MICK MCSHANE is roused by a band whose socialism laces every line of every song with commitment and raw passion
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The right to write
REBECCA LOWE admires a complex, multi-layered working-class novel whose heart is the writer's self-discovery as a poet
Swansea city centre
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The Crazy Truth
Gemma June Howell, Seren, £9.99
THE CRAZY TRUTH is a working-class novel that remains true to its roots — unflinchingly honest to the point of brutal, yet also touching, funny, human and ultimately uplifting.
It tells the story of Girlo Wolf, born in 1984 into a world of pickets and poverty. Struggling with her mental health and the backlash of childhood trauma, she falls into a dark underworld of sex, drugs and alcohol. Driven by the stories of home, she finds freedom in writing and strives to become a poet, discovering that her words are a route to recovery and survivorhood.
Spanning four decades, Girlo’s story is interwoven with those of her mother and grandmother, making this a powerful tribute to the intergenerational struggles of working-class people.
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