Reni Eddo-Lodge Shares Her Culture Picks - The Books, Films And Shows To Add To Your List Now
It's been eight years since Reni Eddo-Lodge published the era-defining book 'Why I'm No Longer Talking To White People About Race'. Now she's about to impact the books we read once more with the launch of a new publishing imprint Monument Books, part of HarperCollins and 4th Estate. With a list curated by Eddo-Lodge we can expect reads that power conversations and inspire change, starting with 'Resistance: How protest shaped Britain and how photography shaped protest', compiled by Steve McQueen. Here, she shares what's going to be inspiring her throughout 2025.
Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
I was lucky enough to snag a copy of Chimamanda Adichie’s first novel in 10 years thanks to my partnership with 4th Estate. I warmly remember studying her excellent writing closely in preparation to interview her a few years ago at London’s Southbank Centre, and feeling struck by how much the personality on the page came through in what she had to say. She’s one of my favourite authors, and some chunky fiction from her has been a long time coming. March 2025
28 Years Later
I don’t typically have the stomach for horror or thriller films, but the zombie film 28 Days Later as always been an exception to that rule. It’s a rare modern classic, so superbly done that it both nailed the genre and defied it. When I first saw it I found it so absorbing that I put my squeamishness to one side. I’m really looking forward to the third sequel in the series, 28 Years Later, which is set thirty years after the initial outbreak. I think the subject matter will take on a new layer of meaning post-pandemic. June 2025
Hamlet: Hail to the Thief
I am a lover of melancholy and introspection. Hamlet was my favourite Shakespeare play as a teenager – me and my friendship group were so gripped by the twists, turns and deception that we filmed our own rudimentary version of the play on our flip phones. A year later I dragged the same friends to watch Radiohead headline Reading festival in the pouring rain. The play and the band are natural, and I can’t wait to see how it plays out on stage. Aviva studios, Manchester, April/May 2025
Doechii at All Points East
I’m still kicking myself for missing Doechii perform at Islington Assembly Hall last year, and her music has found so many more fans since then. I think the attention is very well deserved. I’m not the biggest lover of day festivals (zero downtime and a nightmare to get home), but I’m happy to shell out a ticket do witness her extremely fast rapping and excellent breath work live. Victoria Park, August 2025
Coldplay at Wembley Stadium
Being in the crowd for Coldplay at Glastonbury last year was a communal, church-like experience. I didn’t realise how much of a fan I was until I saw them live and sang along to their hits with hundreds and thousands of strangers. They’ve provided so much of the soundtrack of 21st century Britain, and that immersive live performance helped me appreciate their vast discography. I’m going to try and catch them at their run at Wembley Stadium in the summer to I can be part of that collective crowd again. August/September
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