Ellen Orange Contributor Gold
I am a 24 year old Marketing Officer from the North East with a passion for arts and writing. I did a BA in English Literature and an MA in Twentieth and Twenty First Century Literature at Durham University, because I love books and reading! I have experience in writing for a variety of student publications, as well as having contributed to Living North, a regional magazine and Culture magazine, a supplement to regional newspaper, The Journal. I have been part of a Young Journalists scheme writing for NewcastleGateshead's Juice Festival, a young people's arts and culture festival, and have since become a Team Juice member. As well as reading and writing, I love theatre, photography and crafts.
- 185 Posts
- 9 Comments
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News
11 February 2016Harry Potter and the Cursed Child script release
View NewsThe eight book in the Harry Potter series will be released this summer, it has been announced on Pottermore, J.K Rowling's official site for the series.
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Interview
6 February 2016Want my job...with Jackie Morris
View InterviewToday is National Libraries day. We caught up with Gayton Library's Artist-in-Residence, Jackie Morris to discuss illustrating, writing, and finding the right editor.
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Blog
6 February 2016Libraries aren't just for bookworms, they encourage the reader in everyone
View BlogLibraries are a melting pot of styles, genres and interest types. Where else can a young person really explore their love of reading, beyond the interests of their friends, family and the same old reading curriculum?
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Blog
31 January 2016Cover to cover: #ReadingGoals
View BlogJanuary is the month of resolutions, but by now the gym memberships have probably started gathering dust. So if you are feeling too lazy to go to the gym why not exercise your mind with some reading resolutions.
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Feature
18 January 2016What is Hollywood's problem with diversity?
View FeatureFor the second year running the Oscars nominations have been criticised for their four acting categories having exclusively white nominees, sparking more debate over diversity in Hollywood and bringing the return of the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite.
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Feature
14 January 2016The top 10 books for 2016
View FeatureLooking for some new reading material for 2016? Or maybe you fancy revisiting the classics? Here's what I'll be reading this year.
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Feature
8 January 2016How literature shapes our language, the way we think and who we are
View FeatureLiterature has helped to create the language that we use to understand the world around us, express ourselves and ultimately define who we are.
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Interview
22 December 2015Your Christmas reading list, sorted!
View InterviewWhen the weather is cold, the fire is burning and you've had too many mince pies, what better winter activity than to curl up with a festive read? Turn off the TV and pick up on of these Christmassy books, all you need to do is make the hot chocolate!
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How-to Guide
21 December 2015How to...make DIY Christmas gifts
View How-to GuideTis the week of Christmas, which is so often filled with last minute panic. Maybe you don't have the money, haven't had time for shopping or are just out of ideas…whatever the reason, instead of panicking and battling through the crowds to find something, why not try some cheap and easy DIY Christmas gift ideas? After all nothing says Christmas better than homemade presents with a personal touch!
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Feature
10 December 2015Writing in the digital age
View FeatureIs the internet the death of good journalism? Is it the potential for diverse opinions? Is it a terrific platform for young writers?
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Blog
27 November 2015An open letter to Writing
View BlogI love writing, but we have had our difficulties.
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Review
18 November 2015Lumiere Festival
View ReviewLumiere is the UK's largest light festival, featuring light-based art installations across the city for four days. Produced by Artichoke and commissioned for the fourth time by Durham City Council, this year's festival offered a host of different artworks against the beautiful backdrop of Durham City.
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Interview
12 November 2015What Goes on at…Lumiere
View InterviewLumiere, is the UK's largest light festival in Durham, happening from 12th November and featuring light-based art installations across the city. I spoke to the festival producer Kate Harvey to find out more.
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Interview
6 November 2015Interview: Lumiere's budding artists
View InterviewThis year's Lumiere festival in Durham will feature an installation called 'Precious' created by Media Studies students from Durham Sixth Form Centre in collaboration with New Zealand company Storybox. Ellen Orange speaks to some of the students involved in the project to find out more.
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Review
28 October 2015The Great Train Songery at TakeOver Festival
View ReviewThe Great Train Songery, produced for TakeOver Festival in the National Railway Museum, is a different but brilliant was to bring some life to the artifacts of the museum.
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Review
27 October 2015Coal in the Garden at TakeOver Festival
View ReviewCoal in the Garden, produced for Takeover Festival is a heart-warming exploration of childhood emotions and the difficulties of saying goodbye.
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Review
27 October 2015A Journey with Maude at TakeOver Festival
View ReviewA Journey with Maude explores ideas of life while simultaneously exploring one of the National Railway Museum's treasured train carriages in a wonderfully interactive, family-friendly performance.
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Interview
26 October 2015What goes on at...Juice Festival
View InterviewJuice Festival is a week-long festival for children and young people from 24th-31st October. At their launch party Ellen Orange had the chance to talk to Chris, the Artistic Director, Ryan and Rachel, two Juice Festival Coordinators and member of Team Juice, Lily to find out more.
Latest Comments
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Defending free-speech - and our right to call it out by Ellen Orange -
Sense and Sensitivity by Tom InnissI totally agree on the 'snowflake' front! It frustrates me so much that valid arguments are shot down with the idea that you are just too sensitive. The people who use these terms have clearly never experienced discrimination or oppression, or not enough to appreciate that often us 'snowflakes' are actually fighting to protect basic rights.
Equally I often find that when you call people out for opinions that are racist or sexist, then it becomes your problem for not being inclusive of other people's politics. It frustrates me so much that racism can hide under 'nationalism' as a political stance, and also sexism in the guise of 'religious' views. It seems now that if you try to call these out you get accused 'censoring' people. In my view everyone has their right to an opinion but we absolutely have to right to respond, retaliate and show those ideas for what they are.
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Reading For Wellbeing by Ellen OrangeChecking things out on Goodreads is a great shout, thanks Sam!
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Reading For Wellbeing by Ellen Orange
Thanks for your comment Abhishek! Yeah I think e-readers definitely encouraged more young people into reading, and I love your idea of using a podcast or audiobook! I've started to listen to audiobooks on my commute and actually it is the perfect way to just be in the moment and not think about the stresses of the day.
I don't think anyone would deliberately choose a book that would be detrimental of course, but often we don't know what is in it until we read it which is my only worry as books with serious issues in them, for example abuse, might negatively affect the reader if they are caught off guard. It is also a tough one to control though and I think you are right, we still have to trust readers to make their own decisions.
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Reading For Wellbeing by Ellen Orange
Yeah content is definitely key! Having said that though a big book like Les Mis or Game of Thrones could be perfect if you are reading for escapism? When I'm feeling particularly rubbish I like children's books - Roald Dahl, JK Rowling and Lemony Snicket because they are escapist fantasy, fun, easy to process and feel-good.
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The Good Immigrant, ed. Nikesh Shukla by Bhavesh JadvaI was really keen to read this before but now it's top of my TBR pile! It sounds brilliant!
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Comment posted on 22 March 2017
Books have always been political! The very books people are turning to like 1984 and The Handmaid's Tale were written decades ago in response to the politics of their times. I think it is just more evident to us now as because political positions are getting more extreme, it affects our lives more.
I also think turning to 1984 is interesting because it was originally written in response to Russian totalitarianism - communism rather than fascism or 'alt-right' politics, so slightly ironic that it is being held up as 'liberal' now? It shows that books aren't just words on a page, but also how you read, use and interpret them!
I think the uniting factor is a defence of justice, fairness and true 'democracy' (ie the voice and rights of the people, rather than a political voting system) as opposed to the simplistic delineation of 'left' and 'right'.