Her habitat is her kitchen. The occupation of the narrator, a middle-aged woman, is selling cakes baked at home and her mind wanders as she prepares and mixes ingredients. Sean Sheehan “Ducks, Newburyport”, an extraordinary novel, is the window into her impromptu, often idiosyncratic reflections on the past, […]
Book reviews
Sitting down with a good book
Adorno wrote how notions like ‘sitting down with a good book’ are archaic.’ His reasoning was that the administered world of modern capitalism renders obsolete the idea of stories based around individuals seen to be in charge of their own destiny. Sean Sheehan The whole idea of what […]
“The sound of culture”: Not for beginners
It has some crucial analysis of the roots of white racism and its overlap with technology, and the portrayal of blacks in sci-fi. This book by Louis Chude-Sokei, begins with a trenchant expose of 19th century racism but ends by being absorbed in sophisticated cultural studies.
Words to remember Clarice Lispector
Writing, says Lispector, is not knowing what’s coming next. To find out, we throw another word out, as bait: which words will take the bait, if indeed any? Or will nothing follow but a void? Carlos Skliar* If it’s true that the world started with a yes, wrote […]
A new book by John Hilary
A presentation of “The Poverty of Capitalism” will take place on the 21st of October in the Firebox Café, London. The book is about the economic crisis and the fight to be prepared for the ravages of the system. John has worked for the last 20 years in the […]