Latest news with #BritishLiterature
Buzz Feed
07-08-2025
- Lifestyle
- Buzz Feed
27 Things To Make Your Dorm Look Extra Pretty
A super cozy matching comforter and sheet set for making sure that no matter how you do in your British Literature seminar, you won't be giving sad Victorian child on a cot when you come back to your dorm for some shuteye. Promising reviews: "Used this for my dorm and it was so cute and such a soft material." —Caitlin Catalanotto"Very pretty! Comforter is the perfect weight. Washes well. Comes with a pillow case and a pillow sham that matches the comforter. Very satisfied. Bought for college dorm - price is reasonable for the entire package!" —BobbyGet it from Amazon for $37.99+ (available in sizes twin–California king and 32 colors). A floating shelf organizer because you can never have too many cute and colorful places to stash your thingamajigs and loose bobbles. Promising reviews: "Purchased for my daughters dorm and super simple to install. It has adhesive backing and she is able to set her iPhone on it and hang her keys easily with no weight issues." —RNHEMI"Perfect dorm room shelf. Easy to install and great storage capacity." —KimGet it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in two styles and three colors). A foldable saucer chair — whether you're studying or spilling tea with your roommates, your hardworking college butt deserves the cushiest of thrones to relax and recharge. Promising review: "This chair has been absolutely perfect for my dorm. Worth the money and has lasted a couple of years." —AveryGet it from Amazon for $89.99+ (available with or without a footstool and 17 colors) An ultra-compact desk so you don't have to strain your back hunching over your laptop in bed every day. Give yourself your own little WFH study space for those days when going to the library or the local coffee shop is just TOO MUCH to handle. Promising review: "Got this for my son's bedroom at college and it's great. It has a large enough work space for his laptop/paperwork but doesn't take up a ton of room. Fits nicely in the corner of his bedroom in his apartment." —Heather MurphyGet it from Amazon for $54.99+ (available in six colors). And a desktop bookshelf and storage hutch for making sure you've got plenty of space to store your knickknacks, fave books, and even a picture frame or two. Because your tiny dorm desk deserves to live its best, most organized life — and still have room for that photo of your dog dressed as a taco. Promising reviews: "Excellent dorm room shelf! Easy to assemble and fit perfect on top of the desk that was in the room. Great value compared to other similar items. You won't be disappointed." —Leslie Jennings"I went to a university were there was no drawers or compartments on our dorm desks! This fit perfectly and provided me so much storage!" —ElizaGet it from Amazon for $59.99+ (available in four sizes and five colors). A string of star-shaped fairy lights to wind around bookshelves, bed frames, or pictures on your wall. Battery operated with a timer, no need to find a plug *or* remember to click them off after a late-night study sess. Promising reviews: "I mixed these in with green ivy for my dorm and it's beautiful! The golden light is great for relaxation." —CK"Great for dorm rooms! They can dim to a nice night light or go bright enough to light up a small room. They don't get hot and are easy to hang with command hooks! The remote has eight patterns, an on and off button, as well as brightness buttons." —morganGet it from Amazon for $9.99 (available in four styles and packs of two). A hanging bed caddy that wants to be your fairy godmother and help tidy up your charging cords, your phone, your water bottle, *and* keep it all happily accessible from your bed. Promising review: "Perfect for my dorm bed!! It was easy to put together and was able to hold a decent amount of stuff. I really just needed it to put my phone somewhere at night, and I also use it to hold my water bottle and other nighttime essentials." —Sheridan CruzGet it from Amazon for $12.95+ (available in 10 colors and packs of two). A leaning ladder rack so you have an ideal space to throw sweaters, blankets, and basically anything else you want readily available, but don't want all over the floor. Some reviewers even use it for jewelry and plants, so this handy ladder will help your organization ~climb to new heights~ no matter what you need to tidy. Promising review: "This is a great product! It's priced very well and it's very versatile. I purchased to use as a blanket ladder to store blankets and fill a large are of open wall space. It looks great! It was very easy to put together; took me less than 5 mins. It seems like it might not be sturdy but I was to put 3 throws and a weighted blanket on it with no issues. It stays against the wall and is stable." —AmandaGet it from Amazon for $66.30+ (available in three colors). A set of Lego happy plants because college is hard enough without having to water *real* plants. Give yourself a greenery serotonin boost *and* a fun little project to take your mind off of course selection by adding these lil' guys to your dorm decor. Don't forget to give them names, y' review: "Great set, simple build, cute faces and love that the plants are swappable between the two. I would recommend this set to anyone looking for a cute deco set and would absolutely buy it again!" —AlexGet them from Amazon for $22.96. A hanging wall mirror to help you get that perfect OOTD Instagram shot *without* making your RA cringe by hauling in a HUGE floor mirror on move-in day. Promising review: "So cute and so fun. Love it." —ariiannnnaGet it from Urban Outfitters for $59. A set of six printed posters that will spruce up your walls and make you look like an interior design major in less than five minutes. Promising review: "Good quality, the dots to hang them on the wall are amazing." —AleGet them from Target for $10. An adorable handmade Athena ornament — the Greek goddess of wisdom and strategy — perfect for putting on your bulletin board, hanging on your dresser knob, or setting atop your desk. Whether or not you're studying the classics, everyone can use a little reminder to be smart and seize the carpe diem energy this semester. I LOVE Craftspring. They are woman-owned, sustainable, and focus on fair trade and handmade items with the kind of high quality you just don't see on the fast-goods market very often. I have their Shakespeare and Jane Austen (happy 250th, homegirl!) ornaments on my office pinboard year-round and can't wait to shop for more as fam and friend gifts when summer finally leaves and the holiday season is upon us!Promising reviews: "Ornament is beautifully worked and very detailed." —Lara J"The details are amazing. I love this little figure. It exceeded my expectations." —Linda DGet it from Craftspring for $44. A Bluetooth projector if you can't fit (or afford) a hulking flatscreen in your dorm space, but still want to be able to stream your fave shows *not* on your laptop. Also perfect for putting up some aesthetic studying YouTube videos to transport you from your dorm room to a cozy coffee shop or a fantastical reading nook. Promising reviews: "I got this for my Dorm room and the quality is pretty great. I normally use a Bluetooth speaker for the audio but it's not too bad without it. It was perfect for movie nights and was easy to setup." —Mileena"I bought this projector in July 2023 on prime day and it works amazing! I use it almost everyday with my Roku or my computer through the HDMI port. It was perfect for my college dorm and now my apartment. I just bought another one as a gift for my brother!" —Haven MayGet it from Amazon for $79.99. A soft chenille blanket to throw on your fave chair, the edge of your bed, or just to wear around your shoulders while you're studying as your own impromptu super-college-student cape. Look, whatever makes you *not* flinch when you're looking over your calculus notes again is a WIN. Promising reviews: "My favorite blankets/throws have been the ones I purchased from Pier One. This is the exact—maybe even better—blanket. Incredibly soft and the colors are amazing. I'll be buying more from this company." —No Gurus Here"Comfortable throw blankets for covering up on the chair or sofa on a chilly night. Very nice material and stays in shape." —CherylGet it from Amazon for $26.99+ (available in three sizes and 22 colors) Or a hyper-luxurious splurgy Lola blanket with over TEN THOUSAND 5-star reviews, double-sided softness, and the perfect amount of comfy cozy weight to help you reach maximum dorm room snuggle potential. And it LOOKS divine, so be ready to hide it from grabby roommates. Psst. Follow their socials, too, because they've got a new DORM SPECIFIC collection coming out soon!Get it from Lola Blankets for $109+ (available in three sizes and 42 colors/patterns). A mini retro Bluetooth speaker for playing your Spotify playlists and adding a little touch of vintage charm to your space. Promising review: "For a small unit really puts out great sound. Don't expect a lot of bass to come out but great for office, dorm or small room/ baby bath time :)" —BertoGet it from Amazon for $13.99 (available in 10 colors) A hanging macrame photo garland that will hold your student ID, takeout menus, your Polaroid photos, and even your loose hair ties! If it's hung up on macrame garland, it's *not* junk. Them's the rules. Promising review: "This photo organizer put a special spark in my room and is probably one of my favorite room decor items so far!!" —kailey roseGet it from Amazon for $12.99+ (available in two sizes and two colors) A custom pet pillow if you just know you're gonna be counting down the days to your next visit back home because you miss your animal friend. Miss them *a little less* by having their cute face perched on your bed to welcome you back from class. Promising reviews: "Fourth time purchasing a pillow from this brand. And every single time they deliver. The quality is great." —Mariya Merritt"High quality item that arrived quickly. Bought this for my daughter for her college dorm room so she doesn't miss her cat too much. She loves it." —amanda squierGet it from Auré Spaces on Etsy for $23.56+ (originally $29.45+; available in eight sizes and six materials). A washable floral rug for covering up that weird spot on the floor (we don't ask too many questions in dorm life, y'all) and bringing a pop of color to your new digs. Promising review: "It's gotten a lot of compliments from friends. The pop of color was perfect for the dorm room. Also comes in black background. Very pretty if you like that Boho vibe." —LateNiteShoptressGet it from Amazon for $16.89+ (available in 12 sizes and seven colors). A clip-on mushroom lamp as flexible as you need it to be. Clamp it to your bed frame, nightstand, or even your mini kitchen counter to make sure you don't stub your toe on your backpack when you come home late. Promising review: "This is PERFECT. I can't wait to use it for my dorm room. The adjustable neck can go any direction and is VERY firm. The head has two different light modes too, for ambient and concentrated light. Very happy!" —LucyGet it from Amazon for $33.74 (available in two colors). A mini air purifier so you can cross off "air allergens and weird smells" from their list of rude dorm things that you thought you'd have to endure. If everyone is sneezin' and wheezin' from all the dust and number of humans in a confined space, put this CUTE lil' mini in your room to help clear out the gunk. Promising review: "This purifier is very quiet and super light. I bought it for my daughter's dorm room and it works great keeping it fresh." —angela hamiltonGet it from Amazon for $53.19+ (available in eight colors). A "good vibes" neon light for immediately establishing yourself as the ~fun room! to any and all visitors. Promising review: "So, so cute and vibey! It's bright and provides mood lighting to the room! I put it up in my dorm with sticky hooks, it's very lightweight. Just a heads-up, it doesn't come with the power box to plug it into a wall but it has a USB cord so it'll connect to anything." —Brigette HenriquezGet it from Amazon for $19.90+ (available in three colors). A whimsical moss rug because sometimes you just gotta ground yourself on the nearest faux plant life available before you start going over your O-chem notes. Again. Promising review: "Big hit for college room. Buttery soft, mixed textures, vibrant colors. A bit on the smallish size for the price, but my daughter LOVES it!" —angelaGet it from Amazon for $24.99+ (available in two sizes and two colors). A rotating makeup organizer to make I-overslept-days a *little* easier to manage. Get your skincare routine in and get to class on time by not spending a whole five minutes searching for your SPF. Promising review: "My daughter bought herself one for her dorm then bought me one for Xmas. I was able to clear off two storage boxes from my cabinet of skincare. Shelves are sturdy and fully adjustable so you can customize to your liking. Holds heavier weight of glass bottles safely. Looks nice." —Lynn GallowayGet it from Amazon for $12.78+ (available in seven colors). An adjustable flower desk lamp so you can have more than just fluorescent sadness as a lighting option. Promising review: "The look of it is adorable and the quality is great as well. Perfect for a desk and or bedside table lamp. Very bright with the option of dimming. Love it!" —KatariGet it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in four colors and eight other styles of flower). A three-tier rolling cart: Books, makeup, snacks, supplies for the plant babies you brought from home, this cart will hold literally anything you need and help keep your dorm room from looking like a "before" picture on a cleaning service site. Promising review: "I've been quite surprised with how well this cart has held up over the years. I originally bought this for my dorm room, and it served as the catch all. Due to the size, I was able to fit all my makeup, skincare, and other related products onto it. Also, it is pretty easy to assemble and disassemble, as well as clean." —TrinityGet it from Amazon for $25.97 (available in five colors and three bigger sizes). And finally, a HUGE silly goose plush that's part pillow, all whimsy, and 100% a dorm room mascot that screams, "I'm handling adulthood very normally, thank you very much." Promising review: "Gave as a gift to my college bound granddaughter. She loves how cute, cuddly soft, smooth and so huggable it feels to her. Very calming and soothing to fall asleep with. That makes me happy!!" —R. RiveraGet it from Amazon for $85.99 for the largest size (also available in four smaller sizes and a weighted option).
Geek Dad
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Dad
‘The Last Pebble' by Alex Horne: A Book Review
As GeekDad's resident Brit, I often find myself wondering how to explain UK cultural lodestones to a US-skewed audience. I also often find myself reviewing excellent books that are available here in Britain but haven't made it to the US. Both things are true for Alex Horne's The Last Pebble. Alex Horne is the British comedian (I'm sure I could fill several posts' worth of thoughts about comedians writing books) behind the smash TV sensation Taskmaster . Well, smash on this side of the pond. Here, there have been 19 seasons, and each new season is eagerly anticipated by a host of fans. In the US, it had one season before sinking without a trace. Over here, a book by Alex Horne is likely to garner lots of attention and column inches. Over where many of you are, you're probably asking, 'Alex Who?' If we forget for a moment that the author is relatively famous (though Horne wears his celebrity lightly), what do we have with The Last Pebble? It's a generational coming of age(ish) story set in a quiet British seaside town, on the South Coast of England. It follows misfit Trader (arguably a first name more likely to be found in the US than the UK) as he struggles to build friendships in his school. He finds social interactions difficult, but the natural world, in particular, rocks, fascinating. He is aided and abetted in this fascination by his grandfather, a man who is enlivened by the world around him. He's an inventor and an avid collector of bric-a-brac and ephemera, often disappearing to collect random artefacts found on eBay or in the classifieds. While out beachcombing one day, Trader finds a special stone. One, his grandad says, they will polish up to release its true majesty. Alongside this, Trader, with a tentative friend, Charlotte, discovers that somebody is leaving messages in bottles on the beach. Is this part of a conspiracy? Can they really be after Trader's mysterious stone? Despite this being a book about a beloved grandparent and being titled The Last Pebble, nobody dies. I give this up, not as a spoiler, but because I was pretty convinced someone was going to (looking at you, grandad), and I was pleasantly surprised that they didn't. The story is more artful than that. Trader, Charlotte, and the other children in the story are on the cusp of transition to a new school (which happens in the summer of your 11th birthday in the UK). Their world is filled with possibilities. A time of reinvention as well as anxiety. Horne captures this perfectly. There is nothing here that will particularly blow you away. It's simply a lovely story about children growing up in a small, non-descript town (non-descript but also at the British seaside, another cultural focal point, especially for childhood memories). The book captures the innocent joy of fossicking amongst the sand and rocks by the sea. The possibility of finding something fascinating or reveling in the beauty of a discovered piece of smoothed glass. Children's books tend to be either comedic or dramatic these days. The Last Pebble is neither. Or rather, it is both, but very gently. There is a mystery, there are amusing events, but first and foremost, this is a story about the strength of family and the importance of good friends. This is a gentle, thoughtful read, that will appeal to most children and may help them stop to think about the world and people around them. If you would like to pick up a copy of The Last Pebble , in the UK, you can do so, here (Affiliate Link). I was unable to find a US option for purchasing the book. If you enjoyed this review, check out my other book reviews, here. I received a copy of this book in order to write this review. Liked it? Take a second to support GeekDad and GeekMom on Patreon!
Washington Post
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
What Orwell thought of military parades
You're reading an excerpt from the WorldView newsletter. Sign up to get the rest, including news from around the globe and interesting ideas and opinions to know, sent to your inbox on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. 'A military parade is really a kind of ritual dance, something like a ballet, expressing a certain philosophy of life,' wrote the great British author George Orwell in 1941. He argued that the 'parade-step' of a national army reflected something about a country's 'social atmosphere.' The goose-step adopted by a number of fascist militaries during World War II, Orwell observed, was 'simply an affirmation of naked power' and, consequently, 'is one of the most horrible sights in the world.'
Washington Post
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
From the creator of ‘Broadchurch,' a mystery novel on familiar ground
Fans of classic British detective fiction know that no place in the world is more dangerous than a ye olde village. 'Mayhem Parva' was the clever name that British novelist and critic Colin Watson coined in his 1971 book, 'Snobbery with Violence,' to refer to homicidal hamlets like Agatha Christie's St. Mary Mead, where psychopaths stand shoulder to shoulder at the local pub and even the sheep pack shivs beneath their wool.
Wall Street Journal
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Wall Street Journal
Fiction: ‘Parallel Lines' by Edward St. Aubyn
Edward St. Aubyn's five-book cycle, the Patrick Melrose novels, published between 1992 and 2011 and now widely recognized as a classic of British literature, covers a lot of territory in the chronicle of its magnetically messed-up hero. Childhood trauma, addiction, euthanasia and the concealed cruelties of the English aristocracy count among its darkest preoccupations. Mr. St. Aubyn is equally obsessed with psychoanalysis and ethical philosophy, inheritance and spirituality, and the torment of trying to distill such mysteries into meaningful language. The novels veer breathtakingly from gonzo druggie farce to exquisite manor-house satire to earnest talking-cure confessionals, relying on the diamantine luster of the prose to hold them all together. You should read them, is what I'm saying. Less obviously, the books are also instances of what the critic Marco Roth has labeled 'neuronovels': fiction interested in the brain's relation to behavior and personality. 'Never Mind' (1992), the first book in the series, turns on the first time that Patrick, at 5 years old, is sexually abused by his sadistic father. During the violation he feels himself 'split in half,' so that part of his consciousness is stuck in the moment of violence and part seems to have escaped his body to seek distraction in anything else. The mental rupture defines his coming of age. In an indelible scene from his drug-addled 20s in 'Bad News' (1992), Patrick has a full-fledged schizophrenic episode when his brain is colonized by a 'bacteria of voices.' The depictions of his fragmentation, and his long, arduous struggle toward unity, are so precise and vivid that they could serve as neuropsychology case studies. The brain and its role as the seat of consciousness continue as fixations in the fitfully successful novels Mr. St. Aubyn has published outside the Melrose series, the best of which are 'Double Blind' (2021) and its sequel, 'Parallel Lives.' Science is confronted far more technically in these pendant works, whose decentralized cast, spread mostly between Britain and the U.S., allows the omnivorous author to indulge in an exploratory sprawl of ideas. Among the characters established in 'Double Blind' is the billionaire venture capitalist Hunter Sterling, who has begun investing in futuristic biotech innovations such as 'Happy Helmets,' which reproduce in their wearers' brains the neurological states of, for instance, business leaders or religious gurus. Yet that very cerebral plasticity is a source of crisis for Hunter's love interest, Lucy, who in her 30s is diagnosed with a brain tumor and ushered into a life of cancer treatments.
