This morning, whilst eating bran flakes and drinking tea, I was listening to Radio 4 between intermittent discussions with Rich. I heard them say ‘Mantel’ and ‘The Duchess of Cambridge’ and ceased conversation with Rich to give my full attention to the mention of two, seemingly antithetical, women in the limelight. What I heard was
MonthFebruary 2013
Sylvia Plath and The Bell Jar
Sylvia Plath’s only novel, The Bell Jar, was published 50 years ago. In celebration, the novel is Radio 4’s Book at Bedtime this week (listen here), and Andrew Wilson’s recently published Plath biography – Mad Girl’s Love Song – is being read each morning at 9.45, before Woman’s Hour (see here). (There’s been criticism
Performance
Last night I watched Performance – an avant-garde gangster film, set in the 60s, with Mick Jagger, James Fox, Anita Pallenberg and Michèle Breton. It follows Chas (Fox) who works for east-end gangster Harry Flowers. He’s forced to go into hiding after upsetting Flowers and winds up in a Notting Hill hippie commune – an
Hippies and Woodstock
I’m working on a writing project set in the 60s, which requires research into the culture – fashion, music, literature, politics – so I dug out two of my favourite 60s books: Hippie by Barry Miles: …and Woodstock: Three Days that Rocked the World, edited by Mike Evans & Paul Kingsbury. This is some of
How to be healthy (without being bored)
I’m on an accidental detox. After spending a few weeks in India not drinking much alcohol, doing lots of exercise: walking, running, pilates – eating fresh vegetarian food and sleeping lots, I felt amazing. And so I decided to incorporate this healthy-living into my London life. It’s surprisingly hard to detox in the capital. The
Martin Parr in Conversation with Susie Godsil
Last week I went to a talk by psychotherapist Susie Godsil and photographer Martin Parr. It was one in a series of Connecting Conversations, organised by the Rowan Arts Project. Parr is renowned for his observational photographs of Britain – seaside scenes, burnt Brits eating chips, striped windbreaks, seagulls – which both document, and –
