Author Archives: Beth Wren
Doing it for the Girls
I was watching a stupid YouTube video the other day with two guys challenging each other to archery, when one said “I’m just like Katniss”, before proceeding to fire a terrible shot. I’m just like Katniss. And just like that I realised that the universal symbol for archery nowadays isn’t Robin Hood, or some superhero […]
Review Book #3 : The Great Gatsby, Scott Fitzgerald
As I come to the third book on my self-imposed 2013 reading list, I should probably point out that it’s a bit silly of me to title some of these posts as ‘reviews’ when they’re really just my thoughts. I don’t really know how I can review such a classic as The Great Gatsby. I should […]
Why I Want to Hate the Kindle (But Secretly Want One)
As an English Literature student, I can’t help but feel that it is my duty to protect the sacredness of books in their physical form and to consequently disown all eBooks and everything they stand for. But in seminars and coffee shops alike, as I look around at the numerous glowing screens of Kindles lighting […]
Review Book #2 : The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath
“Working in New York one hot summer, Esther Greenwood is on the brink of her future. Yet she is also on the edge of a darkness that makes her world increasingly unreal. In this vivid and unforgettable novel, Esther’s vision of the world shimmers and shifts: day-to-day New York living, her crazed men-friends, and hot […]
For What is a Fatwā ?
The Bible & Literature module I’m currently taking has thrown up some real gems. Firstly there was the amazingly bleak The Road which we compared with The Book of Job. Last week it was the epic Ben Hur alongside the Gospels on silent film, and now I’m reading Salman Rushdie’s infamous The Satanic Verses. I knew that there was a […]
April Music Favourites
I’ve been trying to blog a little more often recently, has anyone noticed? You’re welcome. Anyway, it’s that time of the month again with my favourite songs from April. I really recommend for everyone to have a go at using http://8tracks.com/ – it’s a great website where you can create your own playlists, plus choose different […]
The Bible and Literature
I’m currently taking a module called ‘The Bible and Literature’ which involves taking a look at the textuality of the Bible itself, as well as how it manifests itself throughout literature. It’s so interesting to actually read the Bible, because there’s so much we assume we know about it already which is often different in […]
A Picture Says a Thousand Words
There I was, just casually browsing the news websites, when I came across a collection of the most moving and beautiful photographs I’ve ever seen. Norwegian Photographer Andrea Gjestvang has just the L’Iris d’Or prize at the Sony World Photography Awards for her collection, One Day in History, a series of portraits of the survivors […]
The Road, Cormac McCarthy
Bleak, harrowing and depressing. I think these would be the three words I’d used to describe this book. It’s no bundle of laughs, that’s for sure. The book describes the journey of a father and son in a dystopian world, where humanity has been all but wiped out, along with pretty much the rest of […]
What I’ve Learnt From My Work Experience at Penguin
I was lucky enough to do a two week work experience placement at Penguin books in London and I had such a wonderful time. I was in the editorial department of one of their publishing sections called Viking and although I naturally had to do some menial admin tasks, I also got to see the […]
Bethany Wren 