For Laing, who sees that early time in herbal medicine, steeped in listening and investigation, as a springboard into writing, the way forward isn’t necessarily “this narcissistic self-care route.” That much is clear in this three-day diary, where restoration arrives via an art show, takeaway curry, a bath. “Where I kind of part ways with the wellness community is that I think a huge amount of what happens with people’s physical health is political. A huge amount of what happens with people’s emotional health is political.” Laing, who identifies as trans/non-binary, takes that long view in her book, revisiting the blossoming of gender identity in Weimar-era Germany or the civil-rights movement of 1960s America. In a way, she sees
After a brutal winter, made even more difficult by the pandemic and killer storms, the Spring Equinox has arrived and warmer weather days are in sight. The following new non-fiction books are a good way to welcome the new season.
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Every month, a deluge of new books comes flooding out from big publishers, indie houses, and self-publishing platforms. So every month, The A.V. Club narrows down the endless options to five of the books we’re most excited about.
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Image: Catapult
We’re big fans of essays that combine cultural criticism with memoir, and Larissa Pham’s
Pop Song especially sings when the writer turns her eye to art and pop culture. In her debut book of nonfiction memoir by way of interconnected essays Pham interweaves a recounting of her life thus far with her thoughts on James Turrell, Anne Carson, Frank Ocean, and Agnes Martin (extra points for not mentioning Maggie Nelson in “Blue,” Pham’s essay on Martin). Through her sensitive, curious telling, Pham lobbies for the way in which art can help people learn more about themselves.
As the U.K. Inches Towards Reopening, Will the Creatives Who Fled London During Lockdown Return to the Capital?
Some artists have found a more comfortable life and community outside of the crush of the Big Smoke.
May 5, 2021
A sculpture by British artist Antony Gormley stands under the harbor wall on January 13, 2021 in Folkestone, United Kingdom. Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images.
How many times have you heard the words, “We just decided to move,” over the last year? Isolation requirements, lockdowns, and shut down city centers have transformed major cities like New York and London into temporary ghost towns, and many artists and art world professionals have joined the flight.