Tag: Non Fiction
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Boy Friends
by Michael Pedersen In this soft and tender epistolary memoir, Scottish poet Michael Pedersen recounts his most impactful friendships, with at its core the one he shared with musician, singer and artist Scott Hutchison, abruptly cut off by Hutchison’s death in 2018. Pedersen takes us through the before – all the previous (friend) love stories…
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Explorers, Dreamers and Thieves: Writers in the Archives of the British Museum
Paperback, £11.99 A timely and intriguing collection of short pieces inspired by the ‘eth docs’ – items in the ethnographic collection’s archive, all relating to the Americas. Charco have lined up an outstanding list of writers to respond to these items, and the book includes essays, short stories, and poetry. Contributors include Selva Almada and…
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Ten Bridges I’ve Burnt
by Brontez Purnell In this memoir in verse, Purnell’s fifth book, he takes us on a ride from his Alabama childhood to his adult life in California. From one poem to the next, he takes on gossip, sex, mental health, past loves, pop culture – settling scores and taking stock as he goes. I loved…
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Ending the Pursuit: Asexuality, Aromanticism & Agender Identity
by Michael Paramo This is an exploration of the evolution of the meanings attributed to love, sex and gender that is both readable and bursting with information and conceptualisation. It is certain to have you question the ways and reasons behind the relationships in your life, as it explains the colonial, capitalist and cisheteropatriarchal mechanisms…
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Arrangements in Blue
By Amy Key Paperback, £10.99 In this memoir, poet Amy Key takes the lovely pretext of Joni Mitchell’s seminal album Blue to explore various aspects of her own life and relationships. Each chapter, guided by a song lyric, focuses on something different: building a home, her relationships to parents and grandparents, her friendships, her romantic…
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Wilding
By Isabella Tree Hardback, £20 Wilding is a stunning illustrated guide to bringing wildlife back, and is suitable for all ages. A combination of photos and gorgeous illustrations from Riverside favourite Angela Harding makes this a proper reference guide as well as a joy to sit down with. Telling the story of the rewilding project…
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Strong Female Character
By Fern Brady Paperback, £12.99 Fern Brady is an unstoppable force on the British comedy scene, appearing on Taskmaster, numerous podcasts, and sold-out line ups around the UK. It is always a joy when a comic publishes a book, their writing being naturally full of wit and skill, and Strong Female Character delivers both, alongside…
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Getting Better
By Michael Rosen Paperback, £12.99 This is a useful and moving combination of memoir and practical guide to healing after serious illness. Rosen finds moments of joy after Covid and bereavement, and offers accessible creative ways of dealing with struggle. His writing for children and adults, while often very funny, has also dealt with difficult…
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Legacy of Violence
By Caroline Elkins Paperback, £16.99 Legacy of Violence is an extraordinary and thorough account of the use of State violence throughout the history of the British empire. This was one of the best history books I’ve read for years, and I know I’ll refer back to it often. Elkins spots trends in policy and enforcement…
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Daddy Boy
By Emerson Whitney Paperback, £10.99 I love describing this book almost as much as I loved reading it: after the dissolution of a decade-long romantic relationship with a dominatrix, Emerson Whitney embarked on a failed storm chasing tour. Interspersed with the account of this wacky road adventure are Whitney’s meditations on gender, love, family, and…
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A Trans Man Walks into a Gay Bar
By Harry Nicholas Paperback, £14.99 A memoir about a trans man coming out as gay and how he navigates dating life in London may seem niche. After all, the author himself points out that he was compelled to write this book because he couldn’t find any of its kind on the shelves. And yet, not…
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Space Crone
By Ursula K. Le Guin Paperback, £13.99 This excellent diverse anthology includes essays and short stories from the author of speculative fiction including The Wizard of Earthsea and The Left Hand of Darkness. I was delighted to find that it included my favourite short story of all time, Sur, in which a group of women…
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Divided: Racism, Medicine and Why We Need to Decolonise Healthcare
By Annabel Sowememo Paperback, £10.99 This essential and well-written book is a mixture of useful history and current issues in UK healthcare. The author explores areas including eugenics, race science, development of health policies and treatments. Sowemimo brings her personal experience as NHS doctor to her analysis. Her first-hand accounts of training and practice in…
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A Flat Place
By Noreen Masud Paperback, £11.99 I read A Flat Place with mountains at my back and the sea before me. By the time I’d finished I was paying luminous attention to both. This is a book that could fit many categories or none – that is to say, the most interesting kind of book. Memoir,…
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Dispatches from the Diaspora
By Gary Younge Paperback, £14.99 “Things look bleak. The propensity to despair is strong but should not be indulged. Sing yourself up. Imagine a world in which you might thrive, for which there is no evidence. And then fight for it.” Legendary journalist Gary Younge has pulled together some of his best work of the…
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Ace
By Angela Chen Paperback, £14.99 I read Ace after it was recommended to me by a colleague, wondering what could be so great about it. Now I have become that person that wants to recommend it to everyone. This non-fiction book covers the nuances and layers of complexity inherent to the exploration of human relationships…
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Fire Island
By Jack Parlett Paperback, £10.99 Fire Island is a thin barrier island off the southern shore of Long Island, New York, known for its private beaches, posh family-oriented communities, and, increasingly since the second half of the 20th century, its queer party scene. In this excellent blend of history, cultural commentary, and memoir, Jack Parlett…
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Tiny Beautiful Things
By Cheryl Strayed Paperback, £10.99 In March 2010, Cheryl Strayed took over the Dear Sugar advice column, to great success. Two years later, her memoir Wild became an international sensation. The following year, she published Tiny Beautiful Things, this delightful selection of her best Dear Sugar pieces. Almost a decade later, her advice remains reassuring…
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