Culture Wrap Up: August 2021

01/09/2021

I usually can’t wait to put together my reading wrap ups at the end of each month but for the last few months, around May onwards, I’ve had an absolutely terrible few months reading wise. While I’m absolutely still keen to delved into a book, literally spending hours scrolling through bookstagram or wandering around Waterstones, my concentration span is so poor right now that the act itself isn’t particularly pleasurable or fun. Which is, to be honest, a bit depressing since about 70% of everything I own in the world is book shaped. That said, I am not here to invite you to my pity party. Instead I’m here to celebrate the books that have finally knocked some sense into me this month and helped me back on the bus to Reading Town (I realised as I wrote this that Reading is of course an actual place and this whole thing doesn’t quite work, but just go with it please and pronounce the word ‘Reading’ the way you know I mean it to be. Thank you.).

BOOKS

SORROW AND BLISS by Meg Mason - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

My top read this month was the much feted Sorrow and Bliss - read my full review HERE. If you’re into star ratings and that sort of thing, in my Goodreads review I gave it four stars but the more I think about it the more I think it might deserve a full five. It’s such a hyped up novel that I was really worried that I’d struggle to enjoy it but once I worked out how to put all that nonsense aside I absolutely loved it. Mason has written such a unique, playful book about mental health and love and relationships and family that I’m so grateful for. I think it’ll be one I read again because it’s really hung around in my brain in the weeks since I finished reading it. I also really enjoyed Emma Gannon’s chat with Meg Mason on her podcast Ctrl Alt Delete.

THE SHELF by Helly Acton - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This book was an absolute delight. I’ll probably put together a full review shortly because I think it deserves it. I’m really picky when it comes to ‘lighter’ reads and I don’t have a great many go-to authors in the way I do with my usual genre which I think sits somewhere in the world of (usually quite serious) contemporary literary fiction. Lately though I’ve been craving a bit of escape from the apocalyptic-esque world we currently inhabit and so have been actively seeking out more fun, lighter reads for a hit of lovely serotonin. I’d seen The Shelf mentioned a few times online, particularly as a longlisted novel for the Comedy Women in Print prize and I loved the set up: a woman gets dumped live onscreen as part of a reality TV show where women compete to be crowned ‘The Keeper’. I was delighted to find it perfectly balanced silliness with taking a proper pop at reality TV and the standards women are held up to in society and in relationships (including those we unnecessarily hold ourselves up to). It took me a while to properly warm to the central character of Amy as she didn’t seemed quite plain in comparison with the characters around her, but slowly she came into her own. An easy, delightful read.

BAD CHOICES by Lucy Vine - ⭐⭐⭐.5

I’m a big fan of Lucy Vine and she’s one of the few go-to authors I mentioned above for more chick-lit type of reads. I have no idea anymore, by the way, if ‘chick-lit’ is considered derogatory because I know everyone feels differently about that and about how their own books are categorised. Suffice to say though, for me it perfectly describes a really specific type of read - books by Sophie Kinsella, Beth O’Leary, Jane Fallon and Lucy Vine among many - which I find very helpful when searching for new reads! For me Hot Mess, her debut, is still Lucy’s stand out book for me and it’s one I recommend over and over again. I think this is my favourite of her books since then (yes, I’ve read them all). Bad Choices follows best friends and birthday twins Natalie and Zoe over a number of years as their friendship evolves and attempts to adapt as they grow up and their lives change, whether that be due to partners, going travelling, University, work, family etc. Their relationship is also, to some degree, mirrored by that of Natalie’s mother Debbie and her own best friend Sue. There’s a lot going on in this book which elevates it above a simple light read, and Lucy is fantastic at building a whole world that these girls (and then women) live in together. Sometimes the book feels a bit chock full with all the topics it seeks to address but, ultimately, it always comes back to the relationship between Natalie and Zoe which I really like. Lucy Vine’s books always celebrate friendship over romantic relationships and that makes them such refreshing reads.

That was it for books this month. I also read the short story Three Women of Chuck’s Donuts in The New Yorker after reading about the death of its (and Afterparties) author Anthony Veasna So. So is such an interesting author and I’m sad we won’t be getting more from him. However I definitely recommend the story above, followed up by the New York interview with So about the writing and thought process behind the piece.

I’m still slogging through Israel by Noa Tishby on audio (via Scribd). I’m really keen to expand my knowledge on the Israel/Palestine situation and have a whole TBR lined up from authors covering all different aspects of the situation. I know that each one will be biased in its own way, and I certainly am aware of that with Tishby’s work, but a lot of the history is new to me and I hope that some of it is permeating my tiny brain.

TV

TV wise I’ve been mostly committed to my current love Ted Lasso. As someone who worked for a long time on the UK comedy scene, it’s so lovely to see loads of familiar faces. It’s also just a really good TV show and perfectly unites me and my football loving husband. We also watched Schmigadoon which was a bit of a mixed bag but very enjoyable, particularly the performance from Alan Cumming as the closeted mayor of the town. Working against my intention to mostly watch happy stuff, I watched the Netflix Original true crime show Elize Matsunaga: Once Upon a Crime which, to be honest, left me with more questions than answers. Finally, I binged Mae Martin’s Feel Good which was nothing like I expected and, with the exception of her being a comedian, I’d mostly say was mostly a Drama in my opinion. It’s got funny moments, I’m a particular fan of flatmate Phil as well as the duo of Mae’s parents (feat. Lisa Kudrow), but it deals with very heavy topics including addiction, sexual assault, underage sex, gender dysphoria and quite a bit more. I thought it was a very moving series with some really great central performances, including Mae’s as a version of herself (how close to reality I do not know of course). My only real complaint is that, for me, the central love story between Mae and George didn’t entirely ring true, but I do think I am in a minority there.

THEATRE

Last month I saw Constellations (which I don’t think I mentioned). I really enjoyed the performances from Sheila Atim and Ivanno Jeremiah and thought it was an intensely clever piece of writing. I have to admit that it didn’t really grab me (or my fellow theatregoer companions) in the way it seems to have for so many others and all the reviewers out there. I thought the concept was fantastic but after a while the standalone scenes chopping and changing started to grate and I was desperate to see some kind of narrative unfurl. That said, I read a review in the Evening Standard with Russell Tovey talking about some of the redirection in the version for a same sex couple and I think I would have loved to see that and compare.

In my capacity as wife and support I went to see Mischief Movie Night Out at Regents Park Open Air Theatre. I took my Grandma who loved the show but also the entire experience of being out and about. Shout out to Regents Park Open Air Theatre for being just the most beautiful venue!

I didn’t end up going to the Edinburgh Fringe, which I’m a little bit sad about but I have been enjoying seeing the reviews from those who did make it. There’s loads of stuff I hope makes it to London so I can watch it!