When the Lights Came On: Cinema, Class and the Stories We Cling To

Guest Post on Reading the Past

I’m thrilled to share that I’ve contributed a guest post to Reading the Past, a long-running and highly respected historical fiction blog curated by librarian and reviewer Sarah Johnson. Reading the Past consistently delivers thoughtful historical fiction reviews, author interviews and guest essays that blend literary insight with social context, making it a beloved fixture in the genre.

In my essay – “When the Lights Came On: Cinema, Class and the Stories We Cling To” – I explore how early 20th-century cinemas offered working-class communities more than entertainment: they were crucibles of hope and shared identity, from Britain’s “bioscope halls” to American nickelodeons and grand movie palaces, where stories became sustenance for every day lives.

You can read my full post there – just follow the link:

When the Lights Came On - by RJ Verity on Reading the Past

Thanks again to Sarah Johnson for the invitation.