Annie Kapur
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🎓 Post-Grad Millennial (M.A)
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Book Review: "Fake History" by Otto English
I was trying to keep myself from reading certain books like this because as much as I love history, reading 'pop history' is not for me. However, we should not judge a book by its cover and that's how I discovered that this is not actually a pop history book at all. Instead, this is an in-depth look at the lies we were told in history class and the ways in which myths and legends were made and constructed deliberately out of half-truths. We are forced to confront the lies and then, opened up to what the truths actually are no matter how estranged they are from what we have been made to believe over the years.
By Annie Kapur10 months ago in Geeks
The Phantom Dark Age
The Phantom Dark Age is a shifty historical theory proposing that approximately 300 years of early medieval European history—roughly between AD 614 and 911—were either fabricated or miscalculated. The theory, most notably advanced by German historian Heribert Illig in the 1990s, suggests that these centuries were artificially inserted into the historical record due to misinterpretations, calendar errors, or deliberate falsifications.
By Annie Kapur10 months ago in Geeks
Book Review: "The Rub of Time" by Martin Amis
Every now and again I will do a deep-dive into a book of essays because life is too short not to. Previously, I did a deep dive of Pulphead by John Jeremiah Sullivan which was perhaps, too long and so, I've learnt my lessons. Martin Amis' The Rub of Time is not nearly as good as that but is still interesting in many ways. Though the writing style meant I was reading it for far longer than I normally would. It took me a few weeks to go through and pick out the things I enjoyed but, it was well worth it if to also tell you the things I did not enjoy. I won't however be going through every single essay because there are absolutely tons in this anthology and not all of them are very good at all.
By Annie Kapur11 months ago in Geeks
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark was first published in 1961, a time of significant cultural and social change in Britain. Spark, who was born in Edinburgh in 1918, based much of the novel on her own experiences attending an all-girls' school in Edinburgh, the James Gillespie’s High School for Girls. The central character, Miss Jean Brodie, was reportedly inspired by one of Spark’s own teachers, Christina Kay, though Spark’s portrayal in the novel is more exaggerated and satirical. The novel reflects many of Spark’s own complex feelings about her education and the broader themes of influence, control, and the role of women in society.
By Annie Kapur11 months ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Fake Heroes" by Otto English
You can really tell when I've been paid because I'll splash out on a book I've wanted to read for ages but has always been a bit expensive even to buy on the Kindle. Fake Heroes is one of those books. This is one of those books where I thought 'yes it's nonfiction, but is it going to be more data-based or entertaining?' and it happened to be a cool mix of the two. I was not really very surprised by the people explored in the book and the way in which for example, the cinema industry exploited the death of Rudolph Valentino in order to shake up talk for the re-release of his movies. But what I was surprised about is how it made me confront how I often idolise people like perhaps JFK - who has a lengthy chapter in this book that doesn't colour him a very good person.
By Annie Kapur11 months ago in Geeks
Book Review: "The Eyes are the Best Part" by Monika Kim
I had no idea what this book was going to be about before I got it because again, I fell into the trap of judging a book by its cover. I mean, just look at the covers of the book - all of them look so freaky and strange I had to have it. I read a little bit about how this was the author's debut novel and got a bit sad thinking about the fact I wouldn't be able to investigate anything they had written before. A deeply disturbing horror novel that flickers with social commentary, bleary-eyed with satire and then spits on itself with black comedy; this is really one for our modern ages - a truly great contemporary horror novel.
By Annie Kapur11 months ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Diavola" by Jennifer Thorne
I'm going to be honest with you about this book. When I first looked at it, I was really unsure - I didn't know whether I was going to like it or whether it was going to be one of those run-of-the-mill horror books that really has no flavour. When I began reading it however, I was completely and utterly drawn in and consumed. I finished the whole thing in one day and managed to scare the absolute life out of myself on top of that. This is one of those books where you think 'why didn't I pick this up earlier'. Fantastically weaving gothic notions into an almost folk horror atmosphere - a book about a vengeful renaissance ghost is about to become so much more than a ghost story.
By Annie Kapur11 months ago in Geeks
Book Review: "A Simple Murder" by Eleanor Kuhns
I'm not going to lie to you but when I say I don't judge a book by its cover, I definitely sometimes do. This was one of those cases in which the cover I saw for this book was one I couldn't quite figure out. After a long time of staring at the cover, I moved on to the blurb and was equally capitvated. There was something about the book cover that looked unsettling, kind of off and as though there was something not quite right. So, as I introduce you to this book I spent a couple of days reading, please forgive the fact that I did in fact, judge a book by its cover...
By Annie Kapur11 months ago in Geeks
Shakespeare's Language of War
Note: Yes, I'm finding a lot of random notes I have from years back when I was studying for my degrees. These ideas didn't turn into essays but, as I have been going through them, I'd like to try to turn them into something. This one is about Shakespeare and War - the notes are from the second year of my undergraduate degree - which is a while back now. But I'm glad I was able to turn it into something. A great book in the secondary reading is called "Radical Tragedy" by Jonathan Dollimore. I must have read it three times cover to cover many years back, and my copy is coated in notes and doodles. I highly recommend this reading. Soon, I'm going to do a deep-dive into it - so look out for it if you're interested. Now, on to the article...
By Annie Kapur11 months ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Summoned to the Seance" ed. by Emily Vincent
Full Title = Summoned to the Seance: Spirit Tales from Beyond the Veil edited by Emily Vincent I think that you're probably sick and tired of reading about me being obsessed with the British Library's output of things like 'Tales of the Weird' or, in the past collections such as 'Crime Classics'. But, I think this is important because recently I have become a bit sketchy on whether these are the best of the output. Of course, we have had some great anthologies in the distant past and over the last few years. However, these ones that have come out in late 2024 and early 2025 have not lived up to their hype at all. Unfortunately, though this collection has some stand out stories, this can also be said of Summoned to the Seance.
By Annie Kapur11 months ago in Geeks
Book Review: "Monday Morning" by Patrick Hamilton
Yes, it's another Patrick Hamilton novel. I wasn't sure I was going to read anymore of him yet after how bleak and miserable Twopence Coloured was and how I had already read two other slightly grim books by him. But, someone recommended Monday Morning which they also said was a bit lighter. Since I had nothing to read at that time, I agreed to try it out and honestly, it is not as sad as the other books at all. I think I might leave Patrick Hamilton for a while after this but then again, I could change my mind. It really just depends on whether I can find any more of these Dickensian descriptions in his books. That is probably their best feature.
By Annie Kapur11 months ago in Geeks
