If I could recite a list of celebs-turned-children’s-authors, we would be here all day. From actress Julianne Moore, to footballer Frank Lampard, there are no limits as to who can give it a go. But what are the downfalls of this? And is it always ethical?
Growing up, I didn’t come across any LGBTQ+ representation in literature until I was fourteen years old. However, in the present age of ‘BookTok’, young adult fiction is changing for the better.
Leah Golder discusses why the publishing industry urgently needs to do more to diversify its workplace.
Amelia Chambers discusses the unoriginality of recent book covers
Secondhand books don’t often have much financial value. However, last year 54 million used books were sold online in the UK. So, what is the appeal? Don’t get me wrong, I love a shiny, previously unopened paperback from time to time but there is something about secondhand books that captures me more.
Everyone who has received education in the Philippines is familiar with the writings of José Rizal, the country’s national hero or bayani. His duology Noli me Tangere and El filibusterismo exposes Spain’s brutal governance and their heinous treatment of Filipino nationals.
The bold covers and big names entice us, but just how authentically impartial are the bookshop displays that influence our book buying habits?
We are living in an age of book covers that pander to social media users, viewing their prospective purchases on small smartphone screens. Publishers have to know their particular audience, and their books must be able to catch your eye immediately. But must universal success always come in the form of bold strokes of bright colour and block titles that swallow up the page?
When the dulcet tones of Boris Johnson graced our screens in March 2020, we gathered anxiously around the television, waiting for the grim truth that we all knew was coming. Rolling out before us was a weary drain of time – weeks and months of uncertainty, wandering around the same muddy field, dreading the unrelenting enthusiasm of Joe Wicks, glancing at one another as if to say is it too early for a glass of wine?. As doors locked and days opened up, we settled onto our sofas and looked for something to do.
Following a recent article published by The Guardian, detailing Monica Ali’s depression caused by the reaction to her novel Untold Story, the conversation surrounding who is responsible for representation in literature resurfaced. Should the role fall solely on the same people who are under-represented? Or should society, as a whole, strive for equal representation for all writers and experiences?
thestray.org 