Queer history is usually told through court cases and Acts of Parliament. A Queer Scrapbook: Britain and Ireland since 1945 asks what happens if we start instead with photocopied flyers and creased photographs. Editors Justin Bengry, Matt Cook, Rebecca Jennings, and E. J. Scott assemble a tactile, visual record of post‑war queer life that feels […]
Whose voices are heard? Sarah Hall and Daisy Johnson provide a powerful answer in their new short story collections. In a lovely afternoon at the Manchester Literature Festival, I had the pleasure of seeing Hall and Johnson discuss folklore, the female body, AI, and the possibilities of short stories. In Helm, Hall (winner of the […]
Manchester is known all too well for football. But what about its literary scene? Named a UNESCO City of Literature in 2017, Manchester has a rich literary history. So many novelists have found their inspiration here, from John Cooper Clarke to Thomas De Quincy. Anthony Burgess was born and raised here, with the Mancunian dialect […]
Netflix’s Heartbreak High breaks ground with authentic autistic representation in Quinni, but Season 2 disappoints by sidelining her character. So, what makes for good representation?
Fanfiction gave many, including myself, the space to be themselves. So, we look into the origins and communities behind fanfiction to shed light on why it shouldn’t be dismissed.
