Brit Bennett’s The Vanishing Half was published at just the right moment. Adopting the somewhat abandoned trope of a Black protagonist passing for white, Bennett’s second novel examines how and why someone might cross racial barriers. Already faced with such a significant moral, in the contexts surrounding the re-emergence of the Black Lives Matter movement and the election of a new US president, the tensions and politics of Bennett’s novel become all the more important. I’m currently researchi

Loneliness is an emotion that we’ve all almost definitely experienced at some point while at university. It’s something that rarely gets acknowledged: considered as taboo, loneliness gets grouped as an ‘off-limits’ topic alongside similar emotions like anxiety and depression. However, as we find ourselves amidst the current global pandemic, more attention should be focused on normalising loneliness and signposting the symptoms, particularly in a climate that denies us a quick trip home. Many p

When Harry Styles posted an image of his cover for December’s issue of Vogue to his Instagram, I didn’t really think anything of it. It’s nothing unusual for someone of Styles’ status to feature on the cover of a magazine, and likewise pretty much expected that a publication of Vogue’s status should chose somebody as central to the celebrity sphere as Styles currently is. However, although Vogue has been publishing for over a century (since 1892, to be exact), it’s with this issue that the maga

Addressing Italy’s invasion of Ethiopia in 1935, Maaza Mengiste’s The Shadow King is a novel that, from my experience, needs a bit of research before you settle in to read it. Published by Canongate, The Shadow King is Mengiste’s second novel, and her first to be longlisted for the Booker Prize; it follows Hirut, a young woman employed by Kidane, an officer working under emperor Haile Selassie, as the Italo-Ethiopian conflict unfolds. Through Hirut, Mengiste explores the lost legacy of Ethiopia’

I picked up Bernardine Evaristo’s Girl, Woman, Other just before lockdown, intrigued by the acclaim that the novel has amassed. I didn’t, however, expect for Evaristo’s writing to become as culturally relevant as the re-emergence of the Black Lives Matter movement has caused it to be. Though a work of fiction Girl, Woman, Other, is an expression of the Black female experience both as it has been, and how it could be. Of English and Nigerian heritage, Evaristo is a professor of creative writing

Upon the release of her 2017 debut Stranger in the Alps, Phoebe Bridgers amassed a cult following. Punisher is her second solo release, a much-anticipated piece of work full of the evocative and startlingly honest song-writing that she has come to be recognised for. Seemingly an odd choice, Bridgers’ opens her sophomore album with ‘DVD Menu,’ a short instrumental that combines an array of string instruments to produce a feeling of melancholy. This opening sets the tone for the record: mellow an

A series I’ve watched in its entirety countless times, Derry Girls is something that I’ll be turning to during the uncertainty of social distancing we are currently facing. By now, I’ve binged the series with my housemates at uni, watched it of an evening with my family, and had it playing in the background when needing a little pick-me-up. On each occasion, I’ve laughed and cringed my way through the Channel 4 sitcom as if I was watching it for the first time, making it the perfect source of bo

The novels of Charles Dickens frequently find themselves approached with a sense of fear by those attempting to read them, often abandoned by students and recreational readers alike. The task of finishing a novel like David Copperfield can be a daunting one. The sheer length of the text (some printed editions reach almost a thousand pages)is daunting, but in the light of the recent release of The Personal History of David Copperfield, I would argue that one of Dickens’ most-loved novels is defin

Whether your client sports a goatee or a full-flowing naval-grazing Viking beard, it’s essential to pass on beard grooming tips to keep your hirsute clients looking stylish and keep their hair healthy. In celebration of World Beard Day this Saturday (yep, apparently it’s a ‘thing’!), OSMO brand ambassador, and barber to a multitude of footballers, Justin Carr has given his 5 top tips for cultivating and caring for a beard. It looks like the beard trend shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon

Sweet Squared has announced the appointment of Emma Taylor as the new hair education manager where she will work to support the growth of AlterEgo Italy and SACHAJUAN, ensuring hair stylists are receiving world-class education and mentoring. Emma boasts over 12 years of hair education experience including at Wella, where her talent for educating and imparting skills in young hairdressers was recognised – she was awarded Wella Technician of the Period for three consecutive years. Mark Shorrock,