Tucked away inside Lush Spa on Oxford Street, London, this walk-in Poetry Pharmacy offers a quiet retreat that invites visitors to explore the soothing and transformative power of poetry. Here, poetry is not just literature but a remedy of emotional support, available on prescription.
I paid a visit to London’s new Poetry Pharmacy to see what this unusual literary destination had in store:
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London is a city where literature and history blend seamlessly, and for book lovers, it’s a dream come true. From quaint independent stores to grand historic institutions, the city offers a treasure trove of bookshops catering to every literary taste.
Whether you’re after rare first editions, contemporary bestsellers, or cozy nooks to browse, London’s bookshops are as diverse as the stories they hold. Here’s a guide to some of the best bookshops in London that no bibliophile should miss.
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Black History Month is a time for learning, reflection, and celebration, but it’s important to continue this engagement all year long. One powerful way to do this is by reading literature from Black authors, and as a Brit, I’m choosing to focus on books by Black British authors.
The following books offer vital perspectives on identity, culture, and history, bringing forward voices that have been historically underrepresented.
Whether you’re looking to dive deep into personal memoirs, fictional explorations of Black life in the UK, or poetry that challenges the status quo, here’s a list of must-read books by Black British writers. Read them for Black History Month (January in the US or October in the UK) or of course, any time you see fit.
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It’s Shakespeare’s birthday weekend and I’m celebrating in his birthplace of Stratford-upon-Avon (Will, you don’t look a day over 400). So, in the spirit of all things literary and wanderlustful, I have compiled a list of Shakespeare quotes about travel from the bard’s most famous plays; to inspire you to either pick up a pen or get on a plane (or both).
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Updated May 2024
My passport may be bursting at the seams, but I’m definitely guilty of ignoring what’s in my own back yard. So, since I’ve been back in Birmingham (UK, not US), I’m making it my mission to explore my home city a little more, starting with my favourite places to visit – bookstores! Here’s my list of the best Birmingham bookshops for new and secondhand books, from comic book stores to independent bookshops selling used books; where you can find your next Brummy read:
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Hey guys. So, I recently participated in the World Nomads Travel Writer Scholarship programme, where I wrote a piece on the theme ‘a place that is unfamiliar to me’. Devastatingly, I didn’t win the scholarship (next year, perhaps?), so here is my entry published here instead, entitled Chasing Home: Read more
Dictionary: A book or electronic resource that lists the words of a language (typically in alphabetical order) and gives their meaning.
Inspired by a long (and sunny!) weekend in the home of Oxford University, here is a day in Oxford city as told through Oxford Dictionary definitions… Read more
I feel as if spring has really snuck up on us this year. It’s officially time for people living in Britain (or anywhere temperate in the Northern Hemisphere) to come out of hibernation and start enjoying the extra hours of sunshine. And so, I have written this spring foraging guide to edible wild plants you can find in the UK.
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I’ve been back in the UK now for four months. I’m still reluctant to say ‘back home’, but I’ll admit that it’s slipped off my tongue more than once. Like travel writer Pico Iyer says in his TED talk, ‘Where are you from?’ and ‘Where is home?’ are more complex questions now than they once were. Read more
So, I’ve put on a lot of weight since I’ve moved back to the UK and with very good reason. British food is not an internationally beloved cuisine. In most large cities around the world, you may be able to find a decent pizzeria, Chinese takeaway or Irish pub.
But, you will never ever find a good chippy or a proper British pub outside the British Isles.
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