Philosophising & Reflections

Facing our literary history: is cancel culture threatening the classics?

Cancel Culture 2

by Beth Hutton The question of whether we can separate an artist from their work persists not only within the […]

Cancelling “cancel culture”: What the new social buzzword means for the world of publishing

Cancelling Cancel Culture

by Beth Hutton Cancel culture is gaining momentum across academic circles and social media platforms alike, as people have been […]

 My reflective lessons in an increasingly virtual world

Whether you’re re-evaluating your priorities in life or considering whether you’re on the right path, there are times in your […]

8 “Lessons in Stoicism”: How to be a better human

Lately, the Ancient Greek and Roman philosophy of Stoicism has become surprisingly popular. In our world of excess, of always […]

Let’s talk about race: My thoughts on “Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People about Race” as a mixed-race female book editor

The news hit last week that Reni Eddo-Lodge had become the first black British author to ever top the UK paperback non-fiction […]

Did E.M. Forster’s “The Machine Stops” predict the future?

While nonfiction is our bag at The Book Shelf, E.M. Forster’s The Machine Stops is stranger than fiction. It has an uncanny resemblance […]

Nihilism: Four useful life lessons from a bleak mentality

A close-up shot of a dark green typewriter with a page coming out of it that reads "Crisis"

In a #fakenews and #posttruth era, the 19th-century philosophical bad boy of nihilism has reared its head. Nihilism stems from […]

7 Lessons from the Stoics on how to deal with life’s uncertainties

Over recent years, the Ancient Greek philosophy of Stoicism has gained a new lease of life. 3rd Century BC ideas […]