UK Literary Luvvies

[StatusWoe]

For me Scarlett just epitomises why I wouldn’t want to be Gen Z Desperate to be different, desperate to be heard on social justice issues

Spoiler

This is a good thing!! I think Gen Z is the best generation: open-minded about gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity; less bitter than the unlucky millennials (that's me lol) and not as cynical as Gen X.

Err...leaving that tangent to one side, this is an interesting thread topic. You could add a lot of Guardian columnists, surely? Or maybe just ones who've published books? They seem to move in very North London -centric lit circles.

 

[soph30]

Has anyone heard of Lucy Mangan? She used to write for Stylist and now pops up now and then writing about 'issues'

 

[depository]

I’ve had to unfollow Czaroline on Instagram as found her quite rude. She does have amazing boobs though.

 

[youguyzzz]

I feel like this group of people are basically "women who used to write for The Pool"

I was so unsurprised when that site went down, it was so boring, just people writing about how much they love the hamstead heath ladies pond.

 

[BanditHealer]

I do like Marian Keyes but I don't follow her on any social media so maybe that's why.

Elizabeth Day annoys me with her cod psychology.

 

[Spilttea]

Adjacent to all of the women mentioned so far and never too far behind a Twitter pile on or righteous indignation is Sali Hughes (has her own v entertaining thread) pretty sure she was involved in The Pool.

 

[StatusWoe]

Has anyone heard of Lucy Mangan? She used to write for Stylist and now pops up now and then writing about 'issues'

I know of her, but haven't paid much attention to her writing.

 

[juy7nhio]

Elizabeth Day. All the fake psychology as someone else said, LA-speak, sucking up to people, inauthenticity. Banging on about failure as she sits in her 3m Kennington home with custom conservatory and billionaire techie husband.

Scarlet Curtis, mainly because she is unoriginal and seems to just moan about being female and how hard it must be, being Richard Curtis and Emma Freud's daughter and friends with every media luvvy in the book. She gives feminism a really bad name.

Florence Given, for the same reason.

Caitlin Moran just because Caitlin Moran.

Emily Dean, get the feeling she's not a very nice person on her walking the dog podcast. I actually like the podcast but think she can be very two faced with different people, eg moaning about the upper middle classes and their ways, and then sucking up to Jack Whitehall and his parents.

 

[queenamber]

Emma Gannon?
Briony Gordon?

Emma is becoming a glorified scammer. Her Substack and books are a damp squib that didn't offer much substance. I see she's trying to brand herself as a "life coach" now. She is dying to be the next Elizabeth Gilbert.

 

[Spilttea]

They are all so, much of a muchness. There is zero diversity in this enclave of women. Although I suspect Panda might wet herself if Zadie smith gave her the time of day.

But considering they are all/or mostly all Londoners where is the diversity in their personal and professional relationships. It’s just one big echo chamber of mutual compliments and sounds bites for each other’s self indulgent (mostly) books.

 

[Breakdance Badass]

I like Bella Mackie, met her via a work thing and she was really nice and had time for everyone.

Definitely agree on Marian Keyes, such an annoying irritating woman! Also, Caitlin Moran who is such a bore and still friends with India Knight whose partner is a total pedalo!

 

[jenmarks]

They are all so, much of a muchness. There is zero diversity in this enclave of women. Although I suspect Panda might wet herself if Zadie smith gave her the time of day.

But considering they are all/or mostly all Londoners where is the diversity in their personal and professional relationships. It’s just one big echo chamber of mutual compliments and sounds bites for each other’s self indulgent (mostly) books.

This is the thing. Zadie Smith is a billion times more talented than all these women put together. Would Zadie watch Dolly's TV show? Read Pandora's book? Listen to Day's podcast or follow Gammon on Twitter? Not in a million years.

 

[elwb]

This is the thing. Zadie Smith is a billion times more talented than all these women put together. Would Zadie watch Dolly's TV show? Read Pandora's book? Listen to Day's podcast or follow Gammon on Twitter? Not in a million years.

I heard Zadie Smith admit in a podcast she’d give a good coverline to a friend even if she thought the book terrible. She had the integrity to admit it and it was fascinating to hear her debate the ethics. rather than these women who just circle around one another’s podcasts/coverlines/festivals saying nice things about any old crap.
Zadie was only talking about the circumstances of a good friend - these women are rent a quote in the promise of getting one in return from anyone.
Holly Bourne is another offender. Dawn o porter - who I saw admit on Instagram barely reads. Imagine Zadie Smith saying I don’t really read apart from occasionally promoting her media mates work?
It’s so irritating. On the high low there were some great reviews and recommendations but in the end you had to unpick where it was just this circle who need free promo and it became pointless.
I actively avoid books any of these people are on the cover of. I know tattle has a bad rep for just being horrible but tbh a thread like this is important to stop us being ripped off quite frankly.

 

[jenmarks]

And let's be honest, Dolly and Pandora only read the books they're sent for free. Very little coverage of indie presses etc.

 

[queenamber]

I heard Zadie Smith admit in a podcast she’d give a good coverline to a friend even if she thought the book terrible. She had the integrity to admit it and it was fascinating to hear her debate the ethics. rather than these women who just circle around one another’s podcasts/coverlines/festivals saying nice things about any old crap.
Zadie was only talking about the circumstances of a good friend - these women are rent a quote in the promise of getting one in return from anyone.
Holly Bourne is another offender. Dawn o porter - who I saw admit on Instagram barely reads. Imagine Zadie Smith saying I don’t really read apart from occasionally promoting her media mates work?
It’s so irritating. On the high low there were some great reviews and recommendations but in the end you had to unpick where it was just this circle who need free promo and it became pointless.
I actively avoid books any of these people are on the cover of. I know tattle has a bad rep for just being horrible but tbh a thread like this is important to stop us being ripped off quite frankly.

I shudder to think how much money I spent on books that I heard about on The High Low that turned out to be "meh". My mistake!

Also pretty telling that I haven't seen Dolly recommend a single book since THL ended.

 

[Spilttea]

Have a lot of residual goodwill towards Dawn O’ Porter for all the crappy things the likes of Sali Hughes and her band of twiiter mates said about her during her documentary days.

She hasn't half tested every bit of that goodwill with her insta begging when literally married to a Hollywood actor.

All that being said, don’t rate her writing at all, of course all the usual suspects gushed over it.

 

[Mbella]

I read one of Dawn O'Porter's books and actually laughed out loud when a character died. It was so bad!

 

[abelleza]

I read one of Dawn O'Porter's books and actually laughed out loud when a character died. It was so bad!

Was that the one that fell down the stairs in (I think) So Lucky. I hated that book. I read Paper Aeroplanes and Goose when I was younger, but admittedly I was 20 at the time and not a sophisticated reader by any stretch of the imagination. The Cows was alright although it took me months to read it, a long time considering it’s a pretty short book. So Lucky was dreadful and such an obvious way to try and relate to younger millennials and older gen-z by a 40 year old woman.

 

[Mbella]

Was that the one that fell down the stairs in (I think) So Lucky. I hated that book. I read Paper Aeroplanes and Goose when I was younger, but admittedly I was 20 at the time and not a sophisticated reader by any stretch of the imagination. The Cows was alright although it took me months to read it, a long time considering it’s a pretty short book. So Lucky was dreadful and such an obvious way to try and relate to younger millennials and older gen-z by a 40 year old woman.

It was The Cows and yes, stairs were involved

 

[abelleza]

Honestly I think I got so lucky and the cows mixed up says a lot