Cultural Exchange: What I Read, Watched & Listened to in 2024
Plus a Preview of What's to Come Next Year on The Ampersand
A bumper Cultural Exchange to end the year with as I look back on the highs and lows of my cultural consumption over the last 12 months. This is a longer post that may be cut off in your emails so be sure to read this on your desktop or in the app.
I’d love to know what you loved and hated in 2024 in the comments. I’ll see you there.
Fiction
In January, I read Colin Walsh’s stunning debut Kala. It took me a few chapters to get into it but once I found the hook, I raced my way through. A real masterclass in how to write propulsive literary fiction. Yes, a novel can be beautifully written and have a strong story engine. Yes, it can have a huge cast but still feel intimate. & Yes, a male writer can write female friendships without using tired tropes as a crutch. I would follow these characters for years to come if I could. This was definitely in my top 5 books of the year and I can’t wait to see it adapted for screen.
This is How You Lose The Time War by Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone was February’s read. It’s about two women who fall in love across a divide that feels so great it almost seems impossible to surmount. A quick, easy read and yet every paragraph is so gorgeously written I left underlinings and notes in the margins of nearly every page. I loved the idea of time being spiralling threads that characters could climb up and down and the tacit moments in myth and history our heroes would find themselves in.
In March, while travelling, I read ’s 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World, a heartbreaking and beautiful novel about a dying Istanbul sex worker’s final moments of brain activity. The book chronicles the life that came before as she recalls both good memories and bad. It’s the story of a complex and troubled life but, most of all, one that reminds us of the love and hope that can be found within a chosen family.
In April, I bought The Ancestry of Objects by Tatiana Rykman in Echo Park bookstore Stories. It was chosen mainly because I loved the cover art and it’s dinky size made it super portable - my suitcase was already dangerously heavy. I knew nothing about it and so the erotic rollercoaster it sent me on was certainly a surprise. In the novella, we meet a woman falling apart at the seams due to a crisis of faith and the loss of her grandparents. She refers to herself as “we” rather than “I” throughout and I took that to be a reference to how she felt broken into parts, unable to grasp a sense of oneness or get herself together in the wake of grief. She throws herself headlong into a sexual relationship with a married man and, whilst I found myself often frustrated with the narrator, I found Rykman’s writing so stunning this book was hard to put down.
I absolutely adored my May read: Love On the Dole by Walter Greenwood. As someone who is Manchester born and based, it was a real buzz reading something set locally (Salford), especially given so many landmarks have remained the same. Although this book was written in the 1930s, the current cost of living crisis makes Greenwood’s depiction of working class lives feel completely relatable and incredibly relevant. I was so invested in the characters and the novel made me realise just how little has changed in the last hundred years. The most notable difference is our access to a national health service here in the UK, the absence of which is strongly, often devastatingly, felt in Greenwood’s book.
Reading the brilliant publishing satire YellowFace by Rebecca F. Kuang was a real tonic for me in June as I began to navigate the strange journey of getting a book out into the world for the very first time. If you’re an emerging author, I strongly suggest you read it. I feel like it came to me at just the right time (just as the US publishing deal for my second novel collapsed) and it taught me to take so much of what I was experiencing with a pinch of salt. Despite there being virtually no redeemable characters, it’s still one of my favourite reads of the year.
Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler was challenging, depressing and scarily prescient in places but I also found a little hope within its pages because Lauren’s journey is a real testament to the strength and determination of the human spirit. Like so many others, I started reading it Earthseed Day (July 20th, 2024) and you can find more of my thoughts on this novel in The Ampersand Chat where I did a Read-Along of the entire book.
The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman was a 2023 Secret Santa gift and I was so excited to read it. In the late 1800s/early 1900s, this short story was considered an important work of feminist literature, reflecting on how women were treated, particularly in regards to mental health. I found it a valuable read and a real insight into the time period, leading me to do some further research on the author. It was disappointing to discover that she was one of many white feminists who did not include Black women in her “feminism”. Worse still, Gilman actively campaigned against racial equality, speaking of “racial purity” and espousing eugenics.
I actually took a break from reading The List by Yomi Adegoke several chapters in because I wasn’t really feeling it. What started as a brilliant concept fell a bit flat in terms of it’s execution and I felt a bit bored. I’m glad I returned to it, however, because the final third of the book was much more exciting even if I’m still not sure what the overall message was.
The Days of Abandonment by Elena Ferrante had me so frustrated with the narrator. Once again, I found myself reading a female character whose sense of self-worth is entirely predicated on whether a man fancies her or not. It’s no spoiler to tell you that our protagonist’s husband leaves her at the beginning of the book. Admittedly, I could never imagine what it’s like to be left with two children to look after but her response is such that I genuinely thought the book was set in the 1950s at first. It wasn’t until the mention of “cell phones” that I realised that wasn’t the case. It’s beautifully written, of course, but I felt no satisfaction in reading the unravelling of a woman who does almost nothing to help herself. Her husband is awful but she’s pretty terrible too and I found myself wanting to reach through the pages and shake her so many times!
Bunny by Mona Awad was totally unhinged and I absolutely loved it. A weird, wonderful and witty satire. Awad’s prose is absolutely stunning but her best skill is her ability to convince the reader to suspend their disbelief and lean into the madness. I’d love to see how this may be adapted for screen one day.
I’m currently reading A Woman Destroyed by Simone De Beauvoir but I’m only halfway through the first story so I can’t comment on it just yet. Next up: a Christmas present from my brother - Black Water Sister by Zen Cho.
Non-Fiction
Lies My Teacher Told Me by James W. Loewen is a book my Dad recommended over and over again. I started reading it shortly before he died and it did not disappoint. Of course, we all know that what we learn in history class is mostly bullshit written by the “victors” (read: colonisers) but this book really plunges the depths of it all. The section on Christopher Columbus is particularly horrifying.
I was quickly taken in by the mysterious cover of The Creative Act by Rick Rubin when I spotted it in my local bookstore. The contents, however, are significantly less mysterious. If you’re several years deep into a creative career, this book probably isn’t for you. If, however, you’re looking for the perfect gift for a 16-21 year old who hasn’t quite figured out how to harness their creative spirit yet, snap this book up. It may also work well for people who are a bit older but have found themselves bogged down in a traditional 9-5 and need to wake up the creative part of themselves that has been lying dormant for many years.
I’ve written a great deal about Declan Donnellan’s book The Actor and the Space in this piece so head there if you’d like to read more about my favourite parts of it. Here, I’ll just say that it’s even better than his previous book The Actor and the Target (if that’s possible) and I got so much out of it.
Dream Therapy by Dr. Clare Johnson is an in-depth how-to guide on lucid dreaming. As a classic Pisces, I’m obsessed with dreams and dream work is a huge part of my creative practice but this book made me realise just how committed you need to be to successfully dream lucidly if it doesn’t already come naturally to you. I’m not there yet but I’d love to revisit this book when I am.
Manifest by Roxie Nafousi is far from perfect but I found it an extremely accessible way into a manifestation practice. It’s everything you’ve ever heard before but put in digestible, practical terms. I read it twice and then downloaded her affirmations from her website. Yes, I know the book is a sales funnel but so much is these days and at least I didn’t feel like Roxie was bullshitting me about it.
Many of my favourite non-fiction reads of all time are the ones that have presented themselves as memoirs and have then turned out to be so much more. Both Not Half by Jassa Ahluwalia is exactly this. Jassa successfully layers historical context underneath his life story so you barely even notice how much you’re learning. As a fellow mixed-heritage Brit, I identified with so many of Jassa’s experiences. Have a listen to him discussing the book on The Ampersand’s Rare Company podcast.
Okay, so, time for my top two non-fiction reads of the year. First: Avoidance, Drugs, Heartbreak and Dogs by
. Guys, that kid from Rizzle Kicks can write. & I mean really, really write. The prose in this book is often jawdroppingly beautiful.If you’re not already subscribed to Jordan’s Substack, go click that button and then read this stunning book. I binged the lot in just a few days and reading it made me feel so seen in so many ways.
Like me, Jordan has ADHD. He’s also of mixed Black and white British heritage. He attended the BRIT School whilst I attended a performing arts school in the US. We’re a similar age and both spent the late oughts in London “trying desperately to follow a group of total strangers to a moderately famous person’s house. Just to do more drugs. And entertain empty possibilities.” I loved this book and saw myself so much in it that, for the first time ever, I wanted to write to the author and thank them for it. I didn’t. But maybe I should have.
My other joint favourite non-fiction read of 2024 was Vulture Capitalism by Grace Blakeley. I barely have the words to describe how brilliant this book is and what a genius Grace must be to have written it. I follow her on Instagram and it’s all I can do to not share every single post she puts out because, my God, she articulates so many of my thoughts and feelings about capitalism far more eloquently than I ever could. Her book is a chapter by chapter evisceration of capitalism featuring all your corporate faves, from Ford to Boeing and beyond. If I added up all the pennies that dropped for me whilst reading this book, well… I wouldn’t have as many as any of the exploitative billionaires out there but it would still be a fucking lot of money, lads.
I’m currently reading The Magic by Rhonda Byrne after a friend told me it had completely changed his life. If you’re looking for a book on how gratitude can help you manifest an even more wonderful life than the one you already have, this might be it. It’s definitely a much better read than The Secret, put it that way.
Television
My 2024 began with Mr Bates vs The Post Office and proof that telly really can change things. My Uncle and Aunt were caught up in the Horizon scandal back when they owned a post office in Lincolnshire and their lives have now changed immeasurably for the better thanks to this show and the subsequent response to it. It was also pretty incredible for me to see my area of North Wales represented on screen for the first time ever and for my partner (a turban-wearing Sikh) to see a turban-wearing Sikh character and his family on screen with an actual storyline and lines!
Mr Bates was followed in quick succession by one of my other favourite weepies of the year, the terrific adaptation of David Nicholls’ One Day. I absolutely loved Ambika Mod’s performance in This is Going to Hurt so it was great seeing her take on a lead role that couldn’t be more different to downtrodden NHS worker Shruti. The soundtrack had me riding huge waves of nostalgia and, even though I knew how the story would end, I couldn’t help but invest in these two perfectly imperfect characters.
Next up was Season 2 of BBC cop show Responder and Helen Walsh’s excellent parkour/gymnastics drama The Gathering. I’ve written about them both in this previous issue of Cultural Exchange.
I’m so happy that high concept drama like Dark Matter is being made because I often feel like I always have to wait for the next season of Black Mirror for anything that even comes close. Jennifer Connelly is a long time crush of mine so I totally got why Jason, our protagonist, fought his way through whole universes to get to her. I’m a big fan of multiverse stories in general (Marvel, Everything Everywhere All at Once etc) and this one had us on the edge of our seats every week.
Supacell is another conceptually brilliant show that landed this year. Watching a cast of Black characters from London as superheroes feels refreshing and each and every one of them are incredibly relatable. I loved that this show was full of stunts and action but also had something to say. No doubt the Google searches for Sickle Cell went up ten fold after this show came out.
Jack Rooke’s Big Boys never fails to make me laugh (and cry) and season 2 is just as good as season 1. It does not seem two minutes since Jack and I were sharing a (very overcrowded) dressing room at Edinburgh Fringe Festival and now here he is with his own TV show. It was an inevitable path for him, of course, but it’s still been hugely inspiring to witness.
We watched 3 Body Problem whilst travelling round Mexico and visiting LA in March and April. I distinctly remember being in CDMX (my favourite city in the world), watching this show in bed with my partner after a day trawling museums and honestly feeling like I might explode with joy. This show is just that good. I think we were only on episode 2 or 3 and the knowledge we had so many more amazing episodes ahead of us felt thrilling. If you haven’t watched it yet I am both excited for you and slightly jealous. What an adventure it is!
When we finished 3 Body Problem, we had Baby Reindeer to dive into and we binged it in about three sittings. I was already familiar with the story and Richard Gadd thanks to the stageplay version of it but that didn’t stop this show from totally blowing me away. Everything that could be said/written about it probably already has been so I’ll only say this: If you haven’t yet seen it and are wondering if it lives up to the hype - trust me, it does.
When we were in LA there were billboards everywhere for Fallout (and also Fall Guy - it was very confusing). I remember being in a grocery store and then in the gym and hearing people talking about this show so I knew we had to watch it. & Look, it’s not a super unique concept but it is executed well and it’s both fun and really propulsive.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith is one of those rare shows that has it all. As a huge fan of both Atlanta and Pen15, it was incredible to see two of my favourite writer/actor’s (Donald Glover and Maya Erksine) absolutely kill it in this show. It’s funny, sexy, full of action and romance. It also nails couple dynamics so will. I loved it.
The fourth and final season of Succession was so good I bought the scripts. I feel like that says it all.
Domino Day is set in Manchester and written by fellow mixed-race British female screenwriter Lauren Sequeira so I had to support it, of course. It’s a witchy, mysterious thrill ride packed with cool characters. I’m really looking forward to seeing if there is a season 2 and where that might take this coven.
Season 2 of House of the Dragon landed earlier this year and continued to make up for the horrors of its predecessor GoT. It's just better in every way. Sorry, not sorry!
Kaos was my favourite show of the year. It’s funny, clever, compelling and full of unexpected twists and turns (yes, even if you know a bit about Greek and Roman mythology). I loved all the characters so much and couldn’t wait to see where season 2 might’ve taken them so I was devastated to hear that Netflix won’t be taking it forward. It literally ticked every single box for me and I’d say it’s well worth a watch despite knowing the story will never be complete. I promise there’s still a big enough pay off at the end of the series.
When my partner and I watched Industry together, there were so many moments where we would actually press pause just to talk about how it was the best show on TV at the time. Somehow, season by season, this show has gotten better and better. Anti-capitalist that I am, I can’t believe how much the writers have made me care about these characters. I do think, however, that the afore mentioned book Vulture Capitalism was the perfect accompanying read for this show as I was able to understand so much more of what was going on because of it.
I’m not sure why, but this season of Slow Horses didn’t quite grab me as much as previous seasons have. That’s not to say it’s not fantastic viewing, more that the standard the show has previously set has been so high. As usual, there are plenty of twists and turns as River attempts to solve a problem closer to home.
Celebrity Race Across the World was one of the best entertainment shows I watched this year. We don’t tend to gravitate towards the genre but we’d heard quite a lot about how good the latest season of this show is so we thought we’d give it a go. I have to say, it does not disappoint. The celebrities are all hugely likeable (Jeff Brazier’s touching relationship with his son Freddie had me in tears more than once) and the stakes feel high. Plus you get to see loads of South America. Would watch the next season in a heartbeat.
Sometimes The Penguin felt a little too dark for me to watch - I really had to be in the right mood. But it was undeniably brilliant. A completely unrecognisable Colin Farrell knocks it out of the park episode after episode and Cristin Milioti is bound to win awards for her performance.
Rivals, on the other hand, may feel like a lighter watch in so many ways but I couldn’t escape from the idea that there was a weird, dark agenda bubbling underneath. “Tory…but make it sexy”. “Rapey… but make him likeable”. I don’t really know what this show was trying to say but I kept expecting a twist that would explain why all of these seemingly progressive actors signed up for this show. It never came.
has written a brilliantly caustic review of the show here. I don’t necessarily agree with his every take but no one hates as hilariously as Inigo so this is well worth a read. For extra lols, listen to his piece instead - the way the AI reader says Inigo’s name takes me out every time😂.
Fallout’s Ella Purnell was back on our screens in Sweetpea in October and, wow, I really rooted for this broken, bullied and ignored character right until I didn’t. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to forgive her for that one really, really bad thing she does but I can’t wait to see where the writer takes her in Season 2.
Okay, so I couldn’t quite take waif-like posho Eddie Redmayne seriously as a cutthroat assassin in The Day of the Jackal but Ronan Bennett’s twisty-turny script makes this a proper edge-of-the-seat watch. Every episode ends with a “How will he get out of this one?” cliffhanger and Lashana Lynch is just exceptional as his adversary.
Maybe the fact that we were watching SAS Who Dares Wins at the same time as Jackal was what ruined Redmayne’s tough guy credibility for me. This was our first season watching the show and learning about SAS selection whilst watching this year’s crop of celebrities being put through their paces was actually pretty fascinating. We both enjoyed the human psychology aspect of it all and the eventual winners proved that it’s all truly mind over matter.
Agatha All Along was an unexpected treat. Admittedly, I did see the twist coming but it took me far longer than usual to connect the dots and I loved that. All-star witchy, bitchy, twisty fun.
Every time a new season of Rap Game UK begins I’m left feeling like it’s the best show on TV. Watching these young talents grow and prove themselves in what is always (compared to other talent shows) a truly nurturing environment is so satisfying. Krept, Konan and my old mate and colleague DJ Target are brilliant mentor-hosts and are joined by a slew of rap legends throughout the season.
I actually auditioned for a role in Black Doves and it will forever be the one that got away. I’m the biggest Joe Barton fan so when the script for a show about spies and assassins penned by him landed in my inbox, I was beyond excited. I didn’t get to be a part of it, sadly, but I read every announcement that followed with great interest and massively looked forward to it’s release date. It is, unsurprisingly, a masterpiece and I’m so glad it’s been a huge hit and Barton is finally getting his much deserved flowers.
Still watching: Shrinking. We’re still a few episodes shy of finishing the latest season of this show but loving it so far. The first episode felt a little weak but the brave introduction of Brett Goldstein’s character really got things motoring. It’s not quite as funny as last season but it’s at least as profound.
We’re also enjoying Season 2 of Silo right now and it’s been brilliant seeing Remmie Milner’s Shirley step into a bigger role as rebellion rises. Can’t wait to see how this one ends. I’ve also been re-watching ER from season 5 onwards and, let me tell you, it’s really stood the test of time. WHAT. A. SHOW.
Film
Poor Things really was perfection. From the set design and exquisite costuming to Mark Ruffalo and Emma Stone’s brilliant performances, I loved every inch of this film.
However, Monkey Man is hands down my favourite film of the year. Whilst taking on directing, writing, producing and acting all in one project seems like a recipe for a total car crash, Dev Patel somehow manages to pull it off. & If that all weren’t enough, the guy does most of his own stunts too.
I’ll be honest, I really don’t remember a single thing about Dune: Part Two except the fact that it looked great and Zendaya did a fine job. I also didn’t fall asleep, which is a real improvement on the first Dune film.
I’m so happy I went to see Challengers at the cinema because, my goodness, THE CINEMATOGRAPHY. Wow. Just wow. Zendaya’s “method dressing” throughout the tour was an absolute delight and this film was probably the most fun I had at the movie theatre all year.
A close second was Abigail. I don’t think anyone goes to the cinema to see a film like Abigail expecting it to actually be good. It was, however, raucous fun. I laughed a lot during this film, so if horror-comedy is your bag, I reckon you’ll enjoy this one. If you’re hoping for anything meaningful or genuinely scary though, perhaps it’s best to give it a miss.
I was lucky enough to attend a preview of my lovely friend James Krishna Floyd’s beautiful film Unicorns back in June and my friend and I who went to see it could not stop talking about it for months afterwards. It’s the bittersweet tale of a South Asian drag queen and his naïve but golden-hearted, “straight”, white mechanic love interest. Romeo and Juliet minus all the cliches and two stellar performances from lead actors Jason Patel and Ben Hardy.
I love sports and martial arts/fight films of any kind so was buzzing to see Road House and, as ridiculous as it was, I really enjoyed it. Jake Gyllenhaal’s transformation into an ex-UFC fighter was incredible and I’m a sucker for a David vs Goliath story. However, any fond memories I had of that film were forever destroyed when the recent news about Conor McGregor broke. Turns out his performance as a violent neanderthal wasn’t really a performance at all.
Fall Guy was easily the worst film I saw all year. I knew it would be but nothing could prepare me for how bad it actually was. I’m sure I laughed a few times and there were some fun action sequences but so much more could’ve been done with this premise. Stunt people are amazing and they deserve a film better than this to pay homage to the phenomenal work they do.
Back to Black was neither as bad as I expected nor as good as it could’ve been. As many things do, it just made me wish Amy was still alive. She really was a one off.
I’m not a kid (obviously) so perhaps it’s not for me to have an opinion on Inside Out 2 but I really felt the first film was a whole lot better. Far be it for me to talk about anyone else using too many characters in their script but, when it comes to kids films, the simpler, the better. The whole concept of the Inside Out universe is not wasted on me, however, and teaching kids to name their feelings and understand them from an early age is brilliant.
A few words on The Substance here from the piece I wrote about it as part of Cultural Exchange…
You can read the full piece here.
I’m a huge fan of the Quiet Place movies so I was super excited about the release of A Quiet Place: Day One. Whilst it was very different to the first two films (most prequels are), I found it an understated gem and I loved the context it provided.
Rebel Ridge cements Aaron Pierre as a massive star. Anyone who has lived in the American south (and I have) will likely find a sickening familiarity in the horrendous racism our protagonist endures and watching him fight back and win over and over again is so satisfying.
Joker: Folie à Deux could be an okay film if it wasn’t trying so damn hard to be a musical. Don’t get me wrong, I love musicals but this one has virtually no original songs and most of those that have been chosen feel kind of irrelevant. This translates as characters just bursting into song apropos of nothing and it takes up a lot of time that could’ve been better spent. We end up with a thinly spread plot that isn’t particularly compelling and is a severe waste of the incredible acting talent involved. The final third of the film is as desperately sad as it is piss-poor. In the end, it all just sort of feels a bit pointless. I found myself wishing death on every single character just so the movie could be over.
I might be a little biased, given she narrates my novel Another Life but I really believe Erin Doherty’s performance in Firebrand is award-worthy despite her only having a couple of scenes. Proof that there are no small roles, her character truly shapes the direction of the entire film. Alicia Vikander’s Catherine Parr simmers with repressed emotion and the stakes are so high I kept wondering how on earth she ended up being the one that “survived”. Well worth a watch.
Music
I have to say, I am very surprised Dexta Daps’ “Shabba Madda Pot” was not my most listened to track this year given I bumped it almost every day. I have no idea why this 2015 tune made such a comeback for me this year but somehow it just felt right in almost all circumstances.
It was CASISDEAD’s genius track “Venom” that took the top spot. The eighties beat and female vocals got me from the jump. CASISDEAD really is something special.
Afro-politan House producer Sun-El Musician had me in a chokehold this year and if you’ve heard his 2020 album To the World & Beyond, I think you’ll understand why.
I had no idea I’d listened to that much Kendrick until I saw my Spotify Wrapped. I think a lot of it might be to do with me finally passing my driving test shortly after the release of “Not Like Us” and rolling around in my car blasting it at all hours of the day.
The dulcet tones of Tems, Tendai and Cleo Sol soundtracked my daily life so I’m not surprised they showed up in my top tracks. I also went to see Sid Sriram in March and he blew my mind completely. The things he can do with his voice are like nothing I’ve ever witnessed and his 2023 album Sidharth is perfection.
Listening to Thom Yorke got me through the final edits of my futuristic novel Another Life just as TSHA and Alex Wann kept me company on many a long drive to and from Sheffield to see my baby nephew.
Listen to my Top 100 Tracks of 2024 here.
What were your favourite tracks this year? & Did your Spotify Wrapped surprise you as much as mine did?
The Ampersand is changing in 2025…
It’s been a wonderful 9 months on Substack and I’m so pleased to see how my baby has grown in that time. I’m especially glad to have had the opportunity to experiment but, whether I have 3 subscribers, 300 or 3000, I’m always thinking about how I can shape this publication with you, the reader, in mind.
Based on your feedback and my close monitoring of your interaction across all my posts, I’m pleased to share some changes I’ll be implementing in the new year:
Sunday Best will be switching to every two months. This is always a well received feature and I love writing it but making sure I get a post out on the last Sunday of every month is a big commitment. More importantly, less issues of Sunday Best will mean…
More Monday Musings. This is by far my most popular feature and it allows me to write virtually without limitation. My most recent MM post felt particularly meaningful. Check it out if you missed it:
The Rare Company podcast will be on hiatus for the foreseeable. This is my most labour intensive feature and also my least popular. I love chatting to fascinating people and sharing those conversations with you but, ultimately, this is a platform that prioritises writing and I wouldn’t want it any other way. I’m going to be experimenting with more short form ways of bringing inspiring voices to you though so watch this space.
Cultural Exchange & Artist in Residence will always be free. When I think about why I started this Substack, a lot of it was because I love writing about culture and sharing it with people. I also massively enjoy platforming other artists and it’s something I’ve done for years in various capacities. With this in mind, I’m removing the paywalls from Cultural Exchange and Artist in Residence so that you can read all of these posts from the very beginning and also any new issues as soon as they land. However…
More of my other posts will be paywalled from the moment they are published. Features you might now see paywalled include: Monday Musings, Writers Workshop and Sunday Best.
I’m not a big fan of exploitation and one of the things I want to keep in mind next year is how much I often (accidentally) exploit myself.
I value myself and my work and, if you value it too, it would mean the world if you were to support it financially. For those who can’t, I’m happy to give comp subscriptions (just shoot me a message). & Just as I have before, if I see you doing the most to promote this publication and bring in new readers, I’ll also comp you a subscription because, frankly, you deserve it.
The Ampersand is continually growing and, like the tagline says, it’s an interactive magazine for eclectic readers. If you wouldn’t think twice about paying £5.99 for a print magazine each month (half of which is made up of ads), I’d love for you to consider spending a fiver to support this publication too/instead.
Our first Ampersand Zoom get together for paid subscribers will be at the beginning of February. I’d love to know what you would like that to look like (answers in the comments, please!). A Q&A? A workshop about something specific? Let me know!
That’s all for this issue of Cultural Exchange. I’d love to read your 2024 cultural highlights in the comments and please feel free to plug any posts you’ve written about the things you’ve read/watched/listened to this year.
Hope you have a wonderful time ringing in the New Year! See you on the other side…
With love,
xK
I value your film and TV recs! I still want to watch Kaos. I was excited by the premise but never made the time to watch.
My tbr list is getting out of order! Thanks for the book recs.