Left to right: Revolution! by Joan Lennon; Olivia Sprinkel’s “Noticing Autumn”; a selection of works by Ana Mendieta.
Revolution!
What does it take to change the world? Sometimes it’s toppling unfair systems. Sometimes it’s challenging long-held beliefs. Sometimes it’s coming up with revolutionary new inventions that transform our lives.
I’ve had a new non-fiction title published by Templar Books: Revolution! Looking at “12 seismic shifts that changed the world.”
‘Lennon makes the excellent point that life isn’t “just how it is” and that young people – who are our future – should not necessarily believe that the status quo is unchangeable. By educating children on what’s come before – and who fought for their existing freedoms – Lennon reminds readers that change is always possible.’
– review by Booktrust
https://www.booktrust.org.uk/book-recommendations/bookfinder/revolution
– Joan Lennon
Becoming an observer
I recently signed up to be a writer with the Mass Observation Archive, which collects people’s everyday experiences. The archive was set up in 1937, with a mission to compile an ‘anthropology of ourselves’. Three times a year, writers are sent a directive – a list of two or three topics – to respond to in whatever way they want (a journal, a poem, even a drawing). This material can then be accessed by researchers such as historians, sociologists and psychologists. Contributions are anonymised for 50 years so you can be frank! If you are interested in finding out more, visit https://massobs.org.uk/write-for-the-archive/
Very much looking forward to Wordstock!
– Jill Hopper
Noticing Autumn: A Mindful Haiku Walk
I’m running two haiku workshops in East Sussex on 3 October (Lewes Library, free) and 11 October (Laughton Greenwood Community Woodland) if anyone is in the area or wants a reason to come to Lewes/East Sussex for the day to enjoy the change in seasons. Both workshops include a short walk.
Thanks, and see you all at Wordstock!
– Olivia Sprinkel
Two adventures
I mentored Aleksandra Grebe in her contribution to the UCL200 project: https://bit.ly/4iDNPIc.
I wrote a sonnet (https://bit.ly/4iEpYrF) for Ledbury Carnival programme, drawing on work by Ledbury-born John Masefield. I was pleased to get Facebook appreciation from Masefield Matters: https://bit.ly/4Ath86M
– Aidan Baker
Two Quick Recommendations
The Tate Modern’s exhibition of Ana Mendieta – powerful exhibition exploring the artist’s relationship with the natural world: www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/ana-mendieta
The Finest Hotel in Kabul by Lyse Doucet – telling the recent story of Afghanistan through the people who worked at the Inter Continental Hotel in Kabul. It demonstrates the power of storytelling and narrative non-fiction.
– Olivia Sprinkel