To say the pop culture year is winding down would be an understatement, as new music and book releases have slowed to a trickle. And, tomorrow is the end of my official 'reading year', as I dedicate the last two weeks of the year to holiday books and re-reading old favourites. Today I'll do my … Continue reading Culture Roundup (December 13, 2025): Beyond the ‘Christmas Canon’
This week I'll do my usual roundup of what I've been listening to and reading before letting you know about a new side-project I've been working on that may be of interest for those who are enjoying these pop culture posts. Roundup Music New music releases are seriously drying up for the year. The only … Continue reading Culture Roundup (November 29, 2025): A New Side-Project
I'm back from a lovely vacation on the West Coast and settled back into normal routines. This week I'll do my usual roundup of what I've been listening to and reading before taking a look at this year's Booker Prize winner and the idea of literary prizes more generally. Roundup Music While we're still in … Continue reading Culture Roundup (November 15, 2025): On the Booker Winner and Other Thoughts on Prizes
While this will publish according to normal schedule, I've written this a few days early as I'll be on vacation by the time you read this. So, there's only about ten days' worth of content to catch up on. But there's been some great stuff during this time that I can't let go unmentioned here. … Continue reading Culture Roundup (November 1, 2025): Seasonality in Reading
When I wrote the my last culture roundup post, I knew the then brand new Taylor Swift album was going to be polarizing, but I could not have predicted the absolute meltdown it created, especially among her detractors. As much as I'm loath to participate in that sort of content, it's been fascinating to watch … Continue reading Culture Roundup (October 18, 2025): Cozy Reading and Further Thoughts on The Life of a Showgirl (and the pop-cultural firestorm it’s created)
Matthew Root 