Physical Books Are Great, Here’s Why
On Instagram, readers frequently upload lavish pictures of bookshelves and books in an aesthetically pleasing way. The reason is clear: books are beautiful. We can recall the scene in Beauty and The Beast, where the latter surprises Belle with the magnificent library....
The Russian Ethnic Minority In Ukraine Deserve Protection
While the one year anniversary from Russia’s invasion into Ukraine passes, British and American commentators are gleeful in sharing theories about future NATO actions, further aid to Ukraine and inflicting punishment towards Russia, whether it is the loss of Crimea or...
Repetition Helps With Language Learning
In 2017, I decided to learn Russian. I began the Russian course on Duolingo and watched grammar videos on YouTube. Whilst I learnt the Cryllic alphabet easily, it took nearly six years until I could mutter some sentences, and this was only after incorporating other...
On Medieval Studies and the Far-Right
In the past decades, medieval scholars have voiced concerns about the misuse and abuse of the Middle Ages, particularly within pop culture and among right-wing politicians, whether populist, neoconservative, or fascist. I’ve covered this topic previously. For those...
Harry Potter Has Plot Holes. So?
Not everyone is a fan of Harry Potter’s worldbuilding. A recent viral Twitter thread demonstrated the ‘flaws’ inherent in the Wizarding World. Why does poverty exist where magic replaces labour? Do Scottish students have to travel to London, then take the Hogwarts...
A.I. Will Never Write A Great Novel: A Response to ChatGPT
A revolution is gripping artists: Artificial Intelligence. With the recent advancements in ChatGPT and deep fakes, artists were quick to voice concern. The fear of robots taking over creative output loomed over these discussions, like a dark cloud ahead of the...
War Stories Refuse To Please: The Art of Otto Dix
In the sphere of literature and film studies, it’s not uncommon to critique portrayals of war. Certain ‘war stories’ have provoked controversy: The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne, The Kindly Ones by Jonathan Littel, Schindler’s List by Steven Spielberg and...
A Writer Never Stops Learning
A writer never stops learning. No number of publications, awards, or sales changes this. Creative writing, like language learning or painting, is a life-long journey. This applies even if ‘mastery’ is reached. A writer must always seek improvement, new skills and...
I Failed A University Subject. Here’s What I Did About It.
Failure offers a special experience in education. During my time as an undergraduate at Macquarie University, I took 25 subjects, or units, in the humanities. A standard Arts degree has 24 units in Australia. The reason I took an extra one was due to failing a unit....Welcome To Snowy Fictions
Frequent essays on literature, history & culture. Dedicated to liberty.
