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The Guardian
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
To Rest Our Minds and Bodies by Harriet Armstrong review – a singular new voice
The heart is a peculiar organ. It wants what it wants, as Emily Dickinson wrote. Especially when you're young and have no previous experience of love and desire, or the deleterious effects of time on both. This is the core subject of 24-year-old Harriet Armstrong's debut novel, To Rest Our Minds and Bodies, published by the consistently adventurous independent press Les Fugitives. When the unnamed narrator, a third-year psychology student, meets fellow student Luke in their campus kitchen, she falls hard. They begin sharing meals and confidences in her room, which bears a 'suicide beam' running the length of the ceiling. This memento mori is archly juxtaposed with the narrator's breathless infatuation, which feels as if 'some great transition was occurring inside me, something was aligning, I could actually feel it'. She finds herself 'wide open and completely soft like a small trembling animal held in two hands, two hands which could crush it completely but which would not'. Armstrong expertly adumbrates the emotional intensity and vulnerability of first love, with every page bearing a startling observation or wry aside. The world is made anew: 'I had never seen a winter which was so yellow … before Luke I had never really felt gendered … Luke and I were inventing ourselves.' Of course, her loved one is filtered through her perceptions, and while he is intelligent and attractive, we can also see that he's a self-involved, self-pitying young man, with all that entails. He leaves her dangling and fails to reciprocate her abundant, overflowing emotions. Unlike us, she can't see him objectively. Nor can she see herself fully. While she's aware that her self-conscious awkwardness is the result of her neurodivergence, she's yet to gain the self-knowledge that might deter her from withholding men such as Luke. And so we fear for her future the deeper she falls. What's compelling is that unlike, say, Esther in The Bell Jar, the narrator has no perspective through which to filter her descent. At times the novel is unbearably intense, like experiencing the essence of obsession as it's lived in every moment – which is not to say that it isn't also very funny. Armstrong astutely atomises the gen Z world of online living and flat sharing: 'I didn't want to get up to go and make breakfast and be faced with some shirtless boy cooking ramen'. The passage where the narrator Googles vaginal dilators will, for a number of reasons, bring tears to the eyes. Armstrong's voice is by turns jejune, candid and ludic, but always aware of its effects and its commitment to emotional truth. The Cartesian split alluded to in the title is crucial. While cerebral and obsessively analytical, the narrator is equally fervent about engaging with the messily somatic: 'Perhaps sex was a necessary component of the life that I wanted, perhaps some things really couldn't be accessed at all except through sex.' Luke is ambivalent about her joining Tinder. And so she embarks on a series of tragic dates, losing her virginity with a thirtysomething comedian in a sex scene of almost surreal awkwardness, but written with such dark humour and insight that it ends up feeling triumphant. Almost inevitably, Luke eventually turns away from her. Memories of their time together pour back 'like some biblical flood or plague'. Eventually, it becomes 'impossible to even breathe without thinking of Luke'. At the book's close, she is invited to his 24th birthday party, aware that he's moved on but unable to process the fact, leading to a searing denouement. The final scene is as deft and devastating as the conclusion to a Cheever story. While ostensibly belonging to the subgenre of novels about young women negotiating 21st-century relationships, To Rest Our Minds and Bodies is a world away from the derogatory label 'sad girl lit'. It announces Armstrong as a bright and singular voice in literary fiction. To Rest Our Minds and Bodies by Harriet Armstrong is published by Les Fugitives (£14.99). To support the Guardian order your copy at Delivery charges may apply.
The Guardian
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
To Rest Our Minds and Bodies by Harriet Armstrong review – a singular new voice
The heart is a peculiar organ. It wants what it wants, as Emily Dickinson wrote. Especially when you're young and have no previous experience of love and desire, or the deleterious effects of time on both. This is the core subject of 24-year-old Harriet Armstrong's debut novel, To Rest Our Minds and Bodies, published by the consistently adventurous independent press Les Fugitives. When the unnamed narrator, a third-year psychology student, meets fellow student Luke in their campus kitchen, she falls hard. They begin sharing meals and confidences in her room, which bears a 'suicide beam' running the length of the ceiling. This memento mori is archly juxtaposed with the narrator's breathless infatuation, which feels as if 'some great transition was occurring inside me, something was aligning, I could actually feel it'. She finds herself 'wide open and completely soft like a small trembling animal held in two hands, two hands which could crush it completely but which would not'. Armstrong expertly adumbrates the emotional intensity and vulnerability of first love, with every page bearing a startling observation or wry aside. The world is made anew: 'I had never seen a winter which was so yellow … before Luke I had never really felt gendered … Luke and I were inventing ourselves.' Of course, her loved one is filtered through her perceptions, and while he is intelligent and attractive, we can also see that he's a self-involved, self-pitying young man, with all that entails. He leaves her dangling and fails to reciprocate her abundant, overflowing emotions. Unlike us, she can't see him objectively. Nor can she see herself fully. While she's aware that her self-conscious awkwardness is the result of her neurodivergence, she's yet to gain the self-knowledge that might deter her from withholding men such as Luke. And so we fear for her future the deeper she falls. What's compelling is that unlike, say, Esther in The Bell Jar, the narrator has no perspective through which to filter her descent. At times the novel is unbearably intense, like experiencing the essence of obsession as it's lived in every moment – which is not to say that it isn't also very funny. Armstrong astutely atomises the gen Z world of online living and flat sharing: 'I didn't want to get up to go and make breakfast and be faced with some shirtless boy cooking ramen'. The passage where the narrator Googles vaginal dilators will, for a number of reasons, bring tears to the eyes. Armstrong's voice is by turns jejune, candid and ludic, but always aware of its effects and its commitment to emotional truth. The Cartesian split alluded to in the title is crucial. While cerebral and obsessively analytical, the narrator is equally fervent about engaging with the messily somatic: 'Perhaps sex was a necessary component of the life that I wanted, perhaps some things really couldn't be accessed at all except through sex.' Luke is ambivalent about her joining Tinder. And so she embarks on a series of tragic dates, losing her virginity with a thirtysomething comedian in a sex scene of almost surreal awkwardness, but written with such dark humour and insight that it ends up feeling triumphant. Almost inevitably, Luke eventually turns away from her. Memories of their time together pour back 'like some biblical flood or plague'. Eventually, it becomes 'impossible to even breathe without thinking of Luke'. At the book's close, she is invited to his 24th birthday party, aware that he's moved on but unable to process the fact, leading to a searing denouement. The final scene is as deft and devastating as the conclusion to a Cheever story. While ostensibly belonging to the subgenre of novels about young women negotiating 21st-century relationships, To Rest Our Minds and Bodies is a world away from the derogatory label 'sad girl lit'. It announces Armstrong as a bright and singular voice in literary fiction. To Rest Our Minds and Bodies by Harriet Armstrong is published by Les Fugitives (£14.99). To support the Guardian order your copy at Delivery charges may apply.
The Age
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
Tech bros, incels, dating apps: is this the literary equivalent of doomscrolling?
SHORT STORIES Rejection Tony Tulathimutte Fourth Estate, $36.99 At some point during her reclusive life, Emily Dickinson began a poem on a scrap of notepaper: 'I'm nobody! Who are you? Are you nobody, too?' The poet herself would remain a literary nobody until years after her death. Perhaps now, as the internet teems with anonymous accounts and inconsequential text, her words will be recognised for what they are: the credo of our over-engaged and under-loved age, the inner song of YouTube comments and unopened Snapchats. Otherwise, if the world still isn't ready, the American writer Tony Tulathimutte is here to take on that mantel on behalf of all the lonely souls online. His new book, Rejection, is set mostly on the internet – on message boards, dating apps, timelines, where the author realises his characters with such artful and painful exactness that his reader will want to trade their iPhone for a Nokia brick. The first story, The Feminist, which went viral when it was published in literary magazine n+1 in 2019, chronicles the decline and fall of a man who imbibes all the tenets of 2010s online progressivism, only to find that, while he has done 'the intellectual labor to empathise with the broadest spectrum of female perspectives', he is still left '[d]ragging his virginity like a body bag into his mid-twenties'. With a cool irony, Tulathimutte shows a man's mind shift from gender positivity and resentment of the patriarchy to the warped victimisation of men's rights accounts and incel forums, like a miniature dramatisation of the transformation of Twitter into X. Other scenarios in the collection revolve around similar young men whose lives do not extend far from their screens. Our Dope Future is narrated by a tech bro whose startups include a 'sexual consent on the blockchain' app and a 'meal-replacement shake called Döpesauce'. The story takes the form of an extended blog post written by this Elon Musk-ite, in which he describes wooing a woman with his 'algorizzim' and subsequently imprisoning and surveilling her to help her achieve her 'life goals'. In another story, a man comes out as gay but is unable to reconcile the openness and liberality of contemporary society – including queer and kink-friendly dating apps – with his own sadistic fetishes. Another is simply a series of metaphors for the humiliating state of being a rejected man: 'Passing your neighbor's house, you catch a glimpse of someone through his living room window, lit up by the television he's watching alone in the dark, and think, What a loser ... on your way home to do the exact same thing.'
Sydney Morning Herald
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Tech bros, incels, dating apps: is this the literary equivalent of doomscrolling?
SHORT STORIES Rejection Tony Tulathimutte Fourth Estate, $36.99 At some point during her reclusive life, Emily Dickinson began a poem on a scrap of notepaper: 'I'm nobody! Who are you? Are you nobody, too?' The poet herself would remain a literary nobody until years after her death. Perhaps now, as the internet teems with anonymous accounts and inconsequential text, her words will be recognised for what they are: the credo of our over-engaged and under-loved age, the inner song of YouTube comments and unopened Snapchats. Otherwise, if the world still isn't ready, the American writer Tony Tulathimutte is here to take on that mantel on behalf of all the lonely souls online. His new book, Rejection, is set mostly on the internet – on message boards, dating apps, timelines, where the author realises his characters with such artful and painful exactness that his reader will want to trade their iPhone for a Nokia brick. The first story, The Feminist, which went viral when it was published in literary magazine n+1 in 2019, chronicles the decline and fall of a man who imbibes all the tenets of 2010s online progressivism, only to find that, while he has done 'the intellectual labor to empathise with the broadest spectrum of female perspectives', he is still left '[d]ragging his virginity like a body bag into his mid-twenties'. With a cool irony, Tulathimutte shows a man's mind shift from gender positivity and resentment of the patriarchy to the warped victimisation of men's rights accounts and incel forums, like a miniature dramatisation of the transformation of Twitter into X. Other scenarios in the collection revolve around similar young men whose lives do not extend far from their screens. Our Dope Future is narrated by a tech bro whose startups include a 'sexual consent on the blockchain' app and a 'meal-replacement shake called Döpesauce'. The story takes the form of an extended blog post written by this Elon Musk-ite, in which he describes wooing a woman with his 'algorizzim' and subsequently imprisoning and surveilling her to help her achieve her 'life goals'. In another story, a man comes out as gay but is unable to reconcile the openness and liberality of contemporary society – including queer and kink-friendly dating apps – with his own sadistic fetishes. Another is simply a series of metaphors for the humiliating state of being a rejected man: 'Passing your neighbor's house, you catch a glimpse of someone through his living room window, lit up by the television he's watching alone in the dark, and think, What a loser ... on your way home to do the exact same thing.'
National Geographic
24-06-2025
- National Geographic
Add a detour to your next vacation—starting with these classic destinations
A recent Expedia travel trends report shows that, remarkably, 63 percent of travelers plan to include lesser-known spots in their travels this year, with destinations that offer locally rich experiences. A detour destination doesn't mean completely avoiding a popular destination. It can also involve a night or two in that tried-and-true destination, just with an alternate destination also worked into the plans, for reasons including lower costs and new experiences. Detour from Monterey, California: Carmel-by-the-Sea Carmel-by-the-Sea has more restaurants per capita than any other small city in the country. Just 15 minutes from busy Monterey, Carmel-by-the-Sea is a fairy-tale detour with storybook cottages and ocean views. There are 41 secret passageways, or courtyards, and curvy streets flanked by darling shops, galleries, and restaurants. 'The destination began as an artist colony and continues its legacy today,' says Amy Herzog, executive director at Visit Carmel. The don't-miss Carmel Art Association shows off 100-plus Monterey Peninsula artists. And there's white sand Carmel Beach. 'The sunsets are legendary, accompanied by picturesque Monterey Cypress trees and great surfing,' says Herzog. 'Plus, it's one of the most dog-friendly beaches in the area.' Carmel-by-the-Sea might be one square mile, but the village has more restaurants per capita than any other small city in America, says Herzog, including the two-Michelin-starred Aubergine and the one-Michelin-starred Chez Noir, plus more than a dozen wine tasting rooms. The charm continues with hotels, including Villa Mara, a 16-room boutique hotel and the 26-room Carmel Beach Hotel. Detour from the Berkshires, Massachusetts: Amherst Emily Dickinson's house in Amherst, Massachusetts, is now a museum. Photograph by Norman Eggert, Alamy The hills in the inspiring Berkshires are alive with the sound of music each summer, thanks to the iconic Tanglewood Music Center in Lenox—and traffic in the region can crescendo. 'Just a short drive from the Berkshires, Amherst offers a quieter, more immersive New England experience where Emily Dickinson's poetic legacy lives on in historic homes, gallery walls, and tree-lined trails,' says Deborah Hermance, general manager of the Inn on Boltwood, a lovingly restored 49-room inn dating back to 1926. 'With a thriving arts scene, strong sustainability values and access to some of Massachusetts' most scenic landscapes and hiking trails, Amherst is an under-the-radar destination that feels like a true discovery," says Hermance. Tour Dickinson's homestead and hike the Norwottuck Rail Trail and Robert Frost Trail. Amherst is home to five colleges, including Amherst and Smith. 'It's a vibrant college town but there is so much more for visitors who want to explore a little deeper,' says Hermance. For food, Johnny's Tavern is a neighborhood hot spot and 30boltwood is special for traditional New England cuisine. Detour from Louisville, Kentucky: Lexington Lexington, Kentucky is home to more than 450 horse farms and is nicknamed "the horse capital of the world." Photograph by Adam Jones, Danita Delimont/Alamy 'When people think of Kentucky, they often think of Louisville, but those who end up in Lexington quickly discover why it's such a hidden gem,' says Mary Quinn Ramer, president of VisitLEX's. 'As the 'horse capital of the world' and gateway to Bourbonland, Lexington blends equestrian heritage with world-class bourbon and a thriving cultural scene.' There are more than 450 horse farms in Lexington and 18 distilleries; rare limestone-rich spring water enhances the bourbon's quality. Lexington is also home to more than 120 locally owned restaurants. 'Time your visit with SoulFeast Week to explore Lexington's vibrant Black culinary culture—and don't rush out on Sunday,' says Ramer. 'With live blues from local legend Tee Dee Young every Monday night at his namesake live music lounge, it's well worth extending your trip.' The Manchester, central Kentucky's first boutique hotel, has a rooftop bar for bourbon sipping. (Six of the best bars in Louisville) Detour from Boston: Providence, Rhode Island Rhode Island is known as the "squid capital of the East Coast," and calamari is the official state appetizer. Photograph by Ian G. Dagnall, Alamy Providence, a quick hour-long train ride from Boston, has small town charm, along with similarities to the all-star city to the north. Like Boston, Providence is home to an Ivy League: Brown University. Rhode Island School of Design is here, too, with a wonderful, laid-back museum. Providence River hosts WaterFire in the summer, a unique experience for magical nighttime gondola rides. The Ocean State is also a culinary dynasty; home to the College of Culinary Arts at Johnson & Wales University, the city breeds chefs. Track 15 in the former Union Station is a food hall showcasing the city's best chefs. Plant City was planted here and bloomed to new locations, and Oberlin's outdoor patio and creative menu is beloved by locals. Federal Hill is to Providence what the North End is to Boston—Italian restaurants and markets. Expect calamari: Rhode Island is known as the "squid capital of the East Coast," and calamari is the official state appetizer. (The 8 best Little Italy neighborhoods in the U.S.) Al Forno is a James Beard award-winning restaurant. Across town, Bellini (of New York City's Cipriani fame) is worthy of the trip from Boston alone—and the Bellini Rooftop Lounge in The Beatrice Hotel next door is where Bellini cocktails (created by Cipriani in 1948) are sipped and sunsets are savored. Detour from New York City: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania A mural in Philadelphia pays homage to famous musicians Frankie Avalon, Chubby Checker, and Bobby Rydell. Photograph by Dina Litovsky, Nat Geo Image Collection New York City's energy is unmatched; a bucket list destination that's impossible to mimic. However, there are several detour options. First, spend a night or two in New York City, then detour south to Philadelphia, just an hour-and-a-half by train. Philadelphia has recently become as celebrated for its culinary exploits as it is for its historic sites like the Liberty Bell and Reading Terminal Market. Hotels rival Manhattan's best. The Rittenhouse Hotel has luxury rooms, some overlooking tree-topped Rittenhouse Square Park. There's a spa and fitness club, indoor pool, LaCroix for elevated Philly cheesesteaks, and The Library where James Beard Award-winning mixologist Danny Childs helms an innovative cocktail program. The Bellevue is Philly's Grande Dame. Dating to 1904, the guest rooms are accented with timeless French Renaissance decor. Plus, guests have access to the popular The Sporting Club, and Pergola crowns the hotel with fine dining. Detour from Los Angeles: Santa Barbara Stearns Wharf has a been a popular attraction in Santa Barbara since it was completed in 1872. Photograph by Jon Bilous, Alamy Coastal Santa Barbara is a perfect complement to Los Angeles. 'Less than two hours away from Los Angeles, Santa Barbara is an idyllic coastal escape where the mountains meet the sea, inspiring travelers to call it 'the American riviera' for more than a century,' says Karna Hughes, director of public relations at Visit Santa Barbara. 'With distinctive Spanish Revival architecture, the city exudes old-world charm while embracing a modern, laid-back vibe.' And there's wine: Three-dozen-plus tasting rooms along the walkable Urban Wine Trail. For campers, Sun Outdoors Santa Barbara has tent and RV sites with hookups, and is 15 minutes up the coast from downtown Santa Barbara. It's adjacent to sister property El Capitan Canyon, which has cabins and yurts. 'Visitors often describe [Santa Barbara] as a 'quaint' and 'beautiful' destination with a strong sense of place, more like a coastal experience,' says Kathy Burr, general manager at Sun Outdoors Santa Barbara. El Encanto, A Belmond Hotel, in the Santa Barbara Hills, dates to 1918 with suites and private bungalows. There's also a spa and posh zero-edge pool. Detour from Portland, Maine: Biddeford Fish & Whistle was a James Beard semifinalist in 2025. Photograph by Andrew Dickinson via Fish & Whistle There are many compelling reasons to visit Portland, including endless lobster roll sightings. But Portland can also get crowded, especially in summer. Coastal Biddeford, 18 miles south of Portland on Saco Bay is also getting attention for its burgeoning food scene. In fact, Biddeford was named as one of America's 'small cities with big food scenes' by Food & Wine. Fish & Whistle (fish sourced only from Maine and New England) was a James Beard semifinalist. (Why this small U.S. city packs a big culinary punch) 'Biddeford has a rich history as a mill town, and now, it's Maine's youngest and fastest growing city,' says Rebecca Johns, general manager of The Lincoln Hotel, a boutique hotel with 33 guest rooms and rooftop pool in the revived Lincoln Mill. 'The food scene has exploded in the best way, with James Beard nods, reinvented historic diners, and new on-the-scene restaurants establishing Biddeford as a culinary destination, giving our neighbor to the north a run for its money.' There are other pursuits. 'Of course, eating your way through the city is a must,' says Johns, 'but don't miss out on strolling through downtown to shop or gallery hop or checking out the Biddeford RiverWalk and Fortunes Rock Beach.' Laurie Bain Wilson's work has been published in Next Avenue/PBS, Real Simple, OpenTable, Travel Channel, CNNTravel, Travel Market Report, Eat This, Chowhound, Parents, Salon, Wine Enthusiast, VinePair, New York Times and longtime correspondent at The Boston Globe. You can follow her at
