Bernardine Evaristo, the Booker Prize-winning author, has told The Londoner she’s “very worried” that young people aren’t reading novels any more and are instead “addicted” to social media scrolling.
“I feel that through our use of social media we are possibly losing the capability to concentrate at length,” she told us. “When I read a novel I connect in a very peaceful way to myself. When I am on social media... it almost feels like an addiction. It’s like you can’t help yourself even though you’re not taking anything in. I worry not for my generation... I worry for young people,” she said.
Evaristo was speaking at the Royal Society of Literature Summer party, where she is president. She welcomed 62 writers as fellows at a ceremony at the Garden Museum last night. Many of them are from less-represented groups, including Emma Dabiri and Nesrine Malik.
Operation save Rishi
Rishi Sunak tried to save his bacon and woo Tory MPs with a hog roast in the Downing Street garden last night, straight after a Nato summit. Perhaps he was trying to distract them from the looming by-election cullings. Home Secretary Suella Braverman Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, and Michael Gove went along to break bread. Some MPs dressed down, but Sir Desmond Swayne swaggered in in a double-breasted suit and trilby.
Sisters do it for the Longchamp vision
SISTERS Suki and Immy Waterhouse turned out for a starry bash on Regent Street last night. It was held at the Longchamp store, as the brand celebrated its collaboration with magazine Toiletpaper on a series of bags and other accessories. Actress Elle Fanning, singer Ella Eyre and model Pixie Geldof also graced the carpet, which was blue and decorated with clouds. Earlier in the day, Suki celebrated nine Emmy nominations for her show Daisy Jones and the Six. Themes of skulls and baguettes later found their way onto some attendees’ social media. A neat way of showing you’re gluten-intolerant?
Elsewhere, Gregg Wallace and Georgia Toffolo were at the 5th annual Boisdale Life Editor’s Lunch & Awards at the restaurant in Canary Wharf.
Feel the Payne at Wimbledon
Singers Liam Payne and Jessie J headed to Wimbledon yesterday with their partners, posing in the Evian suite. Payne sported a pirate-style braid, while his influencer girlfriend Kate Cassidy took inspiration from the Barbie premiere in town last night. They watched the action on Centre Court, but Liam kept a headphone for music in case he got bored. New mum Jessie J had one of her first days out since having a baby two months ago with basketball player Chanan Safir Colman. “Finally made it out the house,” she wrote on Instagram recently.
