Previously Published

These articles were written and published between 2016 and 2018 as part of my work with Bookwitty. They are no longer available elsewhere online and so have been republished here as a record.

A Modern and Mythic Storyteller: An Interview with Kevin Crossley-Holland

Rachel Sherlock

Sep 27, 20183 min read

A Modern and Mythic Storyteller: An Interview with Kevin Crossley-Holland

One of the best known names in the field of British and Norse myths, Kevin Crossley-Holland is himself something of a legend. An author,...

170 views0 comments

To the Waters and the Wild: 14 Quotes about the Beauty of Nature

Rachel Sherlock

Sep 27, 20183 min read

To the Waters and the Wild: 14 Quotes about the Beauty of Nature

As we move through spring and head towards summer, the world around us is waking up, sending forth a cacophony of colour. There are...

142 views0 comments

Changing the SySTEM: Illustrating the Lives of Women in Science

Rachel Sherlock

Sep 27, 20188 min read

Changing the SySTEM: Illustrating the Lives of Women in Science

In recent years, an increasing number of women have been breaking into careers in fields that have previously been male dominated. This...

52 views0 comments

Papal Seal of Approval: 10 Books Recommended by Pope Francis

Rachel Sherlock

Sep 27, 20189 min read

Papal Seal of Approval: 10 Books Recommended by Pope Francis

Pope Francis, as the leader of the Catholic Church, holds a position that throughout history has been both revered and contested....

4,974 views0 comments

The Harlem Renaissance Turns 100: Celebrating the Era's Exceptional Authors

Rachel Sherlock

Sep 27, 201810 min read

The Harlem Renaissance Turns 100: Celebrating the Era's Exceptional Authors

One hundred years ago, the New York neighbourhood of Harlem was in the first stages of what was to be an explosion of African-American...

126 views0 comments

Frankenstein: The Literary Legacy of a 200-Year-Old Monster

Rachel Sherlock

Sep 27, 20189 min read

Frankenstein: The Literary Legacy of a 200-Year-Old Monster

New Year’s Day, 2018, marked the 200th anniversary of the publication of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Few could have predicted that this...

426 views0 comments

Muriel Spark, a Hundred Years in her Prime

Rachel Sherlock

Sep 27, 20189 min read

Muriel Spark, a Hundred Years in her Prime

On February 1st we celebrate one hundred years since the birth of one of the greatest writers of the 20th century, Muriel Spark. Two...

232 views0 comments

Rachel Sherlock

Sep 27, 20187 min read

Spotlight on African Authors

The fallout from President Trump’s alleged comments on African nations has continued in full force, with South Africa and Ghana adding...

24 views0 comments

2018 Sundance Film Festival: A Film Adaptation ReadingList

Rachel Sherlock

Sep 27, 20189 min read

2018 Sundance Film Festival: A Film Adaptation ReadingList

A new year means a fresh new set of films up for consideration in the various awards and festivals across the world. One of the earliest...

51 views0 comments

Netflix's 10 Best Book-to-
Screen Adaptations of 2017

Rachel Sherlock

Sep 27, 20188 min read

Netflix's 10 Best Book-to- Screen Adaptations of 2017

As 2017 draws to a close, it’s a great opportunity to make use of long evenings and holiday leisure time to dive into a whole stack of...

54 views0 comments

Book-Ending the Year: 10 Great Works of Fiction Published in 2017

Rachel Sherlock

Sep 26, 20187 min read

Book-Ending the Year: 10 Great Works of Fiction Published in 2017

The year 2017 has been a turbulent in many ways, but where there is great conflict and change, great art will also find a way. Much...

22 views0 comments

A Review of Norse Myths: Tales of Odin, Thor and Loki

Rachel Sherlock

Sep 26, 20186 min read

A Review of Norse Myths: Tales of Odin, Thor and Loki

There’s something about the vast wilderness of Scandinavia, and the ancient mythology it produced, that captures the imagination of...

183 views0 comments

Magical Magi: 5 Great Books about the Three Kings

Rachel Sherlock

Sep 26, 20183 min read

Magical Magi: 5 Great Books about the Three Kings

For many households, the preparation for Christmas can feel like an enormous build-up for a single day. There’s just one day to cook all...

27 views0 comments

The Story of Christmas: Five Great Children's Books on theNativity

Rachel Sherlock

Sep 26, 20186 min read

The Story of Christmas: Five Great Children's Books on theNativity

There’s a lot to get excited about during the Christmas season: giving and receiving presents, spending time with family, celebrating...

36 views0 comments

The Snowy Days: Ten Wonderfully Wintry Picture Books

Rachel Sherlock

Sep 26, 20187 min read

The Snowy Days: Ten Wonderfully Wintry Picture Books

As the evenings draw in for winter, it’s the perfect time to snuggle down with your little ones, and pull out some picture books to read...

18 views0 comments

Midwinter Murders: Six of Britain's Best Christmas Crime Novels

Rachel Sherlock

Sep 23, 20187 min read

Midwinter Murders: Six of Britain's Best Christmas Crime Novels

Christmas is the time of good cheer, peace among mankind, and, it would seem, solving murders. There has been a long literary tradition...

748 views0 comments

Not Just Greek Gods: World Myths for Kids

Rachel Sherlock

Sep 23, 20185 min read

Not Just Greek Gods: World Myths for Kids

Myths and folktales are an important part of cultural heritage across the world. They are also a great way of getting kids excited about...

23 views0 comments

Rachel Sherlock

Sep 23, 20188 min read

Even More Murder on the Orient Express

Hollywood is gearing up for this winter’s release of one of the most beloved murder mysteries of all time, Agatha Christie’s Murder on...

28 views0 comments

Falling for the Season: Ten Great Literary Quotes about Autumn

Rachel Sherlock

Sep 23, 20182 min read

Falling for the Season: Ten Great Literary Quotes about Autumn

As the summer is put swiftly behind us, it’s time once again to embrace the fascinating paradox of autumn, the earth at its most vibrant...

42 views0 comments

The Road to Baker Street:Fictional Detectives Who Paved the Way for Sherlock Holmes

Rachel Sherlock

Sep 23, 20187 min read

The Road to Baker Street:Fictional Detectives Who Paved the Way for Sherlock Holmes

Sherlock Holmes is perhaps the most well-known and widely recognised fictional character of all time. Within the genre of detective...

290 views0 comments

Reading Your Way to the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival: Part Two, Non-Fiction

Rachel Sherlock

Sep 23, 20185 min read

Reading Your Way to the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival: Part Two, Non-Fiction

In this, the second part of Bookwitty's reading list for the Toronto International Film Festival, I'm looking at the nonfiction books...

9 views0 comments

Reading Your Way to the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival: Part One, Fiction

Rachel Sherlock

Sep 23, 201810 min read

Reading Your Way to the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival: Part One, Fiction

As summer winds down, the world of film is gearing up for the excitement and buzz of the Toronto International Film Festival. The...

15 views0 comments

Victorian Secrets: Interview with Shrabani Basu, Author of Victoria & Abdul

Rachel Sherlock

Sep 21, 20186 min read

Victorian Secrets: Interview with Shrabani Basu, Author of Victoria & Abdul

Stephen Frear’s lavish historical drama Victoria & Abdul is set to hit cinemas in mid-September after its showings at both the Venice...

68 views0 comments

Literally Ridiculous: Great Parodies by Famous Literary Authors

Rachel Sherlock

Sep 20, 20187 min read

Literally Ridiculous: Great Parodies by Famous Literary Authors

The genre of parody in literature has, in recent times, been sadly consigned to low brow pun-based books such as Barry Trotter or The Da...

815 views0 comments

The History Behind Dunkirk: A Reading List

Rachel Sherlock

Sep 20, 20186 min read

The History Behind Dunkirk: A Reading List

Christopher Nolan’s newly released Dunkirk has gripped and captivated audiences around the world. Interweaving several perspectives of...

902 views0 comments

Squeeze the Universe into aBall: A Reading List for Eliot's'The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock'

Rachel Sherlock

Sep 19, 201812 min read

Squeeze the Universe into aBall: A Reading List for Eliot's'The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock'

T. S. Eliot’s iconic modernist poem ‘The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock’ was first published in the June 1915 edition of Poetry...

150 views0 comments

Detectives in Shining Armour: The Strange Chivalry of Noir Fiction

Rachel Sherlock

Sep 7, 20187 min read

Detectives in Shining Armour: The Strange Chivalry of Noir Fiction

From men in trench coats and fedoras holding smoking guns, to sultry woman emerging from the fog, noir fiction has some of the most...

318 views0 comments

The Lighter Side of Death: Six of the Best Cozy Crime Novels

Rachel Sherlock

Sep 7, 20187 min read

The Lighter Side of Death: Six of the Best Cozy Crime Novels

Crime fiction is one of the most enduring and popular literary genres, and within it is a whole host of widely differing subgenres. The...

111 views0 comments

The Terrible Twos: Gothic Doubles in the writing of Daphne Du Maurier

Rachel Sherlock

Sep 7, 20188 min read

The Terrible Twos: Gothic Doubles in the writing of Daphne Du Maurier

One of the most popular authors of the 20th century, Daphne Du Maurier was adored by fans but eschewed by critics, it would not be until...

789 views0 comments

The Conjure-Man Dies: Rudolph Fisher and the
First Black Detective Novel

Rachel Sherlock

Sep 7, 20186 min read

The Conjure-Man Dies: Rudolph Fisher and the First Black Detective Novel

The Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s and 30s marked an explosion of African-American art, literature and music. The movement incorporated...

234 views0 comments

The Survival of Science Fiction in Emily St.
John Mandel's Station Eleven

Rachel Sherlock

Sep 7, 20185 min read

The Survival of Science Fiction in Emily St. John Mandel's Station Eleven

Emily St. John Mandel is one of the speakers for the 2017 PEN World Voices Festival, where she will be speaking on “Dystopian...

120 views0 comments

The Hero's Journey: 12 of the
Best Books about Quests

Rachel Sherlock

Sep 7, 20189 min read

The Hero's Journey: 12 of the Best Books about Quests

The quest narrative is one of the oldest and more enduring types of stories. It has played a prominent role in folklore and myth around...

485 views0 comments

Rachel Sherlock

Sep 7, 20183 min read

Review: Jenn Lee's Garbage Night

Dystopian fiction is having something of a cultural moment in these recent politically turbulent days. If you’re looking for a fresh...

7 views0 comments

Tales of a Juvenile Genius: The Fantasy
Worlds of Charlotte Brontë

Rachel Sherlock

Sep 7, 20189 min read

Tales of a Juvenile Genius: The Fantasy Worlds of Charlotte Brontë

Charlotte Brontë is a name that looms large in the English literary canon. She and her sisters, Emily and Anne, produced some of the most...

54 views0 comments

Causing a Stir: Controversial
Classics and their Impact on
History

Rachel Sherlock

Sep 7, 20188 min read

Causing a Stir: Controversial Classics and their Impact on History

Classic literature is often famed for being important but feared for being stuffy. The canon can seem too old and well-established to be...

367 views0 comments

Reading for Tinder: How to Get as Well Read as Possible, as Quickly as Possible

Rachel Sherlock

Sep 7, 20187 min read

Reading for Tinder: How to Get as Well Read as Possible, as Quickly as Possible

There are any number of reasonable reasons you might need to read the classics in a hurry: Trying to fit classic literature into hectic...

51 views0 comments

Flannery O'Connor, a Revelation in Southern Gothic

Rachel Sherlock

Aug 31, 20187 min read

Flannery O'Connor, a Revelation in Southern Gothic

Considered one of the greatest American fiction writers, Flannery O’Connor epitomised the Southern Gothic genre, which flourished in the...

1,377 views0 comments

Dicking around with Dickens: The Oft Overlooked Humor of a Literary Master

Rachel Sherlock

Aug 31, 20186 min read

Dicking around with Dickens: The Oft Overlooked Humor of a Literary Master

For many people, the idea of reading the works of Charles Dickens conjures images of sombre tomes and dry university lectures. It comes...

21 views0 comments

Wicked Holy: 5 Great Biographies of Saints

Rachel Sherlock

Aug 31, 20187 min read

Wicked Holy: 5 Great Biographies of Saints

The glory of God is man fully alive - St Irenaeus Across the centuries, the saints have been an enduring source of fascination. While...

1,535 views0 comments

Lest We Forget: The
Overlooked Stories of the First
World War

Rachel Sherlock

Aug 31, 20186 min read

Lest We Forget: The Overlooked Stories of the First World War

The First World War was one of the largest and deadliest conflicts in human history. It involved 32 countries and over 70 million...

20 views0 comments

Five Authors to Read during Black History Month

Rachel Sherlock

Aug 31, 20188 min read

Five Authors to Read during Black History Month

The celebration of Black History Month has been marked with both enthusiasm and contention. While some see it as a way to remedy the fact...

9 views0 comments

Voyages into the Unknown:The Lives of Little-Known Explorers

Rachel Sherlock

Aug 30, 20186 min read

Voyages into the Unknown:The Lives of Little-Known Explorers

One of the most iconic explorers of his age, Ernest Shackleton is today a figure of great historical fascination and commendation. A...

13 views0 comments

Unearthing the Future:
Xenoarchaeology in Science
Fiction

Rachel Sherlock

Aug 30, 20184 min read

Unearthing the Future: Xenoarchaeology in Science Fiction

While science fiction is frequently characterised by its exploration of the future, and its many possibilities, some of the best science...

172 views0 comments

Exploring Jane Austen through the Proud
and the Prejudiced

Rachel Sherlock

Aug 30, 20185 min read

Exploring Jane Austen through the Proud and the Prejudiced

The fame of Jane Austen is such that, not only does she appear frequently on lists of history’s greatest authors, but soon she will...

10 views0 comments

Charting a Course for Beautiful Books of Maps

Rachel Sherlock

Aug 30, 20184 min read

Charting a Course for Beautiful Books of Maps

Maps have held a place in our collective cultural imagination for centuries, for their ability to represent and order the world around...

14 views0 comments

Rachel Sherlock

Aug 30, 20185 min read

A Brief History of Tiny Books

From pocket-sized to postage stamp-sized, tiny books have long proved that bigger is not always better. Throughout history people have...

68 views0 comments

Fantastic Books and Where to Find Them: Building a Cryptozoological Canon

Rachel Sherlock

Aug 30, 20185 min read

Fantastic Books and Where to Find Them: Building a Cryptozoological Canon

There’s a lot of fervour and anticipation as we embark on the five-film series of J.K. Rowling’s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them....

27 views0 comments

Rachel Sherlock

Aug 30, 20186 min read

Neil Gaiman and Modern Myth-Making

The influence of myths on modern fantasy fiction can hardly be understated. The ancient stories of heroic endeavours and magical...

753 views0 comments

The Threads of Time in the Bayeux Tapestry

Rachel Sherlock

Aug 30, 20184 min read

The Threads of Time in the Bayeux Tapestry

Over the past nine centuries, 1066 has remained one of the most well-remembered dates in English history. Marking the Norman conquest of...

5 views0 comments

Super Girls: Finding your Girl Squad in Comic Books

Rachel Sherlock

Aug 30, 20188 min read

Super Girls: Finding your Girl Squad in Comic Books

Recent years have seen the rise of the girl squad. Most famously used in reference to Taylor Swift and her entourage of glamorous and...

16 views0 comments