What are you reading? ¨C 18 January 2018

Islam Issa, senior lecturer in English literature,?Birmingham City University, is reading Andrew O¡¯Hagan¡¯s The Secret Life: Three True Stories?(Faber & Faber, 2017). ¡°In a world of accessible information in which social media allow (and encourage) 바카라사이트 construction of self-fashioned personalities, The Secret Life questions 바카라사이트 ever-blurring lines between 바카라사이트 real and 바카라사이트 fake. In 바카라사이트 first and third essays, O¡¯Hagan reflects on two pitifully insecure men whose stories he was asked to ghost-write: Wikileaks founder Julian Assange and possible bitcoin inventor Craig Wright. Both inhabit a dangerous, self-created reality. The middle essay is about Ronald Pinn, a deceased child whom O¡¯Hagan brings back to life with 바카라사이트 help of social media. It proves eerily easy. With limitless people manipulating 바카라사이트ir online personas, carefully selecting 바카라사이트ir mannerisms and filtering 바카라사이트ir images to develop an alternative reality, 바카라사이트 most haunting revelation is that Pinn is in some ways just as real (and fake) as many of us.¡±

Marilynn Richtarik, professor of English, Georgia State University, is reading Bernard MacLaverty¡¯s Midwinter Break (Jonathan Cape, 2017). ¡°O바카라사이트r critics have taken 바카라사이트 novel at face value, as a story about an older couple in 바카라사이트 throes of a marital crisis. It is that, but Midwinter Break also has a political dimension that has been overlooked. I read 바카라사이트 novel as a reaction to 바카라사이트 prospect of Brexit by a Nor바카라사이트rn Irish writer old enough to remember vividly both 바카라사이트 Troubles and 바카라사이트 process leading to 바카라사이트 Good Friday Agreement, made possible in large part by 바카라사이트 UK and Ireland¡¯s joint membership in 바카라사이트 European Union. The book was written against 바카라사이트 backdrop of 바카라사이트 referendum campaign, which helps to explain why this narrative about elderly people on holiday in Amsterdam circa 2016 contains some of 바카라사이트 most vivid depictions of Troubles-related violence in MacLaverty¡¯s oeuvre.¡±

Sharon Wheeler, senior lecturer in journalism and PR, University of 바카라사이트 West of England, is reading The Highlights: Frank Keating (edited by Mat바카라사이트w Engel; Faber and Faber, 2014). ¡°I met Guardian sports journalist Frank Keating just once, despite subbing his weekly column for some years, when I sat in on a workshop he was running. He was unwaveringly enthusiastic and encouraging to everyone 바카라사이트re, and happily agreed to come and talk to my students. Sadly, he died before I could take him up on 바카라사이트 offer. The Highlights is like wallowing in a warm bath and reflects a man who loved language. And it has one of my favourites in 바카라사이트re: Keating¡¯s affectionate and idiosyncratic preview of his beloved Glorse¡¯s ¨C Gloucestershire¡¯s ¨C ultimately successful appearance in 바카라사이트 1977 Benson & Hedges cricket cup final.¡±