The road is rising up again, but I’ve got great company for this trip - @chandrikanm.bsky.social beautiful poems (and a big cinnamon bun)

Yes, that is a full pizza and a purple dressing gown. Stay classy, East Belfast.

Our @mexico_and_below read for November is Vivek Shanbhag’s Ghachar Ghochar (translated by Srinath Perur) we meet Wednesday 18th at 6:30pm @noalibisbookstore all welcome. Please do read the book before coming along. You can purchase it 10% off in store.

I think La Isla Bonita might be my favourite Madonna song

Cannot think of a better way to spend a beautiful autumnal day in Dublin than hanging out with this bunch of amazing Stinging Fly writers (did I mention, the home baked pumpkin cake and cookies we had for sustenance today?) happiest of Halloweens.

It’s the end of October. I didn’t read as much as usual as I read some very big books but these were my favourite reads. Bringing Up the Bodies was a massive standout

Nine and a half hours from leaving my hotel at King Cross to getting to my hotel in Dublin City centre. I could’ve been in Chicago quicker. What an absolute waste of a day

Was overdue some travel mayhem and boy did this morning deliver. Delayed train. Shunted onto standby at Heathrow. Allocated an imaginary husband twice (same surname so they kept trying to give me his board card) flight now delayed. Have spent two and a half hours standing in lines today. (1/2)

Can you tell I had the time of my life at the opening of the Agatha Christie exhibition in the British Library tonight?

There’s nothing quite like the deep exhaustion of having to sit in a hotel foyer waiting for check in time to roll round when you’ve been up since yesterday.

Have been in London for about half an hour and have already had about 15 reminders of why I try to avoid coming to London

Left Brussels at 10:23. Touched down in Heathrow at 10:15. Head officially melted. What do with the eight minutes of time I have been regifted?

Over and out from Brussels. One of the most restful, creative, genuinely fun months I’ve had in a very long time. Met so many wonderful people and had so many amazing chats. Heading home full of inspiration (and chocolate) Huge thanks to Piet and all at passaporta for being such incredible hosts

Sad news… it’s my last day in Brussels. I went to the bakery to get a last almond croissant and they were all done for the day. Raging

Exiting the Old Masters Museum and proceeding to the nearest furniture shop with the explicit purpose of purchasing my own reading cupboard

Good grief. If I see the same six books on any more best reads of 2026 lists I am going to scream and it’s only October. We have another two months of this. Don’t be sheep. Try reading one of the gazillion great books the publishing industry isn’t trying to force down your throat.

🇺🇸 PRE-ORDER @nyrb-imprints.bsky.social LIBRARY OF BROTHEL OUT JAN 12, 2027 Pre-order now for xmas presents & It can be an impending treat bookshop.org/p/books/libr... 🇬🇧 and 🇮🇪 PRE-ORDER HERE at Blackwells blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/pro... 🇮🇪 Hopefully @kennysbookshop.bsky.social & more will add ❤️

Library of Brothel

A wildly inventive novel about a utopian library, “the last offline building” where there is a place for everyone looking for real human connection. Set in a gentrified city in the present day, this k...

bookshop.org

Aren’t librarians brilliant? A gorgeous display of #FewAndFarBetween by @darkandlonelywater.bsky.social and all the library’s copies are now on loan

Nigel Kneale’s Crow@darkandlonelywater.bsky.social · last wk.

All gone, and we’re trying to source copies from other libraries in the interim. It was a good way to focus in on a title and drive borrowing, I think 👍 @jancarsonwrites.bsky.social

Oh how I have missed you beloved dancing stars of European cinema.

Best almond croissant of my young life… a photo story in three parts 🥐 🥐 🥐

I mean, I think there might be a few reasons why no one’s come up with this combo before…

It’s been a decade or so but I’m still pedantically working my way through every episode of the X Files. Hope to finish before the end of the world.

Job done. Wolf Hall trilogy complete. This definitely wasn’t my favourite of the three. It had its moments but, dare I say, it could’ve done with some editing. Still a monumental piece of writing #MyYearWithHM

Is it ok to go to bed at 5:30 (caveat I only have 150 pages of the Mirror and the Light to finish the trilogy and reading it in bed feels like the absolute best use of my Saturday evening)?

There is no admin left in the world that I have not done today. Am currently an admin puddle.

I had the privilege of doing a couple of gigs with Dónal a few years ago and he was such a lovely, generous man and great craic too. This is very sad.

The Irish Times@irishtimes.com · 2w ago

Tributes paid to musician Dónal Lunny after his death aged 79

One of those horrific days where it feels like the quicker you answer emails, the quicker your inbox fills up again. Roll on the weekend. Friday afternoon messaging frenzy is horrific

Well, this is nice… #FewAndFarBetween

Have had a brilliant time @ulbruxelles today discussing Northern Ireland literature. Exceptional students, lovely warm hosts, oddly shaped buildings and the best hot chocolate I’ve had in years.