Horrible, Wonderful Things: Notes on Bereavement

I am vaguely acquainted with the work of Harris Wittels, a comedic genius who died of a heroin overdose in 2015. I dabbled in a bit of Parks and Recreation, and I’ve heard (of the) term ‘humblebrag‘, which he coined. Some of my favorite off-colour and silly jokes from TV shows and general pop culture… Read More Horrible, Wonderful Things: Notes on Bereavement

The Immortal Lessons of Henrietta Lacks

Whilst I was watching a particularly harrowing sequence in the new HBO-produced movie The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (based on Rebecca Skloot’s bestselling book), I was reminded of a bit that Chris Rock used to include in his stand-up about race. He would argue that the most ‘racist’ black people he knew were older black people,… Read More The Immortal Lessons of Henrietta Lacks

Nolite te bastardes carborondurum: A Maternal Reading of The Handmaid’s Tale

In anticipation of the forthcoming Hulu dramatization, I reread Margaret Atwood’s iconic dystopian, feminist text, The Handmaid’s Tale.  Well, only sort of. I have a lot less time and a lot more toddler in my life than I did when I first read the book twelve years ago.  This time, I listened to the unabridged audiobook.… Read More Nolite te bastardes carborondurum: A Maternal Reading of The Handmaid’s Tale

Our writing, our selves: Meditations on the ethics of writing

“I write entirely to find out what I’m thinking, what I’m looking at, what I see and what it means. What I want and what I fear.” Joan Didion “Writers are always selling someone out.” Joan Didion David Sedaris published the most beautiful essay on the death of his youngest sister, Tiffany, and how her… Read More Our writing, our selves: Meditations on the ethics of writing

What we’re reading, 25 August 2013

UDF leaders (from left) Patrick Mosiua Lekota, Popo Molefe and Trevor Manuel Here are a few things we read and thought about this week: – The UDF was founded 30 years ago.  A few reflections on the movement that changed South Africa: http://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2013-08-22-the-udf-at-30-an-organisation-that-shook-apartheids-foundation/#.UhnAaGR5hXc – In the wake of the Marikana anniversary, Sisonke Msimang reminds us of another… Read More What we’re reading, 25 August 2013