The Lure of Shared Sadness
Sadness is something we shun. We shrink from the grieving as if their condition was contagious, and we implore the depressed…
Why we should read difficult books
There are two types of people in the world: one who loves a challenge, and one who likes nothing less…
A tale of two bookshops
To me, it seemed like the worst of times. A big, bright, multinational bookstore had opened up directly across the road…
Please don’t tell me reading is a waste of time
Conversation at polite dinner parties is constrained by an implicit set of rules. No talking religion, no talking politics and no talking sex…
Don’t judge a book by its cover, but by its reader
It is easy for a reader to deliver a damning verdict on a book. Whether it is a debut novel or the…
The upside of commuting
Commuting is bad for the body and mind. It increases the risk of depression, takes a toll on cardiovascular fitness…
Cookbooks aren’t going to solve all our health problems
Food, glorious food. It is one of life’s great joys, and one that is constantly available in all of its…
Can the real Australia be found in fiction?
It is a strange paradox that fiction can be a source of life's great truths. It is, after all, by…
There’s no cure for the post-book blues
In the age of Skype, Twitter, Snapchat and Facebook, it is rare enough to disconnect from friends for an hour,…
Do men and women read differently?
Children’s toys are famously gendered. On the shelves of a toy shop, dolls might stare across the aisle at the…
