-Fiction November. The idea is pretty self-explanatory: for the month of November, read only non-fiction! For many people, this is nothing new, but if you're usually a fiction fiend then this is a great challenge to get you reading something different.… Continue reading 7 recommendations for Non-Fiction November
The science of Ad Astra
It'll come as no surprise that I love sci-fi movies, especially if they're set in a near future where humanity has managed to colonise the rest of our solar system. Ad Astra, released in the UK just last month, fits the bill perfectly. Brad Pitt stars as astronaut Roy McBride, who is brought in by US… Continue reading The science of Ad Astra
Jacob Rees-Mogg’s grammar rules
I have been a professional proofreader for 8 years, so when I heard that Jacob Rees-Mogg had released a list of grammar rules for his staff, I was pretty interested. Discovering whether someone is an en-dash or an em-dash person, or a lover or hater of the serial comma, is the kind of thing that… Continue reading Jacob Rees-Mogg’s grammar rules
Interview with science writer Nicky Jenner
A few months ago I read Nicky Jenner's excellent book 4th Rock from the Sun: The Story of Mars. It's a detailed look at all aspects of the red planet, including the science and history of the place, the missions we have sent to visit and stay, the planet's influence on pop culture and our future… Continue reading Interview with science writer Nicky Jenner
Science is a really, really good story
I read two essays by Philip Pullman this morning, from his collection Daemon Voices. The essays were 'Soft Beulah's Night', about William Blake and the importance of magic, and 'Writing Fantasy Realistically', about how fantasy is 'a load of old cobblers' unless it serves the purpose of realism. Reading these two essays, back to back,… Continue reading Science is a really, really good story
