John Harvey
@johnbharveywriter.bsky.social
Retired (?) writer, former teacher, small press publisher; interests inc. music, visual art, movies, Notts County, Spurs. "Blue in Green” New Poems, Shoestring Press April 2025
Great to see such a positive review of Matthew Welton's now book of poetry in today's Guardian. Well deserved!
Chilling story from POV of woman whose daughter goes on a Spiritual retreat and is barely heard from again "She keeps on hoping for a word from Penelope, but not in any strenuous way. She hopes as people who know better hope for undeserved blessings, spontaneous remissions, things of that sort.`'
On a warm day (though not, thankfully,as hot as yesterday) what better to keep you cool than Lester Young playing 'I Can't Get Started' with the Nat 'King' Cole Trio?
Fascinating conversations on this evening’s BBC Radio 3 “In Tune” about the origins & continuing relevance of Tomorrow’s Warriors, with great live performance of ‘St. Thomas’.
Lovely! Follow these suggestions on your visit to Nottingham and you won’t go far wrong.
Five Leaves Bookshop@fiveleavesbooks.bsky.social · last wk.www.thetimes.com/travel/inspiration/nottingham-city-break-zqpmjwlxn - we missed this until a customer told us, we get an honourable mention in a whistlestop tour of our city by the travel journo Ben Aitken.
Coming in September from BearManor Crime Inc., my weird little book on Kiss Me Deadly (no, not $0.00, but price yet to be determined).
Mention, by Lucy Caldwell, of Lorrie Moore's 'Self-Help' stories in S'day's Guardian sent me back to my copy, bought Am'dam, July '86 - reading "How to Become a Writer" reduced me to tears of delight & recognition.
Just sat down to wach the first few minutes of "Casablanca" while I was finishing an afternoon cup of decaf ... still in my seat when the final credits rolled. What a movie!
Annie Leibovitz, one of the best known American photographers, recognised mostly for her portraits, particularly of famous individuals #WomensArt
Huge congratulations to Emmanuel House Support Centre on a historic day yesterday, buying their building from Nottingham City Council. This secures the future of this vital local homeless charity (est 1976) and was made possible thanks to the generosity of local donors and supporters!
Just received, from Five Leaves B'shop, Matthew Welton's new collection of poems, published by Carcanet.
BBC Proms - Last night on BBC Radio 3, direct from R Albert Hall, premiere of Jessie Mongomery's "These Righteous Paths" with cello by Abel Selaocoe - and choral audience participation! Wonderful!
Painting of the week (any week!) "Old Buildings, Spain" Anne Redpath, watercolour on paper, 1950
The chapel on 'the island' between the beaches of St. Ives as the sun begins to fade.
A pair of photos from a short while ago - less, sometimes, can seem like, well, less but more.
It's only rock and roll, but...
Samira Ahmed@samiraahmeduk.bsky.social · 4w agoTue Aug 11th 630pm Doing a unique Beatles event in Nottingham: I'll be doing an illustrated In Conversation with A Hard Day's Night film clips at the UK's finest indie bookshop, @fiveleavesbooks.bsky.social Special value ticket if you buy book in advance.. fiveleavesbookshop.co.uk/events/samir...
"Another place! it's enough to grieve me - that old dream of going, of becoming a better man just by getting up and going to a better place. Wendell Berry : "The Thought of Something Else"
Just beaten the worst of the heat on the way back from morning coffee - now, curtains drawn, fan switched up high, looking forward to spending the rest of the day in the cool company of Colm Toibin & Wendell Berry, Keith Jarrett playing Bach and Lily Allen's "West End Girl".
A shame the last one is far too much like a late middle age man:s sexual wish fulfillment! Wonder why I didn’t notice that the first time of reading?!?
John Harvey@johnbharveywriter.bsky.social · last mo.Moving on through the quartet of novels that began with 'The Last Picture Show', a journey, interestingly mapped, following Duane Moore from adolescence through to late middle age.
Moving on through the quartet of novels that began with 'The Last Picture Show', a journey, interestingly mapped, following Duane Moore from adolescence through to late middle age.
Just finished re-reading this. The good thing about already being familiar with the story is that you can concentrate on the language, the shifts in tone, the cadence of the sentences.
Just posted on my Blog, new photos - Skies Over St.Ives. straight75nochaser.wordpress.com/wp-admin/pos...
“Another place! It’s enough to grieve me - That old dream of going, of becoming a better man just by getting up and going to a better place.” Wendell Berry: “The Thought of Something Else”
Sad days in Sherwood Forest! The Major Oak pronounced “lifeless & leafless” after 1000 years, but to be “left standing as deadwood to help other wildlife on the reserve.” One might wish to be similarly useful when one’s last leaf has fallen.
Discovered Toner - Very interesting - and new to us - photography shop (plentiful books + small exhibition) in Penzance. Bought book of colour photos - ‘The World As It Is’ by Matt Martin - terrific work.
‘Making Her Mark - A Celebration of Women in Art’ - very enjoyable and interesting exhibition of paintings at Penlee House in Penzance.