Know Your Place | Edited by Nathan Connolly | Review
Know Your Place is a collection of essays on the working class, which have all been written by the working class. A variety of writers share their thoughts on what it means to be working class and how it has impacted them, all of them brought together by the great editing work of Nathan Connolly.
I have always been a fan of this book, even before I read it. In fact, I liked it so much that I donated to the Kickstarter campaign as soon as I heard the pitch about it.
Despite a clear focus to the theme of working class, each of these essays bring something new to the topic. Throughout the collection, everything from mental health to the seaside and food is discussed in an interesting and informative way. Many of the essays brought up topics and connections that I wouldn't have considered by myself. It was certainly thought-provoking and meant that Know Your Place had my full attention every time that I picked it up and began to turn its pages.
I enjoyed each of the essays in Know Your Place, though for varying reasons. I might not have agreed 100% with all of them but it is always good to read some opinions that are not your own.
However, I do have some favourites in the collection that I would wholeheartedly recommend. The first of these is 'The Pleasure Button' by Laura Waddell, which was an illuminating read about the relationship between money, food and enjoyment. I also loved Sian Norris' 'Growing Up Outside Class', about the intersection between sexuality and class, and 'What Colour is a Chameleon?' by Rym Kechacha. This is about the way language has developed and how we choose to adapt. Both of these were truly fascinating reads.
I'm so glad that I picked up this book and took the time to read it. It is not often that I take the time to read non-fiction and Know Your Place has reminded me why I really, really should.
Kelly x
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